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["At That Time"] In The Hebrew Bible And Its Role In Daniel 12:1: A Diachronic And Synchronic Study On Semantics Of Narrative And Prophetic Temporality, Roger David Ruiz Araica

Dissertations

Problem

The expression ["at that time"] in Dan 12:1 is the last temporal expression of the predictive discourse of Dan 11:2–12:3. There is no consensus about the temporality of this expression. Thus, this dissertation seeks to answer the following question: What is the temporal frame of the phrase ["at that time"] is in Dan 12:1 according to the temporal indicators provided in the context of the predictive discourse of Dan 11:40–12:3?

Methodology

The methodology of this dissertation combines diachronic and synchronic approaches. First, as a diachronic procedure, it analyzes ["at that time"] in the Hebrew Bible to determine its temporality …

The Bible And Normative Experiences Of Queer Marriage In The United States: The Interconnected Influences Of Scripture, Law, And Queer Context, Ross Potter

Dissertations

This thesis explores the relational influences between scripture, law, and queer context as they drive understandings of queer marriage norms in the United States. Emphasis is placed on the role that particular scriptures play in teasing out meaning from the various lived experiences of queer communities over the last century. These lived experiences, in turn, have influenced both approaches to scriptural interpretation and religious and legal norms surrounding the acceptance of queer people and their marriages within society. By utilizing queer biblical interpretation in dialogue with these influential biblical passages and legal and social norms that have developed in the …

An Inward Mission Of The Fourth Gospel And Its Reflection In The Ge'ez Rite Divine Liturgy, Brother S. Bdeho

Dissertations

Various themes of the Fourth Gospel have been explored by scholars. The exploration of its concept of mission and worship is also present. However, the missionary method and its inseparability from worship have not been examined adequately. This thesis examines this unique feature of the Gospel in three major sections. First, the Catholic Church’s contemporary teaching on mission is reviewed based on Ad Gentes (AG) and Redemptoris Missio (RM), which offer the core teaching. The findings show the ad extra missionary praxis is inspired by the s Gospels (AG) while RM shows a move towards ad intra missionary praxis inspired …

Between Script And Scripture: Performance Criticism And Mark's Character(Ization) Of The Disciples, Zechariah Eberhart

Dissertations

This project reimagines a first-century reception of the Gospel of Mark within a historically reconstructed (yet hypothetical) performance event. In particular, it considers the disciples' character and characterization through the lens of performance criticism. Questions concerning the characterization of the disciples have been relatively one-sided in New Testament scholarship, in favor of their negative characterization. This project demonstrates why such assumptions need not be necessary when we (re-)consider the oral/aural milieu in which the Gospel of Mark was first composed and received by its earliest audiences. In this project, I demonstrate that despite its "relative" newness, the primary tenets of …

Artapanus And Greek Colonial Poetics, Scott Harris

Dissertations

The fragments of Artapanus have proven to be enigmatic for most scholars over the years and as such have not been treated in significant detail. Most scholarship has been restricted to two separate lines of enquiry: genre and ethnicity. I suggest that the resonance between Greek colonial poetics sheds new light on Artapanus's literary agenda: namely, that Artapanus is constructing and representing the memory of Jewish cultural and political foundations using broader Greek poetics which were used to describe the civic, cultic and geographic foundation of a colony. In this way, Artapanus is no longer an outlier within the Hellenistic …

The Body Of Christ And The Law: A Comparative Study Of Romans 7:4 And Galatians 2:19, Dominic Bornand

Dissertations

In Romans and Galatians, Paul refers to a spiritual death to sin (Rom 6:2) and to the law (Rom 7:4; Gal 2:19). As the means of the believer's death to the law, Paul mentions the "body of Christ" in Rom 7:4 and the "law" in Gal 2:19. These verses seem to suggest some sort of relationship between the body of Christ and the law, as well as between the law and sin. The purpose of this study is to determine the type of relationship between the body of Christ and the law, as well as between law and sin. The …

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 …

A Study Of The Language Shifts In The Book Of Daniel : A Comparative Narrative Analysis Of Daniel 1 And 2, 7 And 8, Laura K. Morrow

