Biblical Studies Commons^™

The Historical Persistence Of Working-Class Culture: How Laborers Created The Ethical Foundation Of Western Civilization, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

This article highlights four historical events that shape our present: the world’s first industrial strike in ancient Egypt to protest workers’ health and safety; working-class efforts to improve labor conditions during the Roman Republic and Middle Ages through strikes and the creation of guilds; the social justice activism of the prophets of Western religions (all working-class folks!); and the creation of the selfie and the transition from a culture of character to our present obsession with celebrities and individualism that began during the Renaissance. Each case highlights unique features of working-class culture, working class reactions to societal changes, and the …

Penitential Systems In The Latin West And Byzantine East, Elijah C. Dodson

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the development and organization of penitential discipline in early medieval Christianity through a comparison of the penitential tradition associated with Theodore of Canterbury in the Latin West and the canons attributed to John the Faster in the Byzantine East. The study focuses on how these texts regulated sexual sin and what their structures reveal about the institutional role of the Church in different historical contexts. The analysis is based on a comparative reading of penitential texts, supported by patristic writings and modern scholarship. By examining how specific categories of sexual misconduct are classified and disciplined, this study …

The Unicorn And Christ – Metamorphosis And Symbology, Luis Mendonça De Carvalho, Francisca Maria Fernandes, Maria Fátima Nunes, Ana Maria Costa, Paula Nozes, Ana Paula Figueira

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The unicorn is a legendary chimaera that, for centuries, has been present in the mindset of Euro-Mediterranean cultures. Although its morphological description changed, tradition identifies it as an animal like a horse, albeit smaller and with a spiralling horn on its head pointing forward. The unicorn has been known since Antiquity, with references by authors such as Ctesias and Pliny. However, its relevance for medieval Europeans began with the Biblical references to this animal in several Old Testament verses. These verses gave legitimacy to the unicorn, and it was accepted as a tangible animal. During the Middle Ages and early …

Pedro Aceves Mfa Thesis, Pedro M. Aceves

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

My Work is about looking at Cruising through a queer decolonial lens. Using multiple mediums such as photo, glass, Augmented reality, and film, I explore these queer histories and aesthetics through not just an anthropological approach but also an artistic epistemological approach weaving together narratives of prehispanic and modern queer Latinidad.

The Fifth (202-195 Bce) And The Sixth (170-168 Bce) Syrian Wars In The Dead Sea Scrolls: Implications For Understanding The Origin Of The Maccabean Revolt, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

The rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires fought six wars for control of the region known as Coele-Syria during the third and the second centuries BCE. These conflicts weakened both powers, allowing them to be conquered by the Roman Republic. For the Jews of Judea, the Fifth Syrian War witnessed increased conflicts in the country among its high priests regarding the nature of Hellenistic reforms and how to deal with the Seleucid Empire. These difficulties continued and led to the Maccabean Revolt at the conclusion of the Sixth Syrian War, which would eventually culminate in Judean independence from …

Roman History In Sibylline Oracle 13: A Palestinian Jewish Perspective On Emperors, Usurpers, And Saviors During The Third Century Ce (Part Two: From Decius To Odenath Of Palmyra), Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

Sibylline Oracle 13 is a remarkable historical document that contains a unique perspective on the poorly documented period of Roman history known as the “Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE), which began with the assassination of the Roman emperor Severus Alexander (222-235 CE), the last ruler of the Severan dynasty. This turbulent era was marked by nearly fifty years of civil wars, barbarian invasions, rebellions, and approximately twenty-six claimants to the throne. Although the end of this turmoil under Diocletian (284-305 CE) is well known, we have little information about much of this century, particularly its first decades. The …

Bedeviled Beauty: My Journey Through White American Theater Institutions, J'Aila C. Price

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Game console: Oculus Quest

World: American Theater Institutions

Player: Minority

Place: United States

Level: “Ain’t no way.”

