http://hdl.handle.net/10023/63 2013-05-21T15:33:23Z 2013-05-21T15:33:23Z Cook, Sean E. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3532 2013-05-20T11:38:53Z 2013-06-25T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between the books of Kings and Chronicles and considers the value of having two different versions of the same monarchic history within the Tanak. It furthermore explores how these books are read in relation to one another. To be more specific, its concern is how the book of Chronicles is read in relation to the book of Kings as Chronicles is so often considered to be a later rewritten text drawing upon an earlier version of the Masoretic Text of Kings. The predominant scholarly approach to reading the book of Chronicles is to read it in light of how the text was emended (additions, deletions, etc.). This approach has great value and has furthered our understanding of the theology and purpose of Chronicles. While this thesis fully affirms this diachronic approach to reading Chronicles, it also finds it to be lacking. This said, I suggest that this predominant way of reading Chronicles through the lens of its source (Kings) sometimes misses the theological and rhetorical features of the Chronicler’s text. In light of this suggestion, this thesis will answer the following question: “why were two narratives retained in the Tanak and what possible answers to this question might emerge by looking at the similarities and differences in the two narratives’ contents, arguments, and theology?” The method by which this question will be addressed is to read the Solomon narratives in the books of Kings and Chronicles in two ways: first, to read each narrative as a whole and independently of one another, and second, to examine each narrative together in an effort to understand their uniqueness. The result of this analysis will show that these narratives can in fact read as whole narratives independent of one another, and furthermore, that Solomon is in fact less idealized (contra popular scholarly opinion) in the book of Chronicles.

2013-06-25T00:00:00Z Cook, Sean E. This thesis explores the relationship between the books of Kings and Chronicles and considers the value of having two different versions of the same monarchic history within the Tanak. It furthermore explores how these books are read in relation to one another. To be more specific, its concern is how the book of Chronicles is read in relation to the book of Kings as Chronicles is so often considered to be a later rewritten text drawing upon an earlier version of the Masoretic Text of Kings. The predominant scholarly approach to reading the book of Chronicles is to read it in light of how the text was emended (additions, deletions, etc.). This approach has great value and has furthered our understanding of the theology and purpose of Chronicles. While this thesis fully affirms this diachronic approach to reading Chronicles, it also finds it to be lacking. This said, I suggest that this predominant way of reading Chronicles through the lens of its source (Kings) sometimes misses the theological and rhetorical features of the Chronicler’s text. In light of this suggestion, this thesis will answer the following question: “why were two narratives retained in the Tanak and what possible answers to this question might emerge by looking at the similarities and differences in the two narratives’ contents, arguments, and theology?” The method by which this question will be addressed is to read the Solomon narratives in the books of Kings and Chronicles in two ways: first, to read each narrative as a whole and independently of one another, and second, to examine each narrative together in an effort to understand their uniqueness. The result of this analysis will show that these narratives can in fact read as whole narratives independent of one another, and furthermore, that Solomon is in fact less idealized (contra popular scholarly opinion) in the book of Chronicles. Tippner, Jeffrey E. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3278 2012-12-05T14:56:29Z 2013-06-25T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis examines the missiological writings of Orlando E. Costas (1943-1987), particularly The Church and Its Mission: A Shattering Critique from the Third World (1974); Theology of the Crossroads in Contemporary Latin America (1976); Christ Outside the Gate (1982); and Liberating News: A Theology of Contextual Evangelization (1989). From the early 1970s until his death in 1987 he wrote over 130 articles and 12 books in both Spanish and English that addressed key missiological concerns. A careful reading of a selection of Costas’s texts oriented around a hymn, a gospel song, a psalm, and a poem provides the shape of this thesis.This thesis argues that Costas formulated a Third World evangelical missiology. Chapter one investigates what Costas’s autobiographical material expressed about his positions on conversion, Protestant evangelicalism, missiology, and those living on the ‘periphery’ of life. Chapter two recognises his commitment to the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean in particular and the Third World in general. Chapter three explores Costas’s analysis of the Latin American Protestant Church in a revolutionary situation in the continent and chapter four examines his survey and critical appraisal of Latin American liberation theology. Chapter five recognizes the pastoral shape of Costas's missiology. Chapter six explores his critical interaction with two more conservative evangelical missiological positions, the Church Growth Movement and Peter Beyerhaus and the Frankfurt Declaration, and chapter seven surveys the discussion within the international evangelical community regarding the relationship between evangelism and social responsibility. Chapter eight examines Costas’s Liberating News as an expression of Third World evangelical missiology. Chapter nine considers the theological issue of penal substitutionary atonement and his missiology. The thesis concludes with an appraisal of the issues and contributions of Costas’s Third World evangelical missiology to current missiological discussion.

2013-06-25T00:00:00Z Tippner, Jeffrey E. This thesis examines the missiological writings of Orlando E. Costas (1943-1987), particularly The Church and Its Mission: A Shattering Critique from the Third World (1974); Theology of the Crossroads in Contemporary Latin America (1976); Christ Outside the Gate (1982); and Liberating News: A Theology of Contextual Evangelization (1989). From the early 1970s until his death in 1987 he wrote over 130 articles and 12 books in both Spanish and English that addressed key missiological concerns. A careful reading of a selection of Costas’s texts oriented around a hymn, a gospel song, a psalm, and a poem provides the shape of this thesis.This thesis argues that Costas formulated a Third World evangelical missiology. Chapter one investigates what Costas’s autobiographical material expressed about his positions on conversion, Protestant evangelicalism, missiology, and those living on the ‘periphery’ of life. Chapter two recognises his commitment to the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean in particular and the Third World in general. Chapter three explores Costas’s analysis of the Latin American Protestant Church in a revolutionary situation in the continent and chapter four examines his survey and critical appraisal of Latin American liberation theology. Chapter five recognizes the pastoral shape of Costas's missiology. Chapter six explores his critical interaction with two more conservative evangelical missiological positions, the Church Growth Movement and Peter Beyerhaus and the Frankfurt Declaration, and chapter seven surveys the discussion within the international evangelical community regarding the relationship between evangelism and social responsibility. Chapter eight examines Costas’s Liberating News as an expression of Third World evangelical missiology. Chapter nine considers the theological issue of penal substitutionary atonement and his missiology. The thesis concludes with an appraisal of the issues and contributions of Costas’s Third World evangelical missiology to current missiological discussion. George, Christian T. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3211 2012-10-22T15:54:49Z 2011-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis centers on the doctrine of Christ in the theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon through the lens of Spurgeon’s highly developed metaphor, that of Jesus Christ, the “Prince of pilgrims.” That no scholarly work has thus analyzed or surveyed Spurgeon’s ontological, functional, and exegetical Christologies warrants continued contribution to the field of scholarship. Though not a systematician, Spurgeon stood in direct theological continuity with his Nonconformist Puritan predecessors and transmitted a highly developed Christology that was Chalcedonian in creed and Alexandrian in style. This thesis positions Spurgeon’s Christology against the backdrop of a complex Victorian religious context that, through the use of scientific enquiry, sought to recover the full humanity of Christ. Though reacting against modern conclusions concerning the person, natures, and work of Christ, Spurgeon also sought to recover Christ’s humanity, though his theological presuppositions stood in marked contradistinction to the spirit of the age. Particular attention is given to Spurgeon’s utilization of an allegorical hermeneutic to the end that his vernacular, at times, potentially deviates from traditional, orthodox Christological teachings. The scope of this research is a survey of Spurgeon’s Christology by way of his sermons, published writings, lectures, and letters. The purpose of this study is to analyze Spurgeon’s doctrine of Christ in the context of the wider theological tradition through an investigation of his allegorical and innovative rhetoric.

2011-11-30T00:00:00Z George, Christian T. This thesis centers on the doctrine of Christ in the theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon through the lens of Spurgeon’s highly developed metaphor, that of Jesus Christ, the “Prince of pilgrims.” That no scholarly work has thus analyzed or surveyed Spurgeon’s ontological, functional, and exegetical Christologies warrants continued contribution to the field of scholarship. Though not a systematician, Spurgeon stood in direct theological continuity with his Nonconformist Puritan predecessors and transmitted a highly developed Christology that was Chalcedonian in creed and Alexandrian in style. This thesis positions Spurgeon’s Christology against the backdrop of a complex Victorian religious context that, through the use of scientific enquiry, sought to recover the full humanity of Christ. Though reacting against modern conclusions concerning the person, natures, and work of Christ, Spurgeon also sought to recover Christ’s humanity, though his theological presuppositions stood in marked contradistinction to the spirit of the age. Particular attention is given to Spurgeon’s utilization of an allegorical hermeneutic to the end that his vernacular, at times, potentially deviates from traditional, orthodox Christological teachings. The scope of this research is a survey of Spurgeon’s Christology by way of his sermons, published writings, lectures, and letters. The purpose of this study is to analyze Spurgeon’s doctrine of Christ in the context of the wider theological tradition through an investigation of his allegorical and innovative rhetoric. Lauro, Reno E. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3207 2012-10-22T12:55:52Z 2012-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This work takes up urban historian Lewis Mumford’s concern for the phenomena of planned and imposed ordering of human life and societies. Mumford (and others) suggests the problem consists in the use of external plans, technologies (and media) to manipulate, dominate, and even coerce forms of life. It is seen at its worst in war, and even forced systems like Nazism and Stalinism. But these phenomena also take more attractive and seemingly enriching forms. We will focus (along with Daniel Boorstin and Umberto Eco in their own way) on forms which have massively developed in 20th and 21st century society: market and consumer saturation, shaped by dominating mass electronic media. This situation is developed imaginatively, and inventively, yet problematically, in Jean Baudrillard’s theory of Hyperreality –a critique of the Western hyper-consumer and media saturated world. But his methods and pictures are not followed here. We take up a very different approach and diagnosis; This approach has become increasingly multidisciplinary: phenomenological, praxeological, anthropological, and philological. We build it up in a reading of human lifeworlds in philosophers Martin Heidegger and Ludwig Wittgenstein, and anthropologist Tim Ingold. This work does not go in for a picture of language (and cinema) as a system of signification, but as Ludwig Wittgenstein describes it, as tools always already involved in forms of life. We also offer a unique characterization of corporeal imagining and the imaginative creation of lifeworlds, paving the way for what is described as philological resistance: this resistance is seen in the development of a certain praxeological philology and fully realized in the 20th century author J. R. R. Tolkien’s mythopoeic concerns. We focus particularly on what we call the double- transfer: the cyclic structure between human artistry and life-world building, each shaped by the other. We endeavor, along with Mumford and others, to counter colonization and find various less manipulated and un-coerced forms of life, and their informal organizing structures. We examine in detail Tolkien’s literary and philological project; and the 20th and 21st century’s first art form –cinema. Through the philosophical exploration of cinematic craft in Gilles Deleuze, and in the craft of Terrence Malick we see, and are taken up in, the inextricable relationship between how we make, what we make and how we live everyday life.

2012-11-30T00:00:00Z Lauro, Reno E. This work takes up urban historian Lewis Mumford’s concern for the phenomena of planned and imposed ordering of human life and societies. Mumford (and others) suggests the problem consists in the use of external plans, technologies (and media) to manipulate, dominate, and even coerce forms of life. It is seen at its worst in war, and even forced systems like Nazism and Stalinism. But these phenomena also take more attractive and seemingly enriching forms. We will focus (along with Daniel Boorstin and Umberto Eco in their own way) on forms which have massively developed in 20th and 21st century society: market and consumer saturation, shaped by dominating mass electronic media. This situation is developed imaginatively, and inventively, yet problematically, in Jean Baudrillard’s theory of Hyperreality –a critique of the Western hyper-consumer and media saturated world. But his methods and pictures are not followed here. We take up a very different approach and diagnosis; This approach has become increasingly multidisciplinary: phenomenological, praxeological, anthropological, and philological. We build it up in a reading of human lifeworlds in philosophers Martin Heidegger and Ludwig Wittgenstein, and anthropologist Tim Ingold. This work does not go in for a picture of language (and cinema) as a system of signification, but as Ludwig Wittgenstein describes it, as tools always already involved in forms of life. We also offer a unique characterization of corporeal imagining and the imaginative creation of lifeworlds, paving the way for what is described as philological resistance: this resistance is seen in the development of a certain praxeological philology and fully realized in the 20th century author J. R. R. Tolkien’s mythopoeic concerns. We focus particularly on what we call the double- transfer: the cyclic structure between human artistry and life-world building, each shaped by the other. We endeavor, along with Mumford and others, to counter colonization and find various less manipulated and un-coerced forms of life, and their informal organizing structures. We examine in detail Tolkien’s literary and philological project; and the 20th and 21st century’s first art form –cinema. Through the philosophical exploration of cinematic craft in Gilles Deleuze, and in the craft of Terrence Malick we see, and are taken up in, the inextricable relationship between how we make, what we make and how we live everyday life. Presley, Stephen O. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3167 2012-10-25T09:31:22Z 2012-06-19T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the intertextual nature of Irenaeus’ reading of Genesis 1-3. In this study, we assume a different mode of investigation than previous works on Irenaeus’ use of scripture. Drawing from contemporary discussions on intertextuality in Fishbane, Boyrin, Hays, and Young, we challenge a tradition of investigation into Irenaeus’ exegesis that has marginalized the significance of scriptural networking inherent to his hermeneutic. This perspective is evident in the previous works on Irenaeus’ reading of Genesis in Orbe, Jacobsen, Kannengiesser, Steenberg, and Holsinger-Friesen. This thesis, on the other hand, brings together an appreciation for Irenaeus’ hermeneutic with respect to his exegesis of Gen 1-3. We show that in every instance Irenaeus interprets Gen 1-3, not in isolation, but in correlation with other texts by means of a variety of intertextual reading strategies that shape his theological polemic. In chapter one we investigate the nature of Irenaeus’ hermeneutical orientation based upon studies of patristic exegesis and his own descriptions of the exegetical task. We show that Irenaeus purposes to interconnect texts in his refutation and exegesis and we formulate a methodology that appreciates his reading of Gen 1-3 within this theological networking of texts. In chapters 2-6, we provide a literary analysis of the echoes, allusions, and citations of Gen 1-3 in each book of Adversus Haereses. In each case we isolate the allusions to Gen 1-3 and the corresponding interrelated texts that form a hermeneutically symbiotic relationship with Gen 1-3. We show how these textual relationships yield a more comprehensive appreciation for the meaning and function of Gen 1-3 in Irenaeus. In chapter 7 we conclude with a summary and cumulative evaluation of the intertextual relationships fashioned with Gen 1-3 and the reading strategies that guide his intertextual use of Gen 1-3. In doing so, this thesis exposes the intricacies of Irenaeus’ theological and intertextual reading of Gen 1-3 and the various ways that Irenaeus harmonizes scripture.

2012-06-19T00:00:00Z Presley, Stephen O. This thesis explores the intertextual nature of Irenaeus’ reading of Genesis 1-3. In this study, we assume a different mode of investigation than previous works on Irenaeus’ use of scripture. Drawing from contemporary discussions on intertextuality in Fishbane, Boyrin, Hays, and Young, we challenge a tradition of investigation into Irenaeus’ exegesis that has marginalized the significance of scriptural networking inherent to his hermeneutic. This perspective is evident in the previous works on Irenaeus’ reading of Genesis in Orbe, Jacobsen, Kannengiesser, Steenberg, and Holsinger-Friesen. This thesis, on the other hand, brings together an appreciation for Irenaeus’ hermeneutic with respect to his exegesis of Gen 1-3. We show that in every instance Irenaeus interprets Gen 1-3, not in isolation, but in correlation with other texts by means of a variety of intertextual reading strategies that shape his theological polemic. In chapter one we investigate the nature of Irenaeus’ hermeneutical orientation based upon studies of patristic exegesis and his own descriptions of the exegetical task. We show that Irenaeus purposes to interconnect texts in his refutation and exegesis and we formulate a methodology that appreciates his reading of Gen 1-3 within this theological networking of texts. In chapters 2-6, we provide a literary analysis of the echoes, allusions, and citations of Gen 1-3 in each book of Adversus Haereses. In each case we isolate the allusions to Gen 1-3 and the corresponding interrelated texts that form a hermeneutically symbiotic relationship with Gen 1-3. We show how these textual relationships yield a more comprehensive appreciation for the meaning and function of Gen 1-3 in Irenaeus. In chapter 7 we conclude with a summary and cumulative evaluation of the intertextual relationships fashioned with Gen 1-3 and the reading strategies that guide his intertextual use of Gen 1-3. In doing so, this thesis exposes the intricacies of Irenaeus’ theological and intertextual reading of Gen 1-3 and the various ways that Irenaeus harmonizes scripture. Tan, Loe-Joo http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3163 2013-04-15T08:10:04Z 2012-06-19T00:00:00Z

Abstract: As a key contributor to the current discussion of the Catholic theology of religions, Gavin D’Costa’s writings represent a consistent attempt to utilize the resources of the doctrine of the Trinity to address a number of issues regarding the theological significance and function of religions in the salvific plan of God. The aim of this thesis is to examine critically his Trinitarian theology of religions through the lens of a main proponent of patristic theology, Basil of Caesarea, and through a historical-systematic study, address the question of whether his underlying Trinitarianism is consonant with classical Trinitarian theology. After a discussion of Vatican II and post-Conciliar sources, the main contours of D’Costa’s theology are highlighted through an interpretive grid of particularity/universality (Christology/Pneumatology) with a second-order universality/particularity. Despite his distancing from the three-fold typology of exclusivism-inclusivism-pluralism, we analyzed that much of his theology continues to fall within the category of traditional inclusivism, particularly since his recent proposal of the limbo of the Fathers contained serious difficulties pertaining to his intention to maintain a singular OT Judaism-Christianity relationship. Next, we examined the main features of Basilian Trinitarianism, and proposed that three major themes are of relevance for a comparative analysis with D’Costa’s theology, namely, (1) the doctrines of divine simplicity and inseparable operations, (2) the enlightening work of the Spirit, and (3) the theology of baptism and theosis. Throughout the discussion, in recognition that Basil’s thought is part of the patristic theological matrix of his time, we will also reference the writings of other Church Fathers, including Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Augustine. We concluded that while in Basil’s theology, economy, relationality and ethics are intricately woven into each other, D’Costa’s system, despite its significant merits, was at risk of disaffiliating the connections between the three.

2012-06-19T00:00:00Z Tan, Loe-Joo As a key contributor to the current discussion of the Catholic theology of religions, Gavin D’Costa’s writings represent a consistent attempt to utilize the resources of the doctrine of the Trinity to address a number of issues regarding the theological significance and function of religions in the salvific plan of God. The aim of this thesis is to examine critically his Trinitarian theology of religions through the lens of a main proponent of patristic theology, Basil of Caesarea, and through a historical-systematic study, address the question of whether his underlying Trinitarianism is consonant with classical Trinitarian theology. After a discussion of Vatican II and post-Conciliar sources, the main contours of D’Costa’s theology are highlighted through an interpretive grid of particularity/universality (Christology/Pneumatology) with a second-order universality/particularity. Despite his distancing from the three-fold typology of exclusivism-inclusivism-pluralism, we analyzed that much of his theology continues to fall within the category of traditional inclusivism, particularly since his recent proposal of the limbo of the Fathers contained serious difficulties pertaining to his intention to maintain a singular OT Judaism-Christianity relationship. Next, we examined the main features of Basilian Trinitarianism, and proposed that three major themes are of relevance for a comparative analysis with D’Costa’s theology, namely, (1) the doctrines of divine simplicity and inseparable operations, (2) the enlightening work of the Spirit, and (3) the theology of baptism and theosis. Throughout the discussion, in recognition that Basil’s thought is part of the patristic theological matrix of his time, we will also reference the writings of other Church Fathers, including Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Augustine. We concluded that while in Basil’s theology, economy, relationality and ethics are intricately woven into each other, D’Costa’s system, despite its significant merits, was at risk of disaffiliating the connections between the three. Warhurst, Paul http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3161 2012-11-07T15:57:39Z 2011-06-21T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Danish thinker Søren Kierkegaard published fourteen discourses, across four collections, on Matthew 6:24-34. The repeated readings of the biblical text, whose themes include the choice between God and mammon, worry, what it means to consider the birds and lilies, and how to seek first the kingdom of God, converge with Kierkegaard’s interest in anxiety, despair, worry, subjectivity, indirect communication, choice, the moment, and life before God. Accordingly, the discourses make connections with his larger works, elucidate frequently explored Kierkegaardian themes in recent scholarship, and contribute to his critique of nineteenth-century Copenhagen. Additionally, the collections present an interpretation of each verse and phrase of Matthew’s text and, held up against modern Matthew scholarship, they correlate with and contribute to Sermon on the Mount and New Testament studies. Kierkegaard’s reading of Matthew also holds implications for the practice of biblical interpretation as it promotes the importance of awareness of sin, interestedness, and appropriation as central to proper reading. His emphasis on Christ as the primary exemplar of Matthew’s text adds an additional Christological element to his hermeneutic. Furthermore, the discourses serve as spiritual treatises which provide the reader with theological terminology to help confront the problem of worry and suffering. In light of a human being’s distinctiveness as imago Dei, Kierkegaard elucidates ways an individual may respond artfully to the ongoing possibility of worry, a possibility which the discourses connect with Christian anthropology and external labels associated with possessions and status. The Matthew 6 discourses intimate Kierkegaard’s sympathy with classic Christian spirituality and, in combination with the cultural-ecclesiastical critique, the creative exegesis, and the in-depth analysis of the cause of and cure for worry, his work emerges as an excellent example of spiritual theology.

2011-06-21T00:00:00Z Warhurst, Paul Danish thinker Søren Kierkegaard published fourteen discourses, across four collections, on Matthew 6:24-34. The repeated readings of the biblical text, whose themes include the choice between God and mammon, worry, what it means to consider the birds and lilies, and how to seek first the kingdom of God, converge with Kierkegaard’s interest in anxiety, despair, worry, subjectivity, indirect communication, choice, the moment, and life before God. Accordingly, the discourses make connections with his larger works, elucidate frequently explored Kierkegaardian themes in recent scholarship, and contribute to his critique of nineteenth-century Copenhagen. Additionally, the collections present an interpretation of each verse and phrase of Matthew’s text and, held up against modern Matthew scholarship, they correlate with and contribute to Sermon on the Mount and New Testament studies. Kierkegaard’s reading of Matthew also holds implications for the practice of biblical interpretation as it promotes the importance of awareness of sin, interestedness, and appropriation as central to proper reading. His emphasis on Christ as the primary exemplar of Matthew’s text adds an additional Christological element to his hermeneutic. Furthermore, the discourses serve as spiritual treatises which provide the reader with theological terminology to help confront the problem of worry and suffering. In light of a human being’s distinctiveness as imago Dei, Kierkegaard elucidates ways an individual may respond artfully to the ongoing possibility of worry, a possibility which the discourses connect with Christian anthropology and external labels associated with possessions and status. The Matthew 6 discourses intimate Kierkegaard’s sympathy with classic Christian spirituality and, in combination with the cultural-ecclesiastical critique, the creative exegesis, and the in-depth analysis of the cause of and cure for worry, his work emerges as an excellent example of spiritual theology. Sharkey, Jo Ann http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3156 2013-02-15T14:24:16Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The following dissertation argues that the detective fiction of P.D. James provokes her readers to think theologically. I present evidence from the body of James’s work, including her detective fiction that features the Detective Adam Dalgliesh, as well as her other novels, autobiography, and non-fiction work. I also present a brief history of detective fiction. This history provides the reader with a better understanding of how P.D James is influenced by the detective genre as well as how she stands apart from the genre’s traditions. This dissertation relies on an interview that I conducted with P.D. James in November, 2008. During the interview, I asked James how Christianity has influenced her detective fiction and her responses greatly contribute to this dissertation. However, James’s novels should be interpreted and explored in the manner that they are received by the reader. How the reader receives and responds to the novels, not only how James writes the novels, is what causes her stories to provoke theological thinking. By examining Christian symbolism that is present in setting, character, the Detective Adam Dalgliesh, and plot, this dissertation seeks to assert that James contributes to a theological conversation through her popular detective fiction. Description: Electronic version excludes material for which permission has not been granted by the rights holder

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z Sharkey, Jo Ann The following dissertation argues that the detective fiction of P.D. James provokes her readers to think theologically. I present evidence from the body of James’s work, including her detective fiction that features the Detective Adam Dalgliesh, as well as her other novels, autobiography, and non-fiction work. I also present a brief history of detective fiction. This history provides the reader with a better understanding of how P.D James is influenced by the detective genre as well as how she stands apart from the genre’s traditions. This dissertation relies on an interview that I conducted with P.D. James in November, 2008. During the interview, I asked James how Christianity has influenced her detective fiction and her responses greatly contribute to this dissertation. However, James’s novels should be interpreted and explored in the manner that they are received by the reader. How the reader receives and responds to the novels, not only how James writes the novels, is what causes her stories to provoke theological thinking. By examining Christian symbolism that is present in setting, character, the Detective Adam Dalgliesh, and plot, this dissertation seeks to assert that James contributes to a theological conversation through her popular detective fiction. Lewis, Andrew Zack http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3141 2013-04-30T16:12:23Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the reception history of the book of Job, particularly in Søren Kierkegaard’s Three Upbuilding Discourses and Repetition, Wilhelm Vischer’s “Hiob, ein Zeuge Jesu Christi,” and Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics. It examines the hermeneutical presuppositions of these three scholars and how the scholars themselves fit into the history of interpretation, showing that they use a post-critical allegorical interpretation in order to explore the freedom of God and humanity. Chapter one offers a defense of using reception history in biblical studies. By walking through Mikhail Bakhtin’s theories on great time and the chronotope, it argues that great texts continue to live and grow even after their completion and canonization. During this “afterlife,” their meaning expands as more readers participate in their interpretations. Chapter two examines the afterlife of the book of Job in the hands of Christian exegetes, focusing on allegory and freedom in the interpretations by Gregory the Great, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Immanuel Kant. Chapter three looks at the unusual and rich interpretations of Job by Kierkegaard—the autonymous upbuilding discourse on Job’s response to his suffering in the prologue and the novella Repetition as an interpretation of the dialogue between Job and his friends. Chapter four examines the interpretation of the book of Job in Vischer’s mini-commentary. Vischer sees the character of Job as one whose devotion to God goes beyond the laws that God purveys and the doctrine that seeks to explain God. Referring specifically to the works of Kierkegaard and Vischer, Karl Barth’s work on Job—the focus of chapter five—sees the book of Job as illustrative of Jesus Christ’s relationship to God and humanity. All three scholars incorporated allegory while ruminating on the freedom of God in the book of Job. The final chapter evaluates their interpretations while addressing their similarities and differences.

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z Lewis, Andrew Zack This thesis explores the reception history of the book of Job, particularly in Søren Kierkegaard’s Three Upbuilding Discourses and Repetition, Wilhelm Vischer’s “Hiob, ein Zeuge Jesu Christi,” and Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics. It examines the hermeneutical presuppositions of these three scholars and how the scholars themselves fit into the history of interpretation, showing that they use a post-critical allegorical interpretation in order to explore the freedom of God and humanity. Chapter one offers a defense of using reception history in biblical studies. By walking through Mikhail Bakhtin’s theories on great time and the chronotope, it argues that great texts continue to live and grow even after their completion and canonization. During this “afterlife,” their meaning expands as more readers participate in their interpretations. Chapter two examines the afterlife of the book of Job in the hands of Christian exegetes, focusing on allegory and freedom in the interpretations by Gregory the Great, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Immanuel Kant. Chapter three looks at the unusual and rich interpretations of Job by Kierkegaard—the autonymous upbuilding discourse on Job’s response to his suffering in the prologue and the novella Repetition as an interpretation of the dialogue between Job and his friends. Chapter four examines the interpretation of the book of Job in Vischer’s mini-commentary. Vischer sees the character of Job as one whose devotion to God goes beyond the laws that God purveys and the doctrine that seeks to explain God. Referring specifically to the works of Kierkegaard and Vischer, Karl Barth’s work on Job—the focus of chapter five—sees the book of Job as illustrative of Jesus Christ’s relationship to God and humanity. All three scholars incorporated allegory while ruminating on the freedom of God in the book of Job. The final chapter evaluates their interpretations while addressing their similarities and differences. Walker, Robert T. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3137 2012-09-22T19:48:41Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The purpose of the thesis was to edit for publication, with an accompanying commentary, the text of the Thomas F. Torrance (1913-2007) dogmatics lectures at New College, Edinburgh from 1952-78. The commentary examines their background in his early intellectual development (from upbringing to university graduation), focusing on his earliest lectures and publications (1938-42), memoirs, interviews and other biographical information. When seen against their formative background and in the light of his whole career, the lectures are opened up to illuminating new perspectives on their significance, originality, content and place in his theology. The commentary has four sections, a) on sources consulted and on Torrance’s general intellectual development and formation of theological goals, b) on the development of his views on the nature of rationality, including his early use of the ‘Christological analogy’ as the guiding analogy of Christian theology, c) on Torrance’s use and innovative development of the key concepts anhypostasis and enhypostasis, d) on the editing process with a full breakdown of the type and scale of the work involved. From the material uncovered, the commentary highlights three points as central conclusions: (i) the intrinsic unity of Torrance’s work and career, (ii) the constitutive importance of revelation in Jesus Christ for a proper view of reason, (iii) the pivotal centrality of positive dogmatics. Despite the seeming welter of criss-crossing interests, Torrance’s life has an intrinsic unity, centred on the gospel and on understanding the ontological grounds for faith. His concern for rationality stems from the nature of the gospel, the intelligible self-revelation of God in Christ engaging the whole human person in transformation and conformity to the mind of Christ. Throughout all he did, the gospel of Jesus Christ and its positive explication in ‘Trinitarian-Christocentric’ dogmatics remained the central and ultimate focus of Torrance’s life and work.

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z Walker, Robert T. The purpose of the thesis was to edit for publication, with an accompanying commentary, the text of the Thomas F. Torrance (1913-2007) dogmatics lectures at New College, Edinburgh from 1952-78. The commentary examines their background in his early intellectual development (from upbringing to university graduation), focusing on his earliest lectures and publications (1938-42), memoirs, interviews and other biographical information. When seen against their formative background and in the light of his whole career, the lectures are opened up to illuminating new perspectives on their significance, originality, content and place in his theology. The commentary has four sections, a) on sources consulted and on Torrance’s general intellectual development and formation of theological goals, b) on the development of his views on the nature of rationality, including his early use of the ‘Christological analogy’ as the guiding analogy of Christian theology, c) on Torrance’s use and innovative development of the key concepts anhypostasis and enhypostasis, d) on the editing process with a full breakdown of the type and scale of the work involved. From the material uncovered, the commentary highlights three points as central conclusions: (i) the intrinsic unity of Torrance’s work and career, (ii) the constitutive importance of revelation in Jesus Christ for a proper view of reason, (iii) the pivotal centrality of positive dogmatics. Despite the seeming welter of criss-crossing interests, Torrance’s life has an intrinsic unity, centred on the gospel and on understanding the ontological grounds for faith. His concern for rationality stems from the nature of the gospel, the intelligible self-revelation of God in Christ engaging the whole human person in transformation and conformity to the mind of Christ. Throughout all he did, the gospel of Jesus Christ and its positive explication in ‘Trinitarian-Christocentric’ dogmatics remained the central and ultimate focus of Torrance’s life and work. Edwards, L. Clifton http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3126 2013-04-30T15:23:15Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The thesis provides an account of how natural beauty functions as revelation and contributes to theology. The central claim is that natural beauty ‘images’ aspects of God’s nature and intentions within Creation’s artistic ‘text’—admittedly, most fully from within a Christian perspective, but already potentially in any experience of beauty. Chapter One presents an approach to ‘creational theology’—a methodological understanding of how God can be known through the aesthetic rationality shared between Creation and humanity. This understanding of creational theology outlines a relationship between God and created beauty that is developed progressively with each chapter. Chapter Two addresses the created side of this relationship by characterizing the phenomenon of physical, sensory, ‘perceptual beauty.’ This perceptual beauty relates to God as a created framework through which God can express aspects of his nature. Chapter Three describes how such expression is apprehended in natural beauty, namely through a Polanyian epistemic vision and symbolic practice, which engages beautiful images within Creation’s art. Chapter Four applies this Christian vision and symbolic practice, adapting John Ruskin’s concept of ‘typical beauty.’ Through this typological approach, beautiful forms artistically image aspects of God’s nature and intentions. Extensions of Ruskin’s approach also allow for further development of a creational theology of natural beauty—that is, a theology underscoring the powerful interrelations of God, beauty, and humanity, and the need to respond to beauty as a phenomenality of God for his creatures.

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z Edwards, L. Clifton The thesis provides an account of how natural beauty functions as revelation and contributes to theology. The central claim is that natural beauty ‘images’ aspects of God’s nature and intentions within Creation’s artistic ‘text’—admittedly, most fully from within a Christian perspective, but already potentially in any experience of beauty. Chapter One presents an approach to ‘creational theology’—a methodological understanding of how God can be known through the aesthetic rationality shared between Creation and humanity. This understanding of creational theology outlines a relationship between God and created beauty that is developed progressively with each chapter. Chapter Two addresses the created side of this relationship by characterizing the phenomenon of physical, sensory, ‘perceptual beauty.’ This perceptual beauty relates to God as a created framework through which God can express aspects of his nature. Chapter Three describes how such expression is apprehended in natural beauty, namely through a Polanyian epistemic vision and symbolic practice, which engages beautiful images within Creation’s art. Chapter Four applies this Christian vision and symbolic practice, adapting John Ruskin’s concept of ‘typical beauty.’ Through this typological approach, beautiful forms artistically image aspects of God’s nature and intentions. Extensions of Ruskin’s approach also allow for further development of a creational theology of natural beauty—that is, a theology underscoring the powerful interrelations of God, beauty, and humanity, and the need to respond to beauty as a phenomenality of God for his creatures. Edwards, John C. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3116 2012-10-24T13:58:26Z 2011-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The ransom logion, as presented in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28, is the only place in the synoptic gospels outside the Eucharist where Jesus gives a beneficial interpretation of his upcoming death. This fact has generated much discussion about the authenticity and scriptural background of the ransom logion as found in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. However, no one has examined the early reception of the ransom logion, nor has anyone explored the significance of that reception for the critical study of Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. The purpose of this study is to fill these lacunae in the literature. First, this study examines the reception of the ransom logion from the New Testament through the third century. Preceding this examination is a methodology for surveying traditions that stretch across the New Testament and into the Early Christian periods. Second, this study explores the potential significance of the reception of the ransom logion for the critical study of Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. The rationale for this exploration relies on the fact that there are observable patterns displayed in the reception of the ransom logion, which may reflect how the ransom logion functions in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. Specifically, the study explores the significance of these patterns as they relate to the origin of the ransom logion in a Eucharistic setting, a pre-existent coming in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28, and the scriptural background of Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28.

2011-11-30T00:00:00Z Edwards, John C. The ransom logion, as presented in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28, is the only place in the synoptic gospels outside the Eucharist where Jesus gives a beneficial interpretation of his upcoming death. This fact has generated much discussion about the authenticity and scriptural background of the ransom logion as found in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. However, no one has examined the early reception of the ransom logion, nor has anyone explored the significance of that reception for the critical study of Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. The purpose of this study is to fill these lacunae in the literature. First, this study examines the reception of the ransom logion from the New Testament through the third century. Preceding this examination is a methodology for surveying traditions that stretch across the New Testament and into the Early Christian periods. Second, this study explores the potential significance of the reception of the ransom logion for the critical study of Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. The rationale for this exploration relies on the fact that there are observable patterns displayed in the reception of the ransom logion, which may reflect how the ransom logion functions in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. Specifically, the study explores the significance of these patterns as they relate to the origin of the ransom logion in a Eucharistic setting, a pre-existent coming in Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28, and the scriptural background of Mark 10.45/Matthew 20.28. Bawulski, Shawn http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3115 2012-10-24T11:41:04Z 2012-06-19T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study enters into the dialog within Christian theology between annihilationism and traditionalism on the nature of eternal punishment. The positions and issues within the topic will be examined theologically and analyzed doctrinally. In my first chapter I will summarize the views and arguments in the debate, establish operating definitions, address preliminary issues, and provide some historical context. I will establish a thesis agenda with dual aspects: negatively, to examine and critique annihilationism on theological grounds, and positively to offer arguments for a modified traditionalism. Chapters two, three, and four primarily serve the negative purpose. Chapter two critically considers annihilationism on exegetical and hermeneutical issues, concluding that the view is inferior to traditionalism. Chapter three examines annihilationism for consistency with other areas of Christian theology, concluding that the view generates major theological problems in Christology. Chapter four considers both annihilationism and traditionalism regarding the disproportionality problem of hell, concluding that annihilationism and two types of traditionalism can resolve the problem but of these three only one sort of traditionalism can do so whilst also satisfying other important theological criteria. Regarding the negative aspect of the thesis, I conclude that the severe theological problems in annihilationism constitute sufficient reason to reject the view. In chapter five I accomplish the positive aspect of this thesis, offering six criteria of success for any view of eternal punishment. I then provide detailed argumentation for a modified traditionalism called reconciliationism, concluding it best meets these criteria and is the most theologically and exegetically satisfying view on offer. In the concluding chapter I state this thesis’ contributions, suggest several areas for further research, and offer some implications for pastoral theology. I finally conclude that annihilationism has seemingly insurmountable theological problems, but a modified traditionalism can succeed as a doctrine of hell.

2012-06-19T00:00:00Z Bawulski, Shawn This study enters into the dialog within Christian theology between annihilationism and traditionalism on the nature of eternal punishment. The positions and issues within the topic will be examined theologically and analyzed doctrinally. In my first chapter I will summarize the views and arguments in the debate, establish operating definitions, address preliminary issues, and provide some historical context. I will establish a thesis agenda with dual aspects: negatively, to examine and critique annihilationism on theological grounds, and positively to offer arguments for a modified traditionalism. Chapters two, three, and four primarily serve the negative purpose. Chapter two critically considers annihilationism on exegetical and hermeneutical issues, concluding that the view is inferior to traditionalism. Chapter three examines annihilationism for consistency with other areas of Christian theology, concluding that the view generates major theological problems in Christology. Chapter four considers both annihilationism and traditionalism regarding the disproportionality problem of hell, concluding that annihilationism and two types of traditionalism can resolve the problem but of these three only one sort of traditionalism can do so whilst also satisfying other important theological criteria. Regarding the negative aspect of the thesis, I conclude that the severe theological problems in annihilationism constitute sufficient reason to reject the view. In chapter five I accomplish the positive aspect of this thesis, offering six criteria of success for any view of eternal punishment. I then provide detailed argumentation for a modified traditionalism called reconciliationism, concluding it best meets these criteria and is the most theologically and exegetically satisfying view on offer. In the concluding chapter I state this thesis’ contributions, suggest several areas for further research, and offer some implications for pastoral theology. I finally conclude that annihilationism has seemingly insurmountable theological problems, but a modified traditionalism can succeed as a doctrine of hell. Jones III, Edward Allen http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3061 2012-09-03T11:31:18Z 2012-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study considers the origin and purpose of Ruth and concludes that it is best to read the narrative as a call for an inclusive attitude toward any person, Jew or Gentile, who desired to join the Judean community in the Restoration period. In chapter one, I review the difficulties that scholars face in ascertaining Ruth’s place in Israel’s history, and I outline approaches that they have used to try to establish its purpose and origin. I discuss major interpretive positions, which date the book either to the monarchic period, to the exilic period, or to the Restoration period, and I articulate the format of my own study. In chapter two, I consider how the author of Ruth uses characterization to highlight Ruth, a Gentile outsider, and to criticize the Bethlehemite community. Only Boaz accepts Ruth, which leads to his participation in the line of David. In chapter three, I discuss how the author also magnifies Ruth’s character by comparing her with Israel’s ancestors. In these ways, Ruth demonstrates that an outsider can embody the ideals of the Restoration community and that they can also be a benefit to the nation. In chapters four and five, I examine arguments for dating Ruth to particular periods in Israel’s history. In chapter four, I consider efforts to date the language of Ruth as well as the legal practices that the story describes. I also discuss the narrative’s supposed congruence with the concerns of various social settings in Israel’s history. In chapter five, I draw on current research on refugee communities to see how the experiences of such people can help us understand the concerns of the Restoration community. In chapter six, I review my arguments for regarding Ruth as a call for inclusion in the Restoration period, and I consider how this conclusion should affect the field of Ruth studies as well as the wider field of Second Temple studies.

