Course Description
A survey of the cultures, history, and geography of the Greco-Roman and Jewish world from the early centuries BC through the early centuries AD.
Greco-Roman World
About the Instructor
Dr. Matthew A. Dudreck is assistant dean and associate professor of New Testament at Reformation Bible College. He earned two M.A. degrees from Wheaton College (Biblical Exegesis; Historical & Systematic Theology), a Th.M. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (New Testament), and a Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary, where he also previously taught as a lecturer in New Testament. In his dissertation, he examined the use of Jeremiah in the book of Revelation.
Letter from the instructor
When I first began studying the Hellenistic and Jewish worlds of the ancient Mediterranean, I realized how much the New Testament assumes about its cultural setting. This course invites you into that same discovery. Together, we will step into the intellectual, political, and religious world of the Greco-Roman age up to the first century AD by reading Greek and Roman authors alongside the rich literature of Second Temple Judaism. As we explore philosophy, civic life, temple practice, diaspora Judaism, and the social realities of the Roman Empire, you will begin to see how deeply this world shaped the language, assumptions, and theological contours of early Christianity. My hope is that by the end of the course, you will not only understand the background of the New Testament more clearly, but also feel more at home in the world in which it was first proclaimed.
Sincerely, Dr. Dudreck
