Digital Commons Network^™

‘Perfect’ In Matt 5:48: A Case For Mandatory Retirement, Kent Yinger

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

The English gloss “perfect” is used less and less to translate Heb tam and Gk teleios in biblical texts referring to human beings (e.g., Noah, Job). Understandably so, since it strikes most readers (and exegetes) as out of place to refer to flawed human beings as “perfect.” In one place, however, this gloss stubbornly persists; namely, in Matt 5:48 (“be ye therefore perfect”). This paper will examine the interpretive background to this translation, possible reasons for its persistence in Matt 5:48, and will suggest alternatives for future translators.

Student Perceptions Of How People, Practices, And Culture Within A Christian Secondary School Contribute To Or Detract From Their Spiritual Development, N. Matthews Beimers

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This is a phenomenological study of five Grade 12 students and their perceptions of the factors in their Christian school that have contributed to their spiritual development. Through interviews with each of the students, the details of the students’ perceptions revealed how and why specific people, practices, and elements of school culture affected their spirituality. All of these students provided keen insights through honest and vulnerable reflection. The major thematic categories that emerged were teachers, peers, spiritual practices, and the positive school community and ethos. The major recommendations for practice is to consider how the school can find avenues for …

Russian Orthodox Religious Education Initiatives In Post-Soviet Russia: Update And Commentary, Joseph Loya, Tatiana Kravchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Restorying God: Re-Imagining The God Of The Bible And Re-Enchanting Our Neo-Secular Selves, Robert Joseph Burnham

Doctor of Ministry

The Western world has undergone dramatic transformation in the last five hundred years. A premodern world became modern and then postmodern. In the terms of philosopher Charles Taylor, the Western social imaginary—the collection of images and ideas that define human flourishing and guide a populous through daily life—has shifted from one of “transcendent-enchantment” to “immanent-disenchantment.” Christianity, a

once singular Roman Catholic Church, is a diversity of denominations that, despite best efforts and intentions, are watching people of all demographic groups join a mass exodus in body, soul, or both from the church. However, one would be mistaken to denounce those …

The Dance Of Formation: Engaging Faith Practices As A Way To Shape Clergy Spouse Life In The Evangelical Lutheran Church In America, Erin M. Swenson-Reinhold

Doctor of Ministry

Christian spiritual formation is a lifelong process of being transformed into the image of Christ. The current model of theological education in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) often fails to prepare seminarians and their spouses for the challenges of long-term ministry by neglecting the spiritual formation process in favor of skill-based training. When this occurs, problems may arise in the marriage or ministry. This dissertation proposes there is a definite need for spiritual nourishment and spiritual formation for clergy and their families, and faith practices are important predictors of individual and relational health.

The first five years of …

Developing An Applied Semiotics Of Prophetic Perceptuality, Mark John Chironna

Doctor of Ministry

In John 5:19, Jesus defended the healing at the Pool of Bethesda and disclosed his capacity to see and perceive, in real time and from his inferiority, his Father’s activities. Jesus informed his accusers that they would witness even “greater works.” In John 14:12, he said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” These “greater works” would be possible because Jesus ascended to the Father and poured out upon them his Spirit, the …

Spiritual Disciplines Of Early Adventists, Heather Ripley Crews

Doctor of Ministry

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the Biblical spirituality of the early Adventist Church in order to apply the spiritual principles learned to the contemporary church. Though it is God who changes people, the early Adventists employed specific spiritual practices to place themselves in His presence. Research revealed five main spiritual disciplines that shaped the Advent leaders and by extension the church. The first is Bible study: placing the Holy Scriptures as the foundation for all beliefs. The second is prayer: communication and communion with God. The third is healthful living: treating the body well so God’s work …

On Finding Jesus: A Review Of The Cnn Episodes, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Making Room At The Table: An Invitation To Multicultural Worship, Rebecca S. Jeong

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Making Room at the Table is a collection of essays sharing Christian theologians’ struggles with the 21st century’s emerging theological issue of multicultural worship. This publication is twelve essays written by current and former members of faculty at Princeton Theological Seminary. By adopting the primary metaphor of Christian worship, the Lord’s Table, the writers make an effort to answer these main questions; “How do we celebrate the Lord together by maintaining each unique cultural identity?”, “How do we keep tension between worship that is faithful to our own theological and liturgical histories and worship that at the same time is …

Tongues As A Site Of Subversion: An Analysis From The Perspective Of Postcolonial Politics Of Language, Ekaputra Tupamahu

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

In this article I discuss the close relationship between colonialism and the expansion of language. Language is always politically contested. A language can become an inter­national language today because it has a long history of colonization and subjugation of other groups of people. I analyze the sociopolitical dimension of tongues by engag­ing, among others, linguist Roman Jakobson, philosopher Michel Foucault, and cultural theorist Judith Butler. By placing tongues in the context of the politics of language, I aim to show that the practice of speaking in tongues can be viewed as a strategic subversion and disruption of the regime of …

"The Crescent" Student Newspaper, March 14, 2016, George Fox University Archives

"The Crescent" Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of George Fox University.

