AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
At the end of the three year course of study, the candidate will be expected to:
have knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the religious, cultural, historical and social background of the biblical materials provided to be studied;
2. understand the nature of biblical moral lessons in the selected passages/themes from the Bible and the extent of their relevance and possible application to present day social, political, religious and cultural life and existence;
3. identify difficulties involved in the application of healthy attitudes, concepts and skills acquired from the Bible in ensuring peaceful co-existence and national development.
EXAMINATION SCHEME
There will be two papers - Paper 1 and 2 both of which must be taken.
Paper 1: Will be 60 minutes multiple choice (objective) test paper consisting of fifty (50) questions drawn from the entire Christian Religious Studies syllabus. Candidates will be required to attempt all the questions for a total of 40 marks.
Paper 2: Will be essay test paper consisting of three sections A, B and C. Four questions each will be set in Sections A and B and two questions in Section C. Candidates will be required to answer four questions in all choosing at least one question from each section and the fourth from either Section A or B for a total of 60 marks.
The sections on the question paper will cover the following portions of the of the syllabus:
Section C: Themes from the Acts of the Apostles, James and I Peter
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible will be used in the setting of questions.
Section A: Themes from the Old testament
DETAILED SYLLABUS:
CONTENT NOTES
Section A:
1. The Creation and the fall
of Human Kind
(a) Creation (b) The garden of Eden and fall of Gen. 1:1-2:4a ; 2:4b-25 human kind Gen. 3 (c) Cain and Abel Gen. 4:1-16 (a) God’s covenant with Abraham Gen.12:1-9, 17:1-21, 21:1-8 (b) God’s covenant with Israel Exodus 1:8-22; 2:23-25; 19;20, 24:1-11; 32:1-24; (c) The new covenant Jeremiah 31:31-34, 32: 36-41. Ezekiel. 36:24-28 3. Leadership Roles (a) Joseph as a leader Gen. 37:1-28, 41:1-57, (b) Moses as a leader Exodus 1; 2; 3; 4:1-17; 5, 14, 32:1-24 Numbers: 13:1- 33. 14: 1-24 (c) Joshua as a leader Numbers. 27:15-23 Joshua. (d) Deborah as a leader Judges 4 (e) Gideon as a leader Judges 6, 7, 8 4. Parental Responsibilities (a) Flaws in Eli and Samuel’s I Samuel 2:11-36; 3:2-18; 4:10- 5. Consequences of Saul’s 1 Samuel. 13:5-15; 15: 1-34, disobedience 16: 14 -23; 31; 6. David: A man after God’s own heart (a) David’s submission to the 1 Samuel.26, 2 Samuel. will of God 12:15-25 (b) David’s sin, repentance and 2 Samuel. 11, 12:1-25 forgiveness 7. Making Decisions (a) Solomon’s wisdom 1 Kings 3:3-28, 4:29-34, 5:1-12, 8:1-53 10:1-13 (b) Unwise policies of 1 Kings. 