2012-11-30T00:00:00Z Jones III, Edward Allen This study considers the origin and purpose of Ruth and concludes that it is best to read the narrative as a call for an inclusive attitude toward any person, Jew or Gentile, who desired to join the Judean community in the Restoration period. In chapter one, I review the difficulties that scholars face in ascertaining Ruth’s place in Israel’s history, and I outline approaches that they have used to try to establish its purpose and origin. I discuss major interpretive positions, which date the book either to the monarchic period, to the exilic period, or to the Restoration period, and I articulate the format of my own study. In chapter two, I consider how the author of Ruth uses characterization to highlight Ruth, a Gentile outsider, and to criticize the Bethlehemite community. Only Boaz accepts Ruth, which leads to his participation in the line of David. In chapter three, I discuss how the author also magnifies Ruth’s character by comparing her with Israel’s ancestors. In these ways, Ruth demonstrates that an outsider can embody the ideals of the Restoration community and that they can also be a benefit to the nation. In chapters four and five, I examine arguments for dating Ruth to particular periods in Israel’s history. In chapter four, I consider efforts to date the language of Ruth as well as the legal practices that the story describes. I also discuss the narrative’s supposed congruence with the concerns of various social settings in Israel’s history. In chapter five, I draw on current research on refugee communities to see how the experiences of such people can help us understand the concerns of the Restoration community. In chapter six, I review my arguments for regarding Ruth as a call for inclusion in the Restoration period, and I consider how this conclusion should affect the field of Ruth studies as well as the wider field of Second Temple studies. Potter, Dylan D. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3032 2012-08-06T15:41:15Z 2011-06-21T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The aim of this study is twofold: to identify the theological purpose underlying the depiction of angels at certain key points in the history of their use, and to explore how far that deeper theological rationale can be re-appropriated for our own day. This study first traces the progression of the angelic motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. By examining numerous pericopes in the Pentateuch, major prophets and Daniel, I demonstrate that the metamorphosis of higher-order beings like the angel of the Lord, cherubim and seraphim, is directly related to the writers’ desire to enhance God’s transcendence. Next, I evaluate pseudo-Denys’ hierarchical angelology, which prominent theologians like Luther and Calvin condemned as little more than a Neoplatonic scheme for accessing God through angels. I propose that not only has pseudo-Denys’ Neoplatonism been overstated, but that his angelology is particularly noteworthy for the way it accentuates Christ’s eucharistic immanence to the Church. Then I maintain that because assessments of Aquinas’ angelology are often based upon the Summa Theologiae, his views are wrongly portrayed as overtly philosophical, rather than biblical and exegetical. In his lesser-known biblical commentaries, however, Aquinas pushes the semantic range of the word ‘angel’ to include aspects of the physical world, which unveils an imaginative, Christocentric, and scriptural dimension of his angelology that is rarely acknowledged. The conclusion considers how contemporary figures and movements relate to these three angelologies. Barth emphasises the transcendent God but unlike Hebrew Scripture, weakens connections between God and angels. New Ageism affirms the immanent angel but unlike pseudo-Denys, does so at the expense of Christology and ecclesiology. Contemporary ecological discourse generally lacks Aquinas’ appreciation for an imaginative, supernatural approach to the world. Finally, I ground the angels’ relationship to transcendence, immanence and imagination in an experiential, eucharistic context.

2011-06-21T00:00:00Z Potter, Dylan D. The aim of this study is twofold: to identify the theological purpose underlying the depiction of angels at certain key points in the history of their use, and to explore how far that deeper theological rationale can be re-appropriated for our own day. This study first traces the progression of the angelic motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. By examining numerous pericopes in the Pentateuch, major prophets and Daniel, I demonstrate that the metamorphosis of higher-order beings like the angel of the Lord, cherubim and seraphim, is directly related to the writers’ desire to enhance God’s transcendence. Next, I evaluate pseudo-Denys’ hierarchical angelology, which prominent theologians like Luther and Calvin condemned as little more than a Neoplatonic scheme for accessing God through angels. I propose that not only has pseudo-Denys’ Neoplatonism been overstated, but that his angelology is particularly noteworthy for the way it accentuates Christ’s eucharistic immanence to the Church. Then I maintain that because assessments of Aquinas’ angelology are often based upon the Summa Theologiae, his views are wrongly portrayed as overtly philosophical, rather than biblical and exegetical. In his lesser-known biblical commentaries, however, Aquinas pushes the semantic range of the word ‘angel’ to include aspects of the physical world, which unveils an imaginative, Christocentric, and scriptural dimension of his angelology that is rarely acknowledged. The conclusion considers how contemporary figures and movements relate to these three angelologies. Barth emphasises the transcendent God but unlike Hebrew Scripture, weakens connections between God and angels. New Ageism affirms the immanent angel but unlike pseudo-Denys, does so at the expense of Christology and ecclesiology. Contemporary ecological discourse generally lacks Aquinas’ appreciation for an imaginative, supernatural approach to the world. Finally, I ground the angels’ relationship to transcendence, immanence and imagination in an experiential, eucharistic context. Flett, Iain E. F. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3028 2012-07-27T10:14:00Z 1981-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis is an introduction to a collection of edited texts concerning the course of the Reformation in Dundee, taking as a starting point the negotiations which led to the agreement between the Abbey of Lindores and the Town of Dundee concerning the burgh church in 1442/3, and as a conclusion the successful appointment of James Gleg, the nominee of the Trades of Dundee, as Schoolmaster. The starting point is significant as an expression of ecclesiastic individualism by the Town Council, an individualism which in turn nurtured a religiosity which was to provide a receptive atmosphere for reformed thought. The conclusion is also significant as an expression of individualism by the Trades of Dundee, who recognised the importance of education in continuing the impetus of reformed thought in the town, and established their share of control over that education although they lost their rights to representation on the Town Council. The successive waves of Lutheran and Calvinist influence from Europe are considered through the trading links of Dundee with the continent, together with the effect of the successive English and French military occupations of the area. Domestic influences are also considered, such as the sympathies and relative political power of the local landed and merchant classes during the upheavals of the regencies of Queen Mary and of James VI. As the growth of reformed opinion affected a sympathetic local gentry and prosperous merchant oligarchy through the dissemination of printed text and university education, so a growth of religious and political consciousness followed in the burgh Crafts through popular song and drama and through preaching. Fifty years after the political impetus to the Scottish Reformation, it was the Trades of Dundee who were intent on maintaining the purity of reformed education. Finally comparisons are made between the course of the Reformation in Dundee, in the other burghs in Scotland, and in the Reformed Cities of Europe. Despite fundamental differences in the background and nature of the Reformation in Dundee and other areas, it is concluded that Dundee was a typical Scottish Reformed burgh in its awareness of its responsibilities to discipline the population, to educate the young and to care for the poor. It was unfortunately like Geneva in that the progress of democracy suffered in both after the respective figureheads of Provost Haliburton and of Calvin retired from the scene.

1981-01-01T00:00:00Z Flett, Iain E. F. This thesis is an introduction to a collection of edited texts concerning the course of the Reformation in Dundee, taking as a starting point the negotiations which led to the agreement between the Abbey of Lindores and the Town of Dundee concerning the burgh church in 1442/3, and as a conclusion the successful appointment of James Gleg, the nominee of the Trades of Dundee, as Schoolmaster. The starting point is significant as an expression of ecclesiastic individualism by the Town Council, an individualism which in turn nurtured a religiosity which was to provide a receptive atmosphere for reformed thought. The conclusion is also significant as an expression of individualism by the Trades of Dundee, who recognised the importance of education in continuing the impetus of reformed thought in the town, and established their share of control over that education although they lost their rights to representation on the Town Council. The successive waves of Lutheran and Calvinist influence from Europe are considered through the trading links of Dundee with the continent, together with the effect of the successive English and French military occupations of the area. Domestic influences are also considered, such as the sympathies and relative political power of the local landed and merchant classes during the upheavals of the regencies of Queen Mary and of James VI. As the growth of reformed opinion affected a sympathetic local gentry and prosperous merchant oligarchy through the dissemination of printed text and university education, so a growth of religious and political consciousness followed in the burgh Crafts through popular song and drama and through preaching. Fifty years after the political impetus to the Scottish Reformation, it was the Trades of Dundee who were intent on maintaining the purity of reformed education. Finally comparisons are made between the course of the Reformation in Dundee, in the other burghs in Scotland, and in the Reformed Cities of Europe. Despite fundamental differences in the background and nature of the Reformation in Dundee and other areas, it is concluded that Dundee was a typical Scottish Reformed burgh in its awareness of its responsibilities to discipline the population, to educate the young and to care for the poor. It was unfortunately like Geneva in that the progress of democracy suffered in both after the respective figureheads of Provost Haliburton and of Calvin retired from the scene. Sexton, Jason S. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3025 2012-10-22T15:44:33Z 2012-03-16T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis provides an examination into the primary features in the theology of one of the turn of the century’s leading evangelical theologians, Stanley J. Grenz. It begins by establishing the controversial nature of Grenz’s project within evangelical theology, and how his aims were misread by a number of evangelical scholars. It then argues that the primary feature in his writings was the doctrine of the Trinity, giving shape to his methodology, theology, and ethical engagement. Accordingly, this thesis identifies the most significant features he adopted and adapted from Wolfhart Pannenberg, whose influence on Grenz is readily seen. These features include not only how Grenz derived particular methodological aspects from Pannenberg (chap. 2), but also those related to the shape of his trinitarian theology itself (chap. 3). Next, while realizing that Grenz’s new-found emphasis on a trinitarian project was not placed on a tabula rasa, a wider account of his trinitarian background is considered (chap. 4), as is the particular developmental shape of his doctrine of the Trinity itself (chap. 5). Following this, an examination is made into how Grenz accessed this doctrine of the Trinity, through the imago Dei concept, informed by a theological hermeneutic, theological exegesis, and weaved through the traditional systematic loci (chap. 6). Finally, the shape of his trinitarian ethical work is considered in light of the overall coherence of his body of writings, both in its early form as a Christian ethic as well as in the test-cases that were part of his engagement (chap. 7). This is followed by a summary of the reception of Grenz’s project, which is deemed consistent with his aims of being both a distinctly evangelical and trinitarian theologian.

2012-03-16T00:00:00Z Sexton, Jason S. This thesis provides an examination into the primary features in the theology of one of the turn of the century’s leading evangelical theologians, Stanley J. Grenz. It begins by establishing the controversial nature of Grenz’s project within evangelical theology, and how his aims were misread by a number of evangelical scholars. It then argues that the primary feature in his writings was the doctrine of the Trinity, giving shape to his methodology, theology, and ethical engagement. Accordingly, this thesis identifies the most significant features he adopted and adapted from Wolfhart Pannenberg, whose influence on Grenz is readily seen. These features include not only how Grenz derived particular methodological aspects from Pannenberg (chap. 2), but also those related to the shape of his trinitarian theology itself (chap. 3). Next, while realizing that Grenz’s new-found emphasis on a trinitarian project was not placed on a tabula rasa, a wider account of his trinitarian background is considered (chap. 4), as is the particular developmental shape of his doctrine of the Trinity itself (chap. 5). Following this, an examination is made into how Grenz accessed this doctrine of the Trinity, through the imago Dei concept, informed by a theological hermeneutic, theological exegesis, and weaved through the traditional systematic loci (chap. 6). Finally, the shape of his trinitarian ethical work is considered in light of the overall coherence of his body of writings, both in its early form as a Christian ethic as well as in the test-cases that were part of his engagement (chap. 7). This is followed by a summary of the reception of Grenz’s project, which is deemed consistent with his aims of being both a distinctly evangelical and trinitarian theologian. Steel, Jeffrey http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3019 2012-07-25T15:47:18Z 2012-05-22T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis is an examination of Lancelot Andrewes’ (1555-1626) Eucharistic theology which is explored in order to see how far he might act as a catalyst for ecumenism with Rome on the topic of Eucharistic sacrifice. The purpose of the thesis is to develop a fuller exposition of Andrewes’ Eucharistic theology as a unique theologian who maintained a view of sacrifice that was denied by Protestants on the continent of Europe and by most within the English Church of his day. In the first four chapters Andrewes’ own views are not always juxtaposed to more contemporary views. This is intentional in order to develop his own thought before looking at him as an ecumenical partner on sacrifice. The first chapter explores Andrewes as a theologian within his own context of ecclesiology, placing Andrewes within a more Catholic framework as opposed to Puritanism that was becoming politically influential during the reign of King James I. The second chapter then looks at Andrewes’ view of Eucharistic instrumentality where I characterise him as an ‘effectual instrumentalist’ over against some contemporary scholars who place him alongside John Calvin who is sometimes described as a ‘symbolic instrumentalist’. I find Andrewes closer to a Catholic framework of instrumentalism. The third chapter further explores Andrewes’ view of presence where I conclude that he should be characterised as one holding to an objective view of presence and give him the Cappodocian label as a Transelementationist. This is to emphasise that Andrewes did encourage the faithful to look for Christ in the elements themselves, which goes beyond Christ’s presence within the faith of the believer alone. The fourth chapter is the lengthiest chapter as it develops Andrewes’ views of sacrifice. I see him as someone immersed in the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist defined within the writings of the Fathers of the first five centuries. It was here that Andrewes is able to be set fully within the framework of a Catholic view of the mystery as the Christian sacrifice offered to God in return for the gift of the Christ-event to the world. Andrewes’ description of the offering as containing a propitiatory effect in the application of the forgiveness of sins through ‘instrumental touching’ was a unique understanding of someone in the Church of England during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. In the final chapter, I juxtapose Andrewes with Catholic teaching as it is explored in contemporary Catholic theology as well as, perhaps more importantly, within papal documents and authoritative Catholic statements on the sacrifice of the Mass. This is to show how similar Andrewes is in his description of the sacrifice of the Eucharist to Rome and how he goes further in that direction than any of his contemporaries or even modern ecumenical statements in Anglican and Roman Catholic dialogue.

2012-05-22T00:00:00Z Steel, Jeffrey This thesis is an examination of Lancelot Andrewes’ (1555-1626) Eucharistic theology which is explored in order to see how far he might act as a catalyst for ecumenism with Rome on the topic of Eucharistic sacrifice. The purpose of the thesis is to develop a fuller exposition of Andrewes’ Eucharistic theology as a unique theologian who maintained a view of sacrifice that was denied by Protestants on the continent of Europe and by most within the English Church of his day. In the first four chapters Andrewes’ own views are not always juxtaposed to more contemporary views. This is intentional in order to develop his own thought before looking at him as an ecumenical partner on sacrifice. The first chapter explores Andrewes as a theologian within his own context of ecclesiology, placing Andrewes within a more Catholic framework as opposed to Puritanism that was becoming politically influential during the reign of King James I. The second chapter then looks at Andrewes’ view of Eucharistic instrumentality where I characterise him as an ‘effectual instrumentalist’ over against some contemporary scholars who place him alongside John Calvin who is sometimes described as a ‘symbolic instrumentalist’. I find Andrewes closer to a Catholic framework of instrumentalism. The third chapter further explores Andrewes’ view of presence where I conclude that he should be characterised as one holding to an objective view of presence and give him the Cappodocian label as a Transelementationist. This is to emphasise that Andrewes did encourage the faithful to look for Christ in the elements themselves, which goes beyond Christ’s presence within the faith of the believer alone. The fourth chapter is the lengthiest chapter as it develops Andrewes’ views of sacrifice. I see him as someone immersed in the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist defined within the writings of the Fathers of the first five centuries. It was here that Andrewes is able to be set fully within the framework of a Catholic view of the mystery as the Christian sacrifice offered to God in return for the gift of the Christ-event to the world. Andrewes’ description of the offering as containing a propitiatory effect in the application of the forgiveness of sins through ‘instrumental touching’ was a unique understanding of someone in the Church of England during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. In the final chapter, I juxtapose Andrewes with Catholic teaching as it is explored in contemporary Catholic theology as well as, perhaps more importantly, within papal documents and authoritative Catholic statements on the sacrifice of the Mass. This is to show how similar Andrewes is in his description of the sacrifice of the Eucharist to Rome and how he goes further in that direction than any of his contemporaries or even modern ecumenical statements in Anglican and Roman Catholic dialogue. Thomas, John Daniel http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2979 2012-07-13T09:44:15Z 1973-01-01T00:00:00Z 1973-01-01T00:00:00Z Thomas, John Daniel Gossai, Hemchand http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2970 2012-07-12T13:49:56Z 1986-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation focuses primarily on three areas. It provides detailed examinations of SDQ and MIȘPAT as they are used in the Old Testament. To this end, extra-Biblical material from the Ancient Near East is also examined, thus yielding the background meanings of these concepts. SDQ and MIȘPAT are investigated with a view to demonstrating "relationship" as their overall functional locus, and all occurrences of these concepts in the Old Testament are studied. The occurrences of SDQ and MIȘPAT indicate that whether these concepts have to do with aspects such as "justice in the gate", "Yahweh's ordinances", "salvation", "deliverance" or even secular matters such as "weights and measures" and "trading", the fundamental element that unites all of them is "relationship" and the sustaining of it. The thesis argues that SDQ and MIȘPAT as terms of "relationship", are the basis for the social critique of the Eighth Century Prophets. In this regard, the different subjects of the prophets' social critique are examined. The discussion concludes that corruption in the economic, social and religious aspects of life is directly correlated to the absence of SDQ and MIȘPAT. In the Eighth Century prophets SDQ is seen to be the bond which is integral for the covenant relationship between Yahweh and his people, while MIȘPAT is the element necessary for a right relationship amongst individuals. The absence of both SDQ and MIȘPAT as is the case in the Eighth Century, suggests clearly that the Prophets' critique concerns not only the relationship between individuals, but even more fundamentally, the people's relationship with Yahweh.

1986-01-01T00:00:00Z Gossai, Hemchand This dissertation focuses primarily on three areas. It provides detailed examinations of SDQ and MIȘPAT as they are used in the Old Testament. To this end, extra-Biblical material from the Ancient Near East is also examined, thus yielding the background meanings of these concepts. SDQ and MIȘPAT are investigated with a view to demonstrating "relationship" as their overall functional locus, and all occurrences of these concepts in the Old Testament are studied. The occurrences of SDQ and MIȘPAT indicate that whether these concepts have to do with aspects such as "justice in the gate", "Yahweh's ordinances", "salvation", "deliverance" or even secular matters such as "weights and measures" and "trading", the fundamental element that unites all of them is "relationship" and the sustaining of it. The thesis argues that SDQ and MIȘPAT as terms of "relationship", are the basis for the social critique of the Eighth Century Prophets. In this regard, the different subjects of the prophets' social critique are examined. The discussion concludes that corruption in the economic, social and religious aspects of life is directly correlated to the absence of SDQ and MIȘPAT. In the Eighth Century prophets SDQ is seen to be the bond which is integral for the covenant relationship between Yahweh and his people, while MIȘPAT is the element necessary for a right relationship amongst individuals. The absence of both SDQ and MIȘPAT as is the case in the Eighth Century, suggests clearly that the Prophets' critique concerns not only the relationship between individuals, but even more fundamentally, the people's relationship with Yahweh. Lee, Pilchan http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2952 2012-07-09T15:07:00Z 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the meaning of the New Jerusalem in Rev. 21-22. It is divided into four major parts. The first one is the OT background study from Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah. This section observes the prophetical messages of restoration, centering around the Temple/Jerusalem motif, which is one of the main concerns of the early Jewish writers and Revelation. The second one is the study of early Jewish tradition. This pmi investigates how the New Jerusalem theme develops during the second Temple period and post-70. This observation shows that some (not all) of the early Jewish tradition understands the rebuilding of the New Temple as the transference of the Heavenly Temple. For this reason, the Heavenly Temple/Jerusalem is emphasized. The third pmi is the NT background study. Here two facts demonstrated: Christ as the New Temple and the church as the New Temple. This conclusion provides a suitable foundation for developing our argument in Revelation. Finally, the fourthpart is the study of the New Jerusalem in Revelation, particularly Rev. 21-22. John uses much of the Jewish tradition in his writing. His main argument is that the church (which is symbolized by several images) is placed in heaven now (chs. 4-20) and the church (which is symbolized by the New Jerusalem) will descend to the earth from heaven (21 :2) in the future. This assumption is closely related to the early Jewish idea. However, he does not follow the current Jewish idea without any modification but he differentiates his understanding from it by christologically interpreting the OT messages. This is well shown in his following announcement: "I saw no Temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb" (21 :22).

1999-01-01T00:00:00Z Lee, Pilchan This thesis explores the meaning of the New Jerusalem in Rev. 21-22. It is divided into four major parts. The first one is the OT background study from Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah. This section observes the prophetical messages of restoration, centering around the Temple/Jerusalem motif, which is one of the main concerns of the early Jewish writers and Revelation. The second one is the study of early Jewish tradition. This pmi investigates how the New Jerusalem theme develops during the second Temple period and post-70. This observation shows that some (not all) of the early Jewish tradition understands the rebuilding of the New Temple as the transference of the Heavenly Temple. For this reason, the Heavenly Temple/Jerusalem is emphasized. The third pmi is the NT background study. Here two facts demonstrated: Christ as the New Temple and the church as the New Temple. This conclusion provides a suitable foundation for developing our argument in Revelation. Finally, the fourthpart is the study of the New Jerusalem in Revelation, particularly Rev. 21-22. John uses much of the Jewish tradition in his writing. His main argument is that the church (which is symbolized by several images) is placed in heaven now (chs. 4-20) and the church (which is symbolized by the New Jerusalem) will descend to the earth from heaven (21 :2) in the future. This assumption is closely related to the early Jewish idea. However, he does not follow the current Jewish idea without any modification but he differentiates his understanding from it by christologically interpreting the OT messages. This is well shown in his following announcement: "I saw no Temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb" (21 :22). Atay, Rifat http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2939 2012-07-06T15:46:58Z 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation makes a full critical analysis of John Hick's pluralistic hypothesis (which views great world religions as equally valid ways of salvation/liberation) from an Islamic perspective. To be able to do this, it begins with a survey of Islamic responses to the problem of religious diversity by employing Alan Race's threefold taxonomy (exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism). Chapter one concludes that al-Maturidi's exclusivistic and AtefI's inclusivistic approaches cannot satisfactorily answer the matter in hand, namely "why a compassionate and loving God should exclude totally or partially the vast majority of human beings from salvation/liberation. " Arkoun's pluralistic viewpoint comes closer to Hick's but is incomplete, immature and radically reductionist. The dissertation, then, starts examining Hick's pluralism. First, it gives an extensive account of pluralism. At the fundamental level, Hick argues for the veridicality of one's experience in order to establish the right of one to believe, which in turn creates the problem of religious diversity: several religions claiming to offer the best way of salvation/liberation. Before putting forward his own theory, Hick examines other naturalistic (Durkheimian and Freudian) and religious (exclusivistic and inclusivistic) accounts of religions. He dismisses them as unsatisfactory and poses his religious interpretation of religion. Drawing the Kantian distinction of noumenon and phenomenon, Hick claims that religions, with their personal gods and impersonal absolutes, are phenomenal responses to the noumenal Real. His soteriological criterion of transformation from "self-centredness to Reality-centredness" contends that great world religions are equally valid ways of salvation/liberation. Since the noumenal Real is totally ineffable, religious language should be understood mythically/metaphorically. After careful critical consideration, the thesis concludes that Hick's pluralism cannot be compatible with Islam, unless it is modified from three angles: the total ineffability of the Real must be replaced with a "moderate ineffability" (hence moderate pluralism), a hermeneutical reading of the holy texts should replace Hick's mythical approach, and Hick's primarily ethical soteriological criterion needs to be extended to include the ritual aspect of religion. This modified version of Hick's pluralism is named "moderate pluralism. " The thesis concludes that moderate pluralism is compatible with Islam and offers a way forward particularly in its dealing with other religions.

1999-01-01T00:00:00Z Atay, Rifat This dissertation makes a full critical analysis of John Hick's pluralistic hypothesis (which views great world religions as equally valid ways of salvation/liberation) from an Islamic perspective. To be able to do this, it begins with a survey of Islamic responses to the problem of religious diversity by employing Alan Race's threefold taxonomy (exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism). Chapter one concludes that al-Maturidi's exclusivistic and AtefI's inclusivistic approaches cannot satisfactorily answer the matter in hand, namely "why a compassionate and loving God should exclude totally or partially the vast majority of human beings from salvation/liberation. " Arkoun's pluralistic viewpoint comes closer to Hick's but is incomplete, immature and radically reductionist. The dissertation, then, starts examining Hick's pluralism. First, it gives an extensive account of pluralism. At the fundamental level, Hick argues for the veridicality of one's experience in order to establish the right of one to believe, which in turn creates the problem of religious diversity: several religions claiming to offer the best way of salvation/liberation. Before putting forward his own theory, Hick examines other naturalistic (Durkheimian and Freudian) and religious (exclusivistic and inclusivistic) accounts of religions. He dismisses them as unsatisfactory and poses his religious interpretation of religion. Drawing the Kantian distinction of noumenon and phenomenon, Hick claims that religions, with their personal gods and impersonal absolutes, are phenomenal responses to the noumenal Real. His soteriological criterion of transformation from "self-centredness to Reality-centredness" contends that great world religions are equally valid ways of salvation/liberation. Since the noumenal Real is totally ineffable, religious language should be understood mythically/metaphorically. After careful critical consideration, the thesis concludes that Hick's pluralism cannot be compatible with Islam, unless it is modified from three angles: the total ineffability of the Real must be replaced with a "moderate ineffability" (hence moderate pluralism), a hermeneutical reading of the holy texts should replace Hick's mythical approach, and Hick's primarily ethical soteriological criterion needs to be extended to include the ritual aspect of religion. This modified version of Hick's pluralism is named "moderate pluralism. " The thesis concludes that moderate pluralism is compatible with Islam and offers a way forward particularly in its dealing with other religions. Hussain, Haider Abbas http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2918 2012-07-04T12:53:51Z 1987-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis is a critical edition of the Judeo-Arabic commentary on the Hebrew text of the Book of Job by one of the greatest Karaites of his age (second half of the tenth century A. D.), Yefet Ben 'Ali the Karaite. An examination of the photocopies and microfilms of the original Manuscripts of Yefet Ben 'Ali written in the XIth, XIV-XVIIth, XVth and XVIth centuries resulted in a delimitation of the number of chapters in this edition i.e. chapters I-X. None of the four Manuscripts is complete and I have tried to complete the presentation of the first ten chapters of Yefet's commentary on the Book of Job by filling in the gaps of the master copy which I used (Ms. A., Or. 2509 B. M. ) from the other Manuscripts. I used it as a main text because it is almost a complete copy compared with the others, as far as the first ten chapters are concerned. The four Manuscripts which I used are housed in the British Library in London. This edition is prefaced by an introduction, comprising a discussion of the information we possess about Yefet's life in Basrah and Jerusalem, with reference to his works in general and the authenticity of his work on the Book of Job in particular. This is followed by a description and analysis of the commentary, discussing the method used by the commentator, and how he made it possible for large numbers of Jews in non-Arabic speaking countries to make free use of his interpretations of biblical texts allied to the Karaite theological viewpoint and its relationship to Mu'tazilite views. There follows an analysis of the language used by Yefet in his text and exegesis, i.e. morphology, orthography and so on. A comparison is then made with Saadia Gaon, including a brief discussion of the language and exegesis of the two scholars which deals with the fundamental characteristics of Judeo and classical Arabic; in addition, notes on the text are appended in which attention will be drawn to Yefet's characteristic vagueness in interpreting the Hebrew text of the Book of Job. Special attention is paid to the vowels in each of the Manuscripts, and differences between the Manuscripts are footnoted throughout the text of this edition. The appendix takes cognisance of M. E., i.e. Opp. Add. 4.165 of the Bodleian Library, listing fully the differences between it and the printed text of this edition.

1987-01-01T00:00:00Z Hussain, Haider Abbas This thesis is a critical edition of the Judeo-Arabic commentary on the Hebrew text of the Book of Job by one of the greatest Karaites of his age (second half of the tenth century A. D.), Yefet Ben 'Ali the Karaite. An examination of the photocopies and microfilms of the original Manuscripts of Yefet Ben 'Ali written in the XIth, XIV-XVIIth, XVth and XVIth centuries resulted in a delimitation of the number of chapters in this edition i.e. chapters I-X. None of the four Manuscripts is complete and I have tried to complete the presentation of the first ten chapters of Yefet's commentary on the Book of Job by filling in the gaps of the master copy which I used (Ms. A., Or. 2509 B. M. ) from the other Manuscripts. I used it as a main text because it is almost a complete copy compared with the others, as far as the first ten chapters are concerned. The four Manuscripts which I used are housed in the British Library in London. This edition is prefaced by an introduction, comprising a discussion of the information we possess about Yefet's life in Basrah and Jerusalem, with reference to his works in general and the authenticity of his work on the Book of Job in particular. This is followed by a description and analysis of the commentary, discussing the method used by the commentator, and how he made it possible for large numbers of Jews in non-Arabic speaking countries to make free use of his interpretations of biblical texts allied to the Karaite theological viewpoint and its relationship to Mu'tazilite views. There follows an analysis of the language used by Yefet in his text and exegesis, i.e. morphology, orthography and so on. A comparison is then made with Saadia Gaon, including a brief discussion of the language and exegesis of the two scholars which deals with the fundamental characteristics of Judeo and classical Arabic; in addition, notes on the text are appended in which attention will be drawn to Yefet's characteristic vagueness in interpreting the Hebrew text of the Book of Job. Special attention is paid to the vowels in each of the Manuscripts, and differences between the Manuscripts are footnoted throughout the text of this edition. The appendix takes cognisance of M. E., i.e. Opp. Add. 4.165 of the Bodleian Library, listing fully the differences between it and the printed text of this edition. Frank, Gary Lee Chrysostom http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2897 2012-07-02T15:29:06Z 1985-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The question of Christ's presence in the eucharist was an issue which caused great controversy in the Reformation period, and which continued to evoke dispute during the seventeenth century. Various interpretations of the Caroline divines' teaching on the eucharistic presence have been offered, but often they seem either to indicate the theological position of the writer rather than that of the theologians considered, or to ignore the broader context of eucharistic doctrine. The purpose of this study, therefore, was 1. to investigate the theology of eucharistic presence in the thinking of several seventeenth-century Anglican divines, and 2. to examine their teaching in relation to the sixteenth-century Anglican heritage and the various continental sacramental doctrines, Reformed, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. To accomplish this goal, eight theologians were chosen for examination: Adrianus Saravia, Lancelot Andrewes, John Cosin, Richard Montague, William Forbes, William Laud, Jeremy Taylor and Herbert Thorndike. When available, nineteenth-century editions of their works were used; otherwise, seventeenth-century texts were employed. Similarly, modern editions of Roman, Orthodox, Lutheran and Reformed writings were utilized when possible. Thy examination of eucharistic teaching included seven major points: 1. the sacrament as mystery, 2. eucharistic change, 3. the relationship between Christ's body and the bread, 4. eucharistic communion, 5. the nature of Christ's body in the sacrament, 6. consecration, and 7. adoration in the eucharist. This study has shown that there was great diversity in the thinking of the Caroline divines (although they did not treat the subject of eucharistic presence with equal detail or depth); no unified understanding of sacramental presence was expressed. Reformed ideas inherited from the previous century remained strong, but new tendencies toward other understandings of the eucharist can be discerned. The period, therefore, can be seen to represent a new stage in the history of Anglican eucharistic doctrine.

1985-01-01T00:00:00Z Frank, Gary Lee Chrysostom The question of Christ's presence in the eucharist was an issue which caused great controversy in the Reformation period, and which continued to evoke dispute during the seventeenth century. Various interpretations of the Caroline divines' teaching on the eucharistic presence have been offered, but often they seem either to indicate the theological position of the writer rather than that of the theologians considered, or to ignore the broader context of eucharistic doctrine. The purpose of this study, therefore, was 1. to investigate the theology of eucharistic presence in the thinking of several seventeenth-century Anglican divines, and 2. to examine their teaching in relation to the sixteenth-century Anglican heritage and the various continental sacramental doctrines, Reformed, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. To accomplish this goal, eight theologians were chosen for examination: Adrianus Saravia, Lancelot Andrewes, John Cosin, Richard Montague, William Forbes, William Laud, Jeremy Taylor and Herbert Thorndike. When available, nineteenth-century editions of their works were used; otherwise, seventeenth-century texts were employed. Similarly, modern editions of Roman, Orthodox, Lutheran and Reformed writings were utilized when possible. Thy examination of eucharistic teaching included seven major points: 1. the sacrament as mystery, 2. eucharistic change, 3. the relationship between Christ's body and the bread, 4. eucharistic communion, 5. the nature of Christ's body in the sacrament, 6. consecration, and 7. adoration in the eucharist. This study has shown that there was great diversity in the thinking of the Caroline divines (although they did not treat the subject of eucharistic presence with equal detail or depth); no unified understanding of sacramental presence was expressed. Reformed ideas inherited from the previous century remained strong, but new tendencies toward other understandings of the eucharist can be discerned. The period, therefore, can be seen to represent a new stage in the history of Anglican eucharistic doctrine. Price, Christopher A. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2886 2012-07-02T12:50:55Z 1987-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis deals with theologies of the Resurrection in the twentieth century. We have chosen for study seven major theologians whose work reflects significant achievement in this area. We begin with a look at 'dialectical' theologians Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann and deal with their debate on the nature and meaning of the Resurrection. Because of their importance to theology they are dealt with extensively. From there we move on to the contemporary theologians of 'hope, ' Jürgen Moltmann and Wolfhart Pannenberg, before completing our research with a chapter on the Catholic theologians Karl Rahner, Edward Schillebeeckx, and Hans Küng. It was our purpose initially (and we hope we have been consistent throughout) to give a well-rounded purview, and thus a fairer criticism, of each theology. Yet into the research it seemed obvious that a consistent major concern of each theologian centered on how one comes to faith in such a unique event. It was certainly at the core of the Barth-Bultmann debate and remains crucial. Thus it may be stated that the concerns which receive the primacy in this work are those discussions in our theologies which deal with the nature of the Resurrection, its status as an event of history, and its ability to be proved and thus believed as other events of history are proved and believed. We ultimately conclude that the most satisfactory entry into faith in the Resurrection is through a juxtaposing of the work of Wolfhart Pannenberg and Hans Küng. The focus of the paper is changed in the second half of the Conclusion as we suggest what course studies on the Resurrection might take in the future. Here we find the perspective of Jewish New Testament theologian Pinchas Lapide to be most provocative and speculate on the possibilities that the Resurrection might hold for Jewish-Christian relations.

1987-01-01T00:00:00Z Price, Christopher A. This thesis deals with theologies of the Resurrection in the twentieth century. We have chosen for study seven major theologians whose work reflects significant achievement in this area. We begin with a look at 'dialectical' theologians Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann and deal with their debate on the nature and meaning of the Resurrection. Because of their importance to theology they are dealt with extensively. From there we move on to the contemporary theologians of 'hope, ' Jürgen Moltmann and Wolfhart Pannenberg, before completing our research with a chapter on the Catholic theologians Karl Rahner, Edward Schillebeeckx, and Hans Küng. It was our purpose initially (and we hope we have been consistent throughout) to give a well-rounded purview, and thus a fairer criticism, of each theology. Yet into the research it seemed obvious that a consistent major concern of each theologian centered on how one comes to faith in such a unique event. It was certainly at the core of the Barth-Bultmann debate and remains crucial. Thus it may be stated that the concerns which receive the primacy in this work are those discussions in our theologies which deal with the nature of the Resurrection, its status as an event of history, and its ability to be proved and thus believed as other events of history are proved and believed. We ultimately conclude that the most satisfactory entry into faith in the Resurrection is through a juxtaposing of the work of Wolfhart Pannenberg and Hans Küng. The focus of the paper is changed in the second half of the Conclusion as we suggest what course studies on the Resurrection might take in the future. Here we find the perspective of Jewish New Testament theologian Pinchas Lapide to be most provocative and speculate on the possibilities that the Resurrection might hold for Jewish-Christian relations. Vicchio, Stephen J. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2826 2012-06-20T13:39:56Z 1986-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Chapter one begins with a definition and exposition of the concept of theodicy, and a topology for characterizing comparative theodicies is suggested. It is argued that the basis on which theodicies might be compared is the foundational ontological principles on which they are built. Chapter two is a lengthy discussion regarding the meaning of terms such as omnipotence omniscience omnibenevolence, moral evil and natural evil. Chapter three begins with a critical analysis of a variety of theodicies found throughout the history of Christian theology. The final conclusion drawn in this chapter is that none of the proposed answers is acceptable. Acceptability is measured in three important ways: First, is the position logically consistent, second, does it conform, at least in a broad way, to the major tenents of the Christian form of life, and third, does this position take the individual sufferer seriously? In chapter four a foundation is laid for a response to the problem of evil which is to follow in chapter five. In this penultimate chapter an analysis of the Book of Job is offered which centers on the interpretation of Yahweh's speeches out of the whirlwind. It is suggested that the crux of Jobs repentance is to be understood in connection with Job "seeing God." In chapter five, an attempt is made, using the help of Karl Barth, D. M. Mackinnon, P. T. Forsyth, Ludwig Wittgenstein and John Wisdom, as well as some insights gained from chapter four, to argue that there is a teleological response to the problem of evil that is logically consistent, true to the Christian form of life and sensitive to the needs of the individual sufferer.

1986-01-01T00:00:00Z Vicchio, Stephen J. Chapter one begins with a definition and exposition of the concept of theodicy, and a topology for characterizing comparative theodicies is suggested. It is argued that the basis on which theodicies might be compared is the foundational ontological principles on which they are built. Chapter two is a lengthy discussion regarding the meaning of terms such as omnipotence omniscience omnibenevolence, moral evil and natural evil. Chapter three begins with a critical analysis of a variety of theodicies found throughout the history of Christian theology. The final conclusion drawn in this chapter is that none of the proposed answers is acceptable. Acceptability is measured in three important ways: First, is the position logically consistent, second, does it conform, at least in a broad way, to the major tenents of the Christian form of life, and third, does this position take the individual sufferer seriously? In chapter four a foundation is laid for a response to the problem of evil which is to follow in chapter five. In this penultimate chapter an analysis of the Book of Job is offered which centers on the interpretation of Yahweh's speeches out of the whirlwind. It is suggested that the crux of Jobs repentance is to be understood in connection with Job "seeing God." In chapter five, an attempt is made, using the help of Karl Barth, D. M. Mackinnon, P. T. Forsyth, Ludwig Wittgenstein and John Wisdom, as well as some insights gained from chapter four, to argue that there is a teleological response to the problem of evil that is logically consistent, true to the Christian form of life and sensitive to the needs of the individual sufferer. Thomassen, Einar http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2825 2012-06-20T13:30:53Z 1982-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The thesis intends to provide a better understanding of the text and the background of the Valentinian treatise, Nag Hammadi Codex, I,5. The Introduction studies the manuscript (date and provenance, purpose, scribal signs, quality), the text (an anonymous and untitled treatise, originally written in Greek, representing the Oriental branch of Valentinianism, date most likely second half of the 3rd. cent. A.D.), the language (a form of Subachmimic, with numerous orthographic and grammatical peculiar ities). A brief survey of the system is also provided, where it is regarded from three different angles. The Translation is primarily meant as an attempt to elucidate the difficult, and inadequately understood, Coptic text, and as an index to the following Commentary. The Commentary discusses the translation and relates each passage to the treatise as a whole, and to the system it contains. Valentinian themes and technical terms are pointed out and analysed systematically. The broader religious and philosophical background for the ideas contained in the treatise have also been explored. A special effort has been made to relate the system of the treatise not only to Gnostic documents, Christian literature and Late Jewish material, but also to Philosophy, and in particular to the emanationist physics of Neopythagoreanism and Neoplatonism.

1982-01-01T00:00:00Z Thomassen, Einar The thesis intends to provide a better understanding of the text and the background of the Valentinian treatise, Nag Hammadi Codex, I,5. The Introduction studies the manuscript (date and provenance, purpose, scribal signs, quality), the text (an anonymous and untitled treatise, originally written in Greek, representing the Oriental branch of Valentinianism, date most likely second half of the 3rd. cent. A.D.), the language (a form of Subachmimic, with numerous orthographic and grammatical peculiar ities). A brief survey of the system is also provided, where it is regarded from three different angles. The Translation is primarily meant as an attempt to elucidate the difficult, and inadequately understood, Coptic text, and as an index to the following Commentary. The Commentary discusses the translation and relates each passage to the treatise as a whole, and to the system it contains. Valentinian themes and technical terms are pointed out and analysed systematically. The broader religious and philosophical background for the ideas contained in the treatise have also been explored. A special effort has been made to relate the system of the treatise not only to Gnostic documents, Christian literature and Late Jewish material, but also to Philosophy, and in particular to the emanationist physics of Neopythagoreanism and Neoplatonism. Smith, Mark C. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2822 2012-06-20T11:37:09Z 1986-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The purposes of this work are to examine the development and functions of the church court which came to be known as the presbytery during the late sixteenth century and during the early seventeenth century in Scotland, as well as providing a more readily accessible primary source for further studies within the area. The development of a presbyterian polity in Scotland during the sixteenth century is attested to by the surviving records of its kirk sessions, presbyteries, synods and general assemblies. This study is concerned primarily with the record of the St. Andrews presbytery; it was among the first established, and its importance as the presbytery of which Andrew Melville was a member and in which he had significant influence marks it as a church court of unusual interest and marks its records as a valuable source for the study of the development of presbyteries. The introduction surveys the historical background and the evolution of church courts along with the extant records of the earliest presbyteries. Specific attention is given to the St. Andrews record and its condition, history and characteristics. Further analysis of the responsibilities of the presbytery is included along with comparisons to other contemporary records and the relationships between the presbytery and other ecclesiastical judicatories, as well as the effects of changing political circumstances. Textual notes are supplied as is a complete index of subjects, persons, and places.

