Digital Commons Network^™

Calvin Theological Journal (Vol 52 No 1 - April 2017), Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Journal

From the Editor: Karin Maag - 7 / Articles: The Self-Revelation of God in Jesus by Daniel Boerman - 9 / The Heart and Soul of Abraham Kuyper: Reflections on His Meditations by James A. De Jong - 37 / A Grotesque Attack: Reading Ezekiel 16 as Satire to Address Feminist Critiques by Erin Risch Zoutendam - 63 / Sermon: “Live!”—A Sermon on Ezekiel 16 by Scott Hoezee - 85 / Book Reviews - Scripture and Interpretation: Allen, Michael, and Jonathan A. Linebaugh, eds., Reformation Readings of Paul: Explorations in History and Exegesis, reviewed by …

Obedient Unto Death: Philippians 2:8, Gethsemane, And The Historical Jesus, James Mcgrath

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Despite the extensive attention that has been given to Philippians 2:6–11 in relation to its Christology, the possibility that v8 alludes to the story about Jesus in Gethsemane has received only cursory mention when it has been considered at all. Philippians 2:8 and the Gospel tradition converge in depicting Jesus choosing to be obedient to God even to the point of death, in the absence of an interpretation of that death as itself salvific. The historical allusion, offered in the midst of a heavily theologized Christo- logical statement, offers an excellent test case for an approach to history which accepts …

The Letters Of St. Paul [Lecture Notes], Scott Gambrill Sinclair

The Scott Sinclair Lecture Notes Collection

Lecture notes on a series of talks by Scott G. Sinclair's on his version of the Historical Jesus.

The Bridge Spring 2017 Vol. 57 No. 3, Harding School Of Theology

The Bridge

No abstract provided.

The Evangelists' Editorial Efforts; Matthean And Lukan Theology Vis-A-Vis A Few, Unique Parables, Benjamin C. Joseph Mr.

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

As an early Church Father and apologist in the 2nd century, Irenaeus contributed greatly to discourse on Christian theology, scripture, and tradition. However Irenaeus could not have been further from the truth when he exclaimed, “The parables will receive a like interpretation from all!”1 Had his prediction proven to be true, perhaps there would not be much to say about the parables in the Christian Gospels. Yet a single, universally accepted interpretation of any one parable did not exist during Jesus’ earthly ministry, and certainly does not exist today. Why, then, does Jesus speak in parables? Why would a religious …

“A Few Bones To Pick: Peter And His Significance”—A Fifth Review Of Cnn’S “Finding Jesus 2” Series, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The fifth episode of CNN’s “Finding Jesus” series explores the character and place of the historical Peter. Portrayed as a fisherman—a leading disciple of Jesus in the Gospels—Simon Peter is presented as both robust and impetuous. As chief among the twelve, he promises to stand with Jesus until the end, and yet, he also denies Jesus three times, as he also fears for his life following the arrest of Jesus. As Michael Peppard correctly puts it, the practice of the Romans at the time was to arrest not only insurrectionist leaders, but also to deal swiftly with their followers. Thus, …

The Communal Dimensions Of Birthing Imagery In Paul's Epistles, Mary K. Schmitt

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

"Paul's birthing imagery operates metaphorically in ways that correspond to John Wesley's phrase "new birth;' and careful examination of Paul's metaphors indicates important avenues for reframing some of the conversation around new birth in the Wesleyan tradition."

Motivation For Learning English At A Theological Seminary In Ukraine, Joshua Tokar

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine what factors motivate students to learn English at an evangelical seminary in Ukraine. After the fall of communism, English was mainly taught at newly formed evangelical seminaries in Ukraine to enable students to access theological resources in English that were not available in Russian or Ukrainian. A mixed-method approach involving a written attitudinal questionnaire and follow-up focus group interviews was employed to collect data. Participants in this study were second- year music ministry and first- to third-year theology students enrolled in English courses.The results of this study revealed that twenty-five years later seminary students …

A History Of Seminary Curriculum In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints: 1912–2016, Griffin Sorenson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this work is to examine the history of curriculum in the seminary program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1912–2016. This work will define curriculum eras, explore the historical setting of each period, and outline the key figures and their educational philosophy. It will also detail the major seminary manuals produced in each period, as well as the overarching curricular philosophy behind each era.

