Digital Commons Network^™

Is Resurrection Atemporally Simultaneous With Death? Using Aquinas's Theory Of Eternity To Conceptualize A New Theory Of Resurrection, James T. Turner, Jr.

Masters Theses

In debates on the metaphysics of resurrection, it seems that philosophical theology is often arguing on the wrong fronts. While some philosophers and theologians spend their time arguing the feasibility of a person's bodily numerical identity at resurrection, whether or not a human being can exist apart from their body, or whether the resurrection is physical at all (among many other points of view) this thesis seeks to argue a more foundational issue: God's eternal/atemporal existence and how it affects the resurrection of mankind. If it can be shown that God's eternal/atemporal existence allows for a person to experience simultaneity …

Who Maketh The Clouds His Chariot: The Comparative Method And The Mythopoetical Motif Of Cloud-Riding In Psalm 104 And The Epic Of Baal, Jordan Wesley Jones

Masters Theses

Alleging parallels between Scripture and other ancient Near Eastern texts has always been a matter of controversy. The controversy has resulted from criticism of the comparative method by those who accuse its users of being overly simplistic or reckless when applying their particular approaches to the texts. This recklessness has resulted in alleged connections that are now considered very loose, unjustified, and harmful to the context of Scripture. In order to avoid the dreaded "parallelomania" that has resulted from hasty conclusions in comparative studies, it is necessary to approach alleged comparative units in a more concrete fashion, synthesizing the best …

Patrick Henry: The Significance Of Harmonized Religious Tensions, Katie Kitchens

Masters Theses

This study explores the complex religious influences shaping Patrick Henry's belief system. It is common knowledge that he was an Anglican, yet friendly and cooperative with Virginia Presbyterians. However, historians have yet to go beyond those general categories to the specific strains of Presbyterianism and Anglicanism which Henry uniquely harmonized into a unified belief system. Henry displayed a moderate, Latitudinarian, type of Anglicanism. Unlike many other Founders, his experiences with a specific strain of Presbyterianism confirmed and cooperated with these Anglican commitments. His Presbyterian influences could also be described as moderate, and latitudinarian in a more general sense. These religious …

Proclaiming The Lord's Death: An Exegesis Of 1 Cor 11:17-34 In Light Of The Greco-Roman Banquet, Caleb Patton Collier

Masters Theses

From the beginning, one of the predominant elements of worship within the church was the celebration of the eucharist. Much scholarship has been done on the eucharist, examining the observance through the disciplines of church history, theology, New Testament studies, and ecclesiology. This thesis merely aims to complement current scholarship in the area of eucharistic origins. The question examined is this: "Did the Corinthian church model their eucharist observance upon the existing Greco-Roman banquet model?" In answering that question, exegetical work is presented on 1 Cor 11:17-34, the banquet is examined as to form and function, and parallels are made …

An Investigation Of The Connection Between Adam As A Type Of Christ And Christ Himself: An Exegetical And Structural Approach To Romans 5:12-19, Soon Ho Hong

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the theological and exegetical debates concerning Adam-Christ typology and to specifically explain the structure of the Adam-Christ typology in Romans 5:12-19. The Adam-Christ typology in Romans 5:12-19 is called structural typology because the meaning of the context is revealed through the structural analysis. To understand the connection between Adam as a type of Christ and Christ himself, it is essential to know the structure of the text and to define the meaning of the text through exegesis. This thesis examines some disputes regarding the structural and grammatical issues of Romans 5:12-19. Three …

The Integrity Of The New Testament Canon, Michael A. Ocealis

Masters Theses

The New Testament canon is authentic and reliable: there has been no exclusion of qualified writings, and the original writings have not been changed.

Examining The Septuagint: An Exploration Of The Greek Old Testament's Unique Heritage And Lasting Impact On The New Testament, Cara Lynne Murphy

Masters Theses

The Greek Old Testament has been a focus of speculation and study since its entrance into the religious culture of the Diasporic Jews. Legends and myths surround the creation of the Septuagint, and its use by the New Testament authors only added to the questions surrounding this ancient text. The questions this thesis will seek to address are three-fold. First, what does historical evidence prove regarding the origin of the Septuagint? The dating, the location, and the nature of the Septuagint’s creation are each open debates within biblical scholarship. While this thesis will not attempt to prove conclusively the answers …

An Investigation Of Paul’S Use Of The Word “Type” In Romans 5:12-21: Comparison, Contrast, Or Both?, Laurie Schweinsberg

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate Paul’s use of the word “type” in Romans 5:14. Adam as a “type” of Christ appears incongruent with the rest of the passage, which seems to put Adam and Christ in total opposition.