9:15-23, 11:1-13, Solomon and 12:1-20 Rehoboam 8. Supremacy of God (a) Religious tensions during 1 Kings.16:29-34; 17:1-7; (b) Elijah at mount Carmel 1 Kings 18:17- 46 Ahab and Gehazi’s greed 1 Kings 21; 2 Kings 5 10. The Apostate and the Reformer The reign of King Manasseh 2 Kings 21:1-18 (The Apostate) (b) The Reign of King Josiah 2 King 22; 23: 1-30 11. Faith in God Faith and Courage Daniel 3 Faith and power Daniel 6 (a) God’s Universalism Jonah 1,2,3,4 (b) Social injustice and true religion Amos 2:6-8, 4, 5: 1-24, 7:10-17, 8 (c) God’s divine love Hosea 1, 2, 3, 6 (d) Gods holiness/divine call Isaiah 1:10-20, 6: 1-8 (e) The call of Jeremiah Jeremiah 1 (f) The call of Ezekiel Ezekiel 1,2,3 Hope for the future (a) Individual responsibility Ezekiel 18 (b) Hope for the future Ezekiel 37 14. Concern for one’s Nation (a) The condition of the nation 2 Kings 24; 25:1-17 (b) Response to the state of the nation Nehemiah 1;2:9-20;4 (c) Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles Ezra 1; 4; 5:1-2; 6:13 -22;7:1-10 Jeremiah 29
SECTION B
Themes from the Synoptic Gospels
15. Religious Institutions and Sects at the time of Jesus
(a) The Synagogue (b) The Temple (c) The Sanhedrin (d) The Religious sects
(i) The Pharisees (ii) The Sadducees (e) Other Religious Sects (i) The Scribes (ii) The Herodians (iii) The Zealots
16.Introduction to the SynopticGospels
(a) Characteristics of the Synoptic Gospels
(b) The Synoptic Problem
Birth Narratives: Birth of John and Jesus and the Preparation of Jesus’ ministry
(a) The genealogy Matt: 1:1-17; Lk 3:23- 38 Lk 3:1-20 (d) The baptism of Jesus Matt: 3:13-17, Mk 1:9- 11; Lk3:21-23 18. The temptation of Jesus Matt: 4:1-11,Mk 1:12-13, Lk 4:1-13 19. Galilean Ministry (a) The call and Demands of Matt: 4:18-25; 8:18-22; 9:9-13, Discipleship Mk:1:16-20; 2:13-17, Lk 5:1- 11,27-32, 9:57-63; 14:25-33 (b) The teachings of Jesus (i) The Beatitudes and Woes Matt: 5:1-12; Lk 6:17-26 (ii) The Usefulness of Salt and Matt: 5:13-16, Lk11:33-36; Light 14:34-35 (iii) Jesus and the Mosaic Law Matt: 5:17-48; Lk 6:27-36, Lk 12:57-59 (iv) Alms Giving and Fasting Matt: 6:1-4, Lk 11:41; 12:33 Matt 6: 16 -18 (v) Prayer Matt: 6:5-15; 5:44; 17: 20, Mk 1:35;6:41-46, Lk: 3:21, 6:12, 9:18,28-29; 11:1-13; 22:31-34; 18:1-14 (c) Other Teachings of Jesus Matt: 5:38-48, 18:21-35, (i) Forgiveness Mk 2:1-12, 3:28-29; Lk: 6:27-36, 7:36-50; 11:4, 18:4-14. (ii) Humility Matt: 18:1-4, 23:12, Mk 9:33-37, 10:13-18; Lk 9:46, 14: 7-11, 18: 9-14, 22: 24 -27 (iii) Wealth and Poverty Matt: 5:3; 6:19-21; 19:16-30, Mk 10:17-30; 12:43-44, Lk 6:20; 12:13-21; 33-34; 16:19-31: 8:18-30; 19:8-9; 21:1- 5 (iv) Marriage and Divorce Matt: 5:31-32; 19:3-12; 22:23-33 Mk. 10:2-12; 12:25; Lk 20: 27-40 (v) The Church and State Matt: 17:24-27; 22:15-22 Mk. 12:13-17; Lk 20:20-26 20. Miracles of Jesus (a) Nature Miracles (i) Stilling of the Storm Matt: 8: 23-27: Mk 4:35-41: Lk 8:22-25 (ii) Feeding of the Five Matt 14:15-21, Mk 6:30-44, Thousand Lk 9:10-17 (b) Healing Miracles (i) The Leper Matt: 8: 1 - 4 , Mk 1:40-45, Lk 5:12-16 (ii) The Centurion’s Servant Matt 8: 5-13, Lk 7:1-10 (iii) The Paralytic Matt 9:1-8, Mk 2:1-12; Lk 5:17-26
(c) Exorcism and Power over Death (i) The Gerasene Demoniac Matt 8: 28-34, Mk 5:1-20 Lk 8:26-39 (ii) The Syro-Phoenician Woman’s Daughter Matt. 15:21 - 28, Mk. 7: 24- 30 (iii) Jairus Daughter Matt. 9: 18-26, Mk. 5:21-43, Lk. 8: 40-56
