Biblical Studies Commons^™

A Mixed-Methods Study Of The Variables That Influence Southern Baptists’ Affirmation Of The Inerrancy Of The Bible, David A. Mcgee

Christian Perspectives in Education

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) had discovered by the late 1970s that belief in the inerrancy of the Bible was not consistently affirmed by their leadership. After a twenty year battle, the SBC attempted to clarify the doctrine of inerrancy through the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. A mixed-method analysis was conducted by surveying 502 Florida Southern Baptist (FSB) church members with a 68-question survey instrument to determine the degree to which they affirmed the doctrine of inerrancy. The study revealed that a large percentage of FSB church members affirmed the doctrine, but the underlining beliefs were not always consistently …

The Holistic Ministry Of The Anointed One: An Interpretive Analysis Of Isaiah 61:1-7, Daniel P. Lamastra

Master of Arts in Ministerial Leadership (MAML)

Isaiah 61:1-7 is a passage that is important to both the Jewish and Christian faiths due to the clear Messianic implications that it contains. The first two verses are especially familiar to the Christian community due to its quotation by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19 as one of only three direct quotes of the Old Testament made by Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. Isaiah 61:1-7 prophecies on Judah’s upcoming destruction, exile, and ultimate Messianic deliverance, containing references to both the near and distant future; all of these conditions must be considered when approaching this passage in order to arrive at an accurate …

Moriah: A Micro-Drama, Anthony Elia

Bridwell Library Research

Moriah: A Micro-Drama in 5 parts is a work that was composed for the Religion, Spirituality and the Arts workshop at Butler University in 2014. The workshop was based on the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac (the "binding of Isaac" specifically). Originally, there were to be participatory portions with the audience, percussion, and voices, but the piece was simplified for oboe and cello. Three of the movements were performed at Christian Theological Seminary by ISO oboist Roger Roe on oboe and Depauw University Cello Professor Eric Edberg.

Enduring Temptation: The Structure And Coherence Of The Letter Of James, Matt A. Jackson-Mccabe

Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Faculty Publications

The extent to which there is a deliberate compositional structure governing the letter of James is an open question among contemporary interpreters. This article argues that a complementary consideration of formal textual features, thematic content and rhetorical function shows that the letter was composed as a unified, coherent treatment of the ethical implications of its underlying logos/desire dichotomy. Framed generally as a matter of enduring temptation in humble dependence on a provident deity, the letter presents the practical consequences of birth with logos under three headings: doing the works of the 'law of freedom', bridling the tongue, and manifesting a …

Every Good Endeavor Author Katherine Alsdorf On Why Faith@Work Is Important, Katherine Leary Alsdorf

Theology of Work Project

More than ever before, humanity is in a crisis over work. People change jobs and careers 6 times or more in their lives. Robotics will threaten even professional level vocations over the next decade. Darwinian competition trumps teamwork and human dignity. Our work – our commitment to bring God’s truth, love, and human dignity to the work lives of all people – has never been so important! How can we better equip ourselves for our work, for our calling? How do we help others work in a world that is increasingly unaware of and even hostile to the hope of …

Facilitating Holistic Spiritual Formation At The Northside Church Of Christ In Laredo, Texas, Kirk R. Cowell

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes a project to facilitate holistic spiritual formation at the Northside Church of Christ in Laredo, Texas. A program consisting of seven weekly sessions of intergenerational religious experiences was enacted at the church in hopes of catalyzing growth in the cognitive, relational, affective, and behavioral domains. These sessions were constructed on a foundation consisting of the experiences of the non-class Churches of Christ—a group of congregations that has historically rejected the Bible class model—and informed by the intergenerational formation literature. Evaluation of this project showed relational and affective growth greater than what the congregation had experienced with the …

The Word, The Spirit Of Prophecy, And Mutual Love: Lessons From The 'Daily' Controversy For Conflict Resolution, Denis Kaiser

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Review By Kenneth Atkinson Of The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Biography, By John J. Collins, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

This is a concise and well-written book by one of the leading experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls. John J. Collins, the Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale University, in the pref- ace notes that this book may seem an unlikely candidate for inclusion in a series on “biographies” of books. However, he comments that the Scrolls, although not a single book but a miscellaneous collection of writings from the caves near Qumran, is not an entirely random ac- cumulation of documents. Rather, Collins comments that they appear to reflect the thought of a Jewish sect, …