"The Crescent" Student Newspaper, February 4, 2016, George Fox University Archives

"The Crescent" Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of George Fox University.

"The Crescent" Student Newspaper, February 4, 2016, George Fox University Archives

"The Crescent" Student Newspaper

Student newspaper of George Fox University.

Book Review: Social And Economic Life In Second Temple Judea/The Wealth Of Nations: A Tradition-Historical Study/The Sacred Economy Of Ancient Israel., Roger S. Nam

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Excerpt: "The study of Israelite economies has seen a surge of interest in recent years. Each of the three volumes under review here covers a distinct aspect of the economic world of the Hebrew Bible.

Adams provides a broad overview of social and economic life in Second Temple Judea through four chapters of descriptive themes and a cumulative ethical assessment of wealth and poverty. The book includes a bibliography and multiple indexes. A. states his hope: “By taking up topics like marriage gifts, borrowing and lending, and taxation, our discussion will provide an overview of economic life, with fresh insights …

The Giant In A Thousand Years: Tracing Narratives Of Gigantism In The Hebrew Bible And Beyond, Brian R. Doak

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

"This essay is an attempt to organize the Bible’s giants by category and to continue to elevate these figures as a rightful object of scholarly attention."

An Other-Typological Illustration Of The Exodus Story According To Dr. King’S Perception Of Universal Reconciliation In His Sermon On Exodus 14:30, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The article contends that Dr King makes an other-typological illustrative use of the Exodus story in his preaching – one of the most significant biblical narratives that the Black church in the US holds dear. This peculiar use of the Exodus story differentiates itself from the conventional typological understanding and use of the same story in the Black church’s history. While in the latter the Exodus story has a symbolic meaning of the irreconcilable conflict between the oppressed and the oppressing reality, in the former the same story contains a spiritual lesson that what is really hoped for in the …

A Northwest Semitic Curse Formula: The Sefire Treaty And Deuteronomy 28, Melissa Ramos

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

While a great deal of scholarly investigation has focused on parallels between biblical curses and imprecations found in Neo-Assyrian Treaties, the curses in the Aramaic treaty of Sefire have garnered relatively less attention.¹ In recent years there has been renewed interest in the Sefire treaty, the role of Aramaic, and its use and influence during the Neo-Assyrian period.² Since the publication of the Succession Treaty of Esarhaddon (STE) by Donald John Wiseman in 1958 studies have abounded that examine its parallels with Deut 13 and 28.³ While some scholars posit a direct dependence of Deuteronomy on the cuneiform text of …

Deut 27 And Ancient Media: The Torah Stones And The Meaning Of Covenant, Melissa Ramos

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The tablets of the covenant are one of the most enduring symbols of the Hebrew Bible. In Deuteronomy 27 the command is given to inscribe on stones “all the words of the this torah”: וכתבת על–האבנים את–כל–התורה הזאת . These stones are potent visual symbols in the Hebrew Bible, symbols of the enduring nature of the binding oath of the covenant made between God and the people. This paper will explore this connection between the ratification of covenant and the crafting of an iconic representation of the covenant on visual media. Special attention will be given to the command to …

Contributions Of This Volume And The De-Johannification Of Jesus (Chapter In John, Jesus, And History, Volume 3), Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Excerpt: "As the essays in this volume demonstrate, the evidentiary basis for excluding the Gospel of John from the historical quest for Jesus is extensively flawed, critically. Many dozens, perhaps hundreds, of instances in which the Fourth Gospel arguably contributes to a fuller understanding of the life and ministry of the prophetic figure from Nazareth require renewed consideration if the fuller database of historical information about Jesus is to be consulted. The question, of course, is how to do so. While it might be safer and less likely to err to exclude John from the quest, such a conservatively reductionistic …

Allan Aubrey Boesak, With Foreword By Nicholas Wolterstorff, Dare We Speak Of Hope? Searching For A Language Of Life In Faith And Politics. Reviewed By Travis Pickell, Travis Pickell