1986-01-01T00:00:00Z Smith, Mark C. The purposes of this work are to examine the development and functions of the church court which came to be known as the presbytery during the late sixteenth century and during the early seventeenth century in Scotland, as well as providing a more readily accessible primary source for further studies within the area. The development of a presbyterian polity in Scotland during the sixteenth century is attested to by the surviving records of its kirk sessions, presbyteries, synods and general assemblies. This study is concerned primarily with the record of the St. Andrews presbytery; it was among the first established, and its importance as the presbytery of which Andrew Melville was a member and in which he had significant influence marks it as a church court of unusual interest and marks its records as a valuable source for the study of the development of presbyteries. The introduction surveys the historical background and the evolution of church courts along with the extant records of the earliest presbyteries. Specific attention is given to the St. Andrews record and its condition, history and characteristics. Further analysis of the responsibilities of the presbytery is included along with comparisons to other contemporary records and the relationships between the presbytery and other ecclesiastical judicatories, as well as the effects of changing political circumstances. Textual notes are supplied as is a complete index of subjects, persons, and places. Nelson, Georgina http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2816 2012-06-20T09:21:40Z 1984-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Chapters 46-51 of the book of Jeremiah contain a series of prophecies against foreign nations, and these 'foreign nation oracles’ form the focus of this thesis. The opening chapter contains a discussion of several outstanding problems connected with these oracles, the chief of these being the problem of authenticity. After examination of the major arguments, the conclusion is reached that the contents of chapters 46-51 are not to be attributed to Jeremiah, but to one or more imitators who employed 'Jeremianic' language. Also discussed are the problems of the differing position and order in which the oracles occur in the Septuagint. The major part of the thesis contains a study of the Septuagint and Targum versions of chs. 46-51, and a consideration of the mediaeval Jewish commentators Rashi, Kimchi and Abravanel. The ancient versions are consulted not as aids to the recovery of a better Hebrew text than the Massoretic text, but rather to gain an insight into the techniques employed by the translators, and to pick out and account for those elements of interpretation which each version contains. The contribution of Rashi and Kimchi to the interpretation of the Hebrew text is also considered, and a separate chapter is devoted to the commentary of Isaac Abravanel. His interest in eschatological speculation significantly affects his interpretation of certain foreign nation oracles. The thesis is primarily concerned with the variety of answers to the problems of exegesis which are provided by the various versions and commentators, and through such answers seeks to understand their presuppositions and interpretative approach.

1984-01-01T00:00:00Z Nelson, Georgina Chapters 46-51 of the book of Jeremiah contain a series of prophecies against foreign nations, and these 'foreign nation oracles’ form the focus of this thesis. The opening chapter contains a discussion of several outstanding problems connected with these oracles, the chief of these being the problem of authenticity. After examination of the major arguments, the conclusion is reached that the contents of chapters 46-51 are not to be attributed to Jeremiah, but to one or more imitators who employed 'Jeremianic' language. Also discussed are the problems of the differing position and order in which the oracles occur in the Septuagint. The major part of the thesis contains a study of the Septuagint and Targum versions of chs. 46-51, and a consideration of the mediaeval Jewish commentators Rashi, Kimchi and Abravanel. The ancient versions are consulted not as aids to the recovery of a better Hebrew text than the Massoretic text, but rather to gain an insight into the techniques employed by the translators, and to pick out and account for those elements of interpretation which each version contains. The contribution of Rashi and Kimchi to the interpretation of the Hebrew text is also considered, and a separate chapter is devoted to the commentary of Isaac Abravanel. His interest in eschatological speculation significantly affects his interpretation of certain foreign nation oracles. The thesis is primarily concerned with the variety of answers to the problems of exegesis which are provided by the various versions and commentators, and through such answers seeks to understand their presuppositions and interpretative approach. Hayner, Stephen Allen http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2813 2012-07-03T15:15:26Z 1984-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The "self-disclosures" in Jeremiah, including not only the so-called "confessions" but also other first person material which seems to express the prophet's inner feelings, are examined in a detailed, exegetical fashion with careful attention to-both the ancient versions and the subsequent history of exegesis. Special attention is given to the works of Rashi and Kimchi. Three basic questions are asked: 1) What do the "self-disclosures" represent? 2) To what degree can the "self-disclosures" be said to portray the historical Jeremiah? 3) Why are the "self-disclosures" included in the corpus of Jeremianic literature? These questions are approached by examining the relevant passages against the backdrop of the prophetic orthodoxy of the late 7th century B. C., which is seen to consist of commonly held notions of the role, message, and perhaps even temperament of the prophet within the current socio-religious framework. This orthodoxy is viewed as having initially defined Jeremiah's understanding of the prophetic office. But in the "self-disclosures" Jeremiah wrestles with the other side of his experience as a prophet, the painful and mysterious side, and attempts to forge a new understanding of the prophetic vocation. In the end, the fundamental element of the prophetic vocation for Jeremiah is seen as the "Word of the Lord." The prophet's conviction that he had been entrusted with the powerful, efficacious "Word" became the touchstone of both his vocational self-understanding and his authentication against the false prophets who represented prophetic orthodoxy. And the "Word" was ultimately the source of his suffering. All of these elements may be seen in the call-narrative which is examined in detail as the introduction to the entire book. The closing chapter of the thesis takes a closer look at the theological kerygma of the "self-disclosures," particularly in relation to the problem of suffering.

1984-01-01T00:00:00Z Hayner, Stephen Allen The "self-disclosures" in Jeremiah, including not only the so-called "confessions" but also other first person material which seems to express the prophet's inner feelings, are examined in a detailed, exegetical fashion with careful attention to-both the ancient versions and the subsequent history of exegesis. Special attention is given to the works of Rashi and Kimchi. Three basic questions are asked: 1) What do the "self-disclosures" represent? 2) To what degree can the "self-disclosures" be said to portray the historical Jeremiah? 3) Why are the "self-disclosures" included in the corpus of Jeremianic literature? These questions are approached by examining the relevant passages against the backdrop of the prophetic orthodoxy of the late 7th century B. C., which is seen to consist of commonly held notions of the role, message, and perhaps even temperament of the prophet within the current socio-religious framework. This orthodoxy is viewed as having initially defined Jeremiah's understanding of the prophetic office. But in the "self-disclosures" Jeremiah wrestles with the other side of his experience as a prophet, the painful and mysterious side, and attempts to forge a new understanding of the prophetic vocation. In the end, the fundamental element of the prophetic vocation for Jeremiah is seen as the "Word of the Lord." The prophet's conviction that he had been entrusted with the powerful, efficacious "Word" became the touchstone of both his vocational self-understanding and his authentication against the false prophets who represented prophetic orthodoxy. And the "Word" was ultimately the source of his suffering. All of these elements may be seen in the call-narrative which is examined in detail as the introduction to the entire book. The closing chapter of the thesis takes a closer look at the theological kerygma of the "self-disclosures," particularly in relation to the problem of suffering. Overfield, P. Derek http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2805 2012-06-19T10:40:25Z 1976-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The basic aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between a number of christological and ecclesiological themes. The first section of the essay is concerned with the identification of the traditions employed by the author in his presentation of an ascension theology in 1:20-23 and 4:8-10. Having once established these traditions, an attempt is made to trace a Traditiongeschichte for them. The second part of the essay is concerned with the relationship between the ascension theology and the kephale and pleroma motifs which are present in both pericopes. This investigation necessitates an examination of the Pauline theology. At the same time within this section an attempt is made to trace the source of the pleroma terminology as used by the author of the epistle. In the third section of the essay the interest is more general; an attempt is made to discover how the "component parts" of the author's ascension theology are used elsewhere in the epistle. In the fourth and last section of the essay the interest is again with traditions, specifically the use made of the traditions inherent in the ascension pericopes in the epistle in the writings of both the Church Fathers and of authors outside the main stream of Christian thought.

1976-01-01T00:00:00Z Overfield, P. Derek The basic aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between a number of christological and ecclesiological themes. The first section of the essay is concerned with the identification of the traditions employed by the author in his presentation of an ascension theology in 1:20-23 and 4:8-10. Having once established these traditions, an attempt is made to trace a Traditiongeschichte for them. The second part of the essay is concerned with the relationship between the ascension theology and the kephale and pleroma motifs which are present in both pericopes. This investigation necessitates an examination of the Pauline theology. At the same time within this section an attempt is made to trace the source of the pleroma terminology as used by the author of the epistle. In the third section of the essay the interest is more general; an attempt is made to discover how the "component parts" of the author's ascension theology are used elsewhere in the epistle. In the fourth and last section of the essay the interest is again with traditions, specifically the use made of the traditions inherent in the ascension pericopes in the epistle in the writings of both the Church Fathers and of authors outside the main stream of Christian thought. Jung, Young-San http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2796 2012-06-15T15:41:10Z 2000-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation examines the portrayals of the Temple, synagogue, and house-churches in Luke-Acts to pose a Lukan challenge to the Korean church by using a model of architectural space which is derived from social-scientific ideas originating in anthropology, sociology and social psychology. The dissertation proposes the relevance of the Lukan house-church to the Korean church today so as to transform the latter's character in its architecture and use of space into the inclusive and missionary one which is featured in Luke-Acts. The argument of the dissertation begins with an exploration and defence of social-scientific method (Chapter 1). Chapter 2 begins with a history and analysis of Korean Christianity which raises problem surrounding its use of architectural space, before setting out a socialscientific model of architectural space, which is then applied to contemporary Korean church architecture. Challenging current understandings of a positive Lukan attitude toward the Temple, this study proposes in Chapter 3 that Luke had a negative understanding of the Temple in that it was an oppressive institution characterised by segmented spaces which divided the people of God and thus showed its illegitimacy in relation to the saving plan of God in Jesus. The dissertation next proposes in Chapter 4 that first-century synagogues were subsidiary Temple spaces which were extended to most parts of Mediterranean world from the central sanctuary in Jerusalem, and that Luke portrays the synagogues as similar to the Temple. Contrary to the Temple and synagogue, the house in Luke-Acts expresses the inclusive salvation of the gospel which incorporates a variety of people regardless of social status, gender, age and ethnic origin (Chapter 5). In this interpretation, the house-church is represented as an inclusive space accessible without institutional constraints. In the Gospel, it serves to express the Kingdom of God into which sinners are invited to enter through meals and to be incorporated into a fictive-kinship group created by Jesus. In Acts, the house is not only a locus of Christian meetings in which the social relationships, characteristic of family, are practised to enhance and legitimise the social identity of Jesus' followers, but also the modus operandi of Christian mission through which the Christ-movement spreads throughout the Mediterranean world. This study concludes with an Epilogue containing brief suggestions for changes in Korean church architecture and use of space based on these Lukan insights, which have the potential radically to transform Korean Protestant Christianity.

2000-01-01T00:00:00Z Jung, Young-San This dissertation examines the portrayals of the Temple, synagogue, and house-churches in Luke-Acts to pose a Lukan challenge to the Korean church by using a model of architectural space which is derived from social-scientific ideas originating in anthropology, sociology and social psychology. The dissertation proposes the relevance of the Lukan house-church to the Korean church today so as to transform the latter's character in its architecture and use of space into the inclusive and missionary one which is featured in Luke-Acts. The argument of the dissertation begins with an exploration and defence of social-scientific method (Chapter 1). Chapter 2 begins with a history and analysis of Korean Christianity which raises problem surrounding its use of architectural space, before setting out a socialscientific model of architectural space, which is then applied to contemporary Korean church architecture. Challenging current understandings of a positive Lukan attitude toward the Temple, this study proposes in Chapter 3 that Luke had a negative understanding of the Temple in that it was an oppressive institution characterised by segmented spaces which divided the people of God and thus showed its illegitimacy in relation to the saving plan of God in Jesus. The dissertation next proposes in Chapter 4 that first-century synagogues were subsidiary Temple spaces which were extended to most parts of Mediterranean world from the central sanctuary in Jerusalem, and that Luke portrays the synagogues as similar to the Temple. Contrary to the Temple and synagogue, the house in Luke-Acts expresses the inclusive salvation of the gospel which incorporates a variety of people regardless of social status, gender, age and ethnic origin (Chapter 5). In this interpretation, the house-church is represented as an inclusive space accessible without institutional constraints. In the Gospel, it serves to express the Kingdom of God into which sinners are invited to enter through meals and to be incorporated into a fictive-kinship group created by Jesus. In Acts, the house is not only a locus of Christian meetings in which the social relationships, characteristic of family, are practised to enhance and legitimise the social identity of Jesus' followers, but also the modus operandi of Christian mission through which the Christ-movement spreads throughout the Mediterranean world. This study concludes with an Epilogue containing brief suggestions for changes in Korean church architecture and use of space based on these Lukan insights, which have the potential radically to transform Korean Protestant Christianity. Hilditch, Janet http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2794 2012-06-15T15:12:04Z 1987-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The thesis attempts a portrait of The Cloud in the context of its position in the history of Christian mysticism. That the anonymous work owed much to spiritual writers of the preceding twelve hundred years is not debatable; what it owed maybe slightly less obvious. The Cloud is essentially a work of Dionysian mysticism, and various writers within that tradition who may have influenced or affected the teaching of The Cloud are examined. At the same time, however, the anonymous writer owes much to the western tradition of Augustinian theology, and the role of this, complementary to the Dionysian mysticism, is also considered. In Chapter II we look at the theological doctrine underlying the mystical doctrine of the Cloud corpus. Chapter III has two major parts, both concerned with the influence of The Cloud on the subsequent development of spiritual writing in England. The first considers the relationship with Walter Hilton. The second examines aspects of Puritan thought which may indicate that the influence of The Cloud, after the Reformation, was not restricted to Catholic thought.

1987-01-01T00:00:00Z Hilditch, Janet The thesis attempts a portrait of The Cloud in the context of its position in the history of Christian mysticism. That the anonymous work owed much to spiritual writers of the preceding twelve hundred years is not debatable; what it owed maybe slightly less obvious. The Cloud is essentially a work of Dionysian mysticism, and various writers within that tradition who may have influenced or affected the teaching of The Cloud are examined. At the same time, however, the anonymous writer owes much to the western tradition of Augustinian theology, and the role of this, complementary to the Dionysian mysticism, is also considered. In Chapter II we look at the theological doctrine underlying the mystical doctrine of the Cloud corpus. Chapter III has two major parts, both concerned with the influence of The Cloud on the subsequent development of spiritual writing in England. The first considers the relationship with Walter Hilton. The second examines aspects of Puritan thought which may indicate that the influence of The Cloud, after the Reformation, was not restricted to Catholic thought. Gilthvedt, Gary E. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2791 2012-06-15T14:35:25Z 1990-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: In the Letter to the Galatians the law has been superseded by Christ's cross and faith in Christ is contrasted to the law. The juxtaposition of the law and the cross occurs in 2.19, where Paul speaks of them in terms of dying and living. The purpose of the present study is to do four things. First, Paul's letters have been examined for their uses in context of 'cross, crucifixion' and 'law', so that the basis for theological reflection might be the texts themselves. We conclude that although Paul's references to 'law' oscillate in stridency and meaning, and his references to 'cross, crucifixion' are few, the law and cross represent the before and after of Paul's life. Second, our exegesis of Gal 2.19 leads to three observations. 'Dying to-living to' refers to death and life within specific relationships, that to law and that with God. 'Being crucified with' refers to Paul's own inclusion and participation in the death of Christ, so that when Christ died Paul also died. 'Through the law' indicates the death-bringing character of the law itself. Behind Paul's statements about dying and living are the death and resurrection of Christ, which serve as the frame of reference for Paul. Third, Gal 2.19 has been compared to the argument of Galatians 2-3,4.1-7, and Paul's summary statement in 6.14-15. Our test question is what Paul means by dying 'through law' and whether law should be understood as the cause of death. s Finally, it is the conclusion of this study that Paul views the law as death-bringer, causing the death of Christ and the death of Paul in relation to law. This heightens the singularly life-giving character of faith in Christ.

1990-01-01T00:00:00Z Gilthvedt, Gary E. In the Letter to the Galatians the law has been superseded by Christ's cross and faith in Christ is contrasted to the law. The juxtaposition of the law and the cross occurs in 2.19, where Paul speaks of them in terms of dying and living. The purpose of the present study is to do four things. First, Paul's letters have been examined for their uses in context of 'cross, crucifixion' and 'law', so that the basis for theological reflection might be the texts themselves. We conclude that although Paul's references to 'law' oscillate in stridency and meaning, and his references to 'cross, crucifixion' are few, the law and cross represent the before and after of Paul's life. Second, our exegesis of Gal 2.19 leads to three observations. 'Dying to-living to' refers to death and life within specific relationships, that to law and that with God. 'Being crucified with' refers to Paul's own inclusion and participation in the death of Christ, so that when Christ died Paul also died. 'Through the law' indicates the death-bringing character of the law itself. Behind Paul's statements about dying and living are the death and resurrection of Christ, which serve as the frame of reference for Paul. Third, Gal 2.19 has been compared to the argument of Galatians 2-3,4.1-7, and Paul's summary statement in 6.14-15. Our test question is what Paul means by dying 'through law' and whether law should be understood as the cause of death. s Finally, it is the conclusion of this study that Paul views the law as death-bringer, causing the death of Christ and the death of Paul in relation to law. This heightens the singularly life-giving character of faith in Christ. Currie, David Alan http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2787 2012-06-15T13:40:16Z 1991-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis examines Evangelicalism as a broadly-based intellectual and social movement which sought to shape the overall thought and life of the Church of Scotland during the first half of the nineteenth century. A set of distinctive organisations --religious periodicals, voluntary societies, education, and corporate prayer-- provided its institutional structure. They represented the practical response to a general concern for revitalising the Church, for evangelism, and for social morality. 'Evangelicals' are defined as those who combined participation in these institutions with a fundamental commitment to the Church of Scotland as an established, national church. The development of each of these institutions is explored as a means of tracing the growth of the movement as a whole. Religious periodicals helped to unite scattered individuals within the Established Church who shared a desire to spread experiential Christianity. By providing a forum for discussing issues related to this concern, these publications communicated Evangelical ideas throughout the Kirk, giving Evangelicals far greater influence than their relative lack of power in the ecclesiastical courts around the turn of the century suggested they would have. Religious voluntary societies enabled Evangelicals to translate their ideas into action on a wide range of issues. The seeming effectiveness of groups such as missionary and Bible societies made Evangelicalism increasingly attractive, and led to the incorporation of their activist approach into existing Kirk structures after the mid-1820s. However, Evangelicals struggled with the tensions between the gathered and territorial views of the Church inherent in their commitments both to societies and to the Establishment. Because Evangelicals, following the Scottish Reformers, believed that education encouraged biblically-based Christianity, they were actively involved in all levels of education, from Sabbath schools to the universities, helping to spread Evangelical ideas and practice among young people. Evangelicals' emphasis upon corporate prayer not only reflected their belief that they needed divine aid to achieve their aims, but built up social bonds at a local level and reinforced commitment to the other Evangelical institutions.

1991-01-01T00:00:00Z Currie, David Alan This thesis examines Evangelicalism as a broadly-based intellectual and social movement which sought to shape the overall thought and life of the Church of Scotland during the first half of the nineteenth century. A set of distinctive organisations --religious periodicals, voluntary societies, education, and corporate prayer-- provided its institutional structure. They represented the practical response to a general concern for revitalising the Church, for evangelism, and for social morality. 'Evangelicals' are defined as those who combined participation in these institutions with a fundamental commitment to the Church of Scotland as an established, national church. The development of each of these institutions is explored as a means of tracing the growth of the movement as a whole. Religious periodicals helped to unite scattered individuals within the Established Church who shared a desire to spread experiential Christianity. By providing a forum for discussing issues related to this concern, these publications communicated Evangelical ideas throughout the Kirk, giving Evangelicals far greater influence than their relative lack of power in the ecclesiastical courts around the turn of the century suggested they would have. Religious voluntary societies enabled Evangelicals to translate their ideas into action on a wide range of issues. The seeming effectiveness of groups such as missionary and Bible societies made Evangelicalism increasingly attractive, and led to the incorporation of their activist approach into existing Kirk structures after the mid-1820s. However, Evangelicals struggled with the tensions between the gathered and territorial views of the Church inherent in their commitments both to societies and to the Establishment. Because Evangelicals, following the Scottish Reformers, believed that education encouraged biblically-based Christianity, they were actively involved in all levels of education, from Sabbath schools to the universities, helping to spread Evangelical ideas and practice among young people. Evangelicals' emphasis upon corporate prayer not only reflected their belief that they needed divine aid to achieve their aims, but built up social bonds at a local level and reinforced commitment to the other Evangelical institutions. Yates, Cleveland Buchanan http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2784 2012-06-14T15:31:34Z 1985-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This research was stimulated by a concern for the losses in membership being experienced by the Church of Scotland and by the fact that only one research study had been carried out and that had concentrated upon the Church's recruitment of young persons. This was seen as too narrow an approach. The research concentrated on the urban city of Dundee and constructed a computer database of 20,297 membership records [1982] and 3,997 Questionnaire Survey records of actual attenders in the 32 participating congregations. From the straight-forward examination of the demographic and social indicators, eg. age, sex, class, etc., a model of attending frequency is built revealing that the Church's concern might be wisely directed towards better administrative and pastoral care of the existing members as its primary objective. A further research aim was to develop spatial and 'modeling' techniques in order that the existing patterns of allegiance and attendance might be analysed. By examining the differentiation between various sub-sets of members and attenders, the evidence demonstrated that the Scottish council housing policy with its attendant displacement of population in Dundee (outlined in chapter two), had exacerbated the phenomenon of 'membership-at-a-distance'. Distance, in itself produced lower rates of observance, and it is argued, in turn leads to a greater risk of lapsing. The total effect of distant membership also produces congregations no longer existing as coterminous with geographic parish areas. The Church has continued to unite and merge these spatially distributed congregations thus severing residual allegiance ties and adding to the losses experienced from other causes. The main conclusion of this research is that the Church has mistakenly attempted to respond to the situation with an institutional 'reaction', whereas the real need for the present is to acknowledge the primacy of the existence of these congregations and to restructure its ministry and resources to support the continuing existence of the congregations. It is argued that a pastoral response is what has been lacking, and in the absence of reliable, large scale studies, planning has proceeded on the false basis that the 'parish' concept was a suitable criteria in every circumstance. In the concluding chapter, several practical recommendations are made in respect of the churches own procedures, these being derived from close acquaintance with the evidence of the data.

1985-01-01T00:00:00Z Yates, Cleveland Buchanan This research was stimulated by a concern for the losses in membership being experienced by the Church of Scotland and by the fact that only one research study had been carried out and that had concentrated upon the Church's recruitment of young persons. This was seen as too narrow an approach. The research concentrated on the urban city of Dundee and constructed a computer database of 20,297 membership records [1982] and 3,997 Questionnaire Survey records of actual attenders in the 32 participating congregations. From the straight-forward examination of the demographic and social indicators, eg. age, sex, class, etc., a model of attending frequency is built revealing that the Church's concern might be wisely directed towards better administrative and pastoral care of the existing members as its primary objective. A further research aim was to develop spatial and 'modeling' techniques in order that the existing patterns of allegiance and attendance might be analysed. By examining the differentiation between various sub-sets of members and attenders, the evidence demonstrated that the Scottish council housing policy with its attendant displacement of population in Dundee (outlined in chapter two), had exacerbated the phenomenon of 'membership-at-a-distance'. Distance, in itself produced lower rates of observance, and it is argued, in turn leads to a greater risk of lapsing. The total effect of distant membership also produces congregations no longer existing as coterminous with geographic parish areas. The Church has continued to unite and merge these spatially distributed congregations thus severing residual allegiance ties and adding to the losses experienced from other causes. The main conclusion of this research is that the Church has mistakenly attempted to respond to the situation with an institutional 'reaction', whereas the real need for the present is to acknowledge the primacy of the existence of these congregations and to restructure its ministry and resources to support the continuing existence of the congregations. It is argued that a pastoral response is what has been lacking, and in the absence of reliable, large scale studies, planning has proceeded on the false basis that the 'parish' concept was a suitable criteria in every circumstance. In the concluding chapter, several practical recommendations are made in respect of the churches own procedures, these being derived from close acquaintance with the evidence of the data. Ward, Michael http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2783 2012-06-14T15:17:51Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation treats the theory and practice of C. S. Lewis's theological imagination, focussing upon the imaginative use he made of his professional expertise in medieval and renaissance literature. Its approach is principally expository rather than an evaluative. Chapter One outlines the centrality of the imagination to a proper understanding of Lewis's works. Chapter Two examines Lewis's own theory of imagination and surveys how he practised it as a literary critic. We compare and contrast Lewis's theory and practice of imagination with that of his friend, the theologian, Austin Faffer. Chapter Three looks in more detail at Lewis's imaginative practice, in particular his fascination with the images supplied by the seven planets of the Ptolemaic cosmos, which he termed 'spiritual symbols of permanent value'. We analyse what he meant by 'sprit' and 'symbol'. Chapter Four introduces the main argument of the dissertation namely that these seven spiritual symbols structure the works for which Lewis is best known, the seven 'Chronicles of Narnia'. We claim to have uncovered the governing imaginative blueprint of the septet. We address Lewis's capacity for and interest in secrecy and consider why this planetary theme has remained hitherto undetected. In Chapters Five to Eleven we take the seven planets in turn and trace the use Lewis made of them through out his writings. We analyse the planetary symbolism undergirding each Chronicle and conclude each chapter with an exegesis of the Christological message of each book so understood. Chapter Twelve examines factors which motivated Lewis to focus his imaginative energies upon Ptolemaic cosmology and suggests one particular occasioning factor behind the composition of the Chronicles. In addition, we consider theological and pedagogical reasons why he kept silent about the planetary theme. We conclude by indicating certain consequences that our argument has for future readings of these seven works.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Ward, Michael This dissertation treats the theory and practice of C. S. Lewis's theological imagination, focussing upon the imaginative use he made of his professional expertise in medieval and renaissance literature. Its approach is principally expository rather than an evaluative. Chapter One outlines the centrality of the imagination to a proper understanding of Lewis's works. Chapter Two examines Lewis's own theory of imagination and surveys how he practised it as a literary critic. We compare and contrast Lewis's theory and practice of imagination with that of his friend, the theologian, Austin Faffer. Chapter Three looks in more detail at Lewis's imaginative practice, in particular his fascination with the images supplied by the seven planets of the Ptolemaic cosmos, which he termed 'spiritual symbols of permanent value'. We analyse what he meant by 'sprit' and 'symbol'. Chapter Four introduces the main argument of the dissertation namely that these seven spiritual symbols structure the works for which Lewis is best known, the seven 'Chronicles of Narnia'. We claim to have uncovered the governing imaginative blueprint of the septet. We address Lewis's capacity for and interest in secrecy and consider why this planetary theme has remained hitherto undetected. In Chapters Five to Eleven we take the seven planets in turn and trace the use Lewis made of them through out his writings. We analyse the planetary symbolism undergirding each Chronicle and conclude each chapter with an exegesis of the Christological message of each book so understood. Chapter Twelve examines factors which motivated Lewis to focus his imaginative energies upon Ptolemaic cosmology and suggests one particular occasioning factor behind the composition of the Chronicles. In addition, we consider theological and pedagogical reasons why he kept silent about the planetary theme. We conclude by indicating certain consequences that our argument has for future readings of these seven works. Vaughn, James Barry http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2781 2012-06-14T14:39:40Z 1990-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The late seventeenth century was a critical and fruitful period for the Particular Baptists of England. Severely persecuted following the Restoration, toleration in 1689 brought its own perils. Particular Baptists were fortunate in having several strong leaders, especially the London trio of Hanserd Knollys, William Kiffin, and Benjamin Keach. Such a small and severely persecuted group as the Baptists could afford little time for academic pursuits, thus of necessity most of their theology was practical in nature. Benjamin Keach (1640-1704) was the most outstanding practical theologian among the English Particular Baptists of the late seventeenth century. This dissertation is a study of Keach, in particular his writings on public worship and practical theology. Although Keach was a prolific author, he has been almost completely neglected by scholars. After a biographical sketch of Keach, this study considers his writings on public worship and practical theology. In the area of worship, Keach made two outstanding contributions: First, he was the most vocal apologist for Baptist views on Baptism of his period. Secondly, and more importantly, his hymn writing and defense of hymn singing broke new ground, not just for Baptists, but for English Protestantism, in general. In addition to his contributions in these areas, he also dealt with the laying on of hands and the sabbath day worship controversy. Keach's contributions to practical theology fall into two main groups: his writings that concern religious education and those that deal with polity. In addition to these, Keach's vigorous advocacy of a high Calvinist soteriology are also considered under the rubric of practical theology. Keach's most important (although not his most positive) contribution in this area were his soteriological writings. Although well within the bounds of orthodoxy, some of the tendencies in Keach's soteriology were taken up by the following generation of Baptist leaders and developed into a stultifying hyper-Calvinism that handicapped Baptist evangelism and missions. In the conclusion, Keach's contributions to a theory of practical theology are considered.

1990-01-01T00:00:00Z Vaughn, James Barry The late seventeenth century was a critical and fruitful period for the Particular Baptists of England. Severely persecuted following the Restoration, toleration in 1689 brought its own perils. Particular Baptists were fortunate in having several strong leaders, especially the London trio of Hanserd Knollys, William Kiffin, and Benjamin Keach. Such a small and severely persecuted group as the Baptists could afford little time for academic pursuits, thus of necessity most of their theology was practical in nature. Benjamin Keach (1640-1704) was the most outstanding practical theologian among the English Particular Baptists of the late seventeenth century. This dissertation is a study of Keach, in particular his writings on public worship and practical theology. Although Keach was a prolific author, he has been almost completely neglected by scholars. After a biographical sketch of Keach, this study considers his writings on public worship and practical theology. In the area of worship, Keach made two outstanding contributions: First, he was the most vocal apologist for Baptist views on Baptism of his period. Secondly, and more importantly, his hymn writing and defense of hymn singing broke new ground, not just for Baptists, but for English Protestantism, in general. In addition to his contributions in these areas, he also dealt with the laying on of hands and the sabbath day worship controversy. Keach's contributions to practical theology fall into two main groups: his writings that concern religious education and those that deal with polity. In addition to these, Keach's vigorous advocacy of a high Calvinist soteriology are also considered under the rubric of practical theology. Keach's most important (although not his most positive) contribution in this area were his soteriological writings. Although well within the bounds of orthodoxy, some of the tendencies in Keach's soteriology were taken up by the following generation of Baptist leaders and developed into a stultifying hyper-Calvinism that handicapped Baptist evangelism and missions. In the conclusion, Keach's contributions to a theory of practical theology are considered. Lockett, Darian R. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2775 2012-06-14T11:32:11Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Whereas commentators frequently restrict the categories for purity language in James to either ritual or metaphorical (and uniformly conclude the language is a metaphor for personal morality) this is overly restrictive and ignores how purity language was used in the first-century. Current research of purity language in ancient Israel calls into question the rigid either/or categorization of purity language in James. Such descriptions are not only unjustifiably restrictive, but they also fail to account for the function or meaning of the purity language within the rhetorical goals of the composition. The central argument of this investigation is that purity language both articulates and constructs the composition's worldview and thus serves as an important theme in the text. Chapter two discusses the different methods of analysis of purity and offers a taxonomy of purity language. This taxonomy provides a more precise approach to understanding the function of purity language. Chapter three argues for several important aspects of the structure and strategy of the text. Specifically the three interdependent characteristics of 1) an epistolary structure; 2) a coherent rhetorical argument based on polar oppositions; 3) and the special function of James 1: 2-27 as an introduction are suggested. While attuned to the textual issues argued in chapter three, the categories developed in the taxonomy were applied as a heuristic guide to understand the function of purity and pollution in chapter four. This analysis demonstrated four specific things: 1) though purity language occurs relatively infrequently, it is used at crucial points of the composition (1: 26-27; 3: 6,17; 4: 8); 2) that the use of purity and pollution specifically functions within the overall strategy of contrasts which leads readers to a decision; 3) that the majority of the time purity language labeled the world (and by extension those associated with it) as set against the implicit purity of God; and therefore, 4) the readers of James must be separate from the impure world ("pure") in order to be wholehearted in devotion to God ("perfect"). Because the purity of the audience is directly related to their proximity to the world, chapter five asks what kind of separation is envisioned by the use of purity language. While purity is indeed boundary language, the cultural stance of James is complex. The author shows signs of acculturation, yet this acculturation is employed to call the audience to specific points of separation from surrounding culture, namely separation from patron-client relationships with the "rich" and use of inappropriate and deceitful speech. Thus the composition is not calling for sectarian separation from the surrounding culture, but rather is a complex document demonstrating cultural accommodation while calling forth specific socio-cultural boundaries between the readers and the world.

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z Lockett, Darian R. Whereas commentators frequently restrict the categories for purity language in James to either ritual or metaphorical (and uniformly conclude the language is a metaphor for personal morality) this is overly restrictive and ignores how purity language was used in the first-century. Current research of purity language in ancient Israel calls into question the rigid either/or categorization of purity language in James. Such descriptions are not only unjustifiably restrictive, but they also fail to account for the function or meaning of the purity language within the rhetorical goals of the composition. The central argument of this investigation is that purity language both articulates and constructs the composition's worldview and thus serves as an important theme in the text. Chapter two discusses the different methods of analysis of purity and offers a taxonomy of purity language. This taxonomy provides a more precise approach to understanding the function of purity language. Chapter three argues for several important aspects of the structure and strategy of the text. Specifically the three interdependent characteristics of 1) an epistolary structure; 2) a coherent rhetorical argument based on polar oppositions; 3) and the special function of James 1: 2-27 as an introduction are suggested. While attuned to the textual issues argued in chapter three, the categories developed in the taxonomy were applied as a heuristic guide to understand the function of purity and pollution in chapter four. This analysis demonstrated four specific things: 1) though purity language occurs relatively infrequently, it is used at crucial points of the composition (1: 26-27; 3: 6,17; 4: 8); 2) that the use of purity and pollution specifically functions within the overall strategy of contrasts which leads readers to a decision; 3) that the majority of the time purity language labeled the world (and by extension those associated with it) as set against the implicit purity of God; and therefore, 4) the readers of James must be separate from the impure world ("pure") in order to be wholehearted in devotion to God ("perfect"). Because the purity of the audience is directly related to their proximity to the world, chapter five asks what kind of separation is envisioned by the use of purity language. While purity is indeed boundary language, the cultural stance of James is complex. The author shows signs of acculturation, yet this acculturation is employed to call the audience to specific points of separation from surrounding culture, namely separation from patron-client relationships with the "rich" and use of inappropriate and deceitful speech. Thus the composition is not calling for sectarian separation from the surrounding culture, but rather is a complex document demonstrating cultural accommodation while calling forth specific socio-cultural boundaries between the readers and the world. Brown, Alison M. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2771 2012-06-14T07:49:37Z 1996-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: In 1914, Church leaders assumed that fighting men would require the ministrations of ordained clergymen close to the front line. The War Office Chaplains' Department had few plans for the deployment of chaplains beyond a general expectation that the Churches would be willing to release men for service as required. Army Officers seemed to have little warning about the arrival of chaplains to accompany their units and very few ideas about the role chaplains could be expected to fulfil once they had arrived. The chaplains themselves embarked on overseas service with no special training and very little guidance about the nature of the task ahead of them. They received very little support from the Chaplains' Department or their home church in the first months of the war. Left to carve out a role for themselves, they were exposed to an environment churchmen at home could not begin to comprehend. Many chaplains left diaries and letters, the majority of which have never been published. They provide a unique insight into life with the troops, seen through the eyes of men who owed their first allegiance to their Church rather than to the Army whose uniform they wore. Post-war criticism of chaplains has obscured the valuable contribution many clergymen made to the well-being of the troops and to the reform movement within the Church of England after the war. The files of the Archbishop of Canterbury also provide important information about the troubled relationships between chaplains and their Department and with Church leaders at home. In seeking to determine the nature of the chaplains' duties and responsibilities, this study attempts to discover why clergymen faced so much criticism and why even their own churches were sometimes alarmed by the views aired by serving chaplains.

1996-01-01T00:00:00Z Brown, Alison M. In 1914, Church leaders assumed that fighting men would require the ministrations of ordained clergymen close to the front line. The War Office Chaplains' Department had few plans for the deployment of chaplains beyond a general expectation that the Churches would be willing to release men for service as required. Army Officers seemed to have little warning about the arrival of chaplains to accompany their units and very few ideas about the role chaplains could be expected to fulfil once they had arrived. The chaplains themselves embarked on overseas service with no special training and very little guidance about the nature of the task ahead of them. They received very little support from the Chaplains' Department or their home church in the first months of the war. Left to carve out a role for themselves, they were exposed to an environment churchmen at home could not begin to comprehend. Many chaplains left diaries and letters, the majority of which have never been published. They provide a unique insight into life with the troops, seen through the eyes of men who owed their first allegiance to their Church rather than to the Army whose uniform they wore. Post-war criticism of chaplains has obscured the valuable contribution many clergymen made to the well-being of the troops and to the reform movement within the Church of England after the war. The files of the Archbishop of Canterbury also provide important information about the troubled relationships between chaplains and their Department and with Church leaders at home. In seeking to determine the nature of the chaplains' duties and responsibilities, this study attempts to discover why clergymen faced so much criticism and why even their own churches were sometimes alarmed by the views aired by serving chaplains. Bence, Philip A. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2769 2012-06-13T15:24:40Z 1988-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study examines the efforts of British universities and colleges to educate students for the ministry of preaching. It evaluates the hypothesis that a preaching lecturer's theology significantly influences his teaching, both in its content and methodology. A summary and comparison of seven twentieth century theologies of preaching serves as the foundation for this study. The research considered each theology as presented by either its originator or a leading exponent: Harry Emerson Fosdick, Rudolf Bultmann, Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, James Stewart, and Karl Rahner. Surveys completed by fifty-five lecturers in preaching provided the second primary focus of research. These surveys both described current practices in homiletical education and offered a means of dividina the lecturers into subgroups for purposes of comparing their teaching. In order to evaluate the primary hypothesis that theology exerts great influence on the teaching of preaching, the study compares the teaching practices of theological subgroupings of lecturers (each grouping matched with one of the theologians mentioned above). Likewise, it compares the teaching of other lecturer subaroupings formed on the basis of contrasting institutional and denominational settings. Institutional and denominational setting does affect the teaching of preaching, but, as hypothesized, not to the degree theology does. The manner in which a lecturer's theology determines his teaching is most noticeable in relation to three questions relating to teaching content: (1) From what source(s) should preachers seek preaching content? (2) On what basis should preachers select content from their source(s)? (3) Once the content has been determined, by what criteria should preachers prepare material for delivery? A comparison of contemporary preaching theologies (and the resultant contrasts in homiletical education) bespeak the rich breadth within the Western Christian tradition.

1988-01-01T00:00:00Z Bence, Philip A. This study examines the efforts of British universities and colleges to educate students for the ministry of preaching. It evaluates the hypothesis that a preaching lecturer's theology significantly influences his teaching, both in its content and methodology. A summary and comparison of seven twentieth century theologies of preaching serves as the foundation for this study. The research considered each theology as presented by either its originator or a leading exponent: Harry Emerson Fosdick, Rudolf Bultmann, Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, James Stewart, and Karl Rahner. Surveys completed by fifty-five lecturers in preaching provided the second primary focus of research. These surveys both described current practices in homiletical education and offered a means of dividina the lecturers into subgroups for purposes of comparing their teaching. In order to evaluate the primary hypothesis that theology exerts great influence on the teaching of preaching, the study compares the teaching practices of theological subgroupings of lecturers (each grouping matched with one of the theologians mentioned above). Likewise, it compares the teaching of other lecturer subaroupings formed on the basis of contrasting institutional and denominational settings. Institutional and denominational setting does affect the teaching of preaching, but, as hypothesized, not to the degree theology does. The manner in which a lecturer's theology determines his teaching is most noticeable in relation to three questions relating to teaching content: (1) From what source(s) should preachers seek preaching content? (2) On what basis should preachers select content from their source(s)? (3) Once the content has been determined, by what criteria should preachers prepare material for delivery? A comparison of contemporary preaching theologies (and the resultant contrasts in homiletical education) bespeak the rich breadth within the Western Christian tradition. Kay, Harold A. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2763 2012-06-13T11:53:55Z 1984-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: A large part of this thesis consists of an examination of Judges ch. 5 in the light of the Versions, Rashi and Kimchi. In addition, the tribal situation, religious cohesiveness of Israel, as well as the historical context and date of the battle against Sisera, are examined. The Song of Deborah presents a unique situation in the period of the Judges in which an alliance of many tribes participated in a concerted action. These tribes are designated by the name 'Israel'. The God of Israel is known as Yahweh, Israel is the people of Yahweh, and the religious unity of Israel is based upon a common religious faith in Yahweh. The Song does not represent Israel as a system of twelve tribes or as having its cohesiveness in an amphictyony. This historical battle against Sisera depicted in the Song probably occurred at a time late in the period of the Judges, at the end of the 12th century B.C. or early in the 11th century B.C.

