Digital Commons Network^™

Bombadil And Bible Stories: A Biblical Function For Tom Bombadil Within Frodo’S Quest, Clive Shergold

Journal of Tolkien Research

This essay probes the purpose of the encounter between Tom Bombadil and Frodo and his friends, within the overall narrative of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It asks: Why do the hobbits encounter Tom at this point in their journey? Why does Tom rescue, care for, equip and send them on? Why does Tom not accompany them further, and why does he never meet them again? Then it proposes an explanation based on comparisons with Bible stories that include theophanies and angelic appearances, and shown to provide answers to the questions, and suggestions for Tom Bombadil’s wider …

Reclaiming Lilith As A Strong Female Role Model, Kendra Levine

Senior Theses

We live in an increasingly patriarchal society, and in order for women to not only survive in our society, but thrive, they need strong female role models. Now the question is, how do we find strong female role models? The field of Religious Studies can be used to uncover said female role models by way of examining mythology and ancient texts. Perhaps one of the most unexpected role models to come out of this examination is Lilith. She is unexpected because her story is often told in a deeply negative way, and her portrayal in both mythology and rabbinical …

“What Is That To You?”: The Johannine Community’S Beloved Disciple, Molly Kluever

Obsculta

Considering his significance within the Fourth Gospel, the Beloved Disciple’s absence within the synoptic gospels is puzzling. And as modern biblical scholars continue to challenge his traditional identification as John, Son of Zebedee, the question looms ever greater: Who – or, perhaps what – is the Beloved Disciple? Though his name may be lost to history, the character’s role within the gospel narrative still informs our understanding of the Christian community that sprung up around his testimony. This paper seeks to articulate how this unnamed disciple influenced the development of the Johannine Community’s unique theological identity

Sustainability And Religion, Chad Rimmer, Mary (Joy) Philip

Consensus

No abstract provided.

Paul’S Athenian Treasure For The Church, Jeff Scoggins

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

History Of Contextualization, Youssry Guirguis

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Of Pillars And Foundations: Seven Thesis Statements Concerning The Hermeneutics Of The Pentateuch, Gerald A. Klingbeil

Faculty Publications

The study of the composition of the Pentateuch has been at the center of critical scholarship since the nineteenth century. While there is general agreement that the Graf-Wellhausen documentary hypothesis, as originally presented, is untenable, most of current Pentateuchal research has worked within the framework of the existence of divergent sources that underwent a number of editorial changes. Considering the basic physical law of input determining output, this study challenges the basic presupposition of the existence of divergent sources and calls for a fresh approach to the hermeneutics of the Pentateuch that approaches the biblical text on its own terms …

Commencement 2020, Taylor University

Commencement

The program of the 2020 Annual Commencement of Taylor University, May 15, 2020.

The Contradictory Interpretations Of Genesis 4:7—Ellen G. White Versus The Theology Of Ordination Study Committee Position 1, Michael F. Younker

Andrews University Seminary Student Journal

Reflecting a widespread tension throughout the world of biblical interpretation, Ellen G. White and the Theology of Ordination Study Committee Position 1 (TOSC1) propose contradictory interpretations of Genesis 4:7. Given the content of Genesis 4:7, which addresses issues relating to psychology and authority, which are often connected with Genesis 3:16 and gender, and its use by the TOSC1, the promotion of the TOSC1 interpretation of Genesis 4:7 within Seventh-day Adventist circles as well as broader Christianity will encourage further unpleasant confrontations concerning the issues related to the psychology of gender and authority in Scripture.

The Seventy-Weeks Prophecy Of Daniel 9:24–27 And First-Century Ad Jewish Messianic Expectation, David J. Hamstra

Andrews University Seminary Student Journal

For Christians who interpret the seventy weeks of Daniel 9:24–27 by correlating the coming of the messiah with the arrival of Jesus Christ, the question of whether Jesus could have been identified as the predicted messiah at the time of fulfillment is theologically significant given biblical claims of prophetic intelligibility. There is a consensus among scholars affirming the view that interpretation of the seventy-weeks prophecy led to a climate of messianic expectation among certain sectors of first-century Jewish society. This position is supported by the explicit connection of the seventy weeks to the anticipated arrival of a messiah in Melchizedek …

Eucharist As Sacrifice: A Study Into The Development Of The Eucharist As A Sacrifice Of The Believer In The First And Second Centuries, David Williams

Andrews University Seminary Student Journal

The sacrifice of the believer at the Eucharist can nowhere be found in the Adventist understanding of the Lord’s Supper. However, Adventists may find value in reexamining the early church’s teachings on sacrifice. While the early church deviated from Scripture in its primary teachings on the Eucharist, they maintained the scriptural notion of the spiritual sacrifice of the worshiper— something Adventists would do well to practice. This article examines the liturgical orders and teachings of the apostolic fathers, apologists, and early liturgical orders of the first and second centuries. The author considers four major issues relating to the Eucharist as …