Dissertations

Problem

The problem this dissertation seeks to address is the use of bilingualism in the book of Daniel. Previously, scholars have utilized diachronic methods to explain the phenomenon of bilingualism in Daniel and have concluded that it is the product of compositional redaction. However, such studies have not produced a consensus in scholarship. In the last 40 years, several studies have emerged that conclude the use of bilingualism in the book of Daniel may best be explained as a rhetorical device. In contrast to the diachronic methodologies of prior studies, these examinations utilized methodologies that addressed rhetorical elements. Chapter One …

Indicators Of Typology In The Narrative Of Elijah: An Investigation Into The Predictive Nature Of Biblical Theology, JôNatas De Mattos Leal

Dissertations

Elijah is among the most popular prophets in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In Judaism, the hope for his return has evolved into a plethora of legends in which he functions as a helper to the righteous in the present and avenger to the wicked in the future eschaton. In Christianity, the expectation involving his return has also a multitemporal dimension, but its fulfilment is typologically oriented. More often, scholars study the fulfilment of the Elijah typology from the NT perspective in a backward movement. This dissertation investigates this typology in a forward movement going from the OT to the NT while …

"You Must Prophesy Again": The Mission Of God's People In Revelation 10-14, Adenilton Tavares De Aguiar

Dissertations

The primary task of this study was to delineate the theology of mission in the book of Revelation, with a focus on chaps. 10–14 and special attention to the people of God as participants in the mission of God. The historical survey demonstrated that the theology of mission conveyed by the book of Revelation is a topic broadly neglected in recent scholarship and, hence, requires an in-depth treatment. The object of research was addressed from a biblical-theological perspective by means of an exegetical analysis of relevant passages and key terms that were identified on the basis of a semantic field …

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

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 …

A Hermeneutic For The Aqedah Test: A Way Beyond Jon Levenson's And Terence Fretheim's Models, Arlyn Sunshine Drew

Dissertations

Problem

The works of Jon Levenson and Terence Fretheim highlight the problem of determining which interpretations of the biblical worlds of meaning around the text are congruent with the text of the Aqedah (also known as the Sacrifice of Isaac, Genesis 22: 1-19) and which should be disclaimed. A hermeneutical model is needed for Abraham's test that provides a text-based paradigm for sound interpretation of the narrative world (in the text), the historical world (behind the text), the theistic world (above the text), the cosmological world (below the text), and the present world (in front of the text).

Method

Four …

A Re-Examination Of Pentateuchal Hamartiology And Atonement As A Hermeneutical Framework For Interpreting The Laying On Of Hands, Slavisa Milodar Jankovic

Dissertations

The ritual gesture of laying on of hands in Scripture has generated significant interest among theologians from rabbinic times until now. Still today, scholars assign various meanings to the ritual. In the second half of the 20th century, the fresh interest that put forward new meanings for this gesture came primarily through the introduction of the new sub-discipline of Ritualistics within Old Testament studies. This relatively new discipline is not founded upon premises found in biblical texts, but rather, upon those found in various secular social, philosophical sciences, and other disciplines such as sociology, philosophy, anthropology, literary criticism, and the …

The Function Of Military Language In The Feeding Of The Five Thousand Narrative (Mark 6:30-44): A Narrative-Cognitive Study, Oleg Kostyuk

Dissertations

Abstract Pending

A Stratigraphic Analysis Of The Middle Bronze Age From The Tell Taanach Excavations In 1963, '66 And '68, Ronald H. Wakeman

Dissertations

The Problem

One the most troubling issues for Near Eastern Archaeology is the lack of published excavation reports. Part of the problem is that archaeologists love to dig, but dislike writing publication reports. As a result, final reports are lacking for substantial number of archaeological excavations. Without a final report, the results of an archaeologist season and new information is lost forever. Dr. Paul Lapp of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary lead excavations at Tell Taanach in the West Bank, Palestine in 1963, ’66 and ’68. At the end of each season he wrote and published preliminary reports. Preliminary reports provide an …

Constructing A Theology Of Relational Life Through The Themes Of Creation, Incarnation, And Re-Creation As An Alternative To Current Categories Of Religions, Andrew Tompkins

Dissertations

This dissertation argues that current categories of religions are overly reliant on Western Enlightenment-based presuppositions and academic thinking that creates barriers in understanding God’s desire for all people to have abundant life. Many theologians and missiologists utilize these inherited categories without first subjecting them to the biblical canon. As a result, the theological and missiological discourse on religions is often grounded in extra-biblical presuppositions rooted primarily in an overly high view of human reason that do not accurately portray a biblical approach to relational life. These presuppositions do not accurately portray a biblical approach to relational life. I, therefore, compared …

Angels And Sub-Divine Supernatural Beings: Their Characteristics, Function, And Relationship To God And Humanity In Deuteronomy-Kings, Joni Amanda Mcguire-Moushon

Dissertations

This research analyzes selected passages in Deuteronomy-Kings in order to determine the characteristics and roles of supernatural sub-divine beings within these books. Then this data is compared with the angelology of the Second Temple period in order to identify the similarities and the extent of the differences between them.