This thesis explores the contrast between the Westernized philosophies ingrained in my education and my identity as a Black female artist. It sheds light on the difficulties of pursuing higher education in the arts and the gaps that arise from limited exposure to culturally diverse Black resources, revealing the systemic issues in Western performance education. The paper also discusses the insights gained from my journey as a Black female artist, focusing on my thesis performance of Blood at the Root, which is …

Naturalist Thomas Hardy's Inadvertent Support Of The Gospel Narrative When Portraying Sexual Abuse And Shame In Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Hannah Carmichael

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

In his novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, the naturalist author Thomas Hardy attempts to critique the 19th-century Christian perspective on sexual abuse. Instead, he inadvertently critiques legalism, exposing it as the antithesis of true Christianity. Secular scholars believe that Hardy’s novel is blaming the Victorian era’s sexual ignorance for the stigma and shame surrounding sexual abuse. Christian scholars believe that Hardy’s naturalistic worldview simply lacks a moral standard. However, I believe that Hardy’s novel exposes an issue far deeper than sexual ignorance and lacks something far more substantive than a moral standard; his novel addresses the devastating consequences of …

Rape Jokes, Sexual Violence, And Empire In Revelation And This Is The End, Meredith J.C. Warren

Journal of Religion & Film

The Book of Revelation is one of the most borrowed-from texts of the New Testament when it comes to popular culture. Although there are dozens of other ancient apocalyptic writings, it is John’s apocalyptic visions that directly inform contemporary ideas of apocalypse. The apocalyptic comedy This Is The End (Dir. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, 2013) not only invokes imagery from Revelation but also adapts portions of the text in its portrayal of the end times. However, it also reproduces and expands upon the use of sexual violence as a means of punishment found in Revelation. This paper will examine …

Athanasius Pulled Apart: Heresiology And The (Dis)Membered (Fe)Male Body, Jennifer Barry

Cultural and Philosophical Inquiry Articles

In this article, I engage Athanasius of Alexandria’s invocation of the infamous dismemberment of the unnamed woman found in Judg 19. By the fourth century, this story of gang rape—along with other preserved stories of sexual violence—found in Judges, were scattered throughout early Christian literature. Judges 19 holds a particularly troubling history in the late ancient context. The story of the rape and dismemberment of the unnamed woman in Judg 19 gave life to another story and typified a style of writing that I characterize in the article as a heresiology. The spectacle of Judges, along with other gruesome deaths …

The "Write" Stuff: The Plausible Capability Of Jesus’ Followers To Author The Gospels, Charles D. T. Miller

Liberty Theological Review

It is common for critics of the New Testament to cite William Harris’ 10% literacy rate for first-century Greco-Romans as evidence for the implausibility of Jesus’ followers to write, publish, and circulate the New Testament. This “evidence” is often used to dismiss the entire New Testament as a second-century fabrication that cannot accurately represent the true teachings of Jesus. Is this an accurate portrayal of Galilee during the time of Jesus? The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that Jesus’ followers possessed the “‘Write’ Stuff”—the ability to read, write, and memorize, as well as, access to the technology needed …

Elementary New Testament Greek, Owen Ewald

Faculty Open Access Books

This open-access textbook helps students learn to read New Testament Greek at the elementary level. It includes clear, concise explanations of grammar and syntax, helpful examples, and essential vocabulary, with no assumption of previous language study, and it does not require accents for most forms. At the end of each of its twenty chapters, students will find short Greek-language episodes from the life of a fictional early Christian family of Jewish ancestry, short readings from the Greek New Testament and Septuagint, and review/homework exercises that can help reinforce new concepts and vocabulary. This book can help students prepare to read …

The Purpose Of Hell: Control Of Communities Through Apocalyptic Literature., Madison S Fogle

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Literature depicting Hell in late antique Christianity reveals more than the theological concern for one’s eternal soul, revealing the underlying values and morals of the growing society. Borrowing from Roman, Greek, and Jewish culture, Christians were seeking to set themselves apart while also grappling with their past around them. Through visions of Hell, apocalyptic literature in late antique Christian society exhibits the control exercised over parishioners, specifically control over their bodies and their wealth. The moral laws from Greek, Roman, and Jewish influences is evident through early Christian literature, which dictate the ways in which people are regulated by Christianity …

The Presence And Absence Of Animal Sacrifice In Jesus Films, James W. Barker, Daniel C. Ullucci