The First Thing Andrew Did' [John 1:41]: Readers As Witnesses In The Fourth Gospel, Mark L. Trump

Dissertations (1934 -)

In 1996, Robert F. Kysar identified one of the leading issues that would form scholarly debate regarding the Fourth Gospel for decades to come: whether the Fourth Gospel is designed to strengthen and affirm the faith of those inside a Johannine community (a sectarian document/community) or to bring to faith those who were not yet part of that community (an evangelistic tract/missionary community). The sectarian position, often connected to the work of J. Louis Martyn, Raymond E. Brown, and Wayne A. Meeks, has become the received tradition in Johannine studies. Increasingly, others have called into question not only the results …

Banking And Finance For The Modern Christian, Robert Sheppard

Masters Theses

The purpose of this paper is to help Christians to better understand what the Bible teaches with regards to banking and finance as it relates to mortgage lending by applying biblical theological categories and a diachronic analysis of usury from the reformation period until now for the purpose of enriching the lives of Christians everywhere while drawing attention to the cause of Christ. The author will present an analysis of the Christianization of usury in early modern Europe. The author also discusses the biblical principles of lending, Christian debt in the modern era, and biblical lending in the present day.

Embracing Uncertainty: Evaluating The Traditional Christian Approach To Transgenderism, Samuel C. Myers

Senior Honors Theses

The transgender movement has posed an ethical problem for societies around the world, and has forced Christian communities to reconsider traditional conceptions of gender, sex, and what makes someone a man or woman. The conventional approach that most evangelical Christian communities have adopted towards individuals who experience incongruence between their gender identity and physical sex characteristics has been to condemn cross-gender living. To equip Christians to consider the morality of transgenderism most effectively, this study begins by defining key terms, and provides a brief survey of some of the scientific and medical background issues surrounding this discussion. We then examine …

The Word Made Flesh: Teaching The Gospel Concretely, Stephan Taeger

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

When compared to other Christian denominations, the restored gospel emphasizes the role of the body in unique ways. For Latter-day Saints, obtaining a body is not just a footnote in the plan of salvation; it is central to the very purpose of life. Joseph Smith taught, “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body.”

A Study On The Development Of Professional Young Adult Pastors For Korean Churches, Hyeong Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

At the end of the twentieth century, young adult ministries experienced abundant revivals through the churches and campuses of colleges, but are now much reduced. One of the causes is that there were not enough professional pastors for the young adult ministries. The revival and growth of young adult ministries in Korea is largely dependent upon the leaders who lead the ministries. This research emphasizes the importance of young adult ministries in Korean churches and aims to develop concrete manuals for pastors who can appropriately perform their ministries. In doing so, it will point out the roles for young adult …

Developing An Effective Biblical Method For The Rediscovery Of Accountability In Christian Discipleship, Jamie Archer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The emphasis on individualism in Western society has undermined the importance of accountability in human relationships. Many individuals see themselves as their own moral authority and are accountable to no one else. This idea has infiltrated the Western evangelical church. Western church members demonstrate a low level of accountability to their local church by failing to remain committed and involved, and by living lifestyles incompatible with church teachings. In response, few churches practice any form of church discipline, or even communicate expectations to church members. The result is a culture of self-centered and uncommitted church members. This project will argue …

Fox's "A Message From The Great King: Reading Malachi In Light Of Ancient Persian Royal Messenger Texts From The Time Of Xerxes" (Book Review), Gary R. Averill

The Christian Librarian

A review of Fox, M. (2015). A message from the great king: Reading Malachi in light of ancient Persian Royal Messenger texts from the time of Xerxes. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. 170 pp. $42.50. ISBN 9781575063948

Bible Works 10 (Resource Review), Michael Bain

The Christian Librarian

A review of BibleWorks 10. Copyright 1992-2015 BibleWorks, LLC. Programmed by Michael S. Bushell, Michael D. Tan, and Glenn L. Weaver. $389. USB Flash Drive / Download. Version 10.0.5.420.