Deuteronomy contains references to supernatural sub-divine beings, such as “demons” and “holy one(s)”. While Deuteronomy affirms the existence of sub-divine beings, it forbids the Israelites to worship them. In the books of Joshua and Judges, there is awareness of supernatural beings and their roles as warriors, messengers, and tormentors. However, in …

The Nature Of David's Kingship At Hebron: An Exegetical And Theological Study Of 2 Samuel 2:1-5:5, Christian Vogel

Dissertations

The account of David’s reign at Hebron found in 2 Samuel 2:1—5:5 constitutes a somewhat neglected, yet crucial part of the David narrative, chronicling David’s first years as king. This dissertation investigates these chapters by means of a close reading of the Hebrew text in order to gain a better understanding of the nature of David’s kingship as it is presented in this literary unit. The review of scholarly literature on 2 Samuel 2:1—5:5 conducted in Chapter 1 reveals that not much attention has been given to a careful and in-depth exegesis of this literary unit. Instead, most of the …

Motivation For The Sharing Of Material Possessions In Acts, Philo's De Vita Contemplativa And The Didache: A Comparative Study, Lena V. Toews

Dissertations

Luke, in the book of Acts, depicts the sharing of possessions as a practice in the Jerusalem community of the first century. Several pericopes, occurring primarily in the first part of the book of Acts, embody the idea of shared property and seem to have important parallels to other sources of the time, including the Jewish author Philo’s work De vita contemplativa, where he describes a group he calls, “Therapeutae,” and in the Jewish Christian document Didache. This study seeks to identify beliefs correlated with the material sharing practices in the community of Acts and compare them with De vita …

Archaeological Backgrounds Of The Sanctuary: A Search For Egyptian Cultural Influence In The Construction Of The Hebrew Tent-Sanctuary, Leslie Scott Baker Jr

Dissertations

Problem

Although the documented description of the construction of the tent-sanctuary appears to give it an Egyptian context in terms of the materials used and the culture of the artisans, in three distinct spheres (sacred, royal-domestic, and military), very little work has been done in comparing the descriptions in the text with the recovered archaeological fabric from Egypt and no study has, as yet, taken the next step of quantifying that comparison through a potentially-repeatable statistical analysis in an effort to determine, in an unbiased manner, the nature of the relationship.

Method

Design and frequency data of the appearing materials …

Paul In Context: A Reinterpretation Of Paul And Empire, Najeeb Turki Haddad

Dissertations

Within the last few decades, there has been a new surge of interest in Paul’s relationship to the Roman Empire. This interest has resulted in several postcolonial studies on Paul’s relationship with the Roman Empire. Some political interpreters of Paul argue that Paul rejected the Roman Empire in many ways and even sought to subvert it. This dissertation argues, through a rhetorical, sociohistorical, and theological examination of Paul’s undisputed letters, that Paul did not directly support or directly condemn the Roman Empire. His dealings with the empire are more nuanced than what others have claimed. Paul is relativizing the relationship …

Benefaction In Galatians: An Analysis Of Paul's Language Of God's Favor In Its Greco-Roman Context, Ferdinand Okorie

Dissertations

The Letter to the Galatians is the first letter where Paul mentions χάρις not only in the opening (Gal 1:3) and closing (Gal 6:18) of the letter but also in the body (Gal 1:6; 2:9; 3:18; 5:4) of the letter. The term χάρις will be defined in this dissertation as a favor or goodwill freely given by a benefactor to a beneficiary. Also, χάρις is whatever a beneficiary does to return favor or thanks to a benefactor. Therefore, on one hand, whatever goodwill a benefactor extends to a beneficiary is generally designated as χάρις. On the other hand, whatever a …

Reading As A Disclosure Of The Thoughts Of The Heart: Proto-Halakhic Reuse And Appropriation Between Torah And The Prophets, Kenneth Bergland