Effects Of Participation In The Summit Learning Platform By Gender On Student Academic Achievement, Taryn Enjoli Echols

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the effects by gender of the Summit Learning Platform on student achievement in mathematics, English, reading, and Science measured by the ACT Aspire Summative Assessment for ninth-grade students in four schools in Arkansas. This study provides an in-depth study of mastery learning versus personalized learning through the Summit Learning Platform. The theoretical framework is centered on the comparisons of the mastery mode of learning. Schools A and D participated in the Summit Learning Platform for 2 years. Schools B and C did not participate in the personalized learning platform. Scores from 120 …

The Holy Spirit And Biblical Interpretation: Alexander Campbell And Contemporary Hermeneutics, Ladye Rachel Howell

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Divine Suffering And Passibility: Terence Fretheim And Jürgen Moltmann, Alicia Williamson

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Astral And Angelic Powers In Romans 8:38-39, Frederick Christian Wright

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Consistent Histories Quantum Divine Action: A Constructive Proposal In Conversation With John Polkinghorne, Robert Russell, And Alvin Plantinga, Derek Preslar

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Divine Impassibility: A Definition And Defense, Elisha Randolph

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Lantern And The Sword, Michael Chisholm

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

A creation myth of a new universe where brother deities of light and darkness battle for dominance. Light creates a Lantern to illuminate all reality and Darkness creates a Sword to help control the extent of the light. The god of light then creates a champion to lead his forces against his dark brother and the war intensifies. In his struggle the champion discovered he could control not only light but the darkness as well. He created a dark fire with great power to match the deities. Light and darkness come together and create peace and a balance. The champion …

Piety And Mayhem: How Extremist Groups Misuse Religious Doctrine To Condone Violence And Achieve Political Goals, Noah Garber

Religious Studies Honors Papers

This thesis examines the way in which various groups have used religion as a justification for violent action towards political ends. From the Irgun, which carried out terrorist acts in Palestine, to the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas, which has waged war on Israel, to the Buddhist leadership of Myanmar, which has waged a genocidal campaign against Rohingya Muslims living in the country, these groups have employed a narrow interpretation of their religious texts as a means to justify the actions they take. It is explained that it is not the compulsion of religious doctrine itself that is to blame, rather, …

Demonology According To The Universal Church Of The Kingdom Of God Three Important Aspects And A Lutheran Response, George Felten

Master of Art Theology Thesis

Felten, George, C. “Demonology According to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God: Three Important Aspects and a Lutheran Response.” MA Thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2020. 145pp.

Demonology should not be the center of a church’s theological center or modus operandi, but it should not be denied or avoided either. While the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (IURD), a prominent neo-Pentecostal Brazilian church, makes too much of demonology, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB) seems to make too little of it. Yet this need not be the case. This thesis will analyze three aspects of IURD’s demonology, …

Latin American Biblical Hermeneutics & Popular And Community Reading Of The Bible: Some Inputs From Race And Ethnicity Criticism Within The Hellenistic And Jewish Culture Of The First Century, Diego Salazar Galvis

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

After the Second Vatican Council, scholars have used new lenses to approach the Bible as a way to respond to the cultural and socio-political realities of multiple and diverse contexts. Based on my background and Latino essence, I advocate for biblical reading and interpretation that comes from a Latin American setting, in which popular education and liberation theology come together in most of the communities. In this research, I will present a form of mutual collaboration between race-ethnicity biblical criticism and the Popular & Community Reading of the Bible (PCRB) perspective.

So far, biblical scholarship has not yet integrated elements …

The Oracle Against Israel (Amos 2:6-8): In The Context Of The Oracles Against The Nation (Amos 1:3--2:8), Alfred Emeka Amos

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

Amos 2:6-8, commonly referred to as the Oracle Against Israel constitutes the focus of this study. The oracle deals primarily with domestic crimes committed against right relationship among members within the Israelite community (as enshrined in the covenant). However, this oracle against Israel is conspicuously situated within a cycle of oracles, characteristically known as the Oracles Against the Nations. This study argues that this placement of the Oracle Against Israel (Amos 2:6-8) is not accidental. Rather it serves as the culmination of the Oracles Against the Nations (Amos l :3-2:8) disclosing that when injustice reigns within a nation, it reaps …

In Controversy Oft: James David Bales And The Sharp Decline Of The Apocalyptic Worldview At Harding University, Cory Spruiell

