contents | resources | assignments | links

"...a landscape, however beautiful, presents itself as a chaotic phenomenon until one realizes that its different features are to be explained by what lies below the surface, and therefore by their previous history. Like the formation of a landscape, the formation of a text is part of its total, contemporary meaning."
-Joseph Blenkinsopp, The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five Books of the Bible

'Who Do You Say That I Am?' Who was Jesus of Nazareth? What did he teach? How was he understood by those who knew him? How did he come to be understood in the first few centuries of the religious movement that named itself after him? How is he understood by those who follow him today? How reliable was the process by which his message and identity have been preserved? What is the extent of his impact on Western culture and religious practice? The purpose of this website is to provide an introduction to current Biblical scholarship and to the study of the historical context of Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity, with the goal of better understanding the identity of Jesus of Nazareth, both as the object of Christian worship and as an historical figure, within the context of Catholic teaching on Scripture, Christology, and Early Church History. The site is designed to be used as an internet textbook, with the content one would expect to find in any thorough introductory text, presented in a way that takes advantage of the versatility and interactivity of the internet. Here you will find materials for studying both the Old and New Testaments from a variety of academic perspectives: Theological, historical, textual, canonical, sociological.

Course Links      ● Current Class Calendar      ● Class Notes      ● Test Review Guide      ● Class Lectures      ● NT Greek Resources       Parents      ● Course Intro      ● Parent Letter       Bible Translations      ● New American Bible      ● New Jerusalem Bible      ● Revised Standard Version      ● Douay-Rheims      ● Latin Vulgate      ● Septuagint (LXX)

The CONTENTS page lists the topics on this site in the order they are covered in my Sophomore Theology classes at Cardinal Gibbons High School, but each topic is essentially self-contained so you can go straight to a particular subject.

The RESOURCES page lists teaching/learning aids that accompany the topics on this site, which can also be found on the pages for each topic. This includes online quizzes, charts & maps, a glossary, a biblical chronology, information about my class policies, and the sources used for this site.

The ASSIGNMENTS page lists all of the crossword puzzles, worksheets, and reading questions used in my sophomore classes. To see the assignments in the order assigned with due dates, check the calendar pages for each quarter, accessible on the menu bar at the top of any page.

The LINKS page has external links to further information on any class topic and other topics of relevance to Biblical Studies and Early Church History.

This site is always a work in progress, so please excuse its apparent perpetual incompleteness. My class is always changing; so is this site. To report any errors or omissions, or to make a comment or suggestion, please email me at rmartin@cghsnc.org.

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The Narrow Gate is the homepage of Rick Martin, Theology Teacher (Scripture, Philosophy & Religion)
at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, NC. Visit the καλλιπολις, my philosophy & religion website.
all content © richard martin & the narrow gate, cardinal gibbons high school, raleigh nc.