Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Woman At The Well, James F. Mcgrath

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Dr. James McGrath's contribution to Bible Odyssey, a Society of Biblical Literature initiative.

Essence Of The New Testament (Portuguese), Elmer Towns, Ben Gutierrez, Edward Hindson, Gary E. Yates

Towns Foreign Language Book Collection

No abstract provided.

Prophets Rendering Christlike Service: Looking To Peter As An Example, Kenneth L. Alford Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This chapter (from the 2014 book “An Eye of Faith,” a festschrift for Dr. Richard O. Cowan, published by the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center) shares examples of prophetic service from Peter the Apostle to each of the prophets of the Restoration—from Joseph Smith, Jr. to Thomas S. Monson. Many of the stories included about modern prophets are not widely known.

Ιακωβου Επιστολη B - The Letter Of James, Chapter Two, Keith L. Yoder

Keith L. Yoder

This is my interpretive reading of the Hellenistic Greek text of the second chapter of the New Testament Letter of James. As before, I use the pronunciation system of Phonemic Koine Greek advocated by Randall Buth and others. The Letter of James is the most aurally poetic work in the New Testament. My aim in this video is to make that poetry of sound evident to the listener. I am solely responsible for any errors in pronunciation. The spoken text exactly follows the displayed text, which is from the public domain 1904 Nestle edition. The file received by clicking the …

Revisiting The Mandaeans And The New Testament, James F. Mcgrath

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

The Mandaeans have been known to scholars for as long as there has been modern scholarship. Thanks to advances in technology, you can now find some of their ancient texts online, and videos of their baptismal rituals on YouTube. Yet as fascinating as the Mandaeans are, and as much as modern technologies can facilitate greater familiarity with them, the amount of attention that they receive is surprisingly sparse – although there are encouraging signs that that is at least beginning to change.

Review Of Judaism, Jewish Identities And The Gospel Tradition: Essays In Honour Of Maurice Casey, Matt A. Jackson-Mccabe

Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Slavery And Manumission In The Pre-Constantine Church, Joseph Francis Super

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

This paper looks at the church’s handling of the issue of slavery in the period before Constantine and the official recognition of Christianity. The time period is important because Christians had no political authority to end slavery, assuming they wanted to do so. Thus, the aim of the paper is discover how the Church as an institution alleviated the conditions of the slaves and how slaves were treated in the church and examine the relationship of slave to master in the church. This will be accomplished by examining certain doctrines of the faith church leaders applied to these problems as …

Galatians, Ephesians (Book Review), John B. Roney

History Faculty Publications

Book review by John B. Roney.

Bray, Gerald L., ed. Galatians, Ephesians. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011. (Reformation commentary on Scripture. New Testament; 10). ISBN 978083082973

Fruit Of The Spirit, Gary M. Simpson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Addressing Roman Jews: Paul's View On The Law In The Letter To The Romans, Dennis Haugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many years, Pauline scholars have wrestled with two related questions: (1) how did Paul envision the composition of the audience for his letter to Rome? (2) What did Paul see as the role of the Law in the community of Jesus followers? As to the first question, I contend that Paul wrote to an implied audience composed of non-Judeans who had first converted to Judaism and then acknowledge Jesus as Messiah, or who became Jews at the time of their acceptance of Jesus as Messiah. In either case, they adopted the beliefs and practices of the followers of Jesus …

Romans 1:18-2:29: A Stylometric Reconsideration, Keith L. Yoder

Keith L. Yoder

I Am The Light Of The World: An “I Am” Statement Of Jesus, David C. Taylor Jr

David C Taylor Jr

The Gospel of John contains eight “I AM” statements of Jesus. “I AM” is the term God first used of Himself when speaking to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). By using this statement, Jesus was aligning Himself with God. One specific use of the statement in John comes in chapter 8 verse 12. Jesus states that He is the light of the world. His claim showed and declared that He has come to take away darkness from the world and give them the light of life. The statement showed His power, and His Deity and His relationship with …

The Signs And Miracles Of Jesus In John’S Gospel, David C. Taylor Jr

David C Taylor Jr

The Gospel of John is also known as the “Miraculous Gospel” or the “Gospel of Signs.” In his book, John records 8 signs that prove the Deity of Christ. Jesus came to display His Deity to the world. Though the other Gospels record many other miracles, the eight that will be explored here are specific to proving that Christ is the Messiah.