A Review By Kenneth Atkinson Of Reading The Dead Sea Scrolls: Essays In Method, Society Of Biblical Literature, By George J. Brooke, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

This diverse collection of essays by George Brooke, the Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University of Manchester, explores how some of the Dead Sea Scrolls might be read and analyzed. The book includes essays that urge scholars to refine traditional methods of studying ancient texts in light of the Scrolls, as well as chapters devoted to text criticism, literary traditions, lexicography, historiography, and theology. Brooke also highlights the relevance of newer methods for the study of the Scrolls, such as deviance theory, cultural memory, hypertextuality, intertextuality, genre theory, spatial analysis, and psychology.

Shelamzion Alexander, Hyrcanus Ii, And Aristobulus Ii In The Dead Sea Scrolls, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

The reign of Queen Shelamzion Alexandra (ca. 79-67 B.C.E.), commonly known as Salome Alexandra, marks a unique period in the history of the Hasmonean dynasty. She is not only the sole Hasmonean queen regnant, but a person whose reign is difficult to reconstruct. Josephus’ two accounts of her time in power in his War and Antiquities often differ. The latter of the two, moreover, is consistently more negative than the former work. Although the Rabbinic literature generally describes her in a favorable light, this material is quite late and is therefore of dubious historical value. Although some scholars have tried …

Judah Aristobulus And Alexander Jannaeus In The Dead Sea Scrolls, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

The reigns of Judah Aristobulus and Alexander Jannaeus marked a major turning point in the history of the Hasmonean dynasty. Judah Aristobulus transformed his family’s state into a monarchy in which a single person held the offices of king and high priest. His brother, Alexander Jannaeus, succeeded him as king and high priest and expanded the boundaries of the Hasmonean state. He also preserved the territorial integrity of the Hasmonean state when he fought off invasions by Egyptian and Seleucid rulers. Although the reigns of Judah Aristobulus and Alexander Jannaeus are widely known from the writings of Josephus, the authors …

Letter From The Editor

Liberty Theological Review

Letter from the Editor

Codex Sinaiticus As A Window Into Early Christian Worship, Timothy N. Mitchell

Liberty Theological Review

Codex Sinaiticus is the oldest and most complete New Testament in Greek known to exist. Its two colophons at the end of 2 Esdras and Esther indicate a possible connection with Pamphilus’ famous library at Caesarea in Palestine. Origen was head of a school for catechumens during his days in Alexandria in Egypt and later began a similar school in Caesarea. Pamphilus was Origen’s star pupil and later directed his school in Caesarea. These colophons may connect Sinaiticus with an ancient tradition of early Christian worship and instruction of new converts, possibly exhibited in particular scribal features. These scribal features …

The Eternal Progression Argument Against Mormonism, Jonathan R. Pruitt

Liberty Theological Review

This paper argues that Mormon cosmology plus the Mormon view of the origin of human persons results in an undercutting defeater for Mormonism. The approach is modeled after Plantinga’s evolutionary argument against naturalism. The first step is to show that Mormon cosmology is relevantly like naturalism. The second step is to show that the origin of human persons ins relevantly similar to naturalistic evolution so that it faces the same kind of defeaters as the conjunction of naturalism and naturalistic evolution.

Book Review - Introducing Romans, Richard Longenecker, Mark Moore

Liberty Theological Review

Review of Richard Longenecker's Introducing Romans.

Asking The Questions And The Importance Of Saying No, Kristine Lund

Consensus

Sermon on Matthew 21:23-32

The Other Side Of Jabbok, Mark W. Harris

Consensus

Sermon on Genesis 32: 22-31

The Royal Dignity Of Christ And Its Implications, Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

Cycle A liturgical readings for the Thirty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 23, 2014: Ez 34:11-17; Ps 23; 1 Cor 15:20-28; Mt 25:31-46. This article was previously published in The Catholic Advocate.

Common Sense Theology: An Analysis Of T. L. Carter's Interpretation Of Romans 13:1-7, Joshua Alley

Senior Honors Theses

Common sense theology has been a part of American theology since the time of the Revolution when Evangelicals incorporated ideals from the Scottish didactic Enlightenment into their thought. This paper deals with the work of one particular author, T. L. Carter, and his interpretation and exegetical work on Romans 13:1-7. It deals with the two major presuppositions of his common sense theology, namely that interpretations of any passage of Scripture will adhere to common sense and will result in a value-based ethic. Following this is an analysis of both the strengths and weaknesses of Carter's methodology.