Keener's "Spirit Hermeneutics: Reading Scripture In The Light Of Pentecost" (Book Review), Dale R. Jensen

The Christian Librarian

A review of Keener, C. S. (2016). Spirit hermeneutics: Reading scripture in the light of Pentecost. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. 522 pp. ISBN 9780802874399

Kirk's "A Man Attested By God: The Human Jesus Of The Synoptic Gospels" (Book Review), Kyle D. Diroberts

The Christian Librarian

A review of Kirk, J. R. D. (2016). A man attested by God: The human Jesus of the synoptic gospels. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 638 pp. $43.10. ISBN 0802867952

Intersexion, Cynthia Davis

English Theses & Dissertations

A combination of memoir, reportage, and opinion writing, Intersexion explores the realities of growing up intersex while also examining the conservative mindset that caused the narrator—a happily married suburban mother—to lose a tenure-track position at a Christian university for being unwilling to label Danny’s intersex condition as “repugnant” and “offensive to God.”

A Study On The Effect Of Church Revival And Growth Throught A Bible Academy: The Case Of Jeju Together Church In Korea, Soo Yoo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to emphasize the need for and importance of an intensive Bible study ministry in church and to suggest specific alternatives by studying the effect of church planting and revival through a Bible Academy in a Korean church. Church growth in South Korea has long since accompanied Bible study ministry. Sadly, Korean churches in the 21st century have been experiencing a slowdown and downturn in growth. Though there may be a variety of causes, the absence of a systematic and ongoing Bible study is one of them. This study is focused on providing a Bible …

The Formation Of A Church Community United With A Local Community: The Case Of Vision Village In Changwon, Kyungsangnamdo, Hang Cho

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to build a platform for a united community of church and local residents. In the community, the church expands its boundaries so as to become embedded in the local resident community. Nowadays, Korean churches have lost the public character and the ability to fulfill their social roles and functions in the community. As a result, the churches have low reputation and influence in society, and they face the crisis of reductions in the number of churches and its members. For the sake of overcoming these problems of Korean churches, the thesis studies biblical …

The Tyranny Of Authority: Eternal Damnation In The Fragments Of Clement Of Alexandria?, Daniel J. Crosby

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

This short paper discusses a fragment that John Potter (1715) incorrectly assigned to a hypothetical work of Clement of Alexandria called "On the soul," and how his error came to be responsible for a sharp divide in scholarship with regard to Clement's beliefs about hell and punishment after death. I conclude by suggesting that this short case study also highlights the importance of maintaining an awareness of the ideas and decisions that underlie a critical edition of a text.

Executive Student Government Elections Open Tomorrow, Chelsea Sydnor

GWU-Today

Students have the opportunity to vote for the Student Government Association’s executive council via WebbConnect from Tuesday, March 28- Friday, March 31. GWU-Today interviewed each candidate, starting with those running for student body president, the only contested campaign.

Lent 4 Series A 2017, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

No abstract provided.

Lent 4 One Year Series 2017, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

No abstract provided.

Four Case Studies In Teaching Sermons At A Public University, Robert Ellison

English Faculty Research

In this paper, delivered at the March 2017 meeting of the Northeast Modern Language Association, I discuss my experience with teaching sermons at Marshall University, a public institution in Huntington, WV. I have done this in four classes over the past several years: “Good Essays” (a 200-level general-education course in the English Department); “God Talk” (another gen-ed course, team-taught with a faculty member in religious studies); “Sermon: Text and Performance” (a 400-level class in the Honors College); and “The Victorian Spoken Word” (a graduate seminar in English).

The audiences were very different, as were the texts we used (Newman, Spurgeon, …

The Biblical Testimony Of Joseph: The Immanuel Perspective, John T. Willis

Leaven

No abstract provided.

Responding To The War Against Black Bodies, Zakiya N. Jackson

Leaven

No abstract provided.

Our Senior Members: Respecting, Serving, And Mobilizing, Susan Giboney

Leaven

No abstract provided.