Journal of Religion & Film

This article illuminates an overlooked polemic embedded in many Jesus films. Filmmakers show little comprehension of the architecture of the Jerusalem temple. When the temple does appear, animal sacrifice is either eradicated entirely or grossly misrepresented. Since contemporary audiences are increasingly unfamiliar with animal sacrifice and butchery in general, ancient Jewish rituals can be interpreted as unscrupulous and barbaric. Also, the temple and priesthood are often expressly depicted as greedy and corrupt. A related motif anachronistically attributes the Christian rejection of animal sacrifice to Jesus himself. Some of these mischaracterizations arise from gaps, ambiguities, and ideologies within the written Gospels. …

The Veracity Of The Empty Tomb Tradition, Kevin Kroitor

Liberty Theological Review

While several historical facts surrounding Jesus’ bodily resurrection find agreement among virtually all critical scholars, the fact of the empty tomb finds far less critical agreement. Despite this attempt to “leave the door open” for naturalistic explanations of the early Christian resurrection claim, the overwhelming evidence renders the empty tomb tradition historically reliable and Jesus’ bodily resurrection, the most plausible explanation of the historical facts. This paper will examine the evidence for the empty tomb, including the early eyewitness nature of the core tradition and the necessity of the empty tomb to explain the more widely accepted facts surrounding Jesus’ …

Malaria Risk On Ancient Roman Roads: A Study And Application To Assessing Travel Decisions In Asia Minor By The Apostle Paul, Daniel C. Browning Jr

Master's Theses

This study models malaria risks for travelers on ancient Roman roads with the goal of providing a tool for historical assessment of travel accounts from antiquity. The project includes: identification of malaria risk factors and associated spatial datasets, malaria risk model construction, verification and validation against available pre-eradication data, overlay of ancient Roman road data, and an initial case-study application to the journeys of the Apostle Paul, as narrated in the New Testament book, Acts of the Apostles (Acts). The project is intentionally cross-disciplinary in bringing the technical capabilities of GIS to the task of evaluating nuanced textual sources for …

Divining Gospel. Oracles Of Interpretation In A Syriac Manuscript Of John, Jeff Childers

Graduate School of Theology

Ancient manuscripts of John’s Gospel containing hermeneiai have long puzzled scholars, provoking debate about their origins, purpose, and use. The fragmentary nature of the early evidence has impeded progress towards a better understanding of these specialized books. The present study shows that these books are "Divining Gospels"—editions of John’s Gospel incorporating lot divination materials for use in fortune-telling. The study centers on material presented here for the first time: the text and translation of a unique sixth-century Syriac manuscript, the earliest and most complete example of a hermeneia Gospel. An analysis of the Syriac along with evidence from Greek, Coptic, …

What Was So Attractive In Artemis/Diana Worship, And What Was The Rationale For Christians Not To Follow Pagan Ideology?, Georg Filippou

Seminary Scholarship Symposium

The last few decades of archaeological research in Ephesus have revealed new insights into the context of Paul’s writings. In the past many commentators have assumed that the Artemis cult was sex-saturated at the time of Paul, and therefore interpreted the biblical texts from that perspective. However, more recent scholarship has suggested the opposite. Mystery religions elevated the status of women. In the creation narrative of Artemis, the woman was born first. In refraining from everything that is part of a marriage, women could reach salvation. It is therefore not surprising that Paul addressed issues connected to women (creation, marriage, …

Divining Gospel: Classifying Manuscripts Of John Used In Sortilege, Jeff Childers

Graduate School of Theology

The texts of Christian scripture find their way into a variety of ancient artifacts. The manuscript form has been the most widespread, yet manuscripts manifest distinct patterns of organization and structure according to their different purposes. Many include companion texts sharing the page with that of scripture—texts that gloss, provide commentary, give liturgical direction, or otherwise assist the reader in understanding or using scripture. In many instances, pages containing scripture have acquired additional texts over the years–e.g. marginal notes, corrections, claims of ownership, prayers, and fragments of other texts. One of the least well-studied phenomena is the sort of artifact …

Tragedy And Theodicy: The Role Of The Sufferer From Job To Ahab, Nora Carroll

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The character of Job starts in literature, a trope and archetype of the suffering man who potentially gains wisdom through suffering. Job’s characterization informs a comparison to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Shakespeare’s King Lear, Milton’s Paradise Lost, and finally Melville’s Moby-Dick. These versions of Job rally, fight, and rebel against a universe that was once loving and fair towards a more chaotic and nihilistic one. Job’s suffering is on the mark of all tragedy because he not only experiences a downfall, he gains wisdom through universalizing his torment. The Job trope not only stresses the role of suffering, it …