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Review of Allan Aubrey Boesak, with foreword by Nicholas Wolterstorff, Dare We Speak of Hope? Searching for a Language of Life in Faith and Politics (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2014). xiv + 202 pp. ISBN 978-0-8028-7081-0

‘Hope’ has become something of a catchword in contemporary civic and political dis-course. In 2006, then-Senator Barack Obama published The Audacity of Hope, his visionary manifesto, which was followed two years later by now-iconic presidential election campaign posters, boldly and simply proclaiming ‘HOPE’ to masses of American voters. Over the past decade, we have witnessed the powerful enthusiasm the promise of hope can bring …

Reading Ceremonies In The Hebrew Bible: Ideologies Of Textual Authority In Joshua 8, 2 Kings 22-23, And Nehemiah 8, Lisa Joann Cleath

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The covenant reading ceremonies in Joshua 8:30-35, 2 Kings 22-23, and Nehemiah 7:72b-8:18 betray a developing interplay between the people of Israel and the book of the law. These narratives are unique in the Hebrew Bible in presenting the oralization of a covenant document to a specific audience. Previous scholarship on these narratives has focused on reconstructing the source-critical history of each account and the historicity of the reported events. For the following study, Joshua 8:30-35 and 2 Kings 22-23 represent earlier pre-exilic and exilic traditions, while 2 Chronicles 34-35 and Nehemiah 8 illustrate later post-exilic perspectives. However, supplementing source-critical …

Smith's "Poetic Heroes: Literary Commemorations Of Warriors And Warrior Culture In The Early Biblical World" (Book Review), Brian R. Doak

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

A review of Smith, Mark S. Poetic Heroes: Literary Commemorations of Warriors and Warrior Culture in the Early Biblical World. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2014. xxiv1636 pp. ISBN-13: ‎978-0802867926

Vollandt's "Arabic Versions Of The Pentateuch: A Comparative Study Of Jewish, Christian, And Muslim Sources" (Book Review), Lisa Cutforth-Anderson

The Christian Librarian

A review of Vollandt, R. (2015). Arabic versions of the Pentateuch: A comparative study of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sources. Boston: Brill. 347 pp. $149.00. ISBN 9789004289918

Prison And The Bible: Current Practices And Reflections From Isaiah, Edward Allen Jones Iii

Faculty Publications - George Fox Digital

There is wide agreement today that our prison system is fraught with problems. Opinion associates prisons with overcrowding, racism, human debasement, and with an inability to accomplish the reduction of crime. Further, there is also a partial antipathy ascribed to the general populace. Practically, citizens want governmental systems to provide for our security. Ideologically, there is a sense that leniency is foolhardy. However, as religious communities often equate crime with sin writ large, there is also a need to pursue wholeness in society. One way to do this is by reflecting on how punishment, prison in this case, can relate …

Gzella's "A Cultural History Of Aramaic" (Book Review), Gary R. Averill

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Vacario's "100 Illustrated Bible Verses: Inspiring Words. Beautiful Art" (Book Review), Cynorra Jackson

The Christian Librarian

A review of Vicario, J. (2015). 100 illustrated Bible verses: Inspiring words. Beautiful art. New York: Workman Publishing. 206 pp. ISBN 9780761185666

Jeffrey And Evans' "The Bible And The University" (Book Review), Armand T. Ternak

The Christian Librarian

A review of Jeffrey, D. L., & Evans, C. S. (Eds.) (2007). The Bible and the university. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. 328 pp. ISBN 9780310234180

Comparative Study Of Ethics In Librarianship And The Bible, Japheth Abdulazeez Yaya

The Christian Librarian

This paper is a comparative study that discusses ethical issues in librarianship and the Bible. Such issues include: Laws in librarianship vs. laws in the Bible; censorship in librarianship vs. censorship in the Bible; Bible teachings on access to information and access to information in librarianship; purification (i.e., book binding), conservation and preservation practices in the library and in the Bible; weeding of library collections and weeding practices in the Bible; privacy and confidentiality in the library and in the Bible; orderliness of the library collections and the Bible; consortium building of library collections and in the Bible; and consequences …

Cox's "How To Read The Bible" (Book Review), Paul B. Drake

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Bautch And Knoppers' "Covenant In The Persian Period: From Genesis To Chronicles" (Book Review), Lisa Cutforth-Anderson

The Christian Librarian

A review of Bautch, R.J., & Knoppers, G.N. (Eds.). (2015). Covenant in the Persian period: From Genesis to Chronicles. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. 452 pp. $58.05. ISBN 9781575063560