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Nibley Fellows, 2011–2012

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Each year the Maxwell Institute awards Nibley Fellowships to LDS students pursuing graduate degrees (usually PhDs) in fields of study directly related to the work of the Institute—primarily work on the Bible, the Book of Mormon, early Christianity, and the ancient Near East.

Metaphor And Atonement : A Conceptual Metaphor Study Of The Sacrificial Prescriptions In Lev 1-16, Bradley James Haggard

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Jerusalem The Great : An Analysis Of The Literary Structure Of John's Revelation, Adrian Reynolds

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Super Apocalypto 64: Inhabiting Revelation As A Video Game Made Of Sacred Words, Greg Jones

Far West Popular Culture Association Annual Conference

The book of Revelation makes the living and life-giving reality of Scripture known to audiences via the vision articulated by John. He conveys this divine reality through words – both read and heard – which call for more than the passive reception of a static text. Rather, Revelation is also participatory; its words are meant to be read, heard and kept in the life of faith. How can one articulate this dynamic interactivity with accessible terms that render divine reality as recognizable in everyday life and highly-qualified language which makes it clear that divine reality is never comprehended in …

Women And Supposition: The Chronicles Of Narnia And Biblical Womanhood, Carolyn Dailey

Honors Projects

Supplemented by C.S. Lewis' works in theology, predominately Mere Christianity, and 'Priestesses in the Church?" as well as sources from other theologians, and historians, this paper explores the relationship between Christian tradition and Biblical womanhood that is expressed in C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. This paper finds that C.S. Lewis drew more from the core tenets of love and equality that exist at the heart of Christianity rather than from traditional Christian beliefs, including some he held himself. In doing this, he crafted an imaginative fiction that affirms Biblical womanhood.

From Handmaids To Princesses: How Identity And Politics Impact Definitions Of Biblical Rape, Gabrielle R. Isaac-Herzog

Classical Mediterranean and Middle East Honors Projects

The politics of sex in the Bible are complex. They are impacted and limited by the time of the stories, as well as the political landscape and laws of the region. However, since many modern religions have emerged from the text of the Hebrew Bible, it is important for scholars to continue the work of critically examining the texts in the contemporary context. This paper offers a textual analysis of several biblical stories through a feminist and decolonial lens. Through the generation of a taxonomy by which these stories can be categorized, this paper posits that the biblical definitions of …

Matthew 24-25 As Prophetic-Apocalyptic : Its Structure, Function, And Eschatology, Kennedy K. Ekeocha

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

"Has Archaeology Buried The Bible?" [Review]/Dever, William G., Aberlardo Rivas

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This is a book review by Aberlardo Rivas.

Allusion Or Illusion? : The Literary Relationship Between The Holiness Code And Other Pentateuchal Legal Corpora, Chelcent Fuad

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Teaching The Art Of Sacred Storytelling For Use In Ministry, Abbylynn Haskell

Doctor of Ministry

Storytelling is of immense value in ministry today for enriching preaching, liturgy, teaching, worship, pastoral care, mission, evangelism and discipleship. I serve as a part-time pastor in rural Maine and have a passion for using storytelling in all these aspects of ministry. I observed an opportunity for teaching storytelling in my local ministry schools and churches.

I designed a curriculum for oral storytelling instruction that includes teaching techniques for sharing personal experiences and the re-telling of myths, legends, wisdom, folklore and Biblical stories for use in preaching, ministry, mission and pastoral care. This storytelling educational program consists of online and …

The Sticks Of Judah And Joseph: Reflections On Defending The Kingdom, Joseph M. Spencer

Faculty Publications

I wish to pursue two tasks simultaneously in this essay. First, in line with its title, I will address a very old matter of interpretation. I aim to explain as definitively as possible how to make sense of the relationship between Ezekiel 37:15–19, with its talk of the sticks of Judah and Joseph, and the claims of the Restoration, which include somehow connecting the stick of Joseph to the Book of Mormon. Second, in line with the subtitle of this essay, I wish to draw a crucial lesson from the history of how Latter-day Saints have dealt with this issue …

Putting Down The Priests: A Note On Royal Evaluations, (Wĕ)Hišbît, And Priestly Purges In 2 Kings 23:5 And Mosiah 11:5, Matthew L. Bowen