1984-01-01T00:00:00Z Kay, Harold A. A large part of this thesis consists of an examination of Judges ch. 5 in the light of the Versions, Rashi and Kimchi. In addition, the tribal situation, religious cohesiveness of Israel, as well as the historical context and date of the battle against Sisera, are examined. The Song of Deborah presents a unique situation in the period of the Judges in which an alliance of many tribes participated in a concerted action. These tribes are designated by the name 'Israel'. The God of Israel is known as Yahweh, Israel is the people of Yahweh, and the religious unity of Israel is based upon a common religious faith in Yahweh. The Song does not represent Israel as a system of twelve tribes or as having its cohesiveness in an amphictyony. This historical battle against Sisera depicted in the Song probably occurred at a time late in the period of the Judges, at the end of the 12th century B.C. or early in the 11th century B.C. House, Seymour Baker http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2752 2012-07-13T16:06:28Z 1987-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to present Sir Thomas More's views on the sacrament of Holy Orders with particular reference to the English clergy using as evidence More's own writings and relevant manuscript material as well as various other contemporary sources. The discussion of More's activity as ecclesiastical patron, based on manuscript sources, will illuminate this previously undocumented aspect of his involvement in clerical affairs. It will indicate how far his views on the English clergy are corroborated by those priests he presented to benefices in addition to providing us with a detailed look at the problems associated with early 16th Century patronage. More's activity as a royal councillor, seen through his own eyes and revealed in his writings and other sources, will be discussed as it touches on the English spirituality. Particular attention will be paid to the development of More's criticisms of the clergy and his emerging understanding of the sacrament of Orders as it took shape in his polemical career. His duties as Lord Chancellor, particularly his campaign against heretics in England and heretical writings abroad, will be presented as well as his opposition to secular statutory reforms of the clerical estate. More's activity as secular judge of clerical litigants in the courts of Star Chamber and Chancery will be analysed on the basis of manuscript evidence of those courts and his own comments found in his published and private writings. Finally, More's concluding remarks on both controversial doctrinal issues and the part played by the English clergy in the Henrician Reformation (to 1535) will be discussed as it is found in the works written from the Tower.

1987-01-01T00:00:00Z House, Seymour Baker The purpose of this thesis is to present Sir Thomas More's views on the sacrament of Holy Orders with particular reference to the English clergy using as evidence More's own writings and relevant manuscript material as well as various other contemporary sources. The discussion of More's activity as ecclesiastical patron, based on manuscript sources, will illuminate this previously undocumented aspect of his involvement in clerical affairs. It will indicate how far his views on the English clergy are corroborated by those priests he presented to benefices in addition to providing us with a detailed look at the problems associated with early 16th Century patronage. More's activity as a royal councillor, seen through his own eyes and revealed in his writings and other sources, will be discussed as it touches on the English spirituality. Particular attention will be paid to the development of More's criticisms of the clergy and his emerging understanding of the sacrament of Orders as it took shape in his polemical career. His duties as Lord Chancellor, particularly his campaign against heretics in England and heretical writings abroad, will be presented as well as his opposition to secular statutory reforms of the clerical estate. More's activity as secular judge of clerical litigants in the courts of Star Chamber and Chancery will be analysed on the basis of manuscript evidence of those courts and his own comments found in his published and private writings. Finally, More's concluding remarks on both controversial doctrinal issues and the part played by the English clergy in the Henrician Reformation (to 1535) will be discussed as it is found in the works written from the Tower. Al-Mallah, Hashim Yahya http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2740 2012-06-12T08:35:32Z 1972-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The majority of Muslims believe that the best era in their history was that of the Prophet Muhammad and his orthodox successors, and that the best rulers who ever governed Muslims are the Prophet and his successors. Therefore the Muslims in our own time are inspired by their works and words in many aspects of life, and hope still to follow their model behaviour. This attitude became clear immediately after the creation of Pakistan when the people began to discuss the necessity of establishing a constitution which should be based on the rules of Qur'an, the practice of the Prophet, and, the precedents of his orthodox successors. Yet the nature of the governmental system of the Prophet Muhammad is still ambiguous in the minds of Muslims, and it is hard to find any scientific study on this subject. Therefore it was felt that it might be useful to choose "the governmental system of the Prophet Muhammad" to be the subject of this thesis, and to study it in the light of the theories of state which are known in the field of constitutional law, in order to clarify the form and nature of "the Prophetic government". The thesis consists of five chapters and a conclusion. The first chapter explains how the Islamic state was established and extended to govern most of Arabia. The second chapter presents the idea of sovereignty and authority in the Islamic state. The third deals with the three authorities - legislative, executive, and judiciary - in the Islamic state. In the fourth chapter the writer tries to define the nature of the governmental system of the Prophet and the relations between its powers. The fifth chapter is devoted to explaining the position of the Islamic state on the rights of equality and liberty. The conclusion contains the summary of the main points dealt with in the thesis. It will be a source of satisfaction to the writer if this work should participate in clarifying the governmental system which the Prophet Muhammad established, and if in the near future an opportunity is found to study the development of this system in the era of the Prophet's successors.

1972-01-01T00:00:00Z Al-Mallah, Hashim Yahya The majority of Muslims believe that the best era in their history was that of the Prophet Muhammad and his orthodox successors, and that the best rulers who ever governed Muslims are the Prophet and his successors. Therefore the Muslims in our own time are inspired by their works and words in many aspects of life, and hope still to follow their model behaviour. This attitude became clear immediately after the creation of Pakistan when the people began to discuss the necessity of establishing a constitution which should be based on the rules of Qur'an, the practice of the Prophet, and, the precedents of his orthodox successors. Yet the nature of the governmental system of the Prophet Muhammad is still ambiguous in the minds of Muslims, and it is hard to find any scientific study on this subject. Therefore it was felt that it might be useful to choose "the governmental system of the Prophet Muhammad" to be the subject of this thesis, and to study it in the light of the theories of state which are known in the field of constitutional law, in order to clarify the form and nature of "the Prophetic government". The thesis consists of five chapters and a conclusion. The first chapter explains how the Islamic state was established and extended to govern most of Arabia. The second chapter presents the idea of sovereignty and authority in the Islamic state. The third deals with the three authorities - legislative, executive, and judiciary - in the Islamic state. In the fourth chapter the writer tries to define the nature of the governmental system of the Prophet and the relations between its powers. The fifth chapter is devoted to explaining the position of the Islamic state on the rights of equality and liberty. The conclusion contains the summary of the main points dealt with in the thesis. It will be a source of satisfaction to the writer if this work should participate in clarifying the governmental system which the Prophet Muhammad established, and if in the near future an opportunity is found to study the development of this system in the era of the Prophet's successors. Scorgie, Glen G http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2738 2012-06-12T08:18:13Z 1986-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: James Orr (1844-1913) was a Scottish theologian, apologist and polemicist. He was the leading United Presbyterian theologian at the time of the United Free Church of Scotland union of 1900, and beyond his own church and nation he came to exercise a significant influence in North America. This study is an examination of Orris theological contribution, what he believed and how he expressed it, in its historical setting Particular attention is paid to the convictions which undergirded and gave impetus to his activities. The study reveals that while Orr was far from unaffected by the intellectual movements of the late-Victorian period, his contribution may best be described as a call for continuity with the central tenets of evangelical orthodoxy. He was one of the earliest and principal British critics of the Ritschlian theology, and a strong opponent of rationalistic biblical criticism. He emphatically rejected all evolutionary interpretations of man's moral history, and held firmly to orthodox Christological formulations in the face of alternative assessments of the historical Jesus. While factors of temperament affected the tenor of his work, his contribution was most decisively shaped by the convictions that evangelical orthodoxy is ultimately self-authenticating, that truth comprises a unity or interconnected whole, that genuine Christian belief implies a two-story supernaturalist cosmology, and that the rationalism of the times was a temporary malaise. A general lack of support for his views within the scholarly community, combined with his own deep-seated populist instincts and common sense convictions, led Orr in later years to direct his appeals primarily toward the Christian public. The conclusion reached is that Orr deserves to be recognized, not so much as a brilliant or particularly original thinker, but as an able and exceptionally vigorous participant in a period of dramatic theological challenge and change.

1986-01-01T00:00:00Z Scorgie, Glen G James Orr (1844-1913) was a Scottish theologian, apologist and polemicist. He was the leading United Presbyterian theologian at the time of the United Free Church of Scotland union of 1900, and beyond his own church and nation he came to exercise a significant influence in North America. This study is an examination of Orris theological contribution, what he believed and how he expressed it, in its historical setting Particular attention is paid to the convictions which undergirded and gave impetus to his activities. The study reveals that while Orr was far from unaffected by the intellectual movements of the late-Victorian period, his contribution may best be described as a call for continuity with the central tenets of evangelical orthodoxy. He was one of the earliest and principal British critics of the Ritschlian theology, and a strong opponent of rationalistic biblical criticism. He emphatically rejected all evolutionary interpretations of man's moral history, and held firmly to orthodox Christological formulations in the face of alternative assessments of the historical Jesus. While factors of temperament affected the tenor of his work, his contribution was most decisively shaped by the convictions that evangelical orthodoxy is ultimately self-authenticating, that truth comprises a unity or interconnected whole, that genuine Christian belief implies a two-story supernaturalist cosmology, and that the rationalism of the times was a temporary malaise. A general lack of support for his views within the scholarly community, combined with his own deep-seated populist instincts and common sense convictions, led Orr in later years to direct his appeals primarily toward the Christian public. The conclusion reached is that Orr deserves to be recognized, not so much as a brilliant or particularly original thinker, but as an able and exceptionally vigorous participant in a period of dramatic theological challenge and change. Wooden, R. Glenn http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2727 2012-06-11T13:58:40Z 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation examines the consensus view that is based on Hans-Peter Müller's 1969 and 1972 articles: Daniel was a mantic wise man in the Mesopotamian ASA court, and this was the self-understanding or aspiration of the maskilim of Dan 11:33, 35, 12:3, 10, who wrote the book. Chapter 1 reviews the arguments that make the mantic connection and Chapter 2 concludes that a direct connection with the Danes of Aqht, Ezek, and Jub, and with the angel in 1 Enoch should be rejected. There is evidence that the tradition of a priest in Ezra 8: 2 and Neh 10: 7, and found also in the superscription to the Old Greek of Bel, and 4 Ezra 12:10-11, and suggested the name. Chapter 3 concludes that the portrayal of the court diviners in Dan 1-6 is wholly negative and includes both the diviners, and the essence of the professions, i. e., the ability to interpret a divine revelation. The critique is conveyed through the story line, explicit criticisms, irony, and humour. Chapter 4 concludes that Daniel, the interpreter of dreams and the writing on the wall, is distinguished from every other character and role. In the final form of Dan, Daniel as the divinely assisted each time he interprets, just as when he receives help from an interpreting angel in Dan 7-12. Chapter 5 demonstrates that the portrayal of Daniel as the divinely assisted interpreter makes sense of the reinterpretation of old prophecies against the Assyrians as prophecies against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Hab 2:2-4 and Isa 52-53 were also understood as predictions about the maskilim themselves. Comparisons are then made with the Teacher of Righteousness, the writers of the Hodayot, and with three Essenes portrayed by Josephus. These too were portrayed as divinely assisted interpreters.

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z Wooden, R. Glenn This dissertation examines the consensus view that is based on Hans-Peter Müller's 1969 and 1972 articles: Daniel was a mantic wise man in the Mesopotamian ASA court, and this was the self-understanding or aspiration of the maskilim of Dan 11:33, 35, 12:3, 10, who wrote the book. Chapter 1 reviews the arguments that make the mantic connection and Chapter 2 concludes that a direct connection with the Danes of Aqht, Ezek, and Jub, and with the angel in 1 Enoch should be rejected. There is evidence that the tradition of a priest in Ezra 8: 2 and Neh 10: 7, and found also in the superscription to the Old Greek of Bel, and 4 Ezra 12:10-11, and suggested the name. Chapter 3 concludes that the portrayal of the court diviners in Dan 1-6 is wholly negative and includes both the diviners, and the essence of the professions, i. e., the ability to interpret a divine revelation. The critique is conveyed through the story line, explicit criticisms, irony, and humour. Chapter 4 concludes that Daniel, the interpreter of dreams and the writing on the wall, is distinguished from every other character and role. In the final form of Dan, Daniel as the divinely assisted each time he interprets, just as when he receives help from an interpreting angel in Dan 7-12. Chapter 5 demonstrates that the portrayal of Daniel as the divinely assisted interpreter makes sense of the reinterpretation of old prophecies against the Assyrians as prophecies against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Hab 2:2-4 and Isa 52-53 were also understood as predictions about the maskilim themselves. Comparisons are then made with the Teacher of Righteousness, the writers of the Hodayot, and with three Essenes portrayed by Josephus. These too were portrayed as divinely assisted interpreters. Judisch, Douglas http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2714 2012-06-14T08:47:04Z 1979-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: In his preface to the Sacrorum Parallelorum Libri Tres, Junius expresses the confidence that, if he has not attained the goal in writing the book which he yearned to achieve, he has at least pointed out to others the way of proving more successful. As the first monograph on the use of the Old Testament in the New, the Sacri Paralleli opened up new exegetical territory into which hosts of explorers and, indeed, settlers have since moved. The earlier scouts in this region often remind us that they are travelling in the pioneering footsteps of Franciscus Junius. Thus, Andreas Kesler in the seventeenth century makes use of the Sacri Paralleli, as does the great Surenhusius of Amsterdam in the eighteenth century. Even as recently as a hundred years ago Eduard Bdhl, in the historical introduction to his own dissertation on the Old Testament citations in the New Testament, wrote: "Dass ein Mann wie Franciscus Junius, welcher mit Tremellius das berühmte lateinische Bibelwerk herausgab, viel Gutes bietet, lasst sich erwarten". Yet, more recent surveys of past literature on the bi-testamental passages omit any mention of the original spade-work in the field. Ellis, for example, begins his summary of "the more direct study of NT quotations" with the notes which Drusius wrote around 1594. No account of such research, however, can justly pass over the thorough work of Franciscus Junius. Some have considered it, with good reason, the most important book of one of the most influential exegetes in the Age of Orthodoxy. As Cuno observes, the Sacri Paralleli were truly epoch-making in the history of exegesis. The present study of the Sacrorum Parallelorum Liber Primus begins with a rather full account of the life of Junius for two reasons. First, there is no delineation of his life available in English longer than the brief article in the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. Secondly, the life of Junius not only is very interesting, but also sheds much light on the rationale of the Sacri Paralleli. There follow discussions of this rationale, the history of the Sacri Paralleli and the various editions, and the hermeneutical principles employed by Junius in the Liber Primus. In the course of his investigation of the several editions of the Sacri Paralleli, the author has examined all copies of the book which he could locate in the public repositories of Scotland and so hopes that his treatment may prove useful to the rare book librarians of the collections concerned. The translation of the Liber Primus was executed on the basis of the first folio edition (1607) of the works of Junius, this printing being a reliable, specimen of the text and the earliest copy available in the Library of the University of St Andrews. Some minor textual corruptions, however, in the 1607 edition have been corrected on the basis of the original edition of 1588. Likewise, the Biblical and patristic citations which appeared in the margins of the original edition have been noted as marginal references here, rather than being into the text in the manner of the folio editions (which sometimes match these citations to the wrong, sentences in the text). The translation here, nevertheless, follows the paragraph divisions of the folio printings, since such divisions are so few in the original edition. The third volume of this dissertation contains several pertinent appendices: The first is a photographic copy of the specimen of the original edition of the Sacrorum Parallelorum Liber Primus in the possession of the Library of New College, Edinburgh. Mention has been made in the course of this appendix if a note relating to a given page occurs in the "Errata", listed at the end of the copy of the Sacri Paralleli used here. Copies of the 1607 printing of the Sacri Paralleli are available in so many British libraries that to provide a copy of the Liber Primus of that edition here would be superfluous. The second appendix is a photographic copy of the "Praefatio" to the Sacri Paralleli (New Col- lege specimen again). The Roman numeral at the bottom of each page has been supplied here to facilitate reference to this "Praefatio" in the course of this study. There follows an annotated translation of the "Praefatio".

1979-01-01T00:00:00Z Judisch, Douglas In his preface to the Sacrorum Parallelorum Libri Tres, Junius expresses the confidence that, if he has not attained the goal in writing the book which he yearned to achieve, he has at least pointed out to others the way of proving more successful. As the first monograph on the use of the Old Testament in the New, the Sacri Paralleli opened up new exegetical territory into which hosts of explorers and, indeed, settlers have since moved. The earlier scouts in this region often remind us that they are travelling in the pioneering footsteps of Franciscus Junius. Thus, Andreas Kesler in the seventeenth century makes use of the Sacri Paralleli, as does the great Surenhusius of Amsterdam in the eighteenth century. Even as recently as a hundred years ago Eduard Bdhl, in the historical introduction to his own dissertation on the Old Testament citations in the New Testament, wrote: "Dass ein Mann wie Franciscus Junius, welcher mit Tremellius das berühmte lateinische Bibelwerk herausgab, viel Gutes bietet, lasst sich erwarten". Yet, more recent surveys of past literature on the bi-testamental passages omit any mention of the original spade-work in the field. Ellis, for example, begins his summary of "the more direct study of NT quotations" with the notes which Drusius wrote around 1594. No account of such research, however, can justly pass over the thorough work of Franciscus Junius. Some have considered it, with good reason, the most important book of one of the most influential exegetes in the Age of Orthodoxy. As Cuno observes, the Sacri Paralleli were truly epoch-making in the history of exegesis. The present study of the Sacrorum Parallelorum Liber Primus begins with a rather full account of the life of Junius for two reasons. First, there is no delineation of his life available in English longer than the brief article in the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. Secondly, the life of Junius not only is very interesting, but also sheds much light on the rationale of the Sacri Paralleli. There follow discussions of this rationale, the history of the Sacri Paralleli and the various editions, and the hermeneutical principles employed by Junius in the Liber Primus. In the course of his investigation of the several editions of the Sacri Paralleli, the author has examined all copies of the book which he could locate in the public repositories of Scotland and so hopes that his treatment may prove useful to the rare book librarians of the collections concerned. The translation of the Liber Primus was executed on the basis of the first folio edition (1607) of the works of Junius, this printing being a reliable, specimen of the text and the earliest copy available in the Library of the University of St Andrews. Some minor textual corruptions, however, in the 1607 edition have been corrected on the basis of the original edition of 1588. Likewise, the Biblical and patristic citations which appeared in the margins of the original edition have been noted as marginal references here, rather than being into the text in the manner of the folio editions (which sometimes match these citations to the wrong, sentences in the text). The translation here, nevertheless, follows the paragraph divisions of the folio printings, since such divisions are so few in the original edition. The third volume of this dissertation contains several pertinent appendices: The first is a photographic copy of the specimen of the original edition of the Sacrorum Parallelorum Liber Primus in the possession of the Library of New College, Edinburgh. Mention has been made in the course of this appendix if a note relating to a given page occurs in the "Errata", listed at the end of the copy of the Sacri Paralleli used here. Copies of the 1607 printing of the Sacri Paralleli are available in so many British libraries that to provide a copy of the Liber Primus of that edition here would be superfluous. The second appendix is a photographic copy of the "Praefatio" to the Sacri Paralleli (New Col- lege specimen again). The Roman numeral at the bottom of each page has been supplied here to facilitate reference to this "Praefatio" in the course of this study. There follows an annotated translation of the "Praefatio". Matthews, Alfred Warren http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2712 2012-06-11T08:47:57Z 1958-01-01T00:00:00Z 1958-01-01T00:00:00Z Matthews, Alfred Warren Hastings, W. Ross http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2707 2012-06-08T14:59:58Z 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The extent to which the 'honour' of the Spirit influenced the theology of Jonathan Edwards is a hitherto underdeveloped theme. Against a backdrop of Patristic thought and in dialogue with the theology of Karl Barth, evaluation is made of pneumatological union in Edwards' Trinitarian theology as this centres on the nature and inter-relatedness of the 'three unions' that characterize his theology: the union of the three Persons of the Trinity, the union of the saints with God, and the union of the divine and human natures of Christ. Edwards' seeks to honour the Spirit as the mutual love of the Father for the Son within his Augustinian, Lockean model of the immanent Trinity, and as 'Person' in the economy. The challenges of doing so within the limits of this psychological model of the Trinity are evaluated in dialogue with the Cappadocian Fathers and Barth. In a manner patterned after union in the Trinity, Edwards gave prominence to the concept of the pneumatological union of the saints with God in Christ, in fulfilment of the self-glorifying purpose of God in creation and redemption. Edwards' experiential theology of conversion, and his elevation of subjective sanctification by the Spirit over objective justification in Christ, for assurance, is contrasted with Barth's greater emphases on the Christological union of God with humanity and objective justification in Christ. Barth's more contemplative approach is contrasted with the overly introspective spirituality of Edwards. Edwards' view of the role of the Spirit in the hypostatic union of God with humanity in Christ, which is reflective of the other unions, is also evaluated in light of Patristic, Reformed-Puritan and Barthian thought on the nature of the humanity Christ assumed, and the doctrine of the vicarious humanity of Christ. A more emphatic incarnational emphasis may have saved Edwards' Spirit- honouring spirituality from an anthropocentricity which is ironical given that the glory of God is his ontic doxological concern.

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z Hastings, W. Ross The extent to which the 'honour' of the Spirit influenced the theology of Jonathan Edwards is a hitherto underdeveloped theme. Against a backdrop of Patristic thought and in dialogue with the theology of Karl Barth, evaluation is made of pneumatological union in Edwards' Trinitarian theology as this centres on the nature and inter-relatedness of the 'three unions' that characterize his theology: the union of the three Persons of the Trinity, the union of the saints with God, and the union of the divine and human natures of Christ. Edwards' seeks to honour the Spirit as the mutual love of the Father for the Son within his Augustinian, Lockean model of the immanent Trinity, and as 'Person' in the economy. The challenges of doing so within the limits of this psychological model of the Trinity are evaluated in dialogue with the Cappadocian Fathers and Barth. In a manner patterned after union in the Trinity, Edwards gave prominence to the concept of the pneumatological union of the saints with God in Christ, in fulfilment of the self-glorifying purpose of God in creation and redemption. Edwards' experiential theology of conversion, and his elevation of subjective sanctification by the Spirit over objective justification in Christ, for assurance, is contrasted with Barth's greater emphases on the Christological union of God with humanity and objective justification in Christ. Barth's more contemplative approach is contrasted with the overly introspective spirituality of Edwards. Edwards' view of the role of the Spirit in the hypostatic union of God with humanity in Christ, which is reflective of the other unions, is also evaluated in light of Patristic, Reformed-Puritan and Barthian thought on the nature of the humanity Christ assumed, and the doctrine of the vicarious humanity of Christ. A more emphatic incarnational emphasis may have saved Edwards' Spirit- honouring spirituality from an anthropocentricity which is ironical given that the glory of God is his ontic doxological concern. Hamilton, William Hughes http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2705 2012-06-08T14:37:45Z 1952-01-01T00:00:00Z 1952-01-01T00:00:00Z Hamilton, William Hughes Finney, Mark T. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2702 2012-06-08T14:07:28Z 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Many recent studies in contemporary social anthropology have noted the vital import of the concepts of honour and shame and how these are able both to generate ideas of social identity within a community, and, in particular, to elucidate patterns of social behaviour. This has been notably evident amongst the communities of the Mediterranean littoral. At the same time, multi-disciplinary research exploring the communities of the Ancient Near East, especially those undertaken by social historians investigating the ancient societies of Israel, Greece, and Rome, have revealed that these, too, lived within the social constraints of honour and shame. These twin concepts are said to have had a profound influence upon such ancient communities, and, for some, are seen to represent the pivotal values of Greco-Roman social life. Unsurprisingly then, these same values are also evident within the narrative discourses of the Old and New Testaments, and a wide number of studies have sought to examine a particular text or social scenario through the lens of honour and shame. But despite having had a voluminous number of monographs and articles written on it, the letter of 1 Corinthians has remained relatively untouched by studies of honour-shame; yet it presents a unique expose of numerous aspects of social life in Greco-Roman first-century CE culture. My aim here is to examine the extent to which the social constraints of honour and shame may have had a direct influence upon the multifarious problems of social behaviour so evident within the community (not least the factionalism and strife which caused so many internal problems). In so doing, it presents a fresh reading of the letter, and the thesis it proposes is that the honour-shame model provides an appropriate and compelling framework within which to view the letter holistically within its social context.

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z Finney, Mark T. Many recent studies in contemporary social anthropology have noted the vital import of the concepts of honour and shame and how these are able both to generate ideas of social identity within a community, and, in particular, to elucidate patterns of social behaviour. This has been notably evident amongst the communities of the Mediterranean littoral. At the same time, multi-disciplinary research exploring the communities of the Ancient Near East, especially those undertaken by social historians investigating the ancient societies of Israel, Greece, and Rome, have revealed that these, too, lived within the social constraints of honour and shame. These twin concepts are said to have had a profound influence upon such ancient communities, and, for some, are seen to represent the pivotal values of Greco-Roman social life. Unsurprisingly then, these same values are also evident within the narrative discourses of the Old and New Testaments, and a wide number of studies have sought to examine a particular text or social scenario through the lens of honour and shame. But despite having had a voluminous number of monographs and articles written on it, the letter of 1 Corinthians has remained relatively untouched by studies of honour-shame; yet it presents a unique expose of numerous aspects of social life in Greco-Roman first-century CE culture. My aim here is to examine the extent to which the social constraints of honour and shame may have had a direct influence upon the multifarious problems of social behaviour so evident within the community (not least the factionalism and strife which caused so many internal problems). In so doing, it presents a fresh reading of the letter, and the thesis it proposes is that the honour-shame model provides an appropriate and compelling framework within which to view the letter holistically within its social context. Hey, John A. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2688 2012-06-08T11:08:55Z 1984-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study examines the nature of, the relationship between salvation, knowledge and faith in the specific context of Christian theology. It seeks to establish an epistemological basis for the Christian message of salvation in a culture which since the time of the Enlightenment has been highly sceptical of religious claims. This study begins with a critique of the theology of Emil Brunner. It accepts two of his theological premises; that human reason and philosophy cannot prove the truth of salvation, and that the salvation of which Christianity speaks does not address humanity like a bolt from the blue as some groundless revelation but on the basis of a point of contact between man and God, which allows humanity to recognise the salvific event. The distinction Brunner draws between 'personal' knowledge as an encounter between subjects, and 'objective' knowledge which is the construct of human reason enables him to speak of revelation in an unusual and original way. According to this thesis Christian revelation is at the same time rationally and 'personally' comprehensible, and yet not capable of being deduced or verified by human reason. However closer investigation reveals that Brunner's exposition of the incarnation as the 'personal' self-revelation of God within history is not coherent in itself. His understanding of both the 'personal' and the 'historical' is not so much derived from a natural understanding of personality and history, but rather from a use of those terms as defined by, an understanding of revelation which contains implicit within it the groundlessness and the 'alien' nature of revelation which, he sought to avoid. It is the contention of this thesis that in spite of Brunner's failure it is possible to use his basic categories of the 'historical' and the 'personal' to speak of salvation as the, confirmation within history of human 'personal' worth. This worth is ultimately indescribable and inexplicable in the categories of a contingent and finite world, and, as such, is open to a transcendent confirmation and validation. The Christian tradition, itself rooted in the tradition of Judaism, bears witness, like Judaism, to the experience of such a 'personal' validation and vindication. In this sense, therefore, the resurrection of Jesus, while offering no historical 'proof of the truth' on account of its essentially 'personal' nature, can be seen as a legitimate epistemological basis for an understanding of salvation, which still preserves the primacy of faith. However the focus upon the category of salvation, and salvation as an epistemological touchstone, reveals that the resurrection of Jesus confirms not so much the traditional distinctive Christological ontology, but rather a more all-embracing ontology of the gracious transcendence of love itself which resists the narrow and distinctive definitions of orthodoxy. In fact an epistemologically valid ontology of faith's activity in love allows the traditional ontologies of Christology, Soteriology and the Trinity to be seen as peripheral to a contemporary articulation of the Christian message of salvation on account of their dubious epistemological foundations.

1984-01-01T00:00:00Z Hey, John A. This study examines the nature of, the relationship between salvation, knowledge and faith in the specific context of Christian theology. It seeks to establish an epistemological basis for the Christian message of salvation in a culture which since the time of the Enlightenment has been highly sceptical of religious claims. This study begins with a critique of the theology of Emil Brunner. It accepts two of his theological premises; that human reason and philosophy cannot prove the truth of salvation, and that the salvation of which Christianity speaks does not address humanity like a bolt from the blue as some groundless revelation but on the basis of a point of contact between man and God, which allows humanity to recognise the salvific event. The distinction Brunner draws between 'personal' knowledge as an encounter between subjects, and 'objective' knowledge which is the construct of human reason enables him to speak of revelation in an unusual and original way. According to this thesis Christian revelation is at the same time rationally and 'personally' comprehensible, and yet not capable of being deduced or verified by human reason. However closer investigation reveals that Brunner's exposition of the incarnation as the 'personal' self-revelation of God within history is not coherent in itself. His understanding of both the 'personal' and the 'historical' is not so much derived from a natural understanding of personality and history, but rather from a use of those terms as defined by, an understanding of revelation which contains implicit within it the groundlessness and the 'alien' nature of revelation which, he sought to avoid. It is the contention of this thesis that in spite of Brunner's failure it is possible to use his basic categories of the 'historical' and the 'personal' to speak of salvation as the, confirmation within history of human 'personal' worth. This worth is ultimately indescribable and inexplicable in the categories of a contingent and finite world, and, as such, is open to a transcendent confirmation and validation. The Christian tradition, itself rooted in the tradition of Judaism, bears witness, like Judaism, to the experience of such a 'personal' validation and vindication. In this sense, therefore, the resurrection of Jesus, while offering no historical 'proof of the truth' on account of its essentially 'personal' nature, can be seen as a legitimate epistemological basis for an understanding of salvation, which still preserves the primacy of faith. However the focus upon the category of salvation, and salvation as an epistemological touchstone, reveals that the resurrection of Jesus confirms not so much the traditional distinctive Christological ontology, but rather a more all-embracing ontology of the gracious transcendence of love itself which resists the narrow and distinctive definitions of orthodoxy. In fact an epistemologically valid ontology of faith's activity in love allows the traditional ontologies of Christology, Soteriology and the Trinity to be seen as peripheral to a contemporary articulation of the Christian message of salvation on account of their dubious epistemological foundations. Davies-Browne, Bankole P. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2685 2012-06-08T10:06:59Z 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The TSol is a Christian composition of late antiquity which narrates the story about how King Solomon built the Temple of God with the aid of demons he subjugated. Comparative analysis between the TSol and Jewish literature of late antiquity (between the closing centuries BCE and the Talmudic era), and the New Testament is primarily to establish any literary dependence and explore the nature of contact between the TSol and these materials; and also to isolate Jewish elements in the TSol. The Jewish materials discussed are the Hebrew Bible, the LXX, Tobit, Wisdom of Solomon, Pseudo-Philo, certain Qumran documents (11 PsApa and the Copper scroll), Josephus' Jewish Antiquities, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Songs, rabbinic literature, and certain Aramaic incantation texts. My research has shown that parallels do exist between the TSol, the Jewish literature discussed and the New Testament. The parallels between the TSol and the aforementioned literature are twofold: verbal and conceptual. Verbal parallels occur in the form of technical terminology; quotations, allusions and echoes. The second type of parallels appears in the form of motifs, themes, structural elements and ideas. These parallels seem to dominate in my analysis. There is no need to explain the parallels between the TSol and the literature discussed in terms of literary dependence. I have attempted to demonstrate that these parallels in most of the literature are indicative of indirect influence through shared use of the biblical tradition: motifs, stories and themes regarding King Solomon; a common fund of oral tradition(s) regarding Solomon's magical power over demonic world; shared literary language, milieu, and cultural conventions. Moreover, the author of the TSol seems to have recycled Jewish materials pertaining to Solomon and related motifs in his work. Apart from the New Testament, the best case for a direct influence of a Jewish work on the TSol is Tobit.

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z Davies-Browne, Bankole P. The TSol is a Christian composition of late antiquity which narrates the story about how King Solomon built the Temple of God with the aid of demons he subjugated. Comparative analysis between the TSol and Jewish literature of late antiquity (between the closing centuries BCE and the Talmudic era), and the New Testament is primarily to establish any literary dependence and explore the nature of contact between the TSol and these materials; and also to isolate Jewish elements in the TSol. The Jewish materials discussed are the Hebrew Bible, the LXX, Tobit, Wisdom of Solomon, Pseudo-Philo, certain Qumran documents (11 PsApa and the Copper scroll), Josephus' Jewish Antiquities, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Songs, rabbinic literature, and certain Aramaic incantation texts. My research has shown that parallels do exist between the TSol, the Jewish literature discussed and the New Testament. The parallels between the TSol and the aforementioned literature are twofold: verbal and conceptual. Verbal parallels occur in the form of technical terminology; quotations, allusions and echoes. The second type of parallels appears in the form of motifs, themes, structural elements and ideas. These parallels seem to dominate in my analysis. There is no need to explain the parallels between the TSol and the literature discussed in terms of literary dependence. I have attempted to demonstrate that these parallels in most of the literature are indicative of indirect influence through shared use of the biblical tradition: motifs, stories and themes regarding King Solomon; a common fund of oral tradition(s) regarding Solomon's magical power over demonic world; shared literary language, milieu, and cultural conventions. Moreover, the author of the TSol seems to have recycled Jewish materials pertaining to Solomon and related motifs in his work. Apart from the New Testament, the best case for a direct influence of a Jewish work on the TSol is Tobit. Althaus-Reid, Marcella http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2674 2012-06-07T08:54:35Z 1993-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of the theology of liberation, through the study of the influence of the hermeneutical circle of Paul Ricoeur on its methodology. Ricoeur is an interdisciplinary philosopher whose reflections are the product of a Transcendental Phenomenology in dialogue with Human Sciences and studies in the interpretation of symbols. Chapter one is an introduction to Ricoeur's interpretation theory and his hermeneutical circle. Chapter two deals with the specific elements of Ricoeur's Biblical Hermeneutic, the dynamic of symbols and the theory of myths. In the second part of chapter two we compare these elements with Rudolph Bultmann's demythologising project, and describe Ricoeur's most important contributions to Biblical interpretation. Chapter three studies the development of Ricoeur's Biblical hermeneutic in the work of three influential hermeneuticians from Latin America: J. Severino Croatto from Argentina, Juan Luis Segundo from Uruguay, and Clodovis Boff from Brazil. Each of these has based his interpretation theory on Ricoeur's work. We search for the basic tensions and conflicts in each of these three theologians, such as that between tradition and re-creation of meaning in the Scriptures, and their ways to resolve them in a new interpretative synthesis. Finally, in chapter four we present our conclusions and reflections. 1) Ricoeur's contribution to liberation theology in three main areas: the search for the Latin American identity, the actual praxis of liberation and the development of a concept of positive utopia. 2) The influence of Ricoeur in the work of Croatto, Segundo and Boff. 3) The original contribution of liberation theology to Ricoeur'g hermeneutical circle. This contribution comes from the hermeneutical function of the Basic Ecclesial Communities which complete Ricoeur's own project of a philosophy of action.

1993-01-01T00:00:00Z Althaus-Reid, Marcella The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of the theology of liberation, through the study of the influence of the hermeneutical circle of Paul Ricoeur on its methodology. Ricoeur is an interdisciplinary philosopher whose reflections are the product of a Transcendental Phenomenology in dialogue with Human Sciences and studies in the interpretation of symbols. Chapter one is an introduction to Ricoeur's interpretation theory and his hermeneutical circle. Chapter two deals with the specific elements of Ricoeur's Biblical Hermeneutic, the dynamic of symbols and the theory of myths. In the second part of chapter two we compare these elements with Rudolph Bultmann's demythologising project, and describe Ricoeur's most important contributions to Biblical interpretation. Chapter three studies the development of Ricoeur's Biblical hermeneutic in the work of three influential hermeneuticians from Latin America: J. Severino Croatto from Argentina, Juan Luis Segundo from Uruguay, and Clodovis Boff from Brazil. Each of these has based his interpretation theory on Ricoeur's work. We search for the basic tensions and conflicts in each of these three theologians, such as that between tradition and re-creation of meaning in the Scriptures, and their ways to resolve them in a new interpretative synthesis. Finally, in chapter four we present our conclusions and reflections. 1) Ricoeur's contribution to liberation theology in three main areas: the search for the Latin American identity, the actual praxis of liberation and the development of a concept of positive utopia. 2) The influence of Ricoeur in the work of Croatto, Segundo and Boff. 3) The original contribution of liberation theology to Ricoeur'g hermeneutical circle. This contribution comes from the hermeneutical function of the Basic Ecclesial Communities which complete Ricoeur's own project of a philosophy of action. Alexander, James Stewart http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2671 2012-06-07T08:21:15Z 1974-01-01T00:00:00Z 1974-01-01T00:00:00Z Alexander, James Stewart Walther, Otto Kenneth http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2670 2012-06-14T08:54:09Z 1980-01-01T00:00:00Z 1980-01-01T00:00:00Z Walther, Otto Kenneth Murray, Derek Boyd http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2660 2012-06-06T09:25:17Z 1977-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This Thesis sets out to examine in its eighteenth century context a Scottish Calvinist sectarian group of churches deriving the main features of their faith and practice from the writings of John Glas and Robert Sandeman. It proceeds by way of a description of the milieu out of which they came to describe the birth and spread in Scotland of these groups, the Glassites, the Scotch Baptists and the Old Scots Independents, and a similar group, the Bereans. Using some manuscript evidence and other sources, it looks at the social origin of the churches, and the composition of the groups. Some main theological distinctives are outlined, and the social and religious life of the groups illustrated, from contemporary sources. With this material as the evidence, an attempt is made to place the group in a wider setting, by comparison with other sectarian movements, and the conclusion drawn that the eighteenth century Independent movement in Scotland can be classified as a variety of the Revolutionary type of Sect, although other characteristics occur. That both social change and deeply held theological and ecelesiological beliefs contributed to the special shape of the groups is demonstrated.

1977-01-01T00:00:00Z Murray, Derek Boyd This Thesis sets out to examine in its eighteenth century context a Scottish Calvinist sectarian group of churches deriving the main features of their faith and practice from the writings of John Glas and Robert Sandeman. It proceeds by way of a description of the milieu out of which they came to describe the birth and spread in Scotland of these groups, the Glassites, the Scotch Baptists and the Old Scots Independents, and a similar group, the Bereans. Using some manuscript evidence and other sources, it looks at the social origin of the churches, and the composition of the groups. Some main theological distinctives are outlined, and the social and religious life of the groups illustrated, from contemporary sources. With this material as the evidence, an attempt is made to place the group in a wider setting, by comparison with other sectarian movements, and the conclusion drawn that the eighteenth century Independent movement in Scotland can be classified as a variety of the Revolutionary type of Sect, although other characteristics occur. That both social change and deeply held theological and ecelesiological beliefs contributed to the special shape of the groups is demonstrated. Kelly, Augustine http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2651 2012-07-03T15:20:48Z 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The Catholic community of post-Settlement England relied upon devotional literature to sustain the faith of individuals who were generally deprived of the sacraments and contact with Catholic clergy. Increasingly, these books were used not only to promote Catholic spirituality, but to encourage greater fidelity and loyalty to the Catholic church. The genre is represented by texts which vary greatly and which accommodated a wide and disparate audience with different devotional requirements and even with varying degrees of attachment to the Catholic faith. The period was one of tremendous religious literary activity on the Continent and those who were involved in the production and distribution of Catholic literature drew heavily upon the spiritual books which were issuing in such great numbers from the commercial presses in France and the Netherlands. Translating the devotional works of the spiritual masters of the day proved to be a tremendously effective way of providing English readers with books of orthodox devotion, while at the same time drawing the isolated community into the wider world of Catholic renewal. Providing Catholic devotional texts to a persecuted audience under tremendous pressure to conform very often drew that audience into the fray of controversy and the quarrel of religious disputation. The line between devotion and controversy was thin and often crossed, and devotional books were frequently used as a method of promoting not only Catholic spirituality, but Catholic loyalty as well. Thus, these books, like other devotional artefacts, were considered dangerous to the religious - and political - stability of England. In the contemporary situation these devotional books were clearly regarded as effective tools for maintaining Catholicism in England, both by those who produced them and by those who sought to destroy them. The study of these books can help us to appreciate that important role and the place of devotional literature in the wider context of confessional conflict.