Dissertations

How should we then live? This has been the guiding question throughout the study. In a world that offers a myriad of answers to this one question, I have sought the answer in the Bible, more specifically in the Hebrew part of the Bible. Instead of asking the straightforward question as to how the Bible can function as norm for contemporary ethics, the following discussion is based on the assumption that an authentic reading and appropriation of the text needs both to understand and to emulate the ways in which the biblical authors read the Bible. While scholars have examined …

Toward A Priestly Christology: A Hermeneutical Study Of Christ's Priesthood, Adriani Milli Rodrigues

Dissertations

Problem

There is a disagreement between three theological models (sacramental, functional, and ontological) of interpretation about Christ’s priesthood. One clear aspect of this disagreement is the existence of different views on the relationship between sacrifice and heavenly mediation in the priesthood of Christ. These conflicting views reveal that Christian theology does not have a consensus about the nature of the priestly work of the ascended Christ, including the conception of how Christ mediates salvation through his priesthood. This problematic situation raises the question whether there is a way to resolve this conflict of interpretations.

Method

The present study hermeneutically deconstructs …

"Witness" And "Bearing Witness" In The Legal Settings Of The Pentateuch And The Gospel Of John: An Intertextual Study, Franklin A. Marti

Dissertations

This dissertation studies the words “witness” and “to bear witness” in the Pentateuch and in the Gospel of John, and at the same time presents an intertextual connection between these books.

The study begins with an introduction in which I present the background and statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, the delimitations and the methodology.

Following the introduction chapter 1 deals with the review of the literature from ANE documents to ancient Jewish interpretation. I conclude that even though the Code of Hammurabi and the Hittite treaties are documents with different purposes, they reflect a similar feature: …

Scribal Harmonization In Greek Manuscripts Of The Synoptic Gospels From The Second To The Fifth Century, Cambry Pardee

Dissertations

Harmonization in manuscripts of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) has been recognized as a textual phenomenon since at least the late second century. This dissertation constitutes the first major catalogue of assimilated readings and provides evidence for the nature of harmonization in the earliest period of the development of the text of the New Testament.

Harmonization occurs whenever a scribe copying a Gospel by hand introduces a textual variant that reflects the influence of parallel material from another Gospel or gospel tradition. The body of this dissertation is a text-critical analysis of every harmonizing variant in the forty-four …

Philo’S Εὐσέβεια And Paul’S Πνεῦμα: The Appropriation And Alteration Of Hellenistic And Greek Philosophical Traditions In Their Ethical Discourses, Nelida Naveros Cordova

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Remember The Word That I Told You: Direct Internal Quotation In The Gospel Of John, Jeffrey Michael Tripp

Dissertations

The Gospel of John contains over 50 instances of direct internal quotation: the direct quotation, at a later point in the story, of a speech act already given in the narrative. John has dozens more cases than any other New Testament book, making it a demonstrably Johannine device. Furthermore, verifiable quotations are rarely exact independently of who is quoting. The present study examines three aspects of John’s use of direct internal quotation in the context of Greco-Roman, Jewish, and other New Testament literature. First, the modifications made to the original speech act are placed in the context of paraphrase, a …

The Afterlife Views And The Use Of The Tanakh In Support Of The Resurrection Concept In The Literature Of Second Temple Period Judaism: The Apocrypha And The Pseudepigrapha, Jan A. Sigvartsen

Dissertations

The literature of Second Temple Period Judaism indicates there was an increased interest in and speculation about the fate of the righteous and the wicked following their physical death. This period saw the birth of multiple Jewish sects and also multiple views of the afterlife. This study will outline the numerous afterlife views and will analyse the resurrection passages appearing in the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha to gain a comprehensive overview of the texts used from the TaNaKh in support of these various resurrection beliefs. This study also provides a better understanding of how the TaNaKh was read by differing …

The Two Witnesses Of Revelation 11:1-13: Arguments, Issues Of Interpretation, And A Way Forward, Ian R. Brown

Dissertations

The narrative of Rev 11:1-13 involves two prophet-witnesses. The question of the identity of the two witnesses of Rev 11:1-13 has been answered in a variety of ways. In the history of exegetical investigation, they have been seen as two actual people, a symbol for a larger group, or even a symbol for inanimate objects. Clearly, some proposals seem more plausible than others do; however, the debate remains open. Indeed, the possibility exists that a stronger case could be made for a previous proposal or that a new one could be found that is more agreeable to scholars of Revelation. …