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The historian who wrote 2 Kings 23:5 and Mormon, who wrote Mosiah 11:5, used identical expressions to describe King Josiah’s and King Noah’s purges of the priests previously ordained and installed by their fathers. These purges came to define their respective kingships. The biblical writer used this language to positively evaluate Josiah’s kingship (“And he put down [wĕhišbît] the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained”), whereas Mormon levies a negative evaluation against Noah (“For he put down [cf. Hebrew (wĕ)hišbît] all the priests that had been consecrated by his father”). Mormon employs additional “Deuteronomistic” language in evaluating …

Why Should God Raise The Dead? : Worldview Foundations And Functions Of Resurrection Belief In Dan 12, 1 Cor 15, And Q Al-Qiyamah 75, Kenneth Ross Harriman

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Isaac Newton As A Prophetic Interpreter, Kenneth Jørgensen

Dissertations

Throughout his life, Sir Isaac Newton was deeply dedicated to the science of decoding biblical apocalyptic writings. To understand and appreciate Newton's prophetic scheme, it will be advantagous to have a certain grasp of what sources and ideas might have influenced him. No comprehensive study before this one has helped us see Newton from that perspective. A survey of the development of canonical apocalyptic hermeneutic and interpretation, beginning before the time of Christ and ending with Newton, shows that four distinct systems of hermeneutics had developed by that time. Historicism was the earliest and the preferred system among Protestants until …

Cultivating A Transformative Christology : Adult Learning And The Study Of Philippians, Joshua Pack

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

«MáS Allá De La Biblia»: Reflexiones CríTicas Sobre Las Aportaciones De Los Estudios Culturales Y Poscoloniales Sobre Las Relaciones Entre Personas Del Mismo Sexo En ÁFrica, Lovemore Togarasei, Ezra Chitando

Conexión Queer: Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Teologías Queer

Except for South Africa, sub-Saharan African countries criminalize same-sex relationships, although the call for acceptance increases. The «pro» and the «anti» -same-sex relationships camps use the Bible. However, investigating the texts shows a selective use of the Bible to entrench one’s already accepted position. The questions addressed in this article are: do Africans resist same-sex relationships purely based on the teaching of the Bible, or are there other factors at play? Several African scholars examining those texts expose the weaknesses inherent in their use to resist same-sex relationships. The analysis critically reflects on the use of the Bible in the …

Is The Bible Reliable?, Eric A. Eliason

BYU Studies

The eighth article of faith proclaims, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.” This statement by itself suggests that the Bible as we have it may or may not be fully and reliably the word of God. In 1 Nephi 13:28, we read, “Many plain and precious things [were] taken away.” This passage more expressly indicates that the Bible we have now is indeed not as complete as originally intended. Joseph Smith elaborated on this theme with his statement that “ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have …

The Bible And The Constitution: Reading Methods, Relevance, And Authority, Gaylen P. Leverett

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Politics and religion have united and/or divided people groups for as long as records have been kept. Currently most of the divisiveness tormenting America’s potential for harmony is in these two fields. The debates have many fronts and factions. This paper is an attempt to bring some clarity to the debate between religious conservatives and progressives over how the Constitution should be read. Conservatives are so named because they wish to preserve older interpretations which they believe best represent the original decisions – decisions conservatives for the most part still endorse. Progressives, on the other hand, argue that our new …

Go & Make Disciples: The Biblical Foundation For Discipleship In The Way Of Jesus, Ryan May

Senior Honors Theses

What are Jesus’ foundational teachings that lay the groundwork for discipleship in the church today? Within this paper, I will seek to work through the initial section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to distill the essential theological lessons of Christ on discipleship. After introducing some important cultural realities concerning the state of discipleship in the church today, Matthew 5 will be thoroughly engaged. Beginning with a discussion on cultural, literary, and theological backgrounds, the passage will be broken down section by section to discern key truths expressed for the modern church. The paper will conclude with further reflection questions …

Tale Of Two Judiths: Queering Judith With The Works Of Judith Butler, Kat S. Lewis

Religious Studies Honors Projects

Biblical texts play a significant role in shaping expectations for behavior based on gender in Western societies. In my queer reading of the Book of Judith, I argue that Judith’s performance of gender is fluid and gender expansive. I use reader-response criticism to interpret Judith in conversation with the works of Judith Butler and Saba Mahmood on gender performativity, drag, and agency. This queer reading of Judith provides representation of gender expansiveness in biblical texts and explores queer possibilities in Judith as a way to challenge and subvert a patriarchal, heterosexist gender binary.