21. The Parables of Jesus (a) Parables of the Kingdom Matt: 13:1-23, Mk 4:1-20,(i) The Sower Lk 8:4-15 (ii) The Mustard Seed Matt: 13:31-32, Mk 4:30-32,Lk 13:18-19 (iii) The wicked Tenant Matt: 21:33-46, Mk 12:1-12,Lk 20: 9-19 (iv) Pounds and Talents Lk 19:11-27, Matt 25:14-30
(b) Parables Illustrating God’s love
(i) The Parables of the Lost Matt 18: 12-14, Lk 15 E.g. .Prodigal Son, Lost Sheep Lost Coin etc. 22. The Great Confession and the Transfiguration (a) The Great Confession Matt 16:13-20, MK 8:27-38 Lk 9: 18-27 (b) The Transfiguration Matt 17: 1-13, MK 9:2-13 Lk. 9:28-36. 23. Jesus in Jerusalem. Conflict with Jewish Authorities over: (a) Sabbath Matt: 12:1-14, Mk 2:23-28, 3:1--6, Lk 6:1-11 (b) Mixing with Sinners Matt: 9: 9-13, Lk. 5:27-32, 7:36-50, Mk. 2:13-22 (c) Fasting Matt. 9: 14-17, Mk. 2: 18 -20 Lk. 5:33-39 (d) Authority to forgive sins Mat: 9:1- 9, Mk. 2:1-12, Lk 5: 17-26, Lk. 7: 36-50 (e) Tradition of the Elders Matt: 15: 1-11, Mk. 7: 1-15, Lk. 11:37-41 24. The Passion Stories (a) The Conspiracy of the Matt: 26:1-5, Mk. 14:1-2, Priest and the Elders. Lk. 22:1-2 (b) The Anointing at Bethany Matt: 26: 6-13, Mk. 14: 3-9 (c) The Last Supper Matt: 26:17-35, Mk. 14:12-31, Lk. 22:7-3 (d) Jesus at Gethsemane Matt: 26:36-56, Mk. 14:32-52, Lk. 22: 39-53 (e) Peter’s Denials Matt: 26:69-75, Mk. 14:66-72, Lk. 22:54-62 (f) The trial of Jesus Matt: 26:47-75, Mk. 14:53-72, Lk. 22:66-71,23: 1-12 (g) The Crucifixion and Matt: 27: 32-56, Mk. 15: 21 death of Jesus -41, Lk. 23: 26-49 (h) The burial of Jesus Matt. 27: 57-66, Mk. 15: 42-47, Lk. 23:50-56 (i) The Resurrection Matt: 28:1-20, Mk. 16:1-20, Appearances Lk. 24: 1-53 (j) The Great Commission Matt: 28:19-20, Lk. 24:47, Mk. 16: 15-20
SECTION C
The History of the Early Church
(a) Introduction to the Acts Acts 1:1-5 of the Apostles (b) (i) The Ascension Acts 1:6-11 (ii) The replacement of Judas Acts 1:12-26 (c) The day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-47 (c) The day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-47 (d) The first Miracle of the Church Acts 3:1-26 (e) Opposition to the Church Acts 4:1-31 (f) The Church and Communal life Acts 4:32-37; 5:1-16 (g) The arrest of the Apostles Acts 5:17-42 26. The Appointment of the Seven, Persecution and Dispersion of the church after Stephen’s Death. (a) The appointment of the Seven Acts 6:1-6 Deacons (b) Stephen, the first Christian Martyr Acts 6:7-15; 7 (c) Persecution and dispersion of the Acts 8:1-25 Church (d) Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:26-40
27. Witnessing Further Afield
(a) The conversion of Saul Acts 9:1-31(b) Peter at Lydda and Joppa Acts 9:32-43(c) Conversion of Cornelius Acts 10:1-48; 11:1-18(d) The Church in Antioch Acts 11:19-30(e) Martyrdom of James and the arrest Acts 12:1-24of Peter
The first Missionary Journey and the Council of Jerusalem (a) Paul’s first Missionary Journey Acts 13, 14 (b) The Council of Jerusalem and the Acts 15:1-35 Question of Circumcision 29. The Epistle of James (a) Faith and Works James 1:2-27; 2:14-26 (b) Impartiality James 2:1-13 (c) Effective Prayers James 1:2-8; 5:13-18 30. The Epistle of 1 Peter (a) Good Citizenship 1 Peter 2:13-17 (b) Christians Living among 1 Peter 2 : 1 - 25 non- Christians (c) Interpersonal Relationship 1 Peter 5 : 1 - 11 among Christians