Apologies of Socrates and Gospels of Jesus
This course was available in the past and may be presented again as part of the Open Enrollment curriculum.
The lives and deaths of Socrates and Jesus had some remarkable parallels. Both were charismatic teachers claiming to be on divine missions. Both were executed by the ruling elites they challenged. And both were vindicated in the writings of their disciples. This course will explore these and other parallels by reading and discussing two Apologies (Defenses) of Socrates, one by Xenophon and one by Plato, and a number of gospels, some of which made it into the New Testament and some of which didn’t. In addition to examining the teachings of each figure, we will consider how each one’s calling and legacy is portrayed in the various accounts. The two Apologies of Socrates will be supplemented by selected other dialogues by Xenophon and Plato related to the death of Socrates.
Course Outline
Course SyllabusNotes
Online registration deadline: Sep 19, 5 PM CT