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z Kelly, Augustine The Catholic community of post-Settlement England relied upon devotional literature to sustain the faith of individuals who were generally deprived of the sacraments and contact with Catholic clergy. Increasingly, these books were used not only to promote Catholic spirituality, but to encourage greater fidelity and loyalty to the Catholic church. The genre is represented by texts which vary greatly and which accommodated a wide and disparate audience with different devotional requirements and even with varying degrees of attachment to the Catholic faith. The period was one of tremendous religious literary activity on the Continent and those who were involved in the production and distribution of Catholic literature drew heavily upon the spiritual books which were issuing in such great numbers from the commercial presses in France and the Netherlands. Translating the devotional works of the spiritual masters of the day proved to be a tremendously effective way of providing English readers with books of orthodox devotion, while at the same time drawing the isolated community into the wider world of Catholic renewal. Providing Catholic devotional texts to a persecuted audience under tremendous pressure to conform very often drew that audience into the fray of controversy and the quarrel of religious disputation. The line between devotion and controversy was thin and often crossed, and devotional books were frequently used as a method of promoting not only Catholic spirituality, but Catholic loyalty as well. Thus, these books, like other devotional artefacts, were considered dangerous to the religious - and political - stability of England. In the contemporary situation these devotional books were clearly regarded as effective tools for maintaining Catholicism in England, both by those who produced them and by those who sought to destroy them. The study of these books can help us to appreciate that important role and the place of devotional literature in the wider context of confessional conflict. Shellrude, Glen M. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2649 2012-06-06T08:54:09Z 1986-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Approximately sixteen texts in the Nag Hammadi codices can be classified as apocalypses. The principal concern of this study is to determine whether the genre of a selection of these Gnostic apocalypses was based on the traditional apocalypses (Jewish and Christian). In the first two chapters a new definition of the apocalypse is proposed and developed in relation to the Jewish and early Christian apocalypses. This definition states that an apocalypse is essentially a literary work structured around a first person narrative account of a mediated revelation. Chapters three to five are devoted to a study of those Gnostic texts that recount revelations which the risen Christ is supposed to have given his disciples. After a study of the literature itself (chapter 3), there is a critique of Rudolph's hypothesis that the genre was based on Graeco-Roman dialogue genres (chapter 4). The fifth chapter sets forth and examines the two most probable ways to account for the genre of this literature: 1. the genre could have been based on the traditional apocalypse; 2. it is possible that the genre was created on the basis of post-passion traditions and was not directly modelled on any antecedent genre. In chapters six and seven it is argued that there is sufficient evidence to establish that the authors of Apocalypse of Peter (VII, 3) and the Apocalypse of Paul (V, 2) based their genres on the traditional apocalypse. The final chapter is devoted to a study of The Apocalypse of Adam (V, 5). This text contains elements characteristic of two traditional genres--the testament and the apocalypse. However in its present form ApocAd must be classified as a testament rather than an apocalypse. The last part of this chapter sets forth new evidence which establishes that ApocAd originated in Gnostic circles which had been influenced by Christian and Christian Gnostic traditions.

1986-01-01T00:00:00Z Shellrude, Glen M. Approximately sixteen texts in the Nag Hammadi codices can be classified as apocalypses. The principal concern of this study is to determine whether the genre of a selection of these Gnostic apocalypses was based on the traditional apocalypses (Jewish and Christian). In the first two chapters a new definition of the apocalypse is proposed and developed in relation to the Jewish and early Christian apocalypses. This definition states that an apocalypse is essentially a literary work structured around a first person narrative account of a mediated revelation. Chapters three to five are devoted to a study of those Gnostic texts that recount revelations which the risen Christ is supposed to have given his disciples. After a study of the literature itself (chapter 3), there is a critique of Rudolph's hypothesis that the genre was based on Graeco-Roman dialogue genres (chapter 4). The fifth chapter sets forth and examines the two most probable ways to account for the genre of this literature: 1. the genre could have been based on the traditional apocalypse; 2. it is possible that the genre was created on the basis of post-passion traditions and was not directly modelled on any antecedent genre. In chapters six and seven it is argued that there is sufficient evidence to establish that the authors of Apocalypse of Peter (VII, 3) and the Apocalypse of Paul (V, 2) based their genres on the traditional apocalypse. The final chapter is devoted to a study of The Apocalypse of Adam (V, 5). This text contains elements characteristic of two traditional genres--the testament and the apocalypse. However in its present form ApocAd must be classified as a testament rather than an apocalypse. The last part of this chapter sets forth new evidence which establishes that ApocAd originated in Gnostic circles which had been influenced by Christian and Christian Gnostic traditions. McKenzie, Edgar Caler http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2643 2012-06-14T08:43:21Z 1984-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Was British devotional literature a major factor in the rise of German Pietism? Beginning in the very first decade of the seventeenth century, eighteen books by the Puritan William Perkins were put into German for the benefit of Calvinist readers. He has been called the "father of Pietism." Works by other Pietistic Puritans were also translated into German at an early date. Three books rapidly gained official access to the Lutheran church. Edmund Bunny's Protestant version of Robert Parsons's Booke of Resolvtion was put into German and published in 1612. It was quickly adapted and expanded for Lutheran use, and it went through at least forty-eight editions by 1750. Lewis Bayly's Practice of Pietie, which had been translated into German and published at Basel in 1628, was adapted for Lutheran use in 1631. By 1750 it had gone through at least sixty-eight editions. Joseph Hall's Arte of Divine Meditation, which was put into German in 1631, went through at least sixty-one editions by 1750 as the second part of The Practice of Pietie. Although Daniel Dyke's Mystery of Selfe-Deceiuing did not gain official access to the Lutheran church, it was widely disseminated in Lutheran areas and went through at least twenty editions by 1728. British writers enjoyed great popularity in Germany. At least thirty-one works by Joseph Hall, thirty by Richard Baxter, and nine by John Bunyan, for example, were put into German; and some of them went through a number of editions. The party for reform within Lutheran orthodoxy, Pietism's immediate predecessor, was greatly influenced by British devotional books; and some of its leaders introduced them to the Lutheran church. In the course of time, they became thoroughly familiar with the ideals proclaimed in these books and made them their own. By 1750 more than 690 British religious works, most of which were devotional in character, were translated into German. Although the authors of some of them are not known, 301 or more of them were written by known British writers. Collectively these works involve approximately seventeen hundred editions and impressions. As Pietism advanced, more and more of them were translated into German and published by Lutherans. Johann Hülsemann began a controversy over British devotional literature in 1654 that lasted well into the first decades of the eighteenth century. Much of the criticism that was leveled against this body of writings is exactly the same as the criticism that was directed against Pietism. The cumulative effect of the available evidence creates the impression that German translations of British devotional books were a major and decisive factor in the rise and development of the Pietistic movement in Germany.

1984-01-01T00:00:00Z McKenzie, Edgar Caler Was British devotional literature a major factor in the rise of German Pietism? Beginning in the very first decade of the seventeenth century, eighteen books by the Puritan William Perkins were put into German for the benefit of Calvinist readers. He has been called the "father of Pietism." Works by other Pietistic Puritans were also translated into German at an early date. Three books rapidly gained official access to the Lutheran church. Edmund Bunny's Protestant version of Robert Parsons's Booke of Resolvtion was put into German and published in 1612. It was quickly adapted and expanded for Lutheran use, and it went through at least forty-eight editions by 1750. Lewis Bayly's Practice of Pietie, which had been translated into German and published at Basel in 1628, was adapted for Lutheran use in 1631. By 1750 it had gone through at least sixty-eight editions. Joseph Hall's Arte of Divine Meditation, which was put into German in 1631, went through at least sixty-one editions by 1750 as the second part of The Practice of Pietie. Although Daniel Dyke's Mystery of Selfe-Deceiuing did not gain official access to the Lutheran church, it was widely disseminated in Lutheran areas and went through at least twenty editions by 1728. British writers enjoyed great popularity in Germany. At least thirty-one works by Joseph Hall, thirty by Richard Baxter, and nine by John Bunyan, for example, were put into German; and some of them went through a number of editions. The party for reform within Lutheran orthodoxy, Pietism's immediate predecessor, was greatly influenced by British devotional books; and some of its leaders introduced them to the Lutheran church. In the course of time, they became thoroughly familiar with the ideals proclaimed in these books and made them their own. By 1750 more than 690 British religious works, most of which were devotional in character, were translated into German. Although the authors of some of them are not known, 301 or more of them were written by known British writers. Collectively these works involve approximately seventeen hundred editions and impressions. As Pietism advanced, more and more of them were translated into German and published by Lutherans. Johann Hülsemann began a controversy over British devotional literature in 1654 that lasted well into the first decades of the eighteenth century. Much of the criticism that was leveled against this body of writings is exactly the same as the criticism that was directed against Pietism. The cumulative effect of the available evidence creates the impression that German translations of British devotional books were a major and decisive factor in the rise and development of the Pietistic movement in Germany. Irvine, Andrew R. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2626 2012-06-04T13:38:25Z 1989-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis was to examine the concept of isolation as it occurs within the profession of ministry. Isolation, for the purpose of this thesis, is defined social-psychologically. Within the field research isolation is considered as evidenced professionally, socially and spiritually. This study utilized as its sample base 200 hundred Church of Scotland ministers (15% of total population) which provided 159 usable responses to an extensive mail survey. The mail survey consisted of a questionnaire designed and tested to measure experienced isolation; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality measure; and the Purpose In Life Test, a measure of motivation. A further 15% of the respondents were selected by random process for direct interviews. The thesis is divided into four primary sections; psychological perspective, theological perspective , field research, summary and conclusions. Chapter 1 reviews eight psychological perceptions of isolation as found in the works of such notables as Freud, Adler, Fromm, Horney, Laing, Sullivan, and Frankl. From these it was determined that common to all perspectives of isolation was a primary isolation from the SELF. In chapters 2 and 3a model of isolation was developed from the work of C. G. Jung and applied to the profession of ministry. Chapters 4 to 6 examine the concept of separation from the self from a theological perspective as found in the works of P. Tillich and E. Brunner. Chapter 6 develops a composite view of the self and considers it in light of the redemptive process. Chapters 7 to 10 review the actual field study conducted by the researcher among the Church of Scotland ministers. This study concludes in Chapter 11 with a summary of the findings and their implications for the ministry of the church. The salient factor evidenced was that isolation is not primarily an inter-relational problem, but rather an intrarelational phenomenon.

1989-01-01T00:00:00Z Irvine, Andrew R. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the concept of isolation as it occurs within the profession of ministry. Isolation, for the purpose of this thesis, is defined social-psychologically. Within the field research isolation is considered as evidenced professionally, socially and spiritually. This study utilized as its sample base 200 hundred Church of Scotland ministers (15% of total population) which provided 159 usable responses to an extensive mail survey. The mail survey consisted of a questionnaire designed and tested to measure experienced isolation; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality measure; and the Purpose In Life Test, a measure of motivation. A further 15% of the respondents were selected by random process for direct interviews. The thesis is divided into four primary sections; psychological perspective, theological perspective , field research, summary and conclusions. Chapter 1 reviews eight psychological perceptions of isolation as found in the works of such notables as Freud, Adler, Fromm, Horney, Laing, Sullivan, and Frankl. From these it was determined that common to all perspectives of isolation was a primary isolation from the SELF. In chapters 2 and 3a model of isolation was developed from the work of C. G. Jung and applied to the profession of ministry. Chapters 4 to 6 examine the concept of separation from the self from a theological perspective as found in the works of P. Tillich and E. Brunner. Chapter 6 develops a composite view of the self and considers it in light of the redemptive process. Chapters 7 to 10 review the actual field study conducted by the researcher among the Church of Scotland ministers. This study concludes in Chapter 11 with a summary of the findings and their implications for the ministry of the church. The salient factor evidenced was that isolation is not primarily an inter-relational problem, but rather an intrarelational phenomenon. Gabelman, Daniel http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2584 2012-05-04T14:08:21Z 2011-11-28T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Though known for his fantastical writings George MacDonald is often considered to be a typical Victorian teacher of religious and moral seriousness. Approaches to MacDonald’s works normally seek to find his ‘message’ by expositing the moral, social, pedagogical, psychological or theological ‘content’ of his work. This study recasts MacDonald in the light of his shorter fairytales for the ‘childlike’ and argues that these seemingly small and insignificant works are a golden key to his artistic enterprise. This is not because of any particular ‘message’ that they carry but because of their peculiarly light mode of generating meaning and the relation of this lightness to theology. Whilst it is frequently disparaged, levity actually has strong parallels with the theological atmosphere of Christianity. Light modalities such as folly, ecstasy, play, vanity, carnival and Sabbath demonstrate that the Christian faith has greater affinities with lightness and whimsicality than its solemn defenders sometimes admit. MacDonald’s fairytales draw upon this surprising harmony between levity and faith to create environments in which readers can playfully reflect upon the nature of ultimate reality and begin to find their own place within that reality. By helping to remove the mask of ‘seriousness’ presented by things in the everyday world, fairytales engender a kind of ‘divine carelessness’ and help people to let go of the weighty cares and fears that keep them tightly bound to worldly things.

2011-11-28T00:00:00Z Gabelman, Daniel Though known for his fantastical writings George MacDonald is often considered to be a typical Victorian teacher of religious and moral seriousness. Approaches to MacDonald’s works normally seek to find his ‘message’ by expositing the moral, social, pedagogical, psychological or theological ‘content’ of his work. This study recasts MacDonald in the light of his shorter fairytales for the ‘childlike’ and argues that these seemingly small and insignificant works are a golden key to his artistic enterprise. This is not because of any particular ‘message’ that they carry but because of their peculiarly light mode of generating meaning and the relation of this lightness to theology. Whilst it is frequently disparaged, levity actually has strong parallels with the theological atmosphere of Christianity. Light modalities such as folly, ecstasy, play, vanity, carnival and Sabbath demonstrate that the Christian faith has greater affinities with lightness and whimsicality than its solemn defenders sometimes admit. MacDonald’s fairytales draw upon this surprising harmony between levity and faith to create environments in which readers can playfully reflect upon the nature of ultimate reality and begin to find their own place within that reality. By helping to remove the mask of ‘seriousness’ presented by things in the everyday world, fairytales engender a kind of ‘divine carelessness’ and help people to let go of the weighty cares and fears that keep them tightly bound to worldly things. Tallon, Luke Ben http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2572 2012-09-03T09:40:48Z 2011-06-21T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study offers an ecumenical exploration of human transformation through the examination of this topic in the thought of Karl Barth (1888-1968), a Swiss Reformed theologian; Joseph Ratzinger (b. 1927), a Roman Catholic theologian; and John Zizioulas (b. 1931), a Greek Orthodox theologian. Describing and understanding human transformation stands as a crucial task for theology because no one is simply born a Christian—in order to be a Christian one must become a Christian. The first chapter introduces this topic, the three theologians (highlighting their commonalities), and the three questions that guide the analysis of each theologian and the thesis as a whole: What is the goal of human transformation? What is the basis of human transformation? How are humans transformed? Chapters 2, 3, and 4 treat the topic of human transformation in the theology of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas, respectively. All three understand the goal of human transformation to be the prayer of the children of God, and locate its basis in God’s reconciling act in Jesus Christ—an act itself based in the primordial divine decision to be God pro nobis. Even within this broad agreement, however, differences are evident, especially with regard to eschatology. Consideration of how this transformation occurs reveals significant differences concerning the agency of Jesus Christ in relation to the Holy Spirit and the church. The final chapter explores 1) the convergences and divergences between Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas regarding human transformation; 2) the contributions of this study to the interpretation of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas; and 3) the relationship between human transformation and participation in God. Throughout, attention is given to the relationship between Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, the eschaton, and the triunity of God and human transformation. All three accounts of human transformation point beyond the transition between sinful and redeemed humanity to a dynamic anthropology in which the constant asking, receiving, thanking, and asking again is the very “ontological location” of the eschatological life of humanity: our being is in becoming.

2011-06-21T00:00:00Z Tallon, Luke Ben This study offers an ecumenical exploration of human transformation through the examination of this topic in the thought of Karl Barth (1888-1968), a Swiss Reformed theologian; Joseph Ratzinger (b. 1927), a Roman Catholic theologian; and John Zizioulas (b. 1931), a Greek Orthodox theologian. Describing and understanding human transformation stands as a crucial task for theology because no one is simply born a Christian—in order to be a Christian one must become a Christian. The first chapter introduces this topic, the three theologians (highlighting their commonalities), and the three questions that guide the analysis of each theologian and the thesis as a whole: What is the goal of human transformation? What is the basis of human transformation? How are humans transformed? Chapters 2, 3, and 4 treat the topic of human transformation in the theology of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas, respectively. All three understand the goal of human transformation to be the prayer of the children of God, and locate its basis in God’s reconciling act in Jesus Christ—an act itself based in the primordial divine decision to be God pro nobis. Even within this broad agreement, however, differences are evident, especially with regard to eschatology. Consideration of how this transformation occurs reveals significant differences concerning the agency of Jesus Christ in relation to the Holy Spirit and the church. The final chapter explores 1) the convergences and divergences between Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas regarding human transformation; 2) the contributions of this study to the interpretation of Barth, Ratzinger, and Zizioulas; and 3) the relationship between human transformation and participation in God. Throughout, attention is given to the relationship between Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, the eschaton, and the triunity of God and human transformation. All three accounts of human transformation point beyond the transition between sinful and redeemed humanity to a dynamic anthropology in which the constant asking, receiving, thanking, and asking again is the very “ontological location” of the eschatological life of humanity: our being is in becoming. Genig, Joshua Dale http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2554 2013-03-28T09:48:26Z 2012-06-19T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis seeks to demonstrate that, in failing to take the sacramentality of the Word seriously, the preaching of the Church has suffered negative consequences. In short, preaching has often become, at best, a form of instruction or, at worst, an incantation of sorts, rather than an integral part of deepening our relationship with Christ by functioning sacramentally to bring about divine participation with Jesus’ corporeal humanity in his living Word. Moreover, this trouble has had a profoundly negative effect on my own Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod due, in part, to our Reformation heritage as Christians who believe, teach, and confess the sole authority and divine inspiration of Holy Scripture. Yet, what has been lost over the past 500 years since the Reformation began is the reality of Christ’s ongoing corporeal presence in and for the Church, particularly as he is present in the viva vox of preaching. In order to recover that reality, I propose that one should consider the annunciation to Mary where, with a sermon of sorts, the corporeal Christ took up residence in the flesh of his hearer. In addition to granting Mary a son, however, this tangible presence of Jesus also delivered to her precisely what was contained within his own flesh: the fullness of the Godhead (Col 2:9). When understood as a biblical paradigm for the Church, it becomes clear that what happened to Mary can, indeed, happen to Christians of the present day. To that end, I propose that preaching today, when understood sacramentally, can deliver the fullness of the person of Christ, who continues to come in corporeality, with humanity and divinity, in the viva vox of preaching.

2012-06-19T00:00:00Z Genig, Joshua Dale This thesis seeks to demonstrate that, in failing to take the sacramentality of the Word seriously, the preaching of the Church has suffered negative consequences. In short, preaching has often become, at best, a form of instruction or, at worst, an incantation of sorts, rather than an integral part of deepening our relationship with Christ by functioning sacramentally to bring about divine participation with Jesus’ corporeal humanity in his living Word. Moreover, this trouble has had a profoundly negative effect on my own Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod due, in part, to our Reformation heritage as Christians who believe, teach, and confess the sole authority and divine inspiration of Holy Scripture. Yet, what has been lost over the past 500 years since the Reformation began is the reality of Christ’s ongoing corporeal presence in and for the Church, particularly as he is present in the viva vox of preaching. In order to recover that reality, I propose that one should consider the annunciation to Mary where, with a sermon of sorts, the corporeal Christ took up residence in the flesh of his hearer. In addition to granting Mary a son, however, this tangible presence of Jesus also delivered to her precisely what was contained within his own flesh: the fullness of the Godhead (Col 2:9). When understood as a biblical paradigm for the Church, it becomes clear that what happened to Mary can, indeed, happen to Christians of the present day. To that end, I propose that preaching today, when understood sacramentally, can deliver the fullness of the person of Christ, who continues to come in corporeality, with humanity and divinity, in the viva vox of preaching. Stirling, A. Mark http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2537 2012-04-04T15:30:54Z 2011-12-09T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The focus of this thesis is on the way in which the theology of the author of the Epistle to the Ephesians is both shaped by and shapes the appropriation of OT texts and themes, especially in Eph 2:11-22. This reveals an overarching theme, not only in 2:11-22, but in the whole letter, of the Davidic scion who builds his new temple consisting of Jews and Gentiles together. The creation and growth of this new humanity is expressed using temple imagery and by appropriating OT texts that are concerned with the eschatological pilgrimage of the Gentiles to Zion. Ephesians is concerned with the transformed walking that is inherent to membership of the Messiah’s people. It is further concerned that this corporate entity should function as God’s dwelling place on earth; unity and loving relationships therefore being the burden of Ephesians’ paraenesis. This entire process is summed up at the gateway to the letter’s paraenesis in the phrase “learn the Messiah.” The discipleship thus conceived is about much more than (but not less than) individual transformation. The temple/dwelling place theme imparts a corporate dimension to growth that is crucial if the Messiah’s people are to function as they ought. This functioning is given further definition, however, by the expansionist element introduced by the temple theme and texts, as well as the framing of membership of the Messiah’s people in explicitly covenantal terms. Ephesians may thus be seen as a letter whose purpose is to induct believers into the privileges and responsibilities of the Messiah’s new humanity, to give them the self understanding that they constitute corporately the new temple and to convince them that the manner of their “walking” is the means by which the unity and integrity of God’s dwelling place is both expressed and maintained.

2011-12-09T00:00:00Z Stirling, A. Mark The focus of this thesis is on the way in which the theology of the author of the Epistle to the Ephesians is both shaped by and shapes the appropriation of OT texts and themes, especially in Eph 2:11-22. This reveals an overarching theme, not only in 2:11-22, but in the whole letter, of the Davidic scion who builds his new temple consisting of Jews and Gentiles together. The creation and growth of this new humanity is expressed using temple imagery and by appropriating OT texts that are concerned with the eschatological pilgrimage of the Gentiles to Zion. Ephesians is concerned with the transformed walking that is inherent to membership of the Messiah’s people. It is further concerned that this corporate entity should function as God’s dwelling place on earth; unity and loving relationships therefore being the burden of Ephesians’ paraenesis. This entire process is summed up at the gateway to the letter’s paraenesis in the phrase “learn the Messiah.” The discipleship thus conceived is about much more than (but not less than) individual transformation. The temple/dwelling place theme imparts a corporate dimension to growth that is crucial if the Messiah’s people are to function as they ought. This functioning is given further definition, however, by the expansionist element introduced by the temple theme and texts, as well as the framing of membership of the Messiah’s people in explicitly covenantal terms. Ephesians may thus be seen as a letter whose purpose is to induct believers into the privileges and responsibilities of the Messiah’s new humanity, to give them the self understanding that they constitute corporately the new temple and to convince them that the manner of their “walking” is the means by which the unity and integrity of God’s dwelling place is both expressed and maintained. Gombis, Timothy G. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2321 2012-02-16T15:47:00Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: In this thesis I argue that the letter of Ephesians contains a coherent argument and that this argument is animated by the ideology of divine warfare. This ideological tool was utilized throughout the ancient world to assert and defend the cosmic supremacy of national deities, and appears throughout the Old Testament in texts that declare the exalted status of Yahweh over all other gods and over the forces of chaos that threaten creation. This ideology is applied to Ephesians with the result that what many regard as the central portion of the letter-Ephesians 2--contains a complete cycle of this mythological pattern. Here, within a context of praise and worship (1:1-19), the cosmic Lordship of Christ is asserted (1:20-23) and the triumphs of God in Christ over the powers that rule the present evil age are elaborated (2:1-22). God in Christ has triumphed over the powers that hold humanity captive to death by raising believers to life and seating them in the heavenlies with Christ. Further, Christ triumphs over the powers and their divisive effects within humanity by creating a new unified humanity that shares in the life of God in Christ by the Spirit. I then attempt to demonstrate that reading Ephesians through this lens provides satisfying solutions to a number of problems in subsequent sections of the letter. The 'autobiographical' remarks in Eph 3:2-13 are not intended as an apostolic defence, but rather are an explanation of how Paul's imprisonment, which would appear to be a devastating argument against the cosmic Lordship of Christ, actually serves to epitomize and reinforce that exalted status. I also argue that the difficult quotation of Psalm 68 in Eph 4:8 finds a satisfying solution through the application of divine warfare ideology. Finally, I argue that this reading demonstrates that the two halves of Ephesians are integrally related-that the exhortatory portion is a call to the New Humanity to engage in divine warfare against the evil powers, embodying the triumph of God in Christ in their corporate life.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Gombis, Timothy G. In this thesis I argue that the letter of Ephesians contains a coherent argument and that this argument is animated by the ideology of divine warfare. This ideological tool was utilized throughout the ancient world to assert and defend the cosmic supremacy of national deities, and appears throughout the Old Testament in texts that declare the exalted status of Yahweh over all other gods and over the forces of chaos that threaten creation. This ideology is applied to Ephesians with the result that what many regard as the central portion of the letter-Ephesians 2--contains a complete cycle of this mythological pattern. Here, within a context of praise and worship (1:1-19), the cosmic Lordship of Christ is asserted (1:20-23) and the triumphs of God in Christ over the powers that rule the present evil age are elaborated (2:1-22). God in Christ has triumphed over the powers that hold humanity captive to death by raising believers to life and seating them in the heavenlies with Christ. Further, Christ triumphs over the powers and their divisive effects within humanity by creating a new unified humanity that shares in the life of God in Christ by the Spirit. I then attempt to demonstrate that reading Ephesians through this lens provides satisfying solutions to a number of problems in subsequent sections of the letter. The 'autobiographical' remarks in Eph 3:2-13 are not intended as an apostolic defence, but rather are an explanation of how Paul's imprisonment, which would appear to be a devastating argument against the cosmic Lordship of Christ, actually serves to epitomize and reinforce that exalted status. I also argue that the difficult quotation of Psalm 68 in Eph 4:8 finds a satisfying solution through the application of divine warfare ideology. Finally, I argue that this reading demonstrates that the two halves of Ephesians are integrally related-that the exhortatory portion is a call to the New Humanity to engage in divine warfare against the evil powers, embodying the triumph of God in Christ in their corporate life. Smith, Justin M. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2112 2011-12-16T14:35:40Z 2011-11-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis addresses the gap in the scholarly record pertaining to the explicit relationship between gospel genre and implied audience. This thesis challenges the consensus that the canonical gospels were written to/for individual communities/churches and that these documents (gospels) address the specific historical/social circumstances of each community. It is argued in the thesis that the Evangelists chose the genre of biography because it was the genre that was best suited to present the words and deeds of Jesus to the largest possible audience. The central thesis is supported by four lines of evidence: two external and two internal (Chapters 3-6). Furthermore, the thesis is bolstered by a new typology for Greco-Roman biography that arranges the biographical examples within a relational matrix. Chapter 2 is integral to the main thesis of this dissertation in that it proposes nuanced language capable of being applied to specific kinds of biographies with the emphasis on the relationship to implied audience. Chapter 2 sets the boundaries of the discussion of genre as a vital factor in potentially determining audience as well as raising the important consideration that genres are representative of authorial choice and intent. Chapters 3 and 4 take up the discussion of the two lines of external evidence pertinent to placing the Gospels within the relational typology proposed in chapter 2. Chapter 3 supports the main argument of the thesis in that it demonstrates that the earliest Christian interpreters of the Gospels did not understand them to be sectarian documents written specifically to and/or for specific sectarian Christian communities. The second line of external evidence, taken up in chapter 4, deals with the wider context of Jesus literature in the second/third century. We argue that these texts, if any of them are indeed biographies, were part of the wider Christian practice of writing and disseminating literary presentations of Jesus and Jesus traditions. Chapters 5 and 6 address the lines of internal evidence and chapter 5 deals specifically with the difficulty in reconstructing the various gospel communities that might lie behind the gospel texts. It is argued that the genre of biography does not allow us to reconstruct these communities with any detail. Finally, chapter 6 is concerned with the ‘all nations’ motif present in all four of the canonical gospels. The ‘all nations’ and ‘sending’ motifs in the Gospels suggest an evangelistic tone for the Gospels and further suggest an ideal secondary audience beyond those who could be identified as Christian.

2011-11-01T00:00:00Z Smith, Justin M. This thesis addresses the gap in the scholarly record pertaining to the explicit relationship between gospel genre and implied audience. This thesis challenges the consensus that the canonical gospels were written to/for individual communities/churches and that these documents (gospels) address the specific historical/social circumstances of each community. It is argued in the thesis that the Evangelists chose the genre of biography because it was the genre that was best suited to present the words and deeds of Jesus to the largest possible audience. The central thesis is supported by four lines of evidence: two external and two internal (Chapters 3-6). Furthermore, the thesis is bolstered by a new typology for Greco-Roman biography that arranges the biographical examples within a relational matrix. Chapter 2 is integral to the main thesis of this dissertation in that it proposes nuanced language capable of being applied to specific kinds of biographies with the emphasis on the relationship to implied audience. Chapter 2 sets the boundaries of the discussion of genre as a vital factor in potentially determining audience as well as raising the important consideration that genres are representative of authorial choice and intent. Chapters 3 and 4 take up the discussion of the two lines of external evidence pertinent to placing the Gospels within the relational typology proposed in chapter 2. Chapter 3 supports the main argument of the thesis in that it demonstrates that the earliest Christian interpreters of the Gospels did not understand them to be sectarian documents written specifically to and/or for specific sectarian Christian communities. The second line of external evidence, taken up in chapter 4, deals with the wider context of Jesus literature in the second/third century. We argue that these texts, if any of them are indeed biographies, were part of the wider Christian practice of writing and disseminating literary presentations of Jesus and Jesus traditions. Chapters 5 and 6 address the lines of internal evidence and chapter 5 deals specifically with the difficulty in reconstructing the various gospel communities that might lie behind the gospel texts. It is argued that the genre of biography does not allow us to reconstruct these communities with any detail. Finally, chapter 6 is concerned with the ‘all nations’ motif present in all four of the canonical gospels. The ‘all nations’ and ‘sending’ motifs in the Gospels suggest an evangelistic tone for the Gospels and further suggest an ideal secondary audience beyond those who could be identified as Christian. Farlow, Matthew S. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2102 2011-12-12T12:04:47Z 2011-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The aim of this project is to investigate the proper response of theology to the Christian God who, as revealed through revelation, is Being-in-act. This project takes seriously the idea posited by Shakespeare, that totus mundus agit histrionem, and upon this stage ‘all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.’ If, then, God’s Being is in act, and as so many have deduced, life and death are enveloped within the drama of everyday, then, might it be possible that our theological endeavours would prosper through a dramatic rendering? In light of this, the project seeks to illumine that it is beneficial for both the Church and society, to realise how drama can be, and is, fruitful for our theological endeavours. God is Being-in-act, and through His revelation, He invites humanity to enter into and participate in His action. In light of the aforementioned, then, theology must contend with the implications for its practices, which, as is being argued, are benefited most through a full embrace of the dramatising of theology. The thesis is situated in the recent movement of our theological endeavours that recognise the profundity of the dramatic and its ability to illuminate God’s action and call to action from theology, the Church and society. Moving forward from the seminal work of Hans Urs von Balthasar, and set forth in the context of the theologies of Balthasar and Karl Barth, this project argues that it is through the dramatising of theology that theology is best equipped to illumine God’s desire for humanity’s participation in His Theo-drama. The dramatising of theology is a natural response to God’s Being-in-act; it is the natural movement of theology’s response to God’s action which calls for an active response on our part. Current examples of today’s theological movement towards the dramatic can be seen in such authors as Max Harris, Trevor Hart, Stanley Hauerwas, Michael Horton, Todd Johnson and Dale Savidge, Ben Quash, Kevin Vanhoozer, Samuel Wells and N.T. Wright. This project hopes to contribute to the movement towards the dramatising of theology.

2011-11-30T00:00:00Z Farlow, Matthew S. The aim of this project is to investigate the proper response of theology to the Christian God who, as revealed through revelation, is Being-in-act. This project takes seriously the idea posited by Shakespeare, that totus mundus agit histrionem, and upon this stage ‘all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.’ If, then, God’s Being is in act, and as so many have deduced, life and death are enveloped within the drama of everyday, then, might it be possible that our theological endeavours would prosper through a dramatic rendering? In light of this, the project seeks to illumine that it is beneficial for both the Church and society, to realise how drama can be, and is, fruitful for our theological endeavours. God is Being-in-act, and through His revelation, He invites humanity to enter into and participate in His action. In light of the aforementioned, then, theology must contend with the implications for its practices, which, as is being argued, are benefited most through a full embrace of the dramatising of theology. The thesis is situated in the recent movement of our theological endeavours that recognise the profundity of the dramatic and its ability to illuminate God’s action and call to action from theology, the Church and society. Moving forward from the seminal work of Hans Urs von Balthasar, and set forth in the context of the theologies of Balthasar and Karl Barth, this project argues that it is through the dramatising of theology that theology is best equipped to illumine God’s desire for humanity’s participation in His Theo-drama. The dramatising of theology is a natural response to God’s Being-in-act; it is the natural movement of theology’s response to God’s action which calls for an active response on our part. Current examples of today’s theological movement towards the dramatic can be seen in such authors as Max Harris, Trevor Hart, Stanley Hauerwas, Michael Horton, Todd Johnson and Dale Savidge, Ben Quash, Kevin Vanhoozer, Samuel Wells and N.T. Wright. This project hopes to contribute to the movement towards the dramatising of theology. Chavez-Segura, Alejandro http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2091 2011-12-06T11:32:03Z 2011-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: For many decades, Buddhism in the West has been conceived as an ‘other-worldly’ religion with very little or –at least—limited authority in the public arena. This partial view of the Buddhist path overlooks the potential of Buddhism to interpret reality and help establish new causes and conditions to improve it. This thesis is rooted in Buddhism and seeks to develop a Buddhist theology in order to understand how international relations, as part of the contingent reality, are subject to change. Thus there is the possibility of reconstructing reality through the sum of individual will expressed in social groups, institutions and states. This Theology of International Relations follows a methodology of causality rooted in the dependent origination found in Buddhist theology. Thus, relative reality is conceived as the result of the interaction of different causes and conditions; individuals, through their thoughts and actions, provide new conditions which will be crystallized in particular social arrangements through an inter-subjective consensus. This arrangement is highly influenced by the individual’s allegiance with the sacred, however this is conceived, and thus establishes an ethical guideline in the individual’s relationship with other sentient beings and the ultimate level of existence. This dependent construction of reality goes from the individual level of analysis to the social, state, interstate and global levels in a chain of contingent reality. Therefore I suggest that states, institutions and society are the reflection of shared ideas, beliefs, goals and perceptions of reality between individuals. The human capacity to shape reality is rooted in the premise that they face a relative reality, one that is contingent on several causes and conditions. In Buddhism, all sentient beings play a key role in shaping reality but human beings play a unique role because they can overcome suffering when they recognize the interdependent relation of causes and conditions in a relative reality. If this is achieved, then absolute reality can be experienced, wherein the individual goes beyond all conceptions and senses in a state of emptiness of the self. These core ideas of a contingent reality, its construction through an inter-subjective consensus and the need to experience an absolute reality are premises which Buddhist theology developed and which this thesis explores. In chapter one this thesis considers the basis of Buddhist theology and how it explains the experience of the sacred, the role of religion and the potential for the construction of a relative reality. This thesis argues that religion is at the core of human existence as a vessel of faith which follows a particular theological path toward a communion with the divine. The Buddhist path, aware of the interaction of different levels of reality—relative and absolute—also conceives inner development and social change as key elements of an interdependent transformation. The idea of ‘world peace through inner peace’ is one advocated by ‘engaged Buddhists’ and found in the ethical code of Buddha’s message. Chapter two examines how international relations became the arena where individuals, institutions and states converge and reflect the basic premises of their world-views, whether rooted in anger, hatred and ignorance of the interdependent nature of all phenomena, or based in compassion and awareness of a shared common good. In addition, it addresses the issue of the resurgence of religion in international relations and how it is present or absent from political science theories and policy making. Through this analysis, several established elements such as the concept of the state, secularism and religion as a source of war, are challenged in a new era of multi-agency and mutual influence through religious ideas, groups and communities. Following this inter-subjective construction of the world, the thesis presents two case studies which argue that religious leaders exercise political influence through their actions, ideas and beliefs. The first is the life and works of Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama in chapter three and the second is the life of Archbishop Desmond Tutu in chapter four. The former having suffered the violent occupation of Tibet and the continuous attacks on Tibetan culture that led him into exile, and the latter having faced the policies of hatred under apartheid, the Dalai Lama and Tutu managed to suggest a world where forgiveness is rooted in compassion and were human beings share the responsibility of creating a compassionate reality. The final chapter develops a new approach to the study of religion and politics providing new variables of study and new categories to understand how international relations are influenced by religious ideas and movements. This thesis argues that there is a need to study and understand this interdependent relation between religious and secular actors through theoretical approaches in international relations and opens the discipline to new paradigms such as the Buddhist theological approach. The outcome of this partnership depends on the individual’s decision to engage, whether in negative causation that leads to violence, fear, terror and the perpetuation of suffering or in a positive one which opens the possibility of peace and liberation from suffering through compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation, recognizing our common humanity and shared universal responsibility.

2011-11-30T00:00:00Z Chavez-Segura, Alejandro For many decades, Buddhism in the West has been conceived as an ‘other-worldly’ religion with very little or –at least—limited authority in the public arena. This partial view of the Buddhist path overlooks the potential of Buddhism to interpret reality and help establish new causes and conditions to improve it. This thesis is rooted in Buddhism and seeks to develop a Buddhist theology in order to understand how international relations, as part of the contingent reality, are subject to change. Thus there is the possibility of reconstructing reality through the sum of individual will expressed in social groups, institutions and states. This Theology of International Relations follows a methodology of causality rooted in the dependent origination found in Buddhist theology. Thus, relative reality is conceived as the result of the interaction of different causes and conditions; individuals, through their thoughts and actions, provide new conditions which will be crystallized in particular social arrangements through an inter-subjective consensus. This arrangement is highly influenced by the individual’s allegiance with the sacred, however this is conceived, and thus establishes an ethical guideline in the individual’s relationship with other sentient beings and the ultimate level of existence. This dependent construction of reality goes from the individual level of analysis to the social, state, interstate and global levels in a chain of contingent reality. Therefore I suggest that states, institutions and society are the reflection of shared ideas, beliefs, goals and perceptions of reality between individuals. The human capacity to shape reality is rooted in the premise that they face a relative reality, one that is contingent on several causes and conditions. In Buddhism, all sentient beings play a key role in shaping reality but human beings play a unique role because they can overcome suffering when they recognize the interdependent relation of causes and conditions in a relative reality. If this is achieved, then absolute reality can be experienced, wherein the individual goes beyond all conceptions and senses in a state of emptiness of the self. These core ideas of a contingent reality, its construction through an inter-subjective consensus and the need to experience an absolute reality are premises which Buddhist theology developed and which this thesis explores. In chapter one this thesis considers the basis of Buddhist theology and how it explains the experience of the sacred, the role of religion and the potential for the construction of a relative reality. This thesis argues that religion is at the core of human existence as a vessel of faith which follows a particular theological path toward a communion with the divine. The Buddhist path, aware of the interaction of different levels of reality—relative and absolute—also conceives inner development and social change as key elements of an interdependent transformation. The idea of ‘world peace through inner peace’ is one advocated by ‘engaged Buddhists’ and found in the ethical code of Buddha’s message. Chapter two examines how international relations became the arena where individuals, institutions and states converge and reflect the basic premises of their world-views, whether rooted in anger, hatred and ignorance of the interdependent nature of all phenomena, or based in compassion and awareness of a shared common good. In addition, it addresses the issue of the resurgence of religion in international relations and how it is present or absent from political science theories and policy making. Through this analysis, several established elements such as the concept of the state, secularism and religion as a source of war, are challenged in a new era of multi-agency and mutual influence through religious ideas, groups and communities. Following this inter-subjective construction of the world, the thesis presents two case studies which argue that religious leaders exercise political influence through their actions, ideas and beliefs. The first is the life and works of Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama in chapter three and the second is the life of Archbishop Desmond Tutu in chapter four. The former having suffered the violent occupation of Tibet and the continuous attacks on Tibetan culture that led him into exile, and the latter having faced the policies of hatred under apartheid, the Dalai Lama and Tutu managed to suggest a world where forgiveness is rooted in compassion and were human beings share the responsibility of creating a compassionate reality. The final chapter develops a new approach to the study of religion and politics providing new variables of study and new categories to understand how international relations are influenced by religious ideas and movements. This thesis argues that there is a need to study and understand this interdependent relation between religious and secular actors through theoretical approaches in international relations and opens the discipline to new paradigms such as the Buddhist theological approach. The outcome of this partnership depends on the individual’s decision to engage, whether in negative causation that leads to violence, fear, terror and the perpetuation of suffering or in a positive one which opens the possibility of peace and liberation from suffering through compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation, recognizing our common humanity and shared universal responsibility. Johnson, Mark http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2038 2011-11-07T16:37:52Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The following thesis investigates the British punk movement of the mid-late seventies and suggests that, by performing acts of imaginative re-identification, we may gain greater insights into both the phenomenon of punk and aspects of Jesus’ life, ministry, and teaching despite their axiomatic and sometimes problematic differences. To do this we explore the power of the sartorial creations that the movement adopted and the way in which they conveyed an oppositional protest message and stance. We explore punk graphics and the way in which they could offer a targeted critique of the nation. We look at punk performances and how they confrontationally engaged with their audiences and what they wanted to elicit in return. We reflect on women in punk, punk in Northern Ireland and the relationship between punk and the black community and the degree to which punk exhibited a counter-cultural attitude to relationships. Concluding our look at punk we investigate how society, the authorities and commerce reacted to the movement, before investigating punk as a trans-historical essence. Having explored punk and established imaginative connections we then revisit aspects of Jesus’ life and consider him as a subversive who negated some of the national symbols of Israel, collided with Jewish national authority and reversed many of the nation’s perspectives. We look at the more confrontational nature of Jesus, his use of symbolic physical statements and his interaction with women, teaching on enemies and the way he related to the outcast. We then conclude by showing the degree to which the present-day church has been absorbed into the surrounding culture and explore two instances in post-war theology where there has been a recovery of the more seditious pattern within Jesus’ life before seeing whether there is anything that the church may learn from imaginatively identifying with punk.