The Lord Opened Her Heart: Women, Work, And Leadership In Acts Of The Apostles, Teresa Jeanne Calpino

Dissertations

This dissertation will explore two women in The Acts of the Apostles, Tabitha (Acts 9:36-42) and Lydia (Acts 16:11-15) who have been routinely ignored by scholars, or mentioned only in praising the apostle associated with their story. As a result, stereotypical categorization has swept these important characters from their rightful place into relative obscurity. In fact, an examination of their stories set against the expectations of women in Greco-Roman antiquity reveals their unconventional situations. In particular, this dissertation takes special notice of the ways in which representations of the `ideal woman' in the Greco Roman world are at variance with …

A Commentary On St. Paul's Epistle To The Romans, Benjamin Helm

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Israelite Temple Rites And Early Christian Esoteric Rites On The Development Of Christian Baptism, Ryan T. Wilkins

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to answer the question of the origin of some of the most fundamental additions made to early Christian baptism. Christian baptism began in a relatively simple liturgical form, but became, by the fourth century, a much more dramatic set of initiation rituals. Among the added elements to baptism were washing ceremonies in the nude, physical anointing with oil, being marked or signed with the cross on the forehead, and receiving white garments. Scholars have proposed different theories as to the origins of these baptismal rituals. Some claim the elements existed in the New Testament practice of the …

Book Reviews

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

Review by Shane Kraeger of Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament: Colossians and Philemon. by Murray J. Harris. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010. xxxii + 272 pp., $24.99.

Review by Joshua C. Stone of To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World by James Davison Hunter. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, 358pp., $27.95.

Review by R. Lee Webb of Interpreting the Psalms for Teaching and Preaching. Eds. Herbert W. Bateman IV and D. Brent Sandy. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2010, 292 pp., $34.99.

Review by Roberto Rodriguez-Nunez of Augustine as …

Food And Table Fellowship, David M. Freidenreich

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A New Interpretation Of Luke's Prodigal Manager (Luke 16: 1-8a), Alan T. Farnes

Student Works

What has been called the parable of the Unjust Steward has been dubbed one of the most difficult passages in the entire New Testament. Indeed, John S. Kloppenborg has commented, “There is hardly a consensus on any single aspect of this parable.” Almost every commentary on the topic begins with a disclaimer that this parable is “notoriously difficult.” This parable has gained its notoriety due to its seemingly contradictory conclusion. The Prodigal Manager is slothful, does not collect all of his master’s money but rather gives it away, and in the end is a praised for his wisdom. Is the …

Engaging Economics: New Testament Scenarios And Early Christian Reception, Edited By Bruce W. Longenecker And Kelly D. Liebengood, Paul R. Koch

Faculty Scholarship – Economics

A review of the book Engaging Economics: New Testament Scenarios and Early Christian Reception edited by Bruce W. Longenecker and Kelly D. Liebengood (William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2009).

Jesus Christ As Poetic Symbol: Wilhelm Bousset’S Contribution To The Faith-History Debate, Brent A. R. Hege

Brent A. R. Hege

Wilhelm Bousset, a leading member of the religionsgeschichtliche school and author of a seminal work on early Christology, Kyrios Christos, is typically regarded by reviewers of his work as a classic nineteenth-century liberal who sought a secure foundation for faith in the historical Jesus. However, this view of Bousset fails to appreciate the significant development of his theological perspective on the relationship between faith and history, a perspective that underwent a profound shift due to the influence of the English historian Thomas Carlyle and the Kantian philosopher Jakob Friedrich Fries. It is the influence of these two figures that enables …

Jesus Christ As Poetic Symbol: Wilhelm Bousset’S Contribution To The Faith-History Debate, Brent A. R. Hege