Wisdom In The Life Of Faith, Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

Cycle A liturgical readings for the Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, November 9, 2014: Wis 6:12-16; Ps 63; 1 Thes 4:13-18; Mt 25:1-13. This article was previously published in The Catholic Advocate.

The Mission And Challenge Of Teaching, Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

Cycle A liturgical readings for the Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 2, 2014: Mal 1:24-2:2, 8-10; Ps 131; 1 Thes 2:7-9, 13; Mt 23:1-12. This article was previously published in The Catholic Advocate.

Calvin Theological Journal (Vol 49 No 2 - November 2014), Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Journal

Articles: Christian Social Ethics as a Form of Missionary Ecclesiology: A Case Study of the Dutch Reformed Experience by Gerard C. den Hertog - 174 / The Estimation of the World: A Comparison Between Calvin and Van Ruler by Willem van Vlastuin - 186 / Simon Goulart (1543-1628) and the Consolation of Troubled Souls by Scott M. Manetsch - 201 / Good News for the Poor: An Analysis of Calvin's Concept of Poor Relief and the Diaconate in Light of His Two Kingdoms Paradigm by Matthew J. Tuininga - 221 / The Impact of a Gap in Existence on …

“No One Has Ever Seen God” (John 1:18): Not Seeing Yet Believing In The Gospel Of John, Kevin Armbrust

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Armbrust, Kevin L. “ ‘No One Has Ever Seen God’ (John 1:18): Not Seeing Yet Believing in the Gospel of John.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2014. 242 pp.

Only a few New Testament texts explicitly state that Jesus is θεός (“God”). John explicitly indicates that Jesus is God not once or twice, but three times. These three statements appear at the beginning of the Gospel’s prologue (1:1), at the end of the prologue (1:18), and just before the Gospel’s conclusion (20:28; cf. 20:30–31). John’s strategically placed statements thus form an end-to-end double inclusio. References to Jesus as God over against …

Love Of God And Neighbor, Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

Cycle A liturgical readings for the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, October 26, 2014: Ex 22:20-26; Ps 18:2-4, 47-51; 1 Thes 1:5-10; Mt 22:34-40. This article was previously published in The Catholic Advocate.

Why Do We Need To Know What The Bible Says About Work?, Theology Of Work Project, William Messenger

Theology of Work Project

by William Messenger

Executive Editor, Theology of Work Project

Adapted from a talk at the Faith@Work Summit, October 24, 2014

Probably everyone interested in faith and work knows some Bible passages related to work, but did you realize that those passages are not rare highlights, but representative samples of the Bible? To put it in biblical words, “The cattle on a thousand hills” are the Lord’s, not just the temple on the hill of Zion. Once I took off my church-polarized lenses, I saw that a lot of the Bible has to do with work. It’s impossible to summarize 859 …

Moral Challenges In The Social Sphere, Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

Cycle A liturgical readings for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 19, 2014: Is Is 45:1-6; Ps 96:1-10; 1 Thes 1:1-5; Mt 22:15-21. This article was previously published in The Catholic Advocate.

Call And Response To The Heavenly Banquet, Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

Cycle A liturgical readings for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 12, 2014: Is 25:6-10; Ps 23; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20; Mt 22:1-14. This article was previously published in The Catholic Advocate.

Becoming Productive Workers In The Vineyard, Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

Cycle A liturgical readings for the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 5, 2014: Is 5:1-7; Ps 80; Phil 4:6-9; Mt 21:33-43. This article was previously published in The Catholic Advocate.

Best Biblical Career Advice From Joseph, Bruce D. Baker

SPU Works

The biblical character whose story best illustrates what we might think of today as a “career” is Joseph. His story fills roughly nine chapters in Genesis (37 – 45), a very large portion of the history of the patriarchs. Joseph’s path is an epic story of rising from the bottom to the top. In terms of vision, management and public service, he must be considered a standout success. But is this an example of “career”? It depends what you mean by “career.” Although the Bible does not offer much by way of prescriptive career advice, we can glean practical wisdom …

Power, Violence, And The Church's Responsibility For Peace-Building, Dr. David H. Kajom

The WATS Journal: An Online Journal from West Africa Theological Seminary

No abstract provided.