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z Johnson, Mark The following thesis investigates the British punk movement of the mid-late seventies and suggests that, by performing acts of imaginative re-identification, we may gain greater insights into both the phenomenon of punk and aspects of Jesus’ life, ministry, and teaching despite their axiomatic and sometimes problematic differences. To do this we explore the power of the sartorial creations that the movement adopted and the way in which they conveyed an oppositional protest message and stance. We explore punk graphics and the way in which they could offer a targeted critique of the nation. We look at punk performances and how they confrontationally engaged with their audiences and what they wanted to elicit in return. We reflect on women in punk, punk in Northern Ireland and the relationship between punk and the black community and the degree to which punk exhibited a counter-cultural attitude to relationships. Concluding our look at punk we investigate how society, the authorities and commerce reacted to the movement, before investigating punk as a trans-historical essence. Having explored punk and established imaginative connections we then revisit aspects of Jesus’ life and consider him as a subversive who negated some of the national symbols of Israel, collided with Jewish national authority and reversed many of the nation’s perspectives. We look at the more confrontational nature of Jesus, his use of symbolic physical statements and his interaction with women, teaching on enemies and the way he related to the outcast. We then conclude by showing the degree to which the present-day church has been absorbed into the surrounding culture and explore two instances in post-war theology where there has been a recovery of the more seditious pattern within Jesus’ life before seeing whether there is anything that the church may learn from imaginatively identifying with punk. Stone, Timothy J. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1992 2011-09-01T13:23:16Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: It is widely agreed among scholars that the third part of the Hebrew canon, the Writings, is a miscellaneous collection of materials, as its name would seem to suggest. My thesis re-examines this assumption. The introduction sets out the critical issues, outlines the thesis and charts the larger picture from which the thesis makes a limited contribution. Chapter one explains my approach. In critical conversation with Brevard Childs and his adherents, I examine the need for contours within the canonical context that respect the discrete voice of each book, while understanding it in relationship to the larger collection in which it is located. The canon is not like a street map, rather, it is more like a topographical map providing contour and depth to the canonical terrain. Taking Childs’ approach one step further; I examine the formation of the Twelve Minor prophets and the Psalter in order to develop a redaction critical grammar for the compilation of texts into collections that serves as a methodological check for the project. This grammar includes the use of catchwords or phrases to bind adjacent books near their seams, the juxtaposition of similar or contrasting themes, framing devices, and superscriptions to provide an overall structure. Chapter two analyzes the formation of the Writings in antiquity. There were a number of different conceptions of sacred literature within Judaism, but probably within temple circles the canon of the Jews was closed prior to the end of the first century C.E. The Prologue to Ben Sira testifies to a tripartite arrangement of the Jewish canon, and 4 Ezra, which provides solid evidence that the canon was closed sometime prior to the end of the first century C.E., confirms the antiquity of a tripartite arrangement. Chapter three explores the various orders for the Writings. Within the conceptual world of Judaism, the concern with the order of the books is not the result of the invention of the codex or long scroll, but rather arises from the holiness attributed to these books in association with their strong connection to the temple and its sacred space. Despite the consensus that there are a vast number of orders for the collection, in fact there is only evidence that the Masoretic (Leningrad Codex) and the Talmudic (Baba Batra 14b) orders existed prior to the twelfth century C.E. The grouping of the Megilloth in the Masoretic tradition is probably not the result of liturgical practices within Judaism, as is commonly thought, which leaves room to re-examine the antiquity of this order. Both arrangements reveal a similar logic of association among the books of the Writings with the possible exception of Ruth. Chapter four explores the location of Ruth in the Former Prophets between Judges and Samuel and in the Writings after Proverbs and before the Psalter. Ruth has been purposefully figured into the Former Prophets and then later was integrated into the Writings after Proverbs as a wisdom book. In this case, different orders bear witness to the search for meaningful associations within the canon. Chapter five probes Esther’s position as part of the sub-collection of Lamentations, Esther, Daniel and Ezra-Nehemiah, in which it always follows Lamentations and is juxtaposed to Daniel. Within this canonical frame I explore Esther’s links to Daniel 1-6 and Lamentations 5 and the way this sets in relief Esther’s theology. Chapter six briefly observes some compilational phenomena in Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes and Lamentations. I also examine the structure of the Megilloth as a whole and the forces at work in this sub-collection. The thesis concludes, due to historical and exegetical reasons, that the codification of the Megilloth into a collection is an integral part of the canonical process rather than a formal feature that is the result of some supposed effort to close the canon.

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z Stone, Timothy J. It is widely agreed among scholars that the third part of the Hebrew canon, the Writings, is a miscellaneous collection of materials, as its name would seem to suggest. My thesis re-examines this assumption. The introduction sets out the critical issues, outlines the thesis and charts the larger picture from which the thesis makes a limited contribution. Chapter one explains my approach. In critical conversation with Brevard Childs and his adherents, I examine the need for contours within the canonical context that respect the discrete voice of each book, while understanding it in relationship to the larger collection in which it is located. The canon is not like a street map, rather, it is more like a topographical map providing contour and depth to the canonical terrain. Taking Childs’ approach one step further; I examine the formation of the Twelve Minor prophets and the Psalter in order to develop a redaction critical grammar for the compilation of texts into collections that serves as a methodological check for the project. This grammar includes the use of catchwords or phrases to bind adjacent books near their seams, the juxtaposition of similar or contrasting themes, framing devices, and superscriptions to provide an overall structure. Chapter two analyzes the formation of the Writings in antiquity. There were a number of different conceptions of sacred literature within Judaism, but probably within temple circles the canon of the Jews was closed prior to the end of the first century C.E. The Prologue to Ben Sira testifies to a tripartite arrangement of the Jewish canon, and 4 Ezra, which provides solid evidence that the canon was closed sometime prior to the end of the first century C.E., confirms the antiquity of a tripartite arrangement. Chapter three explores the various orders for the Writings. Within the conceptual world of Judaism, the concern with the order of the books is not the result of the invention of the codex or long scroll, but rather arises from the holiness attributed to these books in association with their strong connection to the temple and its sacred space. Despite the consensus that there are a vast number of orders for the collection, in fact there is only evidence that the Masoretic (Leningrad Codex) and the Talmudic (Baba Batra 14b) orders existed prior to the twelfth century C.E. The grouping of the Megilloth in the Masoretic tradition is probably not the result of liturgical practices within Judaism, as is commonly thought, which leaves room to re-examine the antiquity of this order. Both arrangements reveal a similar logic of association among the books of the Writings with the possible exception of Ruth. Chapter four explores the location of Ruth in the Former Prophets between Judges and Samuel and in the Writings after Proverbs and before the Psalter. Ruth has been purposefully figured into the Former Prophets and then later was integrated into the Writings after Proverbs as a wisdom book. In this case, different orders bear witness to the search for meaningful associations within the canon. Chapter five probes Esther’s position as part of the sub-collection of Lamentations, Esther, Daniel and Ezra-Nehemiah, in which it always follows Lamentations and is juxtaposed to Daniel. Within this canonical frame I explore Esther’s links to Daniel 1-6 and Lamentations 5 and the way this sets in relief Esther’s theology. Chapter six briefly observes some compilational phenomena in Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes and Lamentations. I also examine the structure of the Megilloth as a whole and the forces at work in this sub-collection. The thesis concludes, due to historical and exegetical reasons, that the codification of the Megilloth into a collection is an integral part of the canonical process rather than a formal feature that is the result of some supposed effort to close the canon. Nanno, Edward http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1991 2011-10-31T14:32:19Z 1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis analyses those differences in interpretation which occur when separate literary-theoretical approaches are applied to biblical texts. Hans Frei suggests that the biblical texts describe the world in a way which he calls "realistic narrative". Paul Ricoeur's hermeneutic recognises the disclosive power of the text and translates the subject matter of the text into a "way-of- being-in-the-world". Thus, the primary identity disclosed by the biblical narratives differs. For Frei, it is the identity of Jesus which is disclosed; for Ricoeur, it is "our common human Christian identity". These two thinkers have usually been compared theologically. However, I contend that the theological investigations of both Frei and Ricoeur have been influenced by the literary approaches which guide their theological work. I give an exposition of this relationship in chapter one. In chapter two, I sketch out the implications of this relationship, focusing on the issue of narrative identity. In the final chapter, critiques of both systems are investigated as I attempt to deal with the force of these objections. This dissertation investigates Frei's and Ricoeur's construals of narrative identity (as constructed through the reading of Biblical texts). My working hypothesis is that the construals of identity formulated by Frei and Ricoeur rely upon formalist, narrative "interpretations”. My thesis contends that in their respective approaches to the notion of narrative identity, neither thinker has completely abandoned his early literary-theoretical roots in his theological proposals.

1997-01-01T00:00:00Z Nanno, Edward This thesis analyses those differences in interpretation which occur when separate literary-theoretical approaches are applied to biblical texts. Hans Frei suggests that the biblical texts describe the world in a way which he calls "realistic narrative". Paul Ricoeur's hermeneutic recognises the disclosive power of the text and translates the subject matter of the text into a "way-of- being-in-the-world". Thus, the primary identity disclosed by the biblical narratives differs. For Frei, it is the identity of Jesus which is disclosed; for Ricoeur, it is "our common human Christian identity". These two thinkers have usually been compared theologically. However, I contend that the theological investigations of both Frei and Ricoeur have been influenced by the literary approaches which guide their theological work. I give an exposition of this relationship in chapter one. In chapter two, I sketch out the implications of this relationship, focusing on the issue of narrative identity. In the final chapter, critiques of both systems are investigated as I attempt to deal with the force of these objections. This dissertation investigates Frei's and Ricoeur's construals of narrative identity (as constructed through the reading of Biblical texts). My working hypothesis is that the construals of identity formulated by Frei and Ricoeur rely upon formalist, narrative "interpretations”. My thesis contends that in their respective approaches to the notion of narrative identity, neither thinker has completely abandoned his early literary-theoretical roots in his theological proposals. Goroncy, Jason Alexander http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1983 2011-08-16T10:06:59Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This essay explores whether the notion of ‘hallowing’ provides a profitable lens through which to read and evaluate the soteriology of British theologian P.T. Forsyth, and it suggests that the hallowing of God’s name is, for Forsyth, the way whereby God both justifies himself and claims creation for divine service. It proposes that reading Forsyth’s corpus as essentially an exposition of the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer is an invitation to better comprehend not only his soteriology but also, by extension, his broader theological vision and interests. Chapters One and Two are concerned with questions of methodology, and with placing Forsyth in the social context of his day, with introducing the theological landscape and grammar from which he expounds his notion of reality as fundamentally moral, and with identifying some of the key but neglected voices that inform such a vision. Chapter Three explores the principal locale wherein the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer is answered: in Jesus Christ, whose confession of holiness ‘from sin’s side’ justifies God, destroys sin and creates a new humanity. Chapter Four examines Forsyth’s moral anthropology – specifically, the self-recovery of holiness in the human conscience – and considers holiness’ shape in the life of faith. Chapter Five inquires whether Forsyth’s theology of hallowing finally requires him to embrace dogmatic universalism, and identifies what problems might attend his failure to so do and consequently threaten to undermine his soteriological program.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Goroncy, Jason Alexander This essay explores whether the notion of ‘hallowing’ provides a profitable lens through which to read and evaluate the soteriology of British theologian P.T. Forsyth, and it suggests that the hallowing of God’s name is, for Forsyth, the way whereby God both justifies himself and claims creation for divine service. It proposes that reading Forsyth’s corpus as essentially an exposition of the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer is an invitation to better comprehend not only his soteriology but also, by extension, his broader theological vision and interests. Chapters One and Two are concerned with questions of methodology, and with placing Forsyth in the social context of his day, with introducing the theological landscape and grammar from which he expounds his notion of reality as fundamentally moral, and with identifying some of the key but neglected voices that inform such a vision. Chapter Three explores the principal locale wherein the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer is answered: in Jesus Christ, whose confession of holiness ‘from sin’s side’ justifies God, destroys sin and creates a new humanity. Chapter Four examines Forsyth’s moral anthropology – specifically, the self-recovery of holiness in the human conscience – and considers holiness’ shape in the life of faith. Chapter Five inquires whether Forsyth’s theology of hallowing finally requires him to embrace dogmatic universalism, and identifies what problems might attend his failure to so do and consequently threaten to undermine his soteriological program. Kim, Dong Yoon http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1969 2011-08-12T11:58:27Z 2009-06-25T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study has attempted to show the overarching significance of the conquering motif in relation to discourse dynamics of the entire book of Revelation and the significance of salvific history for its syntagmatic understanding. Based on language-in-use as a whole between the model author and the model audience, syntagmatic analysis (i.e., SVU analysis) and associative analysis (i.e., sign-intertextual reading) are eclectically and concertedly utilized by means of sampling analysis. Utilizing this integrative method, the findings are as follows: (1) the interwoven network of the prologue (Rev 1:1-8) programmatically provides the paradigmatic reading strategy for understanding the key paraenetic motif in the rest of the book against the background of salvific history; (2) by summarizing the churches’ earthly prophetic roles – withdrawal and witness through martyrdom – in terms of conquering, the model author alerts his audience to the military significance of their daily actions or choices in their ordinary earthly lives through visionary communication; (3) just as the prologue preliminarily guides, the ever-forward-moving historical framework serves as an incentive device for the paraenetic-imperative in Rev 2-3 and 4-22.

2009-06-25T00:00:00Z Kim, Dong Yoon This study has attempted to show the overarching significance of the conquering motif in relation to discourse dynamics of the entire book of Revelation and the significance of salvific history for its syntagmatic understanding. Based on language-in-use as a whole between the model author and the model audience, syntagmatic analysis (i.e., SVU analysis) and associative analysis (i.e., sign-intertextual reading) are eclectically and concertedly utilized by means of sampling analysis. Utilizing this integrative method, the findings are as follows: (1) the interwoven network of the prologue (Rev 1:1-8) programmatically provides the paradigmatic reading strategy for understanding the key paraenetic motif in the rest of the book against the background of salvific history; (2) by summarizing the churches’ earthly prophetic roles – withdrawal and witness through martyrdom – in terms of conquering, the model author alerts his audience to the military significance of their daily actions or choices in their ordinary earthly lives through visionary communication; (3) just as the prologue preliminarily guides, the ever-forward-moving historical framework serves as an incentive device for the paraenetic-imperative in Rev 2-3 and 4-22. Warhurst, Amber http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1916 2011-07-19T15:14:33Z 2011-06-21T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The phenomenon of inner-biblical interpretation and inter-textual replication of scriptural material within the Old Testament is receiving significant attention in current scholarship. Two narratives which are repeated three times in the Hebrew Bible provide a particularly fruitful case study for this type of research: the Hezekiah narrative (2 Kgs 18-20; Isa 36-39; 2 Chr 29-32) and the account of the fall of Judah (2 Kgs 24-25; Jer 52; 2 Chr 36). This study extends the contributions of redaction-critical, literary-critical, and text-critical studies examining the narratives of 2 Kings 18-20//Isaiah 36-39 and 2 Kings 24:18-25:30//Jeremiah 52 and emphasizes their subsequent reception in Chronicles. In addition, this investigation advances the discussion of the Chronicler's reliance upon and method of incorporating material from the Latter Prophets. It is the conclusion of this thesis that the Chronicler was familiar with the versions of the Hezekiah narrative and the account of the fall of Judah in both 2 Kings and the Latter Prophets. His method of handling these alternative accounts reflects both direct quotation (particularly in the case of 2 Kings) and indirect allusion to themes and idioms (with regard to the Latter Prophets). The result is a re-telling of Judah's history which is infused with hope for restoration as articulated by the Latter Prophets. By portraying an idealized account of Israel's past history which corresponds to prophetic descriptions of the nation's restoration, Chronicles illustrates the accessible, utopic potential held out to every generation of faithful Israel.

2011-06-21T00:00:00Z Warhurst, Amber The phenomenon of inner-biblical interpretation and inter-textual replication of scriptural material within the Old Testament is receiving significant attention in current scholarship. Two narratives which are repeated three times in the Hebrew Bible provide a particularly fruitful case study for this type of research: the Hezekiah narrative (2 Kgs 18-20; Isa 36-39; 2 Chr 29-32) and the account of the fall of Judah (2 Kgs 24-25; Jer 52; 2 Chr 36). This study extends the contributions of redaction-critical, literary-critical, and text-critical studies examining the narratives of 2 Kings 18-20//Isaiah 36-39 and 2 Kings 24:18-25:30//Jeremiah 52 and emphasizes their subsequent reception in Chronicles. In addition, this investigation advances the discussion of the Chronicler's reliance upon and method of incorporating material from the Latter Prophets. It is the conclusion of this thesis that the Chronicler was familiar with the versions of the Hezekiah narrative and the account of the fall of Judah in both 2 Kings and the Latter Prophets. His method of handling these alternative accounts reflects both direct quotation (particularly in the case of 2 Kings) and indirect allusion to themes and idioms (with regard to the Latter Prophets). The result is a re-telling of Judah's history which is infused with hope for restoration as articulated by the Latter Prophets. By portraying an idealized account of Israel's past history which corresponds to prophetic descriptions of the nation's restoration, Chronicles illustrates the accessible, utopic potential held out to every generation of faithful Israel. Johnson, Andrew M. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1896 2011-07-06T10:49:15Z 2011-06-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis will consider the possibility of an epistemological process described in the narratives and teaching of the Pentateuch and the Gospel of Mark. The specific nature of this epistemological process will be explored upon the priorities constrained by the texts themselves. While the epistemological objectives are not always perspicuous to the reader of the canon, error is more clearly diagnosed in these narratives. This thesis then investigates the epistemological process by looking primarily at where characters of the narratives 'get it wrong' according to the narrative's diagnosis. Primacy appears to be given in these texts to heeding the authenticated and authoritative voice first, and then enacting the authoritative guidance in order to see what is being shown; in order 'to know'. Errors occur along the same boundaries. Failure to heed the authoritative voice creates a first order of error, while failure to enact the guidance yields a second order of error. We begin at the fore of the canon working through these Pentateuchal texts as they are presented to the reader. In the first chapter, the necessity of this current study will be defended. As well, we will survey various attempts at describing a 'biblical epistemology' and their deficiencies and/or methodological shortcomings. Chapter 2 will advance the case that Genesis 2-3 actually yields sufficient epistemological categories which resemble the rest of the Pentateuchal descriptions of error in more than superficial ways. Genesis 2 is analyzed as paradigmatic for proper epistemological process while Genesis 3 is paradigmatic of error. It is upon the boundary of the authenticated voice that error is assessed in the Garden of Eden. These patterns of error are lexically and conceptually reverberated in the stories of the patriarchs and Joseph. Chapter 3 then looks at how these features discovered in Genesis are interwoven in the reader's mind as they come to the stories regarding Moses' prophetic authentication, Pharaoh's errors, and eventually Israel's own errors. The errors of Balak with Balaam in Numbers are considered as further reason to believe that this epistemological process is not reserved for Israel. Chapter 4 explores the unique connections between Israel's Deuteronomic reflections and the creation narratives of Genesis. The fifth chapter leaps to the Gospel of Mark to discern whether or not any of these patterns from the Pentateuch remain in the Gospel narrative. In the final chapter, the fruit of our theological reading is brought forward to interact with current epistemological theories (mostly in analytic philosophy). These contemporary epistemologies are found wanting to describe anything like what we found in the scriptures. Implications are then drawn for theological prolegomena and praxis.

2011-06-01T00:00:00Z Johnson, Andrew M. This thesis will consider the possibility of an epistemological process described in the narratives and teaching of the Pentateuch and the Gospel of Mark. The specific nature of this epistemological process will be explored upon the priorities constrained by the texts themselves. While the epistemological objectives are not always perspicuous to the reader of the canon, error is more clearly diagnosed in these narratives. This thesis then investigates the epistemological process by looking primarily at where characters of the narratives 'get it wrong' according to the narrative's diagnosis. Primacy appears to be given in these texts to heeding the authenticated and authoritative voice first, and then enacting the authoritative guidance in order to see what is being shown; in order 'to know'. Errors occur along the same boundaries. Failure to heed the authoritative voice creates a first order of error, while failure to enact the guidance yields a second order of error. We begin at the fore of the canon working through these Pentateuchal texts as they are presented to the reader. In the first chapter, the necessity of this current study will be defended. As well, we will survey various attempts at describing a 'biblical epistemology' and their deficiencies and/or methodological shortcomings. Chapter 2 will advance the case that Genesis 2-3 actually yields sufficient epistemological categories which resemble the rest of the Pentateuchal descriptions of error in more than superficial ways. Genesis 2 is analyzed as paradigmatic for proper epistemological process while Genesis 3 is paradigmatic of error. It is upon the boundary of the authenticated voice that error is assessed in the Garden of Eden. These patterns of error are lexically and conceptually reverberated in the stories of the patriarchs and Joseph. Chapter 3 then looks at how these features discovered in Genesis are interwoven in the reader's mind as they come to the stories regarding Moses' prophetic authentication, Pharaoh's errors, and eventually Israel's own errors. The errors of Balak with Balaam in Numbers are considered as further reason to believe that this epistemological process is not reserved for Israel. Chapter 4 explores the unique connections between Israel's Deuteronomic reflections and the creation narratives of Genesis. The fifth chapter leaps to the Gospel of Mark to discern whether or not any of these patterns from the Pentateuch remain in the Gospel narrative. In the final chapter, the fruit of our theological reading is brought forward to interact with current epistemological theories (mostly in analytic philosophy). These contemporary epistemologies are found wanting to describe anything like what we found in the scriptures. Implications are then drawn for theological prolegomena and praxis. Gabrielson, Jeremy http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1889 2011-07-07T10:43:44Z 2011-06-21T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis advances a claim for the centrality of a politics of peace in early Christianity, with particular focus given to the letters of Paul and the Gospel of Matthew. In brief, I argue that Paul’s task of announcing the gospel to the nations involved calling and equipping assemblies of people whose common life was ordered by a politics (by which I mean, chiefly, a mode of corporate conduct) characterised by peaceableness, and this theological politics was a deliberate participation in the political order announced and inaugurated by Jesus of Nazareth. To this end, there are three main components of the thesis. Chapter Two is focused on the Gospel of Matthew, particularly the way in which violence (and peace) are constructed by the evangelist. Chapter Three bridges the first and third components of the thesis, attending to the important question of the continuity between Jesus and Paul on the issue of non-violence. The third component involves two chapters. Chapter Four attempts to identify the trajectory of violence and peace in Paul’s biography and in the “biography” of his Galatian converts (as he portrays it), and the fifth chapter traces the presence of this non-violent gospel in (arguably) Paul’s earliest letter. The intended effect is to show that a politics of non-violence was an early, central, non-negotiable component of the gospel, that its presence can be detected in a variety of geographical expressions of early Christianity, that this (normally) “ethical” dimension of the gospel has a political aspect as well, and that this political dimension of the gospel stands in stark contrast to the politics of both the contemporary imperial power and those who would seek to replace it through violence.

2011-06-21T00:00:00Z Gabrielson, Jeremy This thesis advances a claim for the centrality of a politics of peace in early Christianity, with particular focus given to the letters of Paul and the Gospel of Matthew. In brief, I argue that Paul’s task of announcing the gospel to the nations involved calling and equipping assemblies of people whose common life was ordered by a politics (by which I mean, chiefly, a mode of corporate conduct) characterised by peaceableness, and this theological politics was a deliberate participation in the political order announced and inaugurated by Jesus of Nazareth. To this end, there are three main components of the thesis. Chapter Two is focused on the Gospel of Matthew, particularly the way in which violence (and peace) are constructed by the evangelist. Chapter Three bridges the first and third components of the thesis, attending to the important question of the continuity between Jesus and Paul on the issue of non-violence. The third component involves two chapters. Chapter Four attempts to identify the trajectory of violence and peace in Paul’s biography and in the “biography” of his Galatian converts (as he portrays it), and the fifth chapter traces the presence of this non-violent gospel in (arguably) Paul’s earliest letter. The intended effect is to show that a politics of non-violence was an early, central, non-negotiable component of the gospel, that its presence can be detected in a variety of geographical expressions of early Christianity, that this (normally) “ethical” dimension of the gospel has a political aspect as well, and that this political dimension of the gospel stands in stark contrast to the politics of both the contemporary imperial power and those who would seek to replace it through violence. Jeffrey Johnson, Kirstin Elizabeth http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1887 2012-10-22T12:44:15Z 2011-06-21T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Scholars and storytellers alike have deemed George MacDonald a great mythopoeic writer, an exemplar of the art. Examination of this accolade by those who first applied it to him proves it profoundly theological: for them a mythopoeic tale was a relational medium through which transformation might occur, transcending boundaries of time and space. The implications challenge much contemporary critical study of MacDonald, for they demand that his literary life and his theological life cannot be divorced if either is to be adequately assessed. Yet they prove consistent with the critical methodology MacDonald himself models and promotes. Utilizing MacDonald’s relational methodology evinces his intentional facilitating of Mythopoesis. It also reveals how oversights have impeded critical readings both of MacDonald’s writing and of his character. It evokes a redressing of MacDonald’s relationship with his Scottish cultural, theological, and familial environment – of how his writing is a response that rises out of these, rather than, as has so often been asserted, a mere reaction against them. Consequently it becomes evident that key relationships, both literary and personal, have been neglected in MacDonald scholarship – relationships that confirm MacDonald’s convictions and inform his writing, and the examination of which restores his identity as a literature scholar. Of particular relational import in this reassessment is A.J. Scott, a Scottish visionary intentionally chosen by MacDonald to mentor him in a holistic Weltanschauung. Little has been written on Scott, yet not only was he MacDonald’s prime influence in adulthood, but he forged the literary vocation that became MacDonald’s own. Previously unexamined personal and textual engagement with John Ruskin enables entirely new readings of standard MacDonald texts, as does the textual engagement with Matthew Arnold and F.D. Maurice. These close readings, informed by the established context, demonstrate MacDonald’s emergence, practice, and intent as a mythopoeic writer.

2011-06-21T00:00:00Z Jeffrey Johnson, Kirstin Elizabeth Scholars and storytellers alike have deemed George MacDonald a great mythopoeic writer, an exemplar of the art. Examination of this accolade by those who first applied it to him proves it profoundly theological: for them a mythopoeic tale was a relational medium through which transformation might occur, transcending boundaries of time and space. The implications challenge much contemporary critical study of MacDonald, for they demand that his literary life and his theological life cannot be divorced if either is to be adequately assessed. Yet they prove consistent with the critical methodology MacDonald himself models and promotes. Utilizing MacDonald’s relational methodology evinces his intentional facilitating of Mythopoesis. It also reveals how oversights have impeded critical readings both of MacDonald’s writing and of his character. It evokes a redressing of MacDonald’s relationship with his Scottish cultural, theological, and familial environment – of how his writing is a response that rises out of these, rather than, as has so often been asserted, a mere reaction against them. Consequently it becomes evident that key relationships, both literary and personal, have been neglected in MacDonald scholarship – relationships that confirm MacDonald’s convictions and inform his writing, and the examination of which restores his identity as a literature scholar. Of particular relational import in this reassessment is A.J. Scott, a Scottish visionary intentionally chosen by MacDonald to mentor him in a holistic Weltanschauung. Little has been written on Scott, yet not only was he MacDonald’s prime influence in adulthood, but he forged the literary vocation that became MacDonald’s own. Previously unexamined personal and textual engagement with John Ruskin enables entirely new readings of standard MacDonald texts, as does the textual engagement with Matthew Arnold and F.D. Maurice. These close readings, informed by the established context, demonstrate MacDonald’s emergence, practice, and intent as a mythopoeic writer. Ramey, Margaret E. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1861 2011-06-14T16:06:29Z 2011-06-21T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Jesus' story has been retold in various forms and fashions for centuries. Jesus novels, a subset of the historical fiction genre, are one of the latest means of not only re-imagining the man from Galilee but also of rewriting the canonical Gospels. This thesis explores the Christological portraits constructed in four of those novels while also using the novels to examine the intertextual play of these Gospel rewrites with their Gospel progenitors. Chapter 1 offers a prolegomenon to the act of fictionalizing Jesus that discusses the relationship between the person and his portraits and the hermeneutical circle created by these texts as they both rewrite the Gospels and stimulate a rereading of them. It also establishes the "preposterous" methodology that will be used when reexamining the Gospels "post" reading the novels. Chapters 2 to 5 offer four case studies of "complementing" and "competing" novels and the techniques they use to achieve these aims: Anne Rice's Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt; Neil Boyd's The Hidden Years; Nino Ricci's Testament; and José Saramago's The Gospel according to Jesus Christ. Chapter 6 begins an examination of a specific interpretive circle based upon Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Beginning with the synoptic accounts of that event, the chapter then turns to how Jesus' testing has been reinterpreted and presented in two of the novels. Returning to the Gospel of Matthew's version of the Temptation, chapter 7 offers a "preposterous" examination of that pericope, which asks novel questions of the text and its role with Matthew's narrative context based on issues raised by the Gospel rewrites. The thesis concludes by suggesting that Jesus novels, already important examples of the reception history of the Gospels, can also play a helpful role in re-interpreting the Gospels themselves.

2011-06-21T00:00:00Z Ramey, Margaret E. Jesus' story has been retold in various forms and fashions for centuries. Jesus novels, a subset of the historical fiction genre, are one of the latest means of not only re-imagining the man from Galilee but also of rewriting the canonical Gospels. This thesis explores the Christological portraits constructed in four of those novels while also using the novels to examine the intertextual play of these Gospel rewrites with their Gospel progenitors. Chapter 1 offers a prolegomenon to the act of fictionalizing Jesus that discusses the relationship between the person and his portraits and the hermeneutical circle created by these texts as they both rewrite the Gospels and stimulate a rereading of them. It also establishes the "preposterous" methodology that will be used when reexamining the Gospels "post" reading the novels. Chapters 2 to 5 offer four case studies of "complementing" and "competing" novels and the techniques they use to achieve these aims: Anne Rice's Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt; Neil Boyd's The Hidden Years; Nino Ricci's Testament; and José Saramago's The Gospel according to Jesus Christ. Chapter 6 begins an examination of a specific interpretive circle based upon Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Beginning with the synoptic accounts of that event, the chapter then turns to how Jesus' testing has been reinterpreted and presented in two of the novels. Returning to the Gospel of Matthew's version of the Temptation, chapter 7 offers a "preposterous" examination of that pericope, which asks novel questions of the text and its role with Matthew's narrative context based on issues raised by the Gospel rewrites. The thesis concludes by suggesting that Jesus novels, already important examples of the reception history of the Gospels, can also play a helpful role in re-interpreting the Gospels themselves. Rowe, Peter Anthony http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1859 2012-08-06T15:40:55Z 2011-06-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: A cathedral of the Church of England is the seat of the bishop and a centre of worship and mission. The history of this institution is followed from the English Reformation, which it survived, through to the Commonwealth, which it did not. Restored on the return of the monarchy, it then survived with little further trouble until the nineteenth century, when a lot of its income was diverted to the provision of churches and ministers for the populous urban and industrialised areas, which the Church could not fund in any other way. It was the subject of investigation by two Royal Commissions in the nineteenth century and three church-inspired commissions in the twentieth. These commissions stressed the links that should exist between cathedral, bishop and diocese, which the nineteenth century diocesan revival also encouraged, and suggested changes in instruments of governance to achieve this. Some proposals came to nothing, but others were brought into law. Unlike the Roman Catholic cathedral, the Anglican one never lost its autonomy. The religious situation in Britain today is considered in the light of some contemporary sociology and psychology, and it is recognised that the continued decline in the fortunes of the Church is tied up with the massive subjective turn which characterises contemporary culture. The cathedral has not shared the mistrust which faces the Church, and its various roles are discussed in the light of its continued hold on public affection. The conclusions reached are that, although the cathedral now has strong links with bishop and diocese, it should retain its independence within relationships of interdependence with them, to enable it to harness the popularity which it enjoys to remain a centre of worship, but primarily to concentrate on being a centre of mission. Appropriate ways of achieving that are discussed.

2011-06-01T00:00:00Z Rowe, Peter Anthony A cathedral of the Church of England is the seat of the bishop and a centre of worship and mission. The history of this institution is followed from the English Reformation, which it survived, through to the Commonwealth, which it did not. Restored on the return of the monarchy, it then survived with little further trouble until the nineteenth century, when a lot of its income was diverted to the provision of churches and ministers for the populous urban and industrialised areas, which the Church could not fund in any other way. It was the subject of investigation by two Royal Commissions in the nineteenth century and three church-inspired commissions in the twentieth. These commissions stressed the links that should exist between cathedral, bishop and diocese, which the nineteenth century diocesan revival also encouraged, and suggested changes in instruments of governance to achieve this. Some proposals came to nothing, but others were brought into law. Unlike the Roman Catholic cathedral, the Anglican one never lost its autonomy. The religious situation in Britain today is considered in the light of some contemporary sociology and psychology, and it is recognised that the continued decline in the fortunes of the Church is tied up with the massive subjective turn which characterises contemporary culture. The cathedral has not shared the mistrust which faces the Church, and its various roles are discussed in the light of its continued hold on public affection. The conclusions reached are that, although the cathedral now has strong links with bishop and diocese, it should retain its independence within relationships of interdependence with them, to enable it to harness the popularity which it enjoys to remain a centre of worship, but primarily to concentrate on being a centre of mission. Appropriate ways of achieving that are discussed. Liebengood, Kelly D. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1858 2011-06-14T11:54:44Z 2011-03-23T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The principal aim of this study is to discern what has shaped the author of 1 Peter to regard Christian suffering as a necessary (1.6) and to-be-expected (4.12) component of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ. Most research regarding suffering in 1 Peter has limited the scope of inquiry to two particular aspects—its cause and nature, and the strategies that the author of 1 Peter employs in order to enable his addressees to respond in faithfulness. There remains, however, the need for a comprehensive explanation for the source that has generated 1 Peter’s theology of Christian suffering. If Jesus truly is the Christ, God’s chosen redemptive agent who has come to restore God’s people, then how can it be that Christian suffering is a necessary part of discipleship after his coming, death and resurrection? What led the author of 1 Peter to such a startling conclusion, which seems to runs against the grain of the eschatological hopes and expectations of Jewish restoration ideology? This thesis analyzes the appropriation of shepherd and fiery trials imagery, and argues that the author of 1 Peter is dependent upon Zechariah 9-14 for his theology of Christian suffering. Said in another way, the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14, read through the lens of the Gospel, functions as the substructure for 1 Peter’s eschatology and thus its theology of Christian suffering. In support of this hypothesis, this study highlights the fact that Zechariah 9- 14 was available and appropriated in early Christianity, in particular in the Passion Narrative tradition; that the shepherd imagery of 1 Pet 2.25 is best understood within the milieu of the Passion Narrative tradition, and that it alludes to the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that the fiery trials imagery found in 1 Peter 1.6-7 and 1 Pet 4.12 is distinct from that which we find in Greco-Roman and OT wisdom sources, and that it shares exclusive parallels with some unique features of the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that Zechariah 9-14 offers a more satisfying explanation for the modification of Isa 11.2 in 1 Pet 4.14, the transition from 4.12-19 to 5.1-4, why Peter has oriented his letter with the term διασπορά, and why he has described his addresses as οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ; and finally that 1 Peter contains an implicit foundational narrative that shares distinct parallels with the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14. We can conclude that 1 Peter offers a unique vista into the way in which at least one early Christian witness came to understand and to communicate the fact that Christian suffering was a necessary feature of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ.

2011-03-23T00:00:00Z Liebengood, Kelly D. The principal aim of this study is to discern what has shaped the author of 1 Peter to regard Christian suffering as a necessary (1.6) and to-be-expected (4.12) component of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ. Most research regarding suffering in 1 Peter has limited the scope of inquiry to two particular aspects—its cause and nature, and the strategies that the author of 1 Peter employs in order to enable his addressees to respond in faithfulness. There remains, however, the need for a comprehensive explanation for the source that has generated 1 Peter’s theology of Christian suffering. If Jesus truly is the Christ, God’s chosen redemptive agent who has come to restore God’s people, then how can it be that Christian suffering is a necessary part of discipleship after his coming, death and resurrection? What led the author of 1 Peter to such a startling conclusion, which seems to runs against the grain of the eschatological hopes and expectations of Jewish restoration ideology? This thesis analyzes the appropriation of shepherd and fiery trials imagery, and argues that the author of 1 Peter is dependent upon Zechariah 9-14 for his theology of Christian suffering. Said in another way, the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14, read through the lens of the Gospel, functions as the substructure for 1 Peter’s eschatology and thus its theology of Christian suffering. In support of this hypothesis, this study highlights the fact that Zechariah 9- 14 was available and appropriated in early Christianity, in particular in the Passion Narrative tradition; that the shepherd imagery of 1 Pet 2.25 is best understood within the milieu of the Passion Narrative tradition, and that it alludes to the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that the fiery trials imagery found in 1 Peter 1.6-7 and 1 Pet 4.12 is distinct from that which we find in Greco-Roman and OT wisdom sources, and that it shares exclusive parallels with some unique features of the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that Zechariah 9-14 offers a more satisfying explanation for the modification of Isa 11.2 in 1 Pet 4.14, the transition from 4.12-19 to 5.1-4, why Peter has oriented his letter with the term διασπορά, and why he has described his addresses as οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ; and finally that 1 Peter contains an implicit foundational narrative that shares distinct parallels with the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14. We can conclude that 1 Peter offers a unique vista into the way in which at least one early Christian witness came to understand and to communicate the fact that Christian suffering was a necessary feature of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ. Murayama-Cain, Yumi http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1717 2011-03-29T09:22:15Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis undertakes to apply some of the insights from postcolonial criticism to understand the history of Christianity in Japan, focusing on key Christian thinkers in the period since Japan’s national isolation ended in the mid 19th century. It studies these theologians' interaction with the the Bible as a “canonical”text in the Western civilisation, arguing for a two-way connection between Japan’s reception of Christianity and reaction to the West. In particular, it considers the process through which Christianity was employed to support or criticise Japan’s colonial discourse against neighbouring Asian countries. In this process, I argue that interpretation of the Bible was a political act, informed not simply by the text itself, but also by the interpreter’s positionality in the society. The thesis starts by reviewing the history of Christianity in Japan. The core of the thesis consists of three chapters, each of which considers the thought of two contemporaries. Ebina Danjo (1866-1937) and Uchimura Kanzo (1861-1930) were two first-generation Christians who converted to Christianity through missionaries from the United States, and responded to Japan’s westernisation and military expansion from opposite perspectives. Kagawa Toyohiko (1888-1960) and Yanaihara Tadao (1893-1961) spoke about the country’s situation in the years preceding the Asia-Pacific War (1941-1945), and again reached two different conclusions. Nagai Takashi (1908-1951) and Kitamori Kazo (1916-1998) were Christian voices immediately after the war, and both dealt with the issue of suffering. Each chapter explores how the formation of their thoughts was driven by their particular historical, economic, and social backgrounds. The concluding chapter outlines Christian thought in Japan today and deals with the major issue facing Japanese theology: cultural essentialism.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Murayama-Cain, Yumi This thesis undertakes to apply some of the insights from postcolonial criticism to understand the history of Christianity in Japan, focusing on key Christian thinkers in the period since Japan’s national isolation ended in the mid 19th century. It studies these theologians' interaction with the the Bible as a “canonical”text in the Western civilisation, arguing for a two-way connection between Japan’s reception of Christianity and reaction to the West. In particular, it considers the process through which Christianity was employed to support or criticise Japan’s colonial discourse against neighbouring Asian countries. In this process, I argue that interpretation of the Bible was a political act, informed not simply by the text itself, but also by the interpreter’s positionality in the society. The thesis starts by reviewing the history of Christianity in Japan. The core of the thesis consists of three chapters, each of which considers the thought of two contemporaries. Ebina Danjo (1866-1937) and Uchimura Kanzo (1861-1930) were two first-generation Christians who converted to Christianity through missionaries from the United States, and responded to Japan’s westernisation and military expansion from opposite perspectives. Kagawa Toyohiko (1888-1960) and Yanaihara Tadao (1893-1961) spoke about the country’s situation in the years preceding the Asia-Pacific War (1941-1945), and again reached two different conclusions. Nagai Takashi (1908-1951) and Kitamori Kazo (1916-1998) were Christian voices immediately after the war, and both dealt with the issue of suffering. Each chapter explores how the formation of their thoughts was driven by their particular historical, economic, and social backgrounds. The concluding chapter outlines Christian thought in Japan today and deals with the major issue facing Japanese theology: cultural essentialism. Sanders, Matthew Lee http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1440 2010-11-23T14:16:01Z 2010-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: In the New Testament and in the early church fathers’ writings, the Son is understood to be ontologically equal to the Father and subordinate to him. Whether understood as ingenerate-generate, sender-sent, commanded-obedient, subordination shows the distinction between the Father and Son. As seen in church history, minimizing these distinctions can lead to modalism and pressing them too far leads to Arianism. In the Bible, obedience or subordination does not mean ontologically inferior. Rather, obedience results from faith and love. Although some fathers connected obedience to Christ’s humanity, they were doing so while rejecting the Arian argument that the Son’s obedience meant he was ontologically inferior. They affirmed the voluntary obedience of the Son as an expression of his love for the Father and rejected any sense of coercion or determinism. The doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son from the Father’s ousia held together the equality and subordination of the Son to the Father. Beginning with Christ’s atoning work rather than metaphysics, P. T. Forsyth and Jürgen Moltmann believe that the Son’s obedience is crucial for the atonement to be the free act of grace of the Sovereign God. Because of this, the Son’s obedience must be divine, and thus eternal. Otherwise, the obedience would be from Christ’s humanity, and humanity would contribute in inappropriate ways to the atonement. They also believe that subordination, obedience, humility, and servanthood complete the understanding of divine love. The unity provided by the same divine love is expressed according to the particularity of the Person. In the Trinitarian relationship, the Son’s eternal obedience is his free response to the Father. Here subordination is not oppression, but perfect love freely given to the perfect Lover. This fuller conception of divine love that a proper emphasis on obedience affords has great potential to help Trinitarain theology contribute to the elimination of oppression and the improvement of human relationships and to do so in a manner consistent with the biblical witness.