How To Attain Liberation From A False World? The Gnostic Myth Of Sophia In Dark City (1998), Fryderyk Kwiatkowski

Journal of Religion & Film

In the second half of the 20th century, a fascinating revival of ancient Gnostic ideas in American popular culture could be observed. One of the major streams through which Gnostic ideas are transmitted is Hollywood cinema. Many works that emerged at the end of 1990s can be viewed through the ideas of ancient Gnostic systems: The Truman Show (1998), The Thirteenth Floor (1999), The Others (2001), Vanilla Sky (2001) or The Matrix trilogy (1999-2003).

In this article, the author analyses Dark City (1998) and demonstrates that the story depicted in the film is heavily indebted to the Gnostic myth of …

Embodying God's Final Word: Understanding The Dynamics Of Prophecy In The The Ancient Near East And Early Monotheistic Tradition, Naila Z. Razzaq

University Scholar Projects

This thesis studies the various forms of oral and literary prophecy in the Ancient the Ancient Near East and Second Temple Judaism. After an introductory background section on the dynamics of prophecy in Ancient Assyria and Mesopotamia, I problematize the nineteenth century concept of the “cessation of prophecy” after Malachi, the last prophet in the Tanakh.

Too often prophecy is seen as a punctiliar process with a determined beginning and end. I complicate this simplified view by discussing the following questions while analyzing several key primary sources from the Second Temple period: In what forms does prophecy continue even after …

Know Yourself And You Will Be Known: The Gospel Of Thomas And Middle Platonism, Seth A. Clark

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus and is primarily composed of rhetorical statements that were used to preserve the teachings of itinerant Greek philosophers. These collections were used to persuade individuals to join the philosophical schools represented, much like the early followers of the Jesus movement would use his teachings to convince others to join them as well. However, the theological background for the text is still debated because it contains esoteric and enigmatic references not fully understood by most scholars. This work argues that the theological and philosophical background for the Gospel …

To The Jew First: A Socio-Historical And Biblical-Theological Analysis Of The Pauline Teaching Of `Election' In Light Of Second Temple Jewish Patterns Of Thought, Anthony Thornhill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Paul's "doctrine" of election has remained a controversial and enigmatic topic for centuries. Few studies, however, have approached Paul's doctrine through the context of Second Temple Judaism. This study examines Paul's view of election through the lens of Second Temple Jewish texts written prior to 70 CE. In doing so, it is argued that the best framework through which to view Paul's discussion of election is through a primarily corporate model of election. While such a model is rooted in Judaism, Paul departs from his Jewish contemporaries in arguing that the locus of election is in God's Messiah, Jesus.

Projecting The Passion: The Invention Of The 'Judeo-Christian Tradition' In The Roman/Biblical Genre Of Postwar American Film, Don Michael Burrows

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper traces the changes in the American view of the relationship between Jews and Christians from the First World War to the present as reflected in motion pictures from the earliest of the biblical epics to Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ. It demonstrates that the "Judea-Christian tradition " as it has developed since the Second World War is a political theme that functioned first as anti-fascist propaganda and then as anticommunist propaganda that portrayed Jews and Christians as good and free in contrast to Nazis and communists; and it shows what an effective medium the movies were in …

Was The Chronicler A Spin Doctor?: David In The Books Of Chronicles, Mark A. Throntveit

Faculty Publications

Yes, the Chronicler was a spin doctor—but a necessary one. He used the David story to address the needs of his postexilic community who questioned the value of God’s old promises to David in this new time of Persian domination, without a king, worshiping in a temple that was the mere shadow of Solomon’s glorious edifice.