There is no denying the contrasts between Adam and Christ in their personage, nor in their actions. Even with respect to the actual consequences on those they affected, the differences are obvious, but there are very important comparisons which may be Paul’s true focus in this passage. Paul is comparing the principles of sin and death and the principle …

Interpretation Of 1 Peter 3:18-22, Jason Hauffe

Masters Theses

This thesis is an extensive exegetical work on 1 Peter 3:18-22. It proposes a much-needed new interpretive scheme that adequately explains the many exegetical, grammatical, and theological mysteries within this notoriously difficult passage. Verse 18 is interpreted as an example of the principle of verse 17 that if it is God's will, it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. Christ is given as the example par excellence of one who was righteous but suffered in the flesh. He suffered for sinners in order to bring many to God. He was put to death physically, but …

Jesus, Fourth Ezra And A Son Of Man Tradition In The First Century Ad, Martin E. Sheldon

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Historical Nature Of Luke's Virgin Birth Account: An Apologetic, David E. Smith Jr.

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Giving Voice To Women Of God: Uniting The Methodist Church, Jennifer M. Clark

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the experience of three female clergy in The United Methodist Church. Historically, women have had a voice in the church, but it has been muted as a result of the traditionally male dominated structure. The purpose of this study is to give voice to these stories and experiences, which is essential to understanding of the past, present, and future of the church. Interviews were recorded with each woman, and the transcripts revealed four common themes among the responses: 1) style of female clergy, 2) calling of female clergy by God, 3) acceptance of female clergy, and …

An Analysis And Evaluation Of The Patristic Testimony From The Second Century Concerning The Authorship Of The Fourth Gospel, Robert E. Dalrymple

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Transformation Of Immanence: From The Augustinian Faith Of Henry Vaughan To The Rationalist Faith Of S.T. Coleridge, Tristum M. Ryan

Masters Theses

The present study focuses on the conception of immanence and the manner in which it evolved from the seventeenth century, as represented in Henry Vaughan's Silex Scintillans, to the nineteenth century, as represented in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's nature poetry and his collection of letters, Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit. Vaughan's conception of a basic immanence of reflected divinity in nature evolved, over the course of two hundred years, into Coleridge's version of an immanence based on reason. These two different conceptions of immanence in part formed the basis of the respective faiths of Vaughan and Coleridge. Vaughan's traditional Augustinian faith …

An Exegetical And Theological Examination Of Matthew 5:17-20, Marc A. Clauson

Masters Theses

Recent polemics relating to the use and validity of the Mosaic Law make a reexamination of some of the key Biblical passages imperative as well as a rethinking of the basic framework by which the issue of the Law is discussed. Matthew 5:17-20 is a passage often used by all sides in the Law debate and is here analyzed as to its relevance to the Law issue. This periscope is Jesus' programmatic statement about his mission with respect to the Law. The passage clearly states that the Law is not abolished and this truism serves as the broadest interpretational framework …

Examining The First Epistle Of Peter In Duke Ms. Gk. 1 Using Contemporary Text-Critical Methodology, Jeff Crabtree

Masters Theses

Current text-critical methodology requires thorough knowledge of manuscript documents. An application of this principle shows Duke MS. GK. 1 to be a Greek minuscule MS containing the entire NT with catenae for most books. Done by a skilled scribe, the palaeography of this parchment codex suggests its origin at ca. 1100 AD.

1 Peter of Duke MS. GK. 1 contains several common scribal variations and errors. Variants resulting from moveable ~, itacisms, and manuscript traditions are common. These were determined by comparison of Duke MS. GK. 1 with the critical apparatuses of the following editions of the Greek NT: Nestle/Aland …

I.A. Richards' Triangle Of Meaning Compared And Contrasted With The Rhetoric Of The Holy Bible, Gregory L. Swango

Masters Theses

It is the Bible's claim to be the inspired word of God. The message from the Scriptures has persuaded millions: from the shepherd of the first century to the business person of our present age. The words chosen, the genres used, and the forms of verbal support employed are prodigious in every way. The rhetorician and linguist, I. A. Richards, has written and spoken on how words come to have meaning, how they are used in context, and how they are used metaphorically. He has developed his ideas through a model called the triangle of meaning. There is justification for …

Justification As Christus In Nobis In Sixteenth Century Protestantism, Milo E. Zehr

Masters Theses

Purpose: A major issue in every religion is the meaning of salvation. Although post-Reformation Protestantism claims to follow its sixteenth century founders' understanding of soteriology, modern Protestants speak: of justification solely as a forensic imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the writings of Martin Luther, Andreas Osiander, John Calvin, and Menno Simons to discover whether they viewed justification as a substantial work of God in the soul of the believer or as a purely external declaration of God. The writer chose these four men for four reasons. First, all four have …

Toward A Thomistic Theory Of Meaning, Thomas A. Howe

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relevance Of The Abrahamic Covenant To Israel And The People Of God Based On Its Form And Function As Viewed From The Old Testament, Rondell Mark Raddish

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Law In Galatians: A Comparison Of Bruce And Paul, Greg A. Couser

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Jesus And Inerrancy, James Hunt

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Moral Argument For God's Existence As Seen In Romans 2:14-15 And Romans 1:32a, Lawrence R. Cox

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Apologetics And The Apostle Paul In The Book Of Acts: An Agenda For A Viable Apologetic Methodology, Bruce A. Little

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Odo Of Morimond: His System Of Contemplation As Based On Matthew Xx, The Parable Of The Vineyard, Richard M. Green

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.