2010-11-30T00:00:00Z Sanders, Matthew Lee In the New Testament and in the early church fathers’ writings, the Son is understood to be ontologically equal to the Father and subordinate to him. Whether understood as ingenerate-generate, sender-sent, commanded-obedient, subordination shows the distinction between the Father and Son. As seen in church history, minimizing these distinctions can lead to modalism and pressing them too far leads to Arianism. In the Bible, obedience or subordination does not mean ontologically inferior. Rather, obedience results from faith and love. Although some fathers connected obedience to Christ’s humanity, they were doing so while rejecting the Arian argument that the Son’s obedience meant he was ontologically inferior. They affirmed the voluntary obedience of the Son as an expression of his love for the Father and rejected any sense of coercion or determinism. The doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son from the Father’s ousia held together the equality and subordination of the Son to the Father. Beginning with Christ’s atoning work rather than metaphysics, P. T. Forsyth and Jürgen Moltmann believe that the Son’s obedience is crucial for the atonement to be the free act of grace of the Sovereign God. Because of this, the Son’s obedience must be divine, and thus eternal. Otherwise, the obedience would be from Christ’s humanity, and humanity would contribute in inappropriate ways to the atonement. They also believe that subordination, obedience, humility, and servanthood complete the understanding of divine love. The unity provided by the same divine love is expressed according to the particularity of the Person. In the Trinitarian relationship, the Son’s eternal obedience is his free response to the Father. Here subordination is not oppression, but perfect love freely given to the perfect Lover. This fuller conception of divine love that a proper emphasis on obedience affords has great potential to help Trinitarain theology contribute to the elimination of oppression and the improvement of human relationships and to do so in a manner consistent with the biblical witness. Beesley, Mark B. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1165 2010-10-29T15:02:44Z 2010-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Archaeologists and historians have sought to understand the architecture of the early church using methods common to their respective fields of inquiry. This has included an approach to architecture which classifies buildings according to type and style. Limitations of both method and evidence has led some scholars to conclude that there was no Christian architecture before A.D. 200. This present study intends to broaden the understanding of architecture beyond mere tectonics and realise its significance as a boundary of place with a view toward examining the foundations of early Christian architecture. Boundary and place are primary components of the cosmos within Judaism. The Hebrews came to understand the world according to a concept of holiness manifested as a scheme of circular boundaries ascending into the presence of God, located within the Temple. As an outgrowth of Judaism, the early Church held similar views of place and boundary which gave them an affinity for the Temple. By understanding architecture as a boundary of place we can connect the sacred places and boundaries of the Jews from Creation to the Land and Temple. The Church proclaimed Jesus as God incarnate and Himself the Temple transformed. The traditional view has been that the synagogue was the connecting link between the Church and the Temple, but the origins and role of the synagogue are now doubted. The predominance of the house in the life and ministry of Jesus combined with its prevalence in the NT and the early Christian writers indicates that the Christians understood sacred place in terms of their domestic reality. The house provided not only a strong ligature connecting Church and Temple, it was also an archetype for the Church’s sacred place and developing architectural boundaries.

2010-11-30T00:00:00Z Beesley, Mark B. Archaeologists and historians have sought to understand the architecture of the early church using methods common to their respective fields of inquiry. This has included an approach to architecture which classifies buildings according to type and style. Limitations of both method and evidence has led some scholars to conclude that there was no Christian architecture before A.D. 200. This present study intends to broaden the understanding of architecture beyond mere tectonics and realise its significance as a boundary of place with a view toward examining the foundations of early Christian architecture. Boundary and place are primary components of the cosmos within Judaism. The Hebrews came to understand the world according to a concept of holiness manifested as a scheme of circular boundaries ascending into the presence of God, located within the Temple. As an outgrowth of Judaism, the early Church held similar views of place and boundary which gave them an affinity for the Temple. By understanding architecture as a boundary of place we can connect the sacred places and boundaries of the Jews from Creation to the Land and Temple. The Church proclaimed Jesus as God incarnate and Himself the Temple transformed. The traditional view has been that the synagogue was the connecting link between the Church and the Temple, but the origins and role of the synagogue are now doubted. The predominance of the house in the life and ministry of Jesus combined with its prevalence in the NT and the early Christian writers indicates that the Christians understood sacred place in terms of their domestic reality. The house provided not only a strong ligature connecting Church and Temple, it was also an archetype for the Church’s sacred place and developing architectural boundaries. Matava, R.J. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/989 2012-10-22T15:46:07Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation considers the mystery of the relationship between human free choice and God by focusing on the Controversy de Auxiliis (1582-1607) and the thought of Domingo Báñez, O.P. (1528-1604) in particular. The dissertation comprises four chapters and a conclusion preceded by a preface and brief historical introduction. The preface introduces the issue to be explored and the motivations for exploring it before providing a general synopsis of the dissertation that is more detailed than the present abstract. The historical summary that follows introduces a theological debate that has become widely unfamiliar to contemporary theology, even while conceptually, that debate remains perennial. The four-chapter body that follows may be divided into two general parts: Broadly, chapters One and Two exposit Báñez’s thought, while chapters Three and Four critique it. Chapter One explores Báñez’s positive account of physical premotion, human freedom and sin. Chapter Two examines Báñez’s critique of Luis de Molina S.J.’s alternative proposal, in conjunction with some contemporary sources from both sides of the debate (Molina was Báñez’s principal adversary in the Controversy de Auxiliis). Báñez’s line of critique in Chapter Two is found to be cogent. Chapter Three investigates Molina’s critique of Báñez and finds it too to be cogent, even though Molina’s positive account was found to be problematic in Chapter Two. Chapter Four begins by exploring Bernard Lonergan S.J.’s work on divine causality and human free choice. Lonergan attempts to provide a fresh historical reading of Aquinas that is unencumbered by the presuppositions of the Controversy de Auxiliis. The first part of Chapter Four explains Lonergan’s critique of Báñez and finds it convincing, while the second part of the chapter finds Lonergan’s interpretation of Aquinas problematic from a theoretical standpoint. Chapter Four then offers a constructive critique of Lonergan’s interpretation before advancing an alternative way to think about God’s causation of human free choices. In closing, this dissertation argues that God creates human free choices, but that in creating a human free choice, God, or God’s creative will, is not an antecedent condition that determines choice. Rather, God creates the entire reality of a human free choice—both what it is and that it is—and in so doing, part of the reality God creates just is that choice’s being up to its human agent.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Matava, R.J. This dissertation considers the mystery of the relationship between human free choice and God by focusing on the Controversy de Auxiliis (1582-1607) and the thought of Domingo Báñez, O.P. (1528-1604) in particular. The dissertation comprises four chapters and a conclusion preceded by a preface and brief historical introduction. The preface introduces the issue to be explored and the motivations for exploring it before providing a general synopsis of the dissertation that is more detailed than the present abstract. The historical summary that follows introduces a theological debate that has become widely unfamiliar to contemporary theology, even while conceptually, that debate remains perennial. The four-chapter body that follows may be divided into two general parts: Broadly, chapters One and Two exposit Báñez’s thought, while chapters Three and Four critique it. Chapter One explores Báñez’s positive account of physical premotion, human freedom and sin. Chapter Two examines Báñez’s critique of Luis de Molina S.J.’s alternative proposal, in conjunction with some contemporary sources from both sides of the debate (Molina was Báñez’s principal adversary in the Controversy de Auxiliis). Báñez’s line of critique in Chapter Two is found to be cogent. Chapter Three investigates Molina’s critique of Báñez and finds it too to be cogent, even though Molina’s positive account was found to be problematic in Chapter Two. Chapter Four begins by exploring Bernard Lonergan S.J.’s work on divine causality and human free choice. Lonergan attempts to provide a fresh historical reading of Aquinas that is unencumbered by the presuppositions of the Controversy de Auxiliis. The first part of Chapter Four explains Lonergan’s critique of Báñez and finds it convincing, while the second part of the chapter finds Lonergan’s interpretation of Aquinas problematic from a theoretical standpoint. Chapter Four then offers a constructive critique of Lonergan’s interpretation before advancing an alternative way to think about God’s causation of human free choices. In closing, this dissertation argues that God creates human free choices, but that in creating a human free choice, God, or God’s creative will, is not an antecedent condition that determines choice. Rather, God creates the entire reality of a human free choice—both what it is and that it is—and in so doing, part of the reality God creates just is that choice’s being up to its human agent. Kamell, Mariam J. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/977 2012-04-04T15:29:07Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The epistle of James has been neglected in NT studies, caught between its relationship with Paul and the claim that it has no theology. Even as it experiences a resurgence of study, surprisingly no full-length survey exists on James as the epistle of “faith and works.” Approaches to James have neglected its soteriology and, in consequence, its theological themes have been separated or studied only in connection with Paul. As “moral character,” however, “faith” and “works” fit within a coherent theology of God’s mercy and judgment. This study provides a sustained reading of James as a Jewish-Christian document. Because James presents the “faith” and “works” discussion in context of “can such faith save?” (2:14), the issue becomes one of soteriology and final judgment. Both the “law of freedom” and the “word of truth” demand faithful obedience—the “works.” Moreover, God’s character and deeds in election form the basis for human “works” of mercy and humble obedience, while future judgment is in accordance with virtuous character. It has been established that James shares methodology and concerns with prior wisdom literature. This thesis therefore examines key ideas developing across the Jewish literature and Jesus’ teaching as presented by Matthew, and highlights developing views of God saving and judging his people. Within the first two chapters, James gives a high view of God’s work in calling and redeeming, providing wisdom to his people, and instilling the long-anticipated new covenant that they might live in obedience, humility and purity in accordance with his character and will. Because of God’s saving work, he justly judges those who fail to live mercifully, while his mercy triumphs for those who obey. God begins the work and sustains those who ask; but only those who submit to the “perfect law of freedom,” whose faith works, receive mercy when God enacts his final justice.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Kamell, Mariam J. The epistle of James has been neglected in NT studies, caught between its relationship with Paul and the claim that it has no theology. Even as it experiences a resurgence of study, surprisingly no full-length survey exists on James as the epistle of “faith and works.” Approaches to James have neglected its soteriology and, in consequence, its theological themes have been separated or studied only in connection with Paul. As “moral character,” however, “faith” and “works” fit within a coherent theology of God’s mercy and judgment. This study provides a sustained reading of James as a Jewish-Christian document. Because James presents the “faith” and “works” discussion in context of “can such faith save?” (2:14), the issue becomes one of soteriology and final judgment. Both the “law of freedom” and the “word of truth” demand faithful obedience—the “works.” Moreover, God’s character and deeds in election form the basis for human “works” of mercy and humble obedience, while future judgment is in accordance with virtuous character. It has been established that James shares methodology and concerns with prior wisdom literature. This thesis therefore examines key ideas developing across the Jewish literature and Jesus’ teaching as presented by Matthew, and highlights developing views of God saving and judging his people. Within the first two chapters, James gives a high view of God’s work in calling and redeeming, providing wisdom to his people, and instilling the long-anticipated new covenant that they might live in obedience, humility and purity in accordance with his character and will. Because of God’s saving work, he justly judges those who fail to live mercifully, while his mercy triumphs for those who obey. God begins the work and sustains those who ask; but only those who submit to the “perfect law of freedom,” whose faith works, receive mercy when God enacts his final justice. Baker, Bruce D. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/975 2010-08-25T11:29:28Z 2010-06-22T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation investigates the evangelical ethics of Prof. Oliver O’Donovan in order to explore the implications of his “evangelical realism” for theological anthropology, moral knowledge and the concept of moral order. The Barth-Brunner debate regarding natural theology provides a lens onto these issues. Theological case studies are used to test our findings. Chapter 1 provides an overture to these issues, paying attention to current ideas about human nature and morality, and the growing influence of neuroscience and evolutionary psychology. Chapter 2 focuses on Resurrection and Moral Order, elucidating the salient factors in its outline for evangelical ethics. Chapter 3 diagnoses the challenges which a dialectical epistemology presents to the development of a doctrine of evangelical ethics. Chapter 4 delves into O’Donovan’s treatment of the Barth-Brunner debate over natural theology, and discovers therein an illuminating correspondence between O’Donovan’s ethics and the concept of a human “capacity for revelation” (Offenbarungsmächtigkeit), which became a hinge issue in the debate. This provides a helpful lens onto O’Donovan’s concept of moral order. Chapter 5 examines the intrinsic connection between the concept of moral order and the epistemic role of faith. Kierkegaard’s treatment of the paradoxical aspects of faith as an event of epistemic access figures prominently in this analysis. Chapter 6 brings together the results of our analysis and applies them to the thesis that: the transformation of persons lies at the heart of evangelical ethics. The cosmology of faith emerges as a critical hermeneutical factor in the development of a doctrine of evangelical ethics. We explore here the doctrinal implications for Trinitarian theology. Chapter 7 draws out practical implications of our thesis. We see the central place of prayer and worship in evangelical ethics, and point out implications for teaching. Lastly, we show practical applications of our thesis by examining the bio-ethical issues of human reproductive technologies, with special attention to O’Donovan’s work, Begotten or Made?

2010-06-22T00:00:00Z Baker, Bruce D. This dissertation investigates the evangelical ethics of Prof. Oliver O’Donovan in order to explore the implications of his “evangelical realism” for theological anthropology, moral knowledge and the concept of moral order. The Barth-Brunner debate regarding natural theology provides a lens onto these issues. Theological case studies are used to test our findings. Chapter 1 provides an overture to these issues, paying attention to current ideas about human nature and morality, and the growing influence of neuroscience and evolutionary psychology. Chapter 2 focuses on Resurrection and Moral Order, elucidating the salient factors in its outline for evangelical ethics. Chapter 3 diagnoses the challenges which a dialectical epistemology presents to the development of a doctrine of evangelical ethics. Chapter 4 delves into O’Donovan’s treatment of the Barth-Brunner debate over natural theology, and discovers therein an illuminating correspondence between O’Donovan’s ethics and the concept of a human “capacity for revelation” (Offenbarungsmächtigkeit), which became a hinge issue in the debate. This provides a helpful lens onto O’Donovan’s concept of moral order. Chapter 5 examines the intrinsic connection between the concept of moral order and the epistemic role of faith. Kierkegaard’s treatment of the paradoxical aspects of faith as an event of epistemic access figures prominently in this analysis. Chapter 6 brings together the results of our analysis and applies them to the thesis that: the transformation of persons lies at the heart of evangelical ethics. The cosmology of faith emerges as a critical hermeneutical factor in the development of a doctrine of evangelical ethics. We explore here the doctrinal implications for Trinitarian theology. Chapter 7 draws out practical implications of our thesis. We see the central place of prayer and worship in evangelical ethics, and point out implications for teaching. Lastly, we show practical applications of our thesis by examining the bio-ethical issues of human reproductive technologies, with special attention to O’Donovan’s work, Begotten or Made? Blackburn, Steven P. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/970 2010-12-06T15:04:33Z 1998-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This work makes a contribution to the history of the interpretation of Hebrew scripture by examining the earlier texts, produced by the linguistically cognate communities of Arabic-speaking Jews, Christians, and Muslims, of one of the more theologically controversial and linguistically difficult texts of the Judeo-Christian canon: the Book of Job. Analysis relates portions of five pre-1000 C. E. Arabic versions to the Masoretic Text as well as to the Targum, Septuagint, Peshitta, Syro-Hexaplaric, and Coptic. Subtleties encountered in the course of translation, including theological emphases, inter-religious and inter-cultural influences, as well as paraphrastics and other form-literary concerns, are treated.

1998-01-01T00:00:00Z Blackburn, Steven P. This work makes a contribution to the history of the interpretation of Hebrew scripture by examining the earlier texts, produced by the linguistically cognate communities of Arabic-speaking Jews, Christians, and Muslims, of one of the more theologically controversial and linguistically difficult texts of the Judeo-Christian canon: the Book of Job. Analysis relates portions of five pre-1000 C. E. Arabic versions to the Masoretic Text as well as to the Targum, Septuagint, Peshitta, Syro-Hexaplaric, and Coptic. Subtleties encountered in the course of translation, including theological emphases, inter-religious and inter-cultural influences, as well as paraphrastics and other form-literary concerns, are treated. Whiteman, Robert D http://hdl.handle.net/10023/966 2010-09-23T08:33:52Z 2010-06-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis looks at Blessed are the Poor?, a document presented to the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church that sought to outline Liberation Theology to the Church. In response to this the Synod voted £1,000,000 of its resources to be used specifically in projects in the poorest parts of Scotland. The thesis outlines those projects and the way in which they sought to embody the "Option for the Poor". The thesis closes by looking at whether Blessed are the Poor? faithfully represented Liberation Theology and the "Option"; whether the projects represented that theology and concluding that they did not, recognises that it is the nature of both the "Option" and the institutional Church that such a task could never be achieved. In order to understand the pastoral project this thesis outlines the historical development of Liberation Theology after the Second Vatican Council and in Latin America with particular emphasis on the "Option for the Poor". This thesis proceeds to look at the development of an "Option for the Poor" in the work of Gustavo Gutiérrez, the leading Liberation Theologian. The critiques of that work from the Vatican, Pablo Richard and Hugo Assmann are then considered. Gutiérrez’s works are used to develop a theological matrix that identifies the essential elements of the “Option for the Poor”. Having considered the notion of the "Option for the Poor" the thesis proceeds to look at how the "Option" was taken forward in the Churches in Britain before focussing on the specific response of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The matrix is used as a tool to assess whether the various parts of the response truly reflected the “Option for the Poor”.

2010-06-01T00:00:00Z Whiteman, Robert D This thesis looks at Blessed are the Poor?, a document presented to the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church that sought to outline Liberation Theology to the Church. In response to this the Synod voted £1,000,000 of its resources to be used specifically in projects in the poorest parts of Scotland. The thesis outlines those projects and the way in which they sought to embody the "Option for the Poor". The thesis closes by looking at whether Blessed are the Poor? faithfully represented Liberation Theology and the "Option"; whether the projects represented that theology and concluding that they did not, recognises that it is the nature of both the "Option" and the institutional Church that such a task could never be achieved. In order to understand the pastoral project this thesis outlines the historical development of Liberation Theology after the Second Vatican Council and in Latin America with particular emphasis on the "Option for the Poor". This thesis proceeds to look at the development of an "Option for the Poor" in the work of Gustavo Gutiérrez, the leading Liberation Theologian. The critiques of that work from the Vatican, Pablo Richard and Hugo Assmann are then considered. Gutiérrez’s works are used to develop a theological matrix that identifies the essential elements of the “Option for the Poor”. Having considered the notion of the "Option for the Poor" the thesis proceeds to look at how the "Option" was taken forward in the Churches in Britain before focussing on the specific response of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The matrix is used as a tool to assess whether the various parts of the response truly reflected the “Option for the Poor”. Johnson, Trygve David http://hdl.handle.net/10023/944 2010-07-09T10:44:50Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis explores how metaphors of identity shape the practice of preaching and can encourage or limit attempts to witness to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It asks the question: Is there an identity that will encourage a faithful homiletic practice by embracing the full range of human capacities and gifts without asking the preacher to rely on him- or herself? It suggests that the homiletic identity of THE PREACHER AS ARTIST can lead preachers to understand their task in relation to the life and ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ and so give space to divine and human action in the event of preaching the word of God. The argument begins with an account of the present cultural moment and the suggestion that preachers should consider an identity that takes the imagination seriously in light of shifting cultural assumptions and expectations. It then describes the significance of metaphor for identity before looking at two established homiletic identities, THE PREACHER AS TEACHER and THE PREACHER AS HERALD. Accounts of these two identities highlight the tension between divine and human agency in the task of preaching. The thesis then examines the metaphor of THE PREACHER AS ARTIST. This attempt to re-describe the identity of preachers draws on a theology of communion and the doctrine of the vicarious humanity of Christ to relocate the identity and practice of the preacher in the creative and ongoing ministry of Jesus. The metaphorical association of the preacher and artist understood within the artistic ministry of Jesus Christ frees the full range of human capacities, including the imagination. It connects preachers to the person and work of Jesus Christ, who took the raw materials of the human condition and offered them back to the Father in a redemptive and imaginative fashion through the Holy Spirit.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Johnson, Trygve David This thesis explores how metaphors of identity shape the practice of preaching and can encourage or limit attempts to witness to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It asks the question: Is there an identity that will encourage a faithful homiletic practice by embracing the full range of human capacities and gifts without asking the preacher to rely on him- or herself? It suggests that the homiletic identity of THE PREACHER AS ARTIST can lead preachers to understand their task in relation to the life and ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ and so give space to divine and human action in the event of preaching the word of God. The argument begins with an account of the present cultural moment and the suggestion that preachers should consider an identity that takes the imagination seriously in light of shifting cultural assumptions and expectations. It then describes the significance of metaphor for identity before looking at two established homiletic identities, THE PREACHER AS TEACHER and THE PREACHER AS HERALD. Accounts of these two identities highlight the tension between divine and human agency in the task of preaching. The thesis then examines the metaphor of THE PREACHER AS ARTIST. This attempt to re-describe the identity of preachers draws on a theology of communion and the doctrine of the vicarious humanity of Christ to relocate the identity and practice of the preacher in the creative and ongoing ministry of Jesus. The metaphorical association of the preacher and artist understood within the artistic ministry of Jesus Christ frees the full range of human capacities, including the imagination. It connects preachers to the person and work of Jesus Christ, who took the raw materials of the human condition and offered them back to the Father in a redemptive and imaginative fashion through the Holy Spirit. Wheaton, Gerald http://hdl.handle.net/10023/942 2010-12-06T15:26:28Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The present work aims to elucidate the role of the Jewish feasts of Passover, Tabernacles and Dedication in the presentation of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel. Specifically, I will seek to gain a clearer understanding of John’s appropriation of the symbolic and traditional backgrounds of these feasts by examining pertinent sources from contemporary Judaism and the manner in which John has made use of the traditions preserved therein. Past studies have achieved consensus on certain points of interpretation but overlooked important evidence at other points. Some scholars have also been too quick to cite John’s treatment of the feasts as evidence of his anti-Jewish posture in the Gospel as a whole. In what follows, therefore, I will give particular attention to those background sources which have not been accorded due attention. I will also attempt to situate my study within the wider question of Judaism in the Fourth Gospel and to suggest how the results achieved in the end may bear upon ongoing debates on this matter.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Wheaton, Gerald The present work aims to elucidate the role of the Jewish feasts of Passover, Tabernacles and Dedication in the presentation of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel. Specifically, I will seek to gain a clearer understanding of John’s appropriation of the symbolic and traditional backgrounds of these feasts by examining pertinent sources from contemporary Judaism and the manner in which John has made use of the traditions preserved therein. Past studies have achieved consensus on certain points of interpretation but overlooked important evidence at other points. Some scholars have also been too quick to cite John’s treatment of the feasts as evidence of his anti-Jewish posture in the Gospel as a whole. In what follows, therefore, I will give particular attention to those background sources which have not been accorded due attention. I will also attempt to situate my study within the wider question of Judaism in the Fourth Gospel and to suggest how the results achieved in the end may bear upon ongoing debates on this matter. Worley, Taylor http://hdl.handle.net/10023/940 2012-09-24T08:30:31Z 2010-06-22T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Within the field of theological aesthetics, this project assesses the divide between theological accounts of art and the re-emergence of religious imagery in modern and contemporary art. More specifically, American Protestant theologians and their accounts of visual art will be taken up as a representative set of contemporary theological inquiry in the arts. Under this category, evaluation will be made of three diverse traditions in American Protestant thought: Paul Tillich and Liberal Protestantism, Francis Schaeffer and the Neo-Calvinists, and the open evangelical accounts of Nicholas Wolterstorff and William Dyrness. With respect to modern and contemporary visual art, this evaluation judges the degree to which theologians have understood the primary concepts and dominant narratives of various modernisms and postmodernisms of art since the end of the nineteenth century, recognised the watershed moments in the lineage of the twentieth century avant-garde, and acknowledged the influence of critical theory not only upon the contemporary discourse in aesthetics and art production but also in the social reception of art. In tracing the re-emergence of religious imagery in modern and contemporary art, this project takes up three diverse traditions: the Crucifixions of Francis Bacon and the memento mori art of Damien Hirst, the ‘re-enchantment’ of art in the work of Joseph Beuys, and the art of ‘False Blasphemy’ associated with lapsed Catholics like Rober Gober and Andres Serrano. By assessing what theologians have written concerning visual art and the surprising return of certain religious imagery in modern and contemporary art, this study will intimate a new way forward in a mutually beneficial dialogue for art and religious belief.

2010-06-22T00:00:00Z Worley, Taylor Within the field of theological aesthetics, this project assesses the divide between theological accounts of art and the re-emergence of religious imagery in modern and contemporary art. More specifically, American Protestant theologians and their accounts of visual art will be taken up as a representative set of contemporary theological inquiry in the arts. Under this category, evaluation will be made of three diverse traditions in American Protestant thought: Paul Tillich and Liberal Protestantism, Francis Schaeffer and the Neo-Calvinists, and the open evangelical accounts of Nicholas Wolterstorff and William Dyrness. With respect to modern and contemporary visual art, this evaluation judges the degree to which theologians have understood the primary concepts and dominant narratives of various modernisms and postmodernisms of art since the end of the nineteenth century, recognised the watershed moments in the lineage of the twentieth century avant-garde, and acknowledged the influence of critical theory not only upon the contemporary discourse in aesthetics and art production but also in the social reception of art. In tracing the re-emergence of religious imagery in modern and contemporary art, this project takes up three diverse traditions: the Crucifixions of Francis Bacon and the memento mori art of Damien Hirst, the ‘re-enchantment’ of art in the work of Joseph Beuys, and the art of ‘False Blasphemy’ associated with lapsed Catholics like Rober Gober and Andres Serrano. By assessing what theologians have written concerning visual art and the surprising return of certain religious imagery in modern and contemporary art, this study will intimate a new way forward in a mutually beneficial dialogue for art and religious belief. MacSwain, Robert Carroll http://hdl.handle.net/10023/920 2010-08-06T11:30:41Z 2010-06-22T00:00:00Z

Abstract: CHAPTER ONE: A perennial (if controversial) concern in both theology and philosophy of religion is whether religious belief is ‘reasonable’. Austin Farrer (1904-1968) is widely thought to affirm a positive answer to this concern. Chapter One surveys three interpretations of Farrer on ‘the believer’s reasons’ and thus sets the stage for our investigation into the development of his religious epistemology. CHAPTER TWO: The disputed question of whether Farrer became ‘a sort of fideist’ is complicated by the many definitions of fideism. Chapter Two thus sorts through these issues so that when ‘fideism’ appears in subsequent chapters a precise range of meanings can be given to it, and the ‘sort of fideist’ Farrer may have become can be determined more accurately. CHAPTER THREE: Although Farrer’s constant goal was to develop ‘a viable and sophisticated natural theology,’ an early moment of philosophical illumination involved recognising the limits of reason. Chapter Three begins with a sketch of Farrer’s life, looks at his undergraduate correspondence where some ‘fideistic’ themes are first articulated, and then focuses on his classic text of ‘rational theology,’ *Finite and Infinite* (1943). CHAPTER FOUR: In subsequent years, Farrer became increasingly open to placing a greater emphasis on faith. And yet, he continued to press the question: ‘Can reasonable minds still think theologically?’ Chapter Four argues that, stimulated by Diogenes Allen’s doctoral dissertation and citing it explicitly, Farrer’s *Faith and Speculation* (1967) attempts to blend Allen’s more fideistic position with a continuing concern for legitimate philosophical critique. CHAPTER FIVE: The fifth chapter evaluates the significance of Farrer’s final position in the context of contemporary religious epistemology and the current wide-spread interest in spirituality. In conclusion, Farrer finally seems to locate theistic evidence not primarily in nature or reason, but in holy lives and our own attempts to live by faith: ‘It is solved by sacrifice.’

2010-06-22T00:00:00Z MacSwain, Robert Carroll CHAPTER ONE: A perennial (if controversial) concern in both theology and philosophy of religion is whether religious belief is ‘reasonable’. Austin Farrer (1904-1968) is widely thought to affirm a positive answer to this concern. Chapter One surveys three interpretations of Farrer on ‘the believer’s reasons’ and thus sets the stage for our investigation into the development of his religious epistemology. CHAPTER TWO: The disputed question of whether Farrer became ‘a sort of fideist’ is complicated by the many definitions of fideism. Chapter Two thus sorts through these issues so that when ‘fideism’ appears in subsequent chapters a precise range of meanings can be given to it, and the ‘sort of fideist’ Farrer may have become can be determined more accurately. CHAPTER THREE: Although Farrer’s constant goal was to develop ‘a viable and sophisticated natural theology,’ an early moment of philosophical illumination involved recognising the limits of reason. Chapter Three begins with a sketch of Farrer’s life, looks at his undergraduate correspondence where some ‘fideistic’ themes are first articulated, and then focuses on his classic text of ‘rational theology,’ *Finite and Infinite* (1943). CHAPTER FOUR: In subsequent years, Farrer became increasingly open to placing a greater emphasis on faith. And yet, he continued to press the question: ‘Can reasonable minds still think theologically?’ Chapter Four argues that, stimulated by Diogenes Allen’s doctoral dissertation and citing it explicitly, Farrer’s *Faith and Speculation* (1967) attempts to blend Allen’s more fideistic position with a continuing concern for legitimate philosophical critique. CHAPTER FIVE: The fifth chapter evaluates the significance of Farrer’s final position in the context of contemporary religious epistemology and the current wide-spread interest in spirituality. In conclusion, Farrer finally seems to locate theistic evidence not primarily in nature or reason, but in holy lives and our own attempts to live by faith: ‘It is solved by sacrifice.’ Chandler, Christopher N. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/919 2010-06-21T14:52:36Z 2010-11-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation seeks to provide a plausible alternative to the consensus interpretation of Jesus' "do not judge" teaching in Matt 7:1-5. While the overwhelming majority of recent interpreters understand "do not judge" (7:1) and its concurrent sayings such as "take the log out of your own eye" (7:5) to promote a non-judgmental attitude, this monograph seeks to situate this block of teaching within a Jewish second-Temple judicial setting. To this end, an overview of the judicial system during the second Temple era is provided, after which it is argued that Matt 7:1-5 is the Matthean Jesus' halakhic, midrashic comment upon the laws for just legal judging in Lev 19:15-18, 35-36 by which he prophetically criticizes unjust legal judging. Jesus' brother James takes up this teaching in Jas 2:1-13, using it to exhort Jewish Christian leaders who judge cases within Diaspora synagogues/churches. Such an alternative interpretation of Jesus' "do not judge" teaching in Matt 7:1-5 matches well other passages in Matthew which likewise speak of judicial, brotherly conflict such as 5:21-26 and 18:15-35. Some early Christian writers who quote or allude to Matt 7:1-5 reflect a judicial understanding of these verses as well, often relating Matt 7:1-5 to Lev 19:15-18, 35-36 and/or drawing parallels between Matt 7:1-5 and one or more of the NT judicial texts which, this thesis argues, is related to it (Matt 5:21-26, 18:15-35; Jas 2:1-13).

2010-11-01T00:00:00Z Chandler, Christopher N. This dissertation seeks to provide a plausible alternative to the consensus interpretation of Jesus' "do not judge" teaching in Matt 7:1-5. While the overwhelming majority of recent interpreters understand "do not judge" (7:1) and its concurrent sayings such as "take the log out of your own eye" (7:5) to promote a non-judgmental attitude, this monograph seeks to situate this block of teaching within a Jewish second-Temple judicial setting. To this end, an overview of the judicial system during the second Temple era is provided, after which it is argued that Matt 7:1-5 is the Matthean Jesus' halakhic, midrashic comment upon the laws for just legal judging in Lev 19:15-18, 35-36 by which he prophetically criticizes unjust legal judging. Jesus' brother James takes up this teaching in Jas 2:1-13, using it to exhort Jewish Christian leaders who judge cases within Diaspora synagogues/churches. Such an alternative interpretation of Jesus' "do not judge" teaching in Matt 7:1-5 matches well other passages in Matthew which likewise speak of judicial, brotherly conflict such as 5:21-26 and 18:15-35. Some early Christian writers who quote or allude to Matt 7:1-5 reflect a judicial understanding of these verses as well, often relating Matt 7:1-5 to Lev 19:15-18, 35-36 and/or drawing parallels between Matt 7:1-5 and one or more of the NT judicial texts which, this thesis argues, is related to it (Matt 5:21-26, 18:15-35; Jas 2:1-13). Bellenger, Peter John Russell http://hdl.handle.net/10023/865 2010-04-09T09:24:34Z 2009-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation assesses the pneumatological implications of Kevin Vanhoozer’s canonical-linguistic approach to Christian theology, in the context of the wider issue of recent interest in re-conceiving the cultural-linguistic approach to theology through a description of Christian practice in directly pneumatological terms. I seek to welcome Vanhoozer’s communicative-act description of the authority and identity of Scripture as God’s written Word, and the way in which this description affirms the key insights of the linguistic turn to practice whilst maintaining the normativity of Scripture (as divine communicative action) to Christian practice (participation in that action). My concern is that Vanhoozer constructs his proposal around a Triune model of divine communicative action that I believe has pneumatological shortcomings. In particular, I think that the importance of God’s personal presence by the Holy Spirit is hard to convey within Vanhoozer’s canonical-linguistic theology. I argue that this matters because answers to the epistemological and hermeneutical questions that Vanhoozer is seeking to address require a fully Trinitarian theology that draws upon the significance of God’s indwelling presence by his Spirit. Such pneumatology is vital to the description of both the ontological distinction between God and creation and the divine-human relation in the economy of salvation centred upon the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It should be part of a fully Trinitarian theology that enables us to address questions of epistemology, hermeneutics and agency without making those concerns appear to determine the nature of salvation or the being of God. In making this argument, I draw in particular upon Colin Gunton’s discussion of Karl Barth’s triune model of divine self-revelation and Gordon Fee’s exegesis of Paul’s teaching on the Holy Spirit.

2009-11-30T00:00:00Z Bellenger, Peter John Russell This dissertation assesses the pneumatological implications of Kevin Vanhoozer’s canonical-linguistic approach to Christian theology, in the context of the wider issue of recent interest in re-conceiving the cultural-linguistic approach to theology through a description of Christian practice in directly pneumatological terms. I seek to welcome Vanhoozer’s communicative-act description of the authority and identity of Scripture as God’s written Word, and the way in which this description affirms the key insights of the linguistic turn to practice whilst maintaining the normativity of Scripture (as divine communicative action) to Christian practice (participation in that action). My concern is that Vanhoozer constructs his proposal around a Triune model of divine communicative action that I believe has pneumatological shortcomings. In particular, I think that the importance of God’s personal presence by the Holy Spirit is hard to convey within Vanhoozer’s canonical-linguistic theology. I argue that this matters because answers to the epistemological and hermeneutical questions that Vanhoozer is seeking to address require a fully Trinitarian theology that draws upon the significance of God’s indwelling presence by his Spirit. Such pneumatology is vital to the description of both the ontological distinction between God and creation and the divine-human relation in the economy of salvation centred upon the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It should be part of a fully Trinitarian theology that enables us to address questions of epistemology, hermeneutics and agency without making those concerns appear to determine the nature of salvation or the being of God. In making this argument, I draw in particular upon Colin Gunton’s discussion of Karl Barth’s triune model of divine self-revelation and Gordon Fee’s exegesis of Paul’s teaching on the Holy Spirit. Leow, Theng Huat http://hdl.handle.net/10023/833 2012-10-22T12:42:00Z 2009-06-25T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study seeks to describe the theodicy of Scottish theologian Peter Taylor Forsyth. We begin by making some preliminary comments concerning Forsyth’s conception of reality and his understanding of evil. We then examine Forsyth’s methodology of the theologia crucis, which he utilises in his justification of God. Forsyth sees a crucial event taking place at the Cross, “the self-justification of God”, one which constitutes the basis for all human attempts to justify God. We explore his multi-faceted understanding of this event, and how it leads to two outcomes which form the main thrusts of his theodicy. In Chapters 3 and 4, we look at the first such outcome, which is that God moves the world inexorably towards his glorious telos. We also consider here the significance of this first outcome for Forsyth’s theodicy, which is that it imparts to this theodicy a strongly teleological and historical nature. In Chapters 5 and 6, we consider the second outcome of God’s self-justification. This is the revelation that God suffered incomparably in the event of the Cross. We draw out two major implications of this for Forsyth’s theodicy, based upon the idea that God is the chief sufferer and giver in our battle against sin, and the possibility that Christ might serve as our model of faith in times of suffering. We turn, in our final two chapters, to examine Forsyth’s view on the origin of both sin and suffering, his understanding of the God-world relationship, and the significance of these for his theodicy. We conclude that Forsyth’s justification of God constitutes a robust and comprehensive response to the problem of evil, possibly rendering a valuable service to the task of Christian theodicy through its ability to integrate insights from what has hitherto been considered different approaches to the issue. Description: Electronic version excludes material for which permission has not been granted by the rights holder

2009-06-25T00:00:00Z Leow, Theng Huat This study seeks to describe the theodicy of Scottish theologian Peter Taylor Forsyth. We begin by making some preliminary comments concerning Forsyth’s conception of reality and his understanding of evil. We then examine Forsyth’s methodology of the theologia crucis, which he utilises in his justification of God. Forsyth sees a crucial event taking place at the Cross, “the self-justification of God”, one which constitutes the basis for all human attempts to justify God. We explore his multi-faceted understanding of this event, and how it leads to two outcomes which form the main thrusts of his theodicy. In Chapters 3 and 4, we look at the first such outcome, which is that God moves the world inexorably towards his glorious telos. We also consider here the significance of this first outcome for Forsyth’s theodicy, which is that it imparts to this theodicy a strongly teleological and historical nature. In Chapters 5 and 6, we consider the second outcome of God’s self-justification. This is the revelation that God suffered incomparably in the event of the Cross. We draw out two major implications of this for Forsyth’s theodicy, based upon the idea that God is the chief sufferer and giver in our battle against sin, and the possibility that Christ might serve as our model of faith in times of suffering. We turn, in our final two chapters, to examine Forsyth’s view on the origin of both sin and suffering, his understanding of the God-world relationship, and the significance of these for his theodicy. We conclude that Forsyth’s justification of God constitutes a robust and comprehensive response to the problem of evil, possibly rendering a valuable service to the task of Christian theodicy through its ability to integrate insights from what has hitherto been considered different approaches to the issue. Schmidt, Darren W. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/829 2012-10-22T15:43:59Z 2009-06-25T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study addresses eighteenth-century English-speaking evangelicals' understandings of church history, through the lens of published attempts to represent preceding Christian centuries panoramically or comprehensively. Sources entail several short reflections on history emerging in the early years of the transatlantic Revival (1730s-1740s) and subsequent, more substantial efforts by evangelical leaders John Gillies, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Joseph and Isaac Milner, and Thomas Haweis. Little scholarly analysis exists on these sources, aside from the renaissance of interest in recent decades in Edwards. This is surprising, considering the acknowledged prominence of history-writing in the eighteenth century and the influence attributed, then and now, to the works of authors such as Gibbon, Hume, and Robertson. The aim is, first, to elucidate each of the above evangelicals' interpretations of the Christian past, both in overview and according to what they said on a roster of particular historical events, people and movements, and then to consider shared and divergent aspects. These aspects range from points of detail to paradigmatic theological convictions. Secondarily, evangelical church histories are analyzed in relation to earlier Protestant as well as eighteenth-century 'enlightened' historiography, in part through attention to evangelical authors' explicit engagement with these currents. This contextualization assists in determining the unique qualities of evangelical interpretations. Is there, then, evidence of a characteristically 'evangelical' perspective on church history? An examination of this neglected area illumines patterns and particulars of evangelicals' historical thought, and these in turn communicate the self-perceptions and the defining features of evangelicalism itself. Findings support the primary contention that evangelical leaders made use of a dynamic pattern of revival and declension as a means of accounting for the full history of Christianity. Beyond displaying the central place of 'revival' for evangelicals, these church histories demonstrate evangelicalism‘s complex relationship—involving both receptivity and critique—with Protestant and Enlightenment currents of historical inquiry.