Brent A. R. Hege

Wilhelm Bousset, a leading member of the religionsgeschichtliche school and author of a seminal work on early Christology, Kyrios Christos, is typically regarded by reviewers of his work as a classic nineteenth-century liberal who sought a secure foundation for faith in the historical Jesus. However, this view of Bousset fails to appreciate the significant development of his theological perspective on the relationship between faith and history, a perspective that underwent a profound shift due to the influence of the English historian Thomas Carlyle and the Kantian philosopher Jakob Friedrich Fries. It is the influence of these two figures that enables …

Agape And Personal Knowledge, Peter Eric Bergeron

Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the connection between love and personal knowledge and what Jesus' life and teaching reveal about the relationship between these. I want to distinguish that form of love or caring that makes relationships personal from those forms, like benevolence or compassion, where the concern is impersonal. It is commonly thought in contemporary Western culture that the autonomy necessary for mature moral agency or for the realization of one's unique personal identity is diminished by the influence of other persons. In contrast, I argue that the relational image of love, or agape, in the …

Sōma Sēma: The Influence Of “The Body Is A Tomb” In Early Christi An Debates And The New Testament, Gaye Strathearn

Faculty Publications

As we study the second half of the New Testament, it becomes evident very quickly that the early Church struggled with doctrinal drift. One of the central responsibilities of having a Church with apostles and prophets, we learn in Ephesians, is so “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14). Therefore, most of Paul’s epistles were written to combat this doctrinal drift. But what happens when the people no longer listen to …

Book Review: Jesus And The God Of Israel, Christopher R. Bruno

Biblical and Theological Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Constantine's Bible: Politics And The Making Of The New Testament, David L. Dungan, Carl W. Griffin

BYU Studies Quarterly

The canon of Christian scripture has received much scrutiny since the rise of historical criticism in post-Enlightenment Europe. Nineteenth-century discoveries of new apocryphal gospels and epistles also fueled academic debate over canonicity, which has reached an even higher pitch since 1945, with the discovery of a corpus of Gnostic Christian "scriptures" at Nag Hammadi, Egypt. More recently, best-selling works by scholars like Bart Ehrman and Elaine Pagels, as well as Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code, have introduced to a wide nonspecialist audience the historical problems surrounding the formation of Christian scripture.

Into this crowded conversation enters David …

Change In Christology: New Testament Models And The Contemporary Task, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

The purpose of this paper is to review different models of development which have been suggested, and to suggest a way out of the impasse between the two major views which have predominated this field of study.

Jesus And The Eyewitnesses: The Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony, Richard Bauckham, Thomas A. Wayment

BYU Studies Quarterly

Undoubtedly, Professor Richard Bauckham's most recent contribution will add life to an already thriving scholarly discussion on the historical foundations of the New Testament Gospels, particularly the Synoptic Gospels--Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Like others who have contributed to this field of study, Bauckham (professor of New Testament studies at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland) sets out to describe the sources used by the authors of the canonical Gospels, and, in doing so, provides a viable theory that has been met by exuberant praise and will certainly encounter significant rebuttals. In his own words, he states:

It is the contention …

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Surprised By Hope: Rethinking Heaven, The Resurrection, And The Mission Of The Church, N. T. Wright, Noel B. Reynolds

BYU Studies Quarterly

Many Latter-day Saints are showing an increased sympathy for the writings of Anglican bishop N. T. Wright of Durham, England, and others in the Emerging Church tradition. Such LDS interest derives from the movement's emphasis on returning to basic Christian living modeled in the New Testament and adherents' willingness to back away from those churches that have systematic theologies and a seeming addiction to the discourse of power while pursuing their agendas. The Emerging Church is more of a conversation than an organization, and it crosses denominational boundaries around the world. It is characterized by a deep interest in interpreting …

Review Of Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies In The Gospels, James F. Mcgrath

James F. McGrath

In his latest book, Kenneth Bailey provides further study of the New Testament Gospels from the perspective that has been his own unique contribution over the past three decades or so.