The Canonization Of The Books Of The Jewish, Catholic, And Protestant Scriptures, Kaleb J. Jung

Classical Conversations

The three Canons of Judaism, Catholic Christianity, and Protestant Christianity all claim more authority or consistency than what they have. Judaism puts too much authority on an unknown group in 200 CE that was not regarded until 400 years later in the Mishnah. Catholicism emphasizes the divinity of scriptures that the early church fathers almost universally disbelieved. Protestantism held that the Canon put forward by Calvin was entirely equal in its truth and that it should not be changed even in the face of changing beliefs or new discoveries. However, just because a Canon has been altered or closed in …

Understanding The Factors That Motivate Or Hinder Regular Bible Reading Among Adult Christians To Increase Bible Reading Among Believers, Albany L. Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Scholarly discussion abounds on the subject of low Bible readership within the Body of Christ. However, gaining an understanding of key the factors that motivate or hinder Bible reading among adult Christians, and developing strategies to reverse this trend through preaching and Christian Education, is an area of the research that was sparsely addressed by the precedent literature. As a result, the purpose of this study is to help pastors and Christian educators better understand the motivating factors that influence regular Bible reading and to propose action steps that can increase Bible reading among the Body of Christ. This study …

Paul Ricoeur And Biblical Hermeneutics: Narrative, Genre, And Self, Collin Angell

Senior Theses

In short, this thesis seeks to develop a biblical hermeneutic centered on one central axis, based on the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur. That central axis is narrative. The Bible is written in various genres, ranging from prophecy to wisdom to hymn. The goal of this thesis is first to show how a biblical hermeneutic that treats narrative as the central mode of discourse informs a better understanding of the other biblical genres of discourse, and thus of the Bible as a whole. Furthermore, this thesis takes an existentialist direction by taking the narrative-centered biblical hermeneutic and deriving from it a …

“All Can Partake, Freely”, Daniel C. Peterson

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The Interpreter Foundation welcomes faithful ideas, insights, and manuscripts from people of all backgrounds. In this brief essay, I share some that were recently shared with me regarding Lehi’s vision of the tree of life, as recorded in 1 Nephi 8. Among other things, Lehi seems to have been shown that the divine offer of salvation extends far beyond a small elite. As Peter exclaims in the King James rendering of Acts 10:34, “God is no respecter of persons.” Other translations render the same words as saying that he doesn’t “play favorites” or “show partiality.” The passage in James 1:5 …

Experiencing The Shock Of Mark 13, Jeremiah Jordan Hamby

MA in Religion Theses

The Gospel of Mark is a narrative text, a piece of literature, a story. In this narrative, the apocalyptic rule of God, Jesus, and other literary elements of the narrative then come together in a particular way within Mark 13 to shock the readers. Readers progress through the narrative and are shaped by various aspects of it along the way. The primary goal of this thesis is to look at Mark 13 and how narrative elements come together to evoke a particular experience in readers. Readers and stories meet at places where their horizons, their vantage points, converge. Narrative experiences …

Front Pew Reflections: Redefining The Role Of Women And Solid Theology In The Church, Yanna Telyeten

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

If we are honest, the modern Evangelical Church has struggled to find a clear answer on what the Bible says about the role of women. This ambiguity often causes women of faith to be confused or uncertain about their value, role, and function in the church. In Front Pew Reflections: Redefining the Role of Women and Solid Theology in the Church, I tell of my personal experiences and struggles as a young woman of faith growing up in the Slavic church. In this reflective piece, I share the discoveries I have made about what the Bible says about the …

All Things New : A Theological And Exegetical Study Of Ḥādāš With Special Emphasis On Isaiah 40-48, Deborah Lynn Endean

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Leviticus 26 And Ezekiel : Compositional Models And Direction Of Influence, Wesley Crouser

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Biblical Hesed And Nephite Covenant Culture, Noel B. Reynolds

BYU Studies

The devastating late-nineteenth-century attack on traditional assumptions concerning the preexilic dating of the Pentateuch may have provoked the eventual explosion of twentieth-century scholarly investigation of the covenant culture of the Old Testament. Covenantal texts related to Abraham, Moses, David, and others had long been assumed to be foundational for the religion of ancient Israel, however limited modern understanding of that covenant culture might have been. But the new scholarly paradigm that dated those texts to 621 BC or later gave rise to a wave of skeptical scholarship about the whole tradition of divine covenants as the basis for ancient Israelite …

Beyond Comparison : A Process For Comparing Israelite And Ancient Near Eastern Literature, Brian Thomas Shockey

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.