This course examines the Gospel of Luke in Its historical, social and literary contexts. The life of Jesus presented as a culminating event In the Lukan view of salvation history generates a number of distinctive theological themes. An exploration therefore of literary features, editorial activity in the Lukan account, its relation to the Acts of the Apostles and Its situation to socio-cultural conceptions of first century Judaic discourse will provide a network of meaning-effects accounting for the theological character and purpose of the Gospel. Major themes in Luke's work will be further explored, including such topics as the plan of God, exaltation Chrlstology, the marginalized, eschatology and gender pairing and status reversal. This course will solicit discussion and reflection on our own religious contexts within developing diverse twenty-first century cultures.