Ḥadashot Arkheologiyot חדשות ארכיאולוגיות 115, Israel Antiquities Authority

Hadashot Arkheologiyot–Excavations and Surveys in Israel (Bilingual Series)

Tell el-Wawiyat, 2001, A-3457, Dina Avshalom-Gorni and Nimrod Getzov [1] ‘En Avvazim, B-246/02, Yoav ‘Alon [2] Tel Hazor, 2002, G-72/02, Amnon Ben-Tor [4] Tel Hazor, A-3249, Karen Covello-Paran [5] Meron, Yosef Stepansky [5] Peqi‘in, Yossi Moshe [7] Map of Kefar Nahum, Survey, G-81/91,G-30/01, Yosef Stepansky [8] Deir ‘Aziz, 2000-2001, G-49/00, G-85/01, Zvi Ma‘oz and Hayim Ben-David [11] Horbat Susita, G-92/02, Arthur Segal [15] ‘Enot Kokhav, A-3303, A-3502, Nimrod Getzov [20] Haifa, Tel Shiqmona, A-2983, Hagit Torgë and Uzi ‘Ad [21] Haifa, Wadi Salib, …

Ḥadashot Arkheologiyot חדשות ארכיאולוגיות 114, Israel Antiquities Authority

Hadashot Arkheologiyot–Excavations and Surveys in Israel (Bilingual Series)

Deir Qruh, A-3109*, Danny Syon [1] Gamla – 1997–2000, A-2745, A-2857, A-3039, A-3223, Danny Syon and Zvi Yavor [2] Horbat Susita (A), G-19/01, Arthur Segal [5] Horbat Susita (B), G-19/01, Michael Eisenberg [8] Nahal Bet Ha-‘Emeq, A-3210*, Nimrod Getzov [10] ‘Akko (West), Coastal and Underwater Surveys, G-117/94*, A-2379*, G-29/98*, Jacob Sharvit and Ehud Galili [11] ‘Akko Harbor, Underwater Surveys, G-32/90*, G-126/92, G-30/93*, G-31/93, G-127/95*, Ehud Galili, Jacob sharvit, Uzi Dahari, Na‘ama Bahat Zilberstein, G. Finkielsztejn, E.J. Stern, R. Kool and Y. Kahanov [13] A Roman Road in Nahal Evlayim, A-3138*, …

Ḥadashot Arkheologiyot חדשות ארכיאולוגיות 113, Israel Antiquities Authority

Hadashot Arkheologiyot–Excavations and Surveys in Israel (Bilingual Series)

Tell el-Wawiyat – 1999, A-3045, Dina Avshalom-Gorni and Nimrod Getzov [1] Esh-Shuhra, A-2486, Mordechai Aviam and Aharoni Amitai [3] Har Pu‘a, G-104/97, G-60/98, G-32/99, G-101/00, Ran Barkai and Avi Gopher [4] Ha-Ela Cave, B-120/99, Erella Hovers, Yoel Rak and William Kimbel [5] El-Kabri, A-2668, Nimrod Getzov [6] Kabri, A-3056, Dina Shalem [7] Shavé Ziyyon, Mordechai Aviam [8] Er-Rama, A-2690*, Hana Abu ‘Uqsa [10] Kafr el-Makr, A-728*, Vassilios Tzaferis [12] Old ‘Akko, the Fortress, G-14/98, Eliezer Stern [13] Sakhnin, A-2459*, Michel Yitach [15] Horbat Susita, G-32/00, Arthur Segal …

Ḥadashot Arkheologiyot חדשות ארכיאולוגיות 112, Israel Antiquities Authority

Hadashot Arkheologiyot–Excavations and Surveys in Israel (Bilingual Series)

Tel Dan, 1999, 62/99-G, Avraham Biran [1] Khisas, 2500-A*, Danny Syon [3] Kefar Gil‘adi, 2961-A*, Dina Shalem [10] Tel Barom, 2858-A, Emmanuel Damati [13] Map of Kefar Nahim, Survey, 27/98-G, Yosef Stepansky [13] Horbat Qav, 2896-A, Edna J. Stern, Hana Abu Uqsa and Nimrod Getzov [16] ‘Akko, the School for Martime Officers, 2942-A, Ayelet Tatcher [19] ‘Akko, Corner of Derekh Ha-Arba‘a and Kaplan Street, 2907-A*, Ayelet Tatcher [19] Tiberias, 113/98-G, Yizhar Hirschfeld and Oren Gutfeld [20] Map of Migdal, Survey, 102/98-G, Yitzhak Tor [22] Yodefat …