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

“With Strong Hand And With Outstretched Arm” (Deuteronomy 4:34); “With Outstretched Hand And With Strong Arm” (Jeremiah 21:5): Chiasmus In Deuteronomy And Jeremiah, David Rolph Seely

BYU Studies

The title of this paper presents an example of a textual interplay between Deuteronomy and Jeremiah in which Jeremiah quotes a well-known formula from Deuteronomy “with strong hand and with outstretched arm” (Deut 4:34) in an inverted form “With outstretched hand and with strong arm” (Jer 21:5). Images of the “strong hand” and “outstretched arm” are found in various Egyptian and Mesopotamian textual traditions as well as iconography.1 These images appear separately in various biblical sources but appear as a combination first in Deuteronomy (4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 11:2; 26:8) and then later in deuteronomistic literature (1 Kgs 8:42; Jer 32:21; …

Rethinking The Structure Of The “Farewell Discourse” (John 13–17) Through A Chiastic Lens, Wayne Brouwer

BYU Studies

Briefly stated, my thesis is this: although it is very difficult to read the mind of the Evangelist, or the redactor who brought elements of previously written material into the shape of the gospel as we have it today, it appears that the repetitive and reflexive elements of the Johannine farewell discourse fit together into a large chiasm1 bounded by expressions of spiritual intimacy with God on either end (the foot washing episode of ch. 13 and the prayer of ch. 17) and channeled toward the challenge to “abide” in Jesus at the center (15:1–17). In outline, it could be …

At The Intersection Of Scribal Training And Theological Profundity: Chiasm As An Editorial Technique In The Primeval History And Deuteronomy, Bernard M. Levinson

BYU Studies

There can be little doubt that ancient Near Eastern scribes, including those in ancient Israel, were well-trained in a wide range of technical devices associated with the composition, copying, transmission, editing, collation, revision, reworking, and interpretation of texts.1 My focus in the present study will be on one of the most interesting of these devices, the literary chiasm, in which textual content is ordered in an ABC::CʹBʹAʹ chiastic, or “x-shaped,” pattern. In many cases, once this pattern is recognized within a chapter or literary unit, an ostensibly haphazard or difficult to follow textual sequence gains a sense of order, as …

From “Linguistic Turn” And Hebrews Scholarship To Anadiplosis Iterata: The Enigma Of A Structure, Gabriella Gelardini

BYU Studies

In 1963, when the “linguistic turn” had evidently taken hold of New Testament studies, Albert Vanhoye, a linguistically trained Catholic priest, published a monograph entitled La structure littéraire de l’épître aux Hébreux.¹ The manifold reactions to his refined literary-rhetorical approach and conclusions in favor of a concentric structure oscillated between euphoric approval and offensive disapproval. Along with its translation into German (1979/1980) and a decade later into English (1989), Vanhoye’s study influenced and stimulated Hebrews scholarship like none other in the twentieth century.

Erasmian Humanism And The Utopias Of Thomas More And John Milton, Aneeka Usman

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The thesis examines the influence of Erasmus’s Christian Humanism on the political thought of John Milton and Thomas More, and argues that Milton’s politics was utopian like More’s. In true Erasmian spirit, their utopias blend classical ethics and Christian beliefs and emphasize education and training in virtue. However, virtue was significant to their utopian models for different reasons: More encourages virtue as a corrective and advocates a collectivist culture which restricts individual liberty; Milton, on the other hand, champions individual liberty and argues that only through freedom true virtue can be attained.

Introduction, Donald W. Parry, John W. Welch

BYU Studies

This book comprises fourteen of the papers presented at “Chiasmus: An Open Conference on the State of the Art,” held at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, on August 15–16, 2017. That date marked the fiftieth anniversary of events in Germany and Austria which soon grew into the publication of Chiasmus in Antiquity: Structures, Analyses, Exegesis (Hildesheim: Gerstenberg, 1981), edited by John W. Welch. Generated forty years ago, that widely-cited volume with a preface by David Noel Freedman featured contributions by authors including Yehuda T. Radday, Jonah Frankel, Bezael Porten, Wilford G. E. Watson, John W. Welch, and Robert F. Smith, …

Chiastic Structuring Of Large Texts: 2 Nephi As A Case Study, Noel B. Reynolds

BYU Studies

In 1967, John W. Welch was serving as a missionary in Germany and noticed a scholar’s explanation of chiasmus as a rhetorical structure that recurs in various parts of the Bible. While the penchant for parallelism that characterized Old Testament writers was widely recognized by that time, the discovery that reverse parallelism was also commonly used by New Testament writers was relatively recent and not yet widely accepted. Welch was no ordinary missionary in terms of his scholarly and scriptural preparation, and he immediately saw the possibility that Nephi and his successors may have been familiar with that rhetorical pattern …