2009-06-25T00:00:00Z Schmidt, Darren W. This study addresses eighteenth-century English-speaking evangelicals' understandings of church history, through the lens of published attempts to represent preceding Christian centuries panoramically or comprehensively. Sources entail several short reflections on history emerging in the early years of the transatlantic Revival (1730s-1740s) and subsequent, more substantial efforts by evangelical leaders John Gillies, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Joseph and Isaac Milner, and Thomas Haweis. Little scholarly analysis exists on these sources, aside from the renaissance of interest in recent decades in Edwards. This is surprising, considering the acknowledged prominence of history-writing in the eighteenth century and the influence attributed, then and now, to the works of authors such as Gibbon, Hume, and Robertson. The aim is, first, to elucidate each of the above evangelicals' interpretations of the Christian past, both in overview and according to what they said on a roster of particular historical events, people and movements, and then to consider shared and divergent aspects. These aspects range from points of detail to paradigmatic theological convictions. Secondarily, evangelical church histories are analyzed in relation to earlier Protestant as well as eighteenth-century 'enlightened' historiography, in part through attention to evangelical authors' explicit engagement with these currents. This contextualization assists in determining the unique qualities of evangelical interpretations. Is there, then, evidence of a characteristically 'evangelical' perspective on church history? An examination of this neglected area illumines patterns and particulars of evangelicals' historical thought, and these in turn communicate the self-perceptions and the defining features of evangelicalism itself. Findings support the primary contention that evangelical leaders made use of a dynamic pattern of revival and declension as a means of accounting for the full history of Christianity. Beyond displaying the central place of 'revival' for evangelicals, these church histories demonstrate evangelicalism‘s complex relationship—involving both receptivity and critique—with Protestant and Enlightenment currents of historical inquiry. McCoy, Andrew Michael http://hdl.handle.net/10023/824 2012-10-22T12:42:28Z 2009-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the role of lament and praise in the respective theological approaches of Walter Brueggemann and David Ford for the purpose of examining how Christian faith transforms human response to suffering. The first three chapters trace Brueggemann’s engagement with Israel’s lament psalms, beginning with his observation that their typical dual form mirrors the collective shape of Israel’s psalter as well as all biblical faith. Influential interactions with sociology eventually lead Brueggemann to propose faith not simply as response to God’s faithfulness, but rather through rhetorical tension maintained between conflicts perceived in aspects of scripture such as praise and lament. We critique this view of irresolvable textual tension for leaving Brueggemann with an unresolved understanding of divine fidelity which obscures biblical expectation that God will respond faithfully to human lament. The fourth and fifth chapters concern David Ford’s consistent engagement with praise and subsequently, Christian joy. His early collaborative scholarship proposes praise as the result of faith in who God is through the suffering person and work of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, continued ethical concerns lead Ford to identify Christian faith as an inextricable relationship between joy and responsibility resulting from “facing” Christ’s life and suffering death. We critique Ford for failing to clarify how such “facing” is made possible through who God is in Christ, rendering faith merely the result of human expression of Christ’s example, and thus obscuring any real reason for praise amidst suffering. Beyond a synthesis of Brueggemann and Ford’s respective approaches to lament and praise, the final chapter argues that a trinitarian approach to Christ’s atonement is necessary to propose how God confronts both suffering and sin thereby producing faithful human response amidst persistent evil. We conclude by arguing that a trinitarian understanding of praise cannot be proposed apart from either who God is in Christ’s atonement or how the atoning Christ is humanly faithful in lament.

2009-11-30T00:00:00Z McCoy, Andrew Michael This thesis explores the role of lament and praise in the respective theological approaches of Walter Brueggemann and David Ford for the purpose of examining how Christian faith transforms human response to suffering. The first three chapters trace Brueggemann’s engagement with Israel’s lament psalms, beginning with his observation that their typical dual form mirrors the collective shape of Israel’s psalter as well as all biblical faith. Influential interactions with sociology eventually lead Brueggemann to propose faith not simply as response to God’s faithfulness, but rather through rhetorical tension maintained between conflicts perceived in aspects of scripture such as praise and lament. We critique this view of irresolvable textual tension for leaving Brueggemann with an unresolved understanding of divine fidelity which obscures biblical expectation that God will respond faithfully to human lament. The fourth and fifth chapters concern David Ford’s consistent engagement with praise and subsequently, Christian joy. His early collaborative scholarship proposes praise as the result of faith in who God is through the suffering person and work of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, continued ethical concerns lead Ford to identify Christian faith as an inextricable relationship between joy and responsibility resulting from “facing” Christ’s life and suffering death. We critique Ford for failing to clarify how such “facing” is made possible through who God is in Christ, rendering faith merely the result of human expression of Christ’s example, and thus obscuring any real reason for praise amidst suffering. Beyond a synthesis of Brueggemann and Ford’s respective approaches to lament and praise, the final chapter argues that a trinitarian approach to Christ’s atonement is necessary to propose how God confronts both suffering and sin thereby producing faithful human response amidst persistent evil. We conclude by arguing that a trinitarian understanding of praise cannot be proposed apart from either who God is in Christ’s atonement or how the atoning Christ is humanly faithful in lament. Jones Nelson, Alissa D. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/790 2010-07-13T09:19:20Z 2009-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Biblical interpretation in the contemporary context of globalisation faces a variety of challenges. This thesis addresses the challenges presented to the discipline by the incorporation of poststructuralism, postcolonialism, and liberation theologies, particularly the problem of interpretive ghettoisation and the ethics of contemporary biblical interpretation. It proposes one possible answer to the question of how the field of biblical hermeneutics can move beyond the segregation passively encouraged by subjectivity and self-determination toward the integration of academic and vernacular hermeneutics in the interests of justice for the dominated and the reconstitution of the dominant. This thesis first presents the interpretive theories of Edward W. Said, addresses the major criticisms of his work, and proceeds to discuss the adaptation of his concept of contrapuntal reading to the interpretation of biblical texts. Second, it presents a survey of current work in the field which attempts to overcome the gap between academic and vernacular hermeneutics and critiques these approaches in light of Said’s concepts. Third, it presents the book of Job as an appropriate context in which to explore the possibilities of contrapuntal hermeneutics. This section analyses various academic and vernacular interpretations of the book of Job and places these interpretations in contrapuntal dialogue over the course of three chapters. The first of these chapters explores the possibilities for dialogue between those interpretations that view suffering as a key theme in the book and those that do not; the second chapter explores interpretations of the book of Job and the issue of suffering in various Euro-North American psychological contexts and in various African contexts of HIV/AIDS; and the third chapter juxtaposes academic and vernacular interpretations of the book of Job in various Asian contexts. Finally, the study closes with an argument for pedagogical reform based upon the ethical and interpretive insights of contrapuntal hermeneutics.

2009-11-30T00:00:00Z Jones Nelson, Alissa D. Biblical interpretation in the contemporary context of globalisation faces a variety of challenges. This thesis addresses the challenges presented to the discipline by the incorporation of poststructuralism, postcolonialism, and liberation theologies, particularly the problem of interpretive ghettoisation and the ethics of contemporary biblical interpretation. It proposes one possible answer to the question of how the field of biblical hermeneutics can move beyond the segregation passively encouraged by subjectivity and self-determination toward the integration of academic and vernacular hermeneutics in the interests of justice for the dominated and the reconstitution of the dominant. This thesis first presents the interpretive theories of Edward W. Said, addresses the major criticisms of his work, and proceeds to discuss the adaptation of his concept of contrapuntal reading to the interpretation of biblical texts. Second, it presents a survey of current work in the field which attempts to overcome the gap between academic and vernacular hermeneutics and critiques these approaches in light of Said’s concepts. Third, it presents the book of Job as an appropriate context in which to explore the possibilities of contrapuntal hermeneutics. This section analyses various academic and vernacular interpretations of the book of Job and places these interpretations in contrapuntal dialogue over the course of three chapters. The first of these chapters explores the possibilities for dialogue between those interpretations that view suffering as a key theme in the book and those that do not; the second chapter explores interpretations of the book of Job and the issue of suffering in various Euro-North American psychological contexts and in various African contexts of HIV/AIDS; and the third chapter juxtaposes academic and vernacular interpretations of the book of Job in various Asian contexts. Finally, the study closes with an argument for pedagogical reform based upon the ethical and interpretive insights of contrapuntal hermeneutics. Tarrer, Seth Barclay http://hdl.handle.net/10023/776 2009-11-10T09:49:17Z 2009-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The present study is a history of interpretation. In that sense it does not fit neatly into the category of Wirkungsgeschichte. Moving through successive periods of the Christian church’s history, we will select representative interpretations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and theological works dealing explicitly with the question of true and false prophecy in an effort to present a sampling of material from the span of the church’s existence. This study seeks to function as a hermeneutical guide for the present interpretive problem of interpreting true and false prophecy in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible by displaying ways various interpreters have broached the subject in the past. In this way it may prove useful to the current impasse concerning the notion of false prophecy in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. Seeing continuity, or a family resemblance, in the Christian church’s interpretation of true and false prophecy in relation to the law’s role amongst exilic and post-exilic prophets, we will observe those ways in which a historically informed reading might offer an interpretive guide for subsequent interpretations of true and false prophecy.

2009-11-30T00:00:00Z Tarrer, Seth Barclay The present study is a history of interpretation. In that sense it does not fit neatly into the category of Wirkungsgeschichte. Moving through successive periods of the Christian church’s history, we will select representative interpretations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and theological works dealing explicitly with the question of true and false prophecy in an effort to present a sampling of material from the span of the church’s existence. This study seeks to function as a hermeneutical guide for the present interpretive problem of interpreting true and false prophecy in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible by displaying ways various interpreters have broached the subject in the past. In this way it may prove useful to the current impasse concerning the notion of false prophecy in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. Seeing continuity, or a family resemblance, in the Christian church’s interpretation of true and false prophecy in relation to the law’s role amongst exilic and post-exilic prophets, we will observe those ways in which a historically informed reading might offer an interpretive guide for subsequent interpretations of true and false prophecy. Torrance, Andrew http://hdl.handle.net/10023/764 2012-10-22T15:43:28Z 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: John Hick argues for a two-fold typology of Christian theodicies, namely, those which offer monist accounts of good and evil and those which offer dualist accounts. Neither approach, he goes on to argue, is compatible with the basic claims of Christian thought. On the one hand, monism risks denying the distinction between good and evil by incorporating evil into the unitary intentionality of the one sovereign God. Dualist accounts, on the other, risk undermining the sovereignty of God by affirming the existence of evil as that which conflicts with God’s good (and singular) will. Hick’s typology presents us, therefore, with the option of either affirming the full sovereignty of God and denying the truly malevolent nature of evil, or affirming God’s opposition to evil but then undermining the full sovereignty of God. Two immensely influential Christian thinkers, namely, Karl Barth and Alvin Plantinga, are considered as a means of testing this claim. Barth, who is the primary focus, tends toward a dualistic understanding of good and evil whereas Plantinga toward a more monistic understanding. Hick’s typology, however, fails to serve their differing understandings of good and evil adequately. An alternative analysis of this distinction is proposed drawing on their distinctive understandings of the relationship between sin and evil and God’s creative purposes. This leads to an analysis of the conditions under which it is possible to affirm the truly malevolent nature of evil and God’s full sovereignty. It is contended that Barth’s approach offers a consistent means of affirming God’s radical opposition to evil while also affirming his full sovereignty.

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z Torrance, Andrew John Hick argues for a two-fold typology of Christian theodicies, namely, those which offer monist accounts of good and evil and those which offer dualist accounts. Neither approach, he goes on to argue, is compatible with the basic claims of Christian thought. On the one hand, monism risks denying the distinction between good and evil by incorporating evil into the unitary intentionality of the one sovereign God. Dualist accounts, on the other, risk undermining the sovereignty of God by affirming the existence of evil as that which conflicts with God’s good (and singular) will. Hick’s typology presents us, therefore, with the option of either affirming the full sovereignty of God and denying the truly malevolent nature of evil, or affirming God’s opposition to evil but then undermining the full sovereignty of God. Two immensely influential Christian thinkers, namely, Karl Barth and Alvin Plantinga, are considered as a means of testing this claim. Barth, who is the primary focus, tends toward a dualistic understanding of good and evil whereas Plantinga toward a more monistic understanding. Hick’s typology, however, fails to serve their differing understandings of good and evil adequately. An alternative analysis of this distinction is proposed drawing on their distinctive understandings of the relationship between sin and evil and God’s creative purposes. This leads to an analysis of the conditions under which it is possible to affirm the truly malevolent nature of evil and God’s full sovereignty. It is contended that Barth’s approach offers a consistent means of affirming God’s radical opposition to evil while also affirming his full sovereignty. Martin, Shirley Helen http://hdl.handle.net/10023/762 2012-10-22T15:45:20Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis argues that Barth’s asymmetrical structuring of the Trinity in I/1, his doctrine of election in volume II, his concept of the humanity of Christ as the imago Dei in III/2 and his account of the obedience of the Son being reflected in his incarnate life, as detailed in IV/1 and IV/2, are not just coherent but mutually reinforcing. The thesis demonstrates that Barth uses a nexus of crucial terms, including ‘correspondence’ [Entsprechung], ‘reflection’ [reflex/Abbildung] and ‘overflowing’ [Ueberstroemen], to express that God’s actions and relationships ad extra reveal who God is. The concept of ‘correspondence’, tentatively present in the first two volumes, gathers pace through III/2 and achieves full force in volume IV, where the obedience of Christ in IV/2 ‘reflects’ or ‘mirrors’ the obedience of the Son in IV/1. Crucially, the fact that the economic Trinity ‘reflects’ the immanent Trinity, or (differently stated) that the immanent Trinity ‘overflows’ into the economy, establishes a direction, an asymmetry, to the relationship of ‘correspondence’. In ch. II of the thesis we argue that the asymmetry developed in the doctrine of the Trinity in I/1 is the basis for this asymmetric correspondence. Barth describes the triune life as one of giving and receiving existence, suggesting a divine order with an irreversible direction, an asymmetric order. This is shown to be particularly evident in Barth’s defence of the filioque clause which enables him to claim that the Spirit is the one in whom the ruling Father and obedient Son are united ad intra. On this basis we argue, in ch. III, that, when Barth revises his doctrine of election, he comes to see it as the event of triune reflection: the Father, Son and Spirit electing to reflect who they are with a direction of determination, an asymmetry, which is irreversible. In this respect we argue against Bruce McCormack, who sees election as the event in which God elects triunity. In ch. IV we read Barth’s III/2 account of the humanity of Christ as the imago Die, as an attempt to demonstrate that God’s economy of salvation corresponds to who he is. This theme comes into full focus in the first two part-volumes of volume IV, explored here in ch. V. The obedience of Christ reflects, corresponds to, the obedience of the Son. There is obedience in God. This concept, which so mystifies Paul Molnar and Rowan Williams, is shown to be theologically consistent with a doctrine articulated by Barth some thirty years previously: his asymmetrically structured doctrine of the Trinity.

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Martin, Shirley Helen This thesis argues that Barth’s asymmetrical structuring of the Trinity in I/1, his doctrine of election in volume II, his concept of the humanity of Christ as the imago Dei in III/2 and his account of the obedience of the Son being reflected in his incarnate life, as detailed in IV/1 and IV/2, are not just coherent but mutually reinforcing. The thesis demonstrates that Barth uses a nexus of crucial terms, including ‘correspondence’ [Entsprechung], ‘reflection’ [reflex/Abbildung] and ‘overflowing’ [Ueberstroemen], to express that God’s actions and relationships ad extra reveal who God is. The concept of ‘correspondence’, tentatively present in the first two volumes, gathers pace through III/2 and achieves full force in volume IV, where the obedience of Christ in IV/2 ‘reflects’ or ‘mirrors’ the obedience of the Son in IV/1. Crucially, the fact that the economic Trinity ‘reflects’ the immanent Trinity, or (differently stated) that the immanent Trinity ‘overflows’ into the economy, establishes a direction, an asymmetry, to the relationship of ‘correspondence’. In ch. II of the thesis we argue that the asymmetry developed in the doctrine of the Trinity in I/1 is the basis for this asymmetric correspondence. Barth describes the triune life as one of giving and receiving existence, suggesting a divine order with an irreversible direction, an asymmetric order. This is shown to be particularly evident in Barth’s defence of the filioque clause which enables him to claim that the Spirit is the one in whom the ruling Father and obedient Son are united ad intra. On this basis we argue, in ch. III, that, when Barth revises his doctrine of election, he comes to see it as the event of triune reflection: the Father, Son and Spirit electing to reflect who they are with a direction of determination, an asymmetry, which is irreversible. In this respect we argue against Bruce McCormack, who sees election as the event in which God elects triunity. In ch. IV we read Barth’s III/2 account of the humanity of Christ as the imago Die, as an attempt to demonstrate that God’s economy of salvation corresponds to who he is. This theme comes into full focus in the first two part-volumes of volume IV, explored here in ch. V. The obedience of Christ reflects, corresponds to, the obedience of the Son. There is obedience in God. This concept, which so mystifies Paul Molnar and Rowan Williams, is shown to be theologically consistent with a doctrine articulated by Barth some thirty years previously: his asymmetrically structured doctrine of the Trinity. Demmons, Tracy Allison http://hdl.handle.net/10023/758 2009-10-09T13:48:17Z 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study is an exercise in understanding both doctrinally and pastorally the nature of knowledge of God for persons with intellectual disabilities. Its central question is: “How might one know the Word of God without words?” At present, no extended theological systematical consideration has taken place of this question, and confusion arguably exists in the church and wider disability circles as to if/how persons with high support needs, such as intellectual disability, should be afforded pastoral care. This study addresses this need in dialogue with Karl Barth’s theological insights, and by developing an account of knowledge of God for persons with intellectual disabilities that is at once theologically informed and pastorally effective. In the last thirty years theological reflection considered in light of the situation of disability has seen tremendous growth and change, as the discipline has budded and blossomed. In particular, theologians of disability have reflected on the significance of disability in relation to the Christian doctrines of creation, anthropology, Christology, the imago Dei, ecclesiology and eschatology, amongst others, with rich and varied results. Similarly, this project suggests that consideration of the doctrine of revelation and the discipline of pastoral care in light of the situation of intellectual disability will yield unique and valuable outcomes for the disability community, but also for the wider church. Karl Barth will be the primary dialogue partner in these preparatory, theological stages. His thought regarding the incarnation of the Word in various forms, perhaps surprisingly, opens new avenues for our reflection. By engaging Barth’s theological anthropology as well as his theology of co-humanity of being with others in encounter, this project aims to demonstrate that knowledge of God is possible for all persons of all abilities.

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z Demmons, Tracy Allison This study is an exercise in understanding both doctrinally and pastorally the nature of knowledge of God for persons with intellectual disabilities. Its central question is: “How might one know the Word of God without words?” At present, no extended theological systematical consideration has taken place of this question, and confusion arguably exists in the church and wider disability circles as to if/how persons with high support needs, such as intellectual disability, should be afforded pastoral care. This study addresses this need in dialogue with Karl Barth’s theological insights, and by developing an account of knowledge of God for persons with intellectual disabilities that is at once theologically informed and pastorally effective. In the last thirty years theological reflection considered in light of the situation of disability has seen tremendous growth and change, as the discipline has budded and blossomed. In particular, theologians of disability have reflected on the significance of disability in relation to the Christian doctrines of creation, anthropology, Christology, the imago Dei, ecclesiology and eschatology, amongst others, with rich and varied results. Similarly, this project suggests that consideration of the doctrine of revelation and the discipline of pastoral care in light of the situation of intellectual disability will yield unique and valuable outcomes for the disability community, but also for the wider church. Karl Barth will be the primary dialogue partner in these preparatory, theological stages. His thought regarding the incarnation of the Word in various forms, perhaps surprisingly, opens new avenues for our reflection. By engaging Barth’s theological anthropology as well as his theology of co-humanity of being with others in encounter, this project aims to demonstrate that knowledge of God is possible for all persons of all abilities. Driver, Daniel R. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/754 2013-04-15T11:28:54Z 2009-06-25T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Brevard Childs argues for the inner logic of scripture’s textual authority as an historical reality that gives rise to the material condition by which the church apprehends and experiences God in Christ. The church’s use of (or by) scripture thus has a larger interiority: the shaped canon of scripture, Old and New Testaments, is a rule of faith which accrues authority in the church, through the vehicle of the sensus literalis. Childs’ work has been misplaced, however. Part one locates it internationally, attending to the way it has been read in English and German and finding that it has enjoyed a more patient reception in Europe than in Britain or North America. To illustrate, Childs’ definition of biblical theology is contrasted with that of James Barr. Their differences over gesamtbiblische theology involve opposite turns toward and away from Barthian dogma in biblical inquiry. Part two examines Childs on biblical reference, introducing why intertextuality is not midrashic but deictic—pointing to the res. This coincides with an understanding of the formation of biblical literature. Childs’ argument for canonical shaping is juxtaposed with Hermann Gunkel on tradition history, showing “final form” to be a deliberate inversion of form critical principles. Childs’ interest in the Bible as religious literature is then set alongside his studious confrontation of Judaism, with implications for inter-religious dialogue. Barr and Childs are compared again in part three, which frames their respective senses of indirect and direct biblical reference in terms of allegory. Both see allegory at work in the modern world under certain rules (either biblical criticism or the regula fidei). Their rules affect their articulations of trinitarian dogma. Finally, Psalm102 highlights divergences between modern and pre-modern interpreters. If scripture comprehends the present immediately, some postures of the church toward the synagogue may be excluded.

2009-06-25T00:00:00Z Driver, Daniel R. Brevard Childs argues for the inner logic of scripture’s textual authority as an historical reality that gives rise to the material condition by which the church apprehends and experiences God in Christ. The church’s use of (or by) scripture thus has a larger interiority: the shaped canon of scripture, Old and New Testaments, is a rule of faith which accrues authority in the church, through the vehicle of the sensus literalis. Childs’ work has been misplaced, however. Part one locates it internationally, attending to the way it has been read in English and German and finding that it has enjoyed a more patient reception in Europe than in Britain or North America. To illustrate, Childs’ definition of biblical theology is contrasted with that of James Barr. Their differences over gesamtbiblische theology involve opposite turns toward and away from Barthian dogma in biblical inquiry. Part two examines Childs on biblical reference, introducing why intertextuality is not midrashic but deictic—pointing to the res. This coincides with an understanding of the formation of biblical literature. Childs’ argument for canonical shaping is juxtaposed with Hermann Gunkel on tradition history, showing “final form” to be a deliberate inversion of form critical principles. Childs’ interest in the Bible as religious literature is then set alongside his studious confrontation of Judaism, with implications for inter-religious dialogue. Barr and Childs are compared again in part three, which frames their respective senses of indirect and direct biblical reference in terms of allegory. Both see allegory at work in the modern world under certain rules (either biblical criticism or the regula fidei). Their rules affect their articulations of trinitarian dogma. Finally, Psalm102 highlights divergences between modern and pre-modern interpreters. If scripture comprehends the present immediately, some postures of the church toward the synagogue may be excluded. Tallon, Philip http://hdl.handle.net/10023/744 2012-10-22T12:44:48Z 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This work proposes to look at the role of aesthetics within Christian theodicy. Though the recent theodicy literature has often displayed suspicion toward the inclusion of aesthetic criteria, I will argue that theological aesthetics can enrich the theodicy discourse and therefore should be used as a resource in responding to the problem of evil. In Part I, I will attempt to lay a foundation for an aesthetically informed theodicy by examining some of the philosophical frameworks that lie behind Christian theodicy, and seeking to illuminate a framework that allows theological aesthetics to helpfully contribute to the task of theodicy. By offering a preliminary account of theological aesthetics, I will aim to further lay a foundation for how the two areas of theology can interact. In Part II, I will look at three distinct aesthetic motifs or “themes” as they are developed by three different theodicists (one ancient and two contemporary): Augustine, Wendy Farley, and Marilyn McCord Adams. Each of the themes developed by these theodicists offers a different example of how aesthetics can reorient and enrich our perspective on theodicy. Though each, in and of itself, is incomplete, I will argue that they complement and critique one another in helpful ways, and therefore that all of them are useful for Christian theodicy.

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z Tallon, Philip This work proposes to look at the role of aesthetics within Christian theodicy. Though the recent theodicy literature has often displayed suspicion toward the inclusion of aesthetic criteria, I will argue that theological aesthetics can enrich the theodicy discourse and therefore should be used as a resource in responding to the problem of evil. In Part I, I will attempt to lay a foundation for an aesthetically informed theodicy by examining some of the philosophical frameworks that lie behind Christian theodicy, and seeking to illuminate a framework that allows theological aesthetics to helpfully contribute to the task of theodicy. By offering a preliminary account of theological aesthetics, I will aim to further lay a foundation for how the two areas of theology can interact. In Part II, I will look at three distinct aesthetic motifs or “themes” as they are developed by three different theodicists (one ancient and two contemporary): Augustine, Wendy Farley, and Marilyn McCord Adams. Each of the themes developed by these theodicists offers a different example of how aesthetics can reorient and enrich our perspective on theodicy. Though each, in and of itself, is incomplete, I will argue that they complement and critique one another in helpful ways, and therefore that all of them are useful for Christian theodicy. Kilps, Jennifer http://hdl.handle.net/10023/707 2010-08-06T10:57:19Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis explores the role of constituent congregations of Church World Service (CWS) in the process of resettling refugees in the U.S. It is based upon case studies built around a series of interviews conducted with members of three congregations who sponsored African families for resettlement in Minnesota. Reflecting upon the experiences of those interviewed, the discourse considers the efficacy of refugee resettlement as a means for Christian congregations to extend hospitality to strangers. The thesis explores the broader theme of Christian hospitality as a particular activity of the church. Hospitality is approached using the scriptural theme of welcoming the stranger as it is taken up by contemporary theologians. Christine Pohl, author of Making Room, is regarded as a leading authority on hospitality. Much of her research is based on the work of Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche communities. This thesis suggests that Pohl’s treatment lacks both a usable definition of hospitality and a sufficient theological framework in which to locate it. In redressing these omissions, Pohl’s work is examined in light of Vanier in order to establish an understanding of what comprises a particularly Christian approach to hospitality. Finally, the thesis proposes that as hospitality is understood as an act instituted by the person of Christ and imbued by the Holy Spirit, it is to be considered an act constitutive of the Church itself. Therefore it is an act necessary to the life of the Church as the Body of Christ. While contemporary research engages with hospitality as such an act, little work has been undertaken how it can be applied at the congregational level. CWS’s model of refugee sponsorship provides congregations with the tangible means by which they may offer hospitality to strangers.

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Kilps, Jennifer This thesis explores the role of constituent congregations of Church World Service (CWS) in the process of resettling refugees in the U.S. It is based upon case studies built around a series of interviews conducted with members of three congregations who sponsored African families for resettlement in Minnesota. Reflecting upon the experiences of those interviewed, the discourse considers the efficacy of refugee resettlement as a means for Christian congregations to extend hospitality to strangers. The thesis explores the broader theme of Christian hospitality as a particular activity of the church. Hospitality is approached using the scriptural theme of welcoming the stranger as it is taken up by contemporary theologians. Christine Pohl, author of Making Room, is regarded as a leading authority on hospitality. Much of her research is based on the work of Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche communities. This thesis suggests that Pohl’s treatment lacks both a usable definition of hospitality and a sufficient theological framework in which to locate it. In redressing these omissions, Pohl’s work is examined in light of Vanier in order to establish an understanding of what comprises a particularly Christian approach to hospitality. Finally, the thesis proposes that as hospitality is understood as an act instituted by the person of Christ and imbued by the Holy Spirit, it is to be considered an act constitutive of the Church itself. Therefore it is an act necessary to the life of the Church as the Body of Christ. While contemporary research engages with hospitality as such an act, little work has been undertaken how it can be applied at the congregational level. CWS’s model of refugee sponsorship provides congregations with the tangible means by which they may offer hospitality to strangers. Rowe, Jonathan Y. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/639 2013-04-09T13:15:42Z 2009-06-25T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Value conflicts due to cultural differences are an increasingly pressing issue in many societies. Because Old Testament texts hail from a very different milieu to our own they may provide new perspectives upon contemporary conflicts and, in this context, the present dissertation investigates one particular value clash in 1 Samuel. Studies of Old Testament ethics have attended to narrative only relatively recently. Although social-scientific interpretation has a longer pedigree, there are important debates about how to employ the fruits of anthropology in biblical studies. The first part of this thesis, therefore, attends to methodological issues, advancing four main propositions. First, attention should be paid to the moral goods that feature in the text. Second, the family, a central feature of Old Testament morality, should be understood as a set of practices rather than an institution. Third, 'models' of social action that purport to comprehend the social world of the Bible should be used only cautiously. Finally, a modified version of Bakhtin's theory of heteroglossic voices can help readers appreciate how authors present a moral vision by approving some characters' actions whilst undermining others. The second part of the thesis employs this methodology to examine 1 Samuel 19.10-18a. The discussion of the moral dilemma facing Michal adduces anthropological theories and ethnographic data concerning violence, lying, and the relationship between fathers and daughters. Given that the conflicts of moral goods are 'resolved' by characters choosing to act in a certain way, the dissertation enquires after the author's assessment of each character's moral choices, and hence their theological import. The dissertation argues that Michal's loyalty to David and deception of Saul was counter-cultural, and by approving of her choice the author affirms the importance of loyalty to the Davidic dynasty.

2009-06-25T00:00:00Z Rowe, Jonathan Y. Value conflicts due to cultural differences are an increasingly pressing issue in many societies. Because Old Testament texts hail from a very different milieu to our own they may provide new perspectives upon contemporary conflicts and, in this context, the present dissertation investigates one particular value clash in 1 Samuel. Studies of Old Testament ethics have attended to narrative only relatively recently. Although social-scientific interpretation has a longer pedigree, there are important debates about how to employ the fruits of anthropology in biblical studies. The first part of this thesis, therefore, attends to methodological issues, advancing four main propositions. First, attention should be paid to the moral goods that feature in the text. Second, the family, a central feature of Old Testament morality, should be understood as a set of practices rather than an institution. Third, 'models' of social action that purport to comprehend the social world of the Bible should be used only cautiously. Finally, a modified version of Bakhtin's theory of heteroglossic voices can help readers appreciate how authors present a moral vision by approving some characters' actions whilst undermining others. The second part of the thesis employs this methodology to examine 1 Samuel 19.10-18a. The discussion of the moral dilemma facing Michal adduces anthropological theories and ethnographic data concerning violence, lying, and the relationship between fathers and daughters. Given that the conflicts of moral goods are 'resolved' by characters choosing to act in a certain way, the dissertation enquires after the author's assessment of each character's moral choices, and hence their theological import. The dissertation argues that Michal's loyalty to David and deception of Saul was counter-cultural, and by approving of her choice the author affirms the importance of loyalty to the Davidic dynasty. Kornahrens, W. D. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/577 2012-08-22T08:50:22Z 2008-06-27T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis is an examination of the eucharistic doctrine of ten Scottish theological writers in the tradition of Scottish Episcopacy; five from the seventeenth century, two from the eighteenth century, and three from the nineteenth century. The doctrine espoused by each one throughout the stated period, 1620–1875, is found to agree with the other writers considered herein, because each writer turned to many of the same Church Fathers as the source of his doctrine and his interpretation of Holy Scripture. The argument of this thesis is that all of the writers, rejecting the Tridentine, Lutheran, Bezan-Calvinist, and Zwinglian definitions of the Eucharist, maintained a material sacrifice in the Eucharist, which is an offering to God the Father of bread and wine as the propitiatory memorial of Christ’s death on the Cross, commanded by Christ himself at the Last Supper. The sacrifice is propitiatory because it is the means of representing the one sacrifice of Christ on the Cross to God the Father, thereby pleading the benefits of the Cross for the communicants. The bread and wine do not change substance, but become effectively the body and blood of Christ. Three of the ten writers produced eucharistic rites, one in the seventeenth century, and two in the eighteenth century. It is argued that each of these rites is expressive of the Eucharist as being a commemorative and representative sacrifice. Each rite explicitly offers bread and wine to the Father, invokes the Holy Spirit’s action over the elements, and prays that by receiving the consecrated bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ, the communicants will receive the forgiveness of sins, the continuing grace of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life.

2008-06-27T00:00:00Z Kornahrens, W. D. This thesis is an examination of the eucharistic doctrine of ten Scottish theological writers in the tradition of Scottish Episcopacy; five from the seventeenth century, two from the eighteenth century, and three from the nineteenth century. The doctrine espoused by each one throughout the stated period, 1620–1875, is found to agree with the other writers considered herein, because each writer turned to many of the same Church Fathers as the source of his doctrine and his interpretation of Holy Scripture. The argument of this thesis is that all of the writers, rejecting the Tridentine, Lutheran, Bezan-Calvinist, and Zwinglian definitions of the Eucharist, maintained a material sacrifice in the Eucharist, which is an offering to God the Father of bread and wine as the propitiatory memorial of Christ’s death on the Cross, commanded by Christ himself at the Last Supper. The sacrifice is propitiatory because it is the means of representing the one sacrifice of Christ on the Cross to God the Father, thereby pleading the benefits of the Cross for the communicants. The bread and wine do not change substance, but become effectively the body and blood of Christ. Three of the ten writers produced eucharistic rites, one in the seventeenth century, and two in the eighteenth century. It is argued that each of these rites is expressive of the Eucharist as being a commemorative and representative sacrifice. Each rite explicitly offers bread and wine to the Father, invokes the Holy Spirit’s action over the elements, and prays that by receiving the consecrated bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ, the communicants will receive the forgiveness of sins, the continuing grace of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. Kreglinger, Gisela Hildegard http://hdl.handle.net/10023/576 2009-04-06T15:29:35Z 2008-06-27T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The relationship between the Bible and literature is long-standing and has received increasing attention in recent years. This project investigates the interface between the Bible and literature by focusing on the genre of “parable”. The influence of the Bible on Western literature is considerable, and yet in the case of George MacDonald’s writing it is often overlooked. The “parabolic” is a helpful way to focus our discussion as it is an important genre both in Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God and more subtly in MacDonald’s fantasy and fairytale writing. It is remarkable that approximately a third of Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God comes in the form of parabolic speech. Rather than serving as a nice illustrative story to a theological point made elsewhere, the actual form of parabolic speech is crucial for the message it seeks to convey. Form and content work together in Jesus’ parables in a unique way to break open the reality depicted in parable. This thesis attempts to investigate a specifically biblical view of “parable” for understanding certain aspects of MacDonald’s fantasy literature. MacDonald developed a decidedly theological understanding of story as having the capacity to refresh the revelatory nature of Scripture. It is by the imagination that a poet is able to find new forms to recast and recover old and forgotten truths. By designating the poet as a finder rather than a maker, MacDonald resists Coleridge’s idealist inclinations to elevate the poet to a creator. His employment of story and more particularly the “parabolic” is then not only an aesthetic but also a theological choice. MacDonald’s last fantasy romance, Lilith, will serve as our test case to demonstrate this. Considering the “parabolic” in Lilith sheds significant light on the meaning of Lilith and offers up a decisive answer to the important question of whether MacDonald moves in his fantasy and fairytales from a decidedly Christian perspective to a more polyvalent view of reality. This argument shall be further substantiated by bringing to the light the important influence of Novalis on Lilith.

2008-06-27T00:00:00Z Kreglinger, Gisela Hildegard The relationship between the Bible and literature is long-standing and has received increasing attention in recent years. This project investigates the interface between the Bible and literature by focusing on the genre of “parable”. The influence of the Bible on Western literature is considerable, and yet in the case of George MacDonald’s writing it is often overlooked. The “parabolic” is a helpful way to focus our discussion as it is an important genre both in Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God and more subtly in MacDonald’s fantasy and fairytale writing. It is remarkable that approximately a third of Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God comes in the form of parabolic speech. Rather than serving as a nice illustrative story to a theological point made elsewhere, the actual form of parabolic speech is crucial for the message it seeks to convey. Form and content work together in Jesus’ parables in a unique way to break open the reality depicted in parable. This thesis attempts to investigate a specifically biblical view of “parable” for understanding certain aspects of MacDonald’s fantasy literature. MacDonald developed a decidedly theological understanding of story as having the capacity to refresh the revelatory nature of Scripture. It is by the imagination that a poet is able to find new forms to recast and recover old and forgotten truths. By designating the poet as a finder rather than a maker, MacDonald resists Coleridge’s idealist inclinations to elevate the poet to a creator. His employment of story and more particularly the “parabolic” is then not only an aesthetic but also a theological choice. MacDonald’s last fantasy romance, Lilith, will serve as our test case to demonstrate this. Considering the “parabolic” in Lilith sheds significant light on the meaning of Lilith and offers up a decisive answer to the important question of whether MacDonald moves in his fantasy and fairytales from a decidedly Christian perspective to a more polyvalent view of reality. This argument shall be further substantiated by bringing to the light the important influence of Novalis on Lilith. Blakley, J. Ted http://hdl.handle.net/10023/566 2008-12-02T09:53:41Z 2008-09-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The characterization of the Markan disciples has been and continues to be the object of ‎much scholarly reflection and speculation. For many, the Markan author’s presentation of ‎Jesus’ disciples holds a key, if not the key, to unlocking the purpose and function of the ‎gospel as a whole. Commentators differ as to whether the Markan disciples ultimately ‎serve a pedagogical or polemical function, yet they are generally agreed that the disciples ‎in Mark come off rather badly, especially when compared to their literary counterparts in ‎Matthew, Luke, and John. This narrative-critical study considers the characterization of the Markan disciples ‎within the Sea Crossing movement (Mark 4:1–8:30). While commentators have, on the ‎whole, interpreted the disciples’ negative characterization in this movement in terms of ‎lack of faith and/or incomprehension, neither of these, nor a combination of the two, fully ‎accounts for the severity of language leveled against the disciples by the narrator (6:52) ‎and Jesus (8:17–18). Taking as its starting point an argument by Jeffrey B. Gibson (1986) ‎that the harshness of Jesus’ rebuke in Mark 8:14–21 is occasioned not by the disciples’ ‎lack of faith or incomprehension but by their active resistance to his Gentile mission, this ‎investigation uncovers additional examples of the disciples’ resistance to Gentile mission, ‎offering a better account of their negative portrayal within the Sea Crossing movement ‎and helping explain many of their other failures. In short, this study argues that in Mark 4:1–8:26, the disciples are characterized as ‎resistant to Jesus’ Gentile mission and to their participation in that mission, the chief ‎consequence being that they are rendered incapable of recognizing Jesus’ vocational ‎identity as Israel’s Messiah (Thesis A). This leads to a secondary thesis, namely, that in ‎Mark 8:27–30, Peter’s recognition of Jesus’ messianic identity indicates that the disciples ‎have finally come to accept Jesus’ Gentile mission and their participation in it (Thesis B).‎ ‎“Chapter One: Introduction” offers a selective review of scholarly treatments of ‎the Markan disciples, which shows that few scholars attribute resistance, let alone ‎purposeful resistance, to the disciples. ‎“Chapter Two: The Rhetoric of Repetition” introduces the methodological tools, ‎concepts, and perspectives employed in the study. It includes a section on narrative ‎criticism, which focuses upon the story-as-discoursed and the implied author and reader, ‎and a section on Construction Grammar, a branch of cognitive linguistics founded by ‎Charles Fillmore and further developed by Paul Danove, which focuses upon semantic ‎and narrative frames and case frame analysis. ‎“Chapter Three: The Sea Crossing Movement, Mark 4:1–8:30” addresses the ‎question of Markan structure and argues that Mark 4:1–8:30 comprises a single, unified, ‎narrative movement, whose action and plot is oriented to the Sea of Galilee and whose ‎most distinctive feature is the network of sea crossings that transport Jesus and his ‎disciples back and forth between Jewish and Gentile geopolitical spaces. Following William Freedman, “Chapter Four: The Literary Motif” introduces two ‎criteria (frequency and avoidability) for determining objectively what constitutes a ‎literary motif and provides the methodological basis and starting point for the analyses ‎performed in chapters five and six. ‎“Chapter Five: The Sea Crossing Motif” establishes and then carries out a lengthy ‎narrative analysis of the Sea Crossing motif, which is oriented around Mark’s use of ‎θάλασσα (thalassa) and πλοῖον (ploion), and “Chapter Six: The Loaves Motif” does the same for The ‎Loaves motif, oriented around Mark’s use of ἄρτος (artos). Finally, “Chapter Seven: The Narrative Logic of the Disciples ‎‎(In)comprehension” draws together all narrative, linguistic, and exegetical insights of the ‎previous chapters and offers a single coherent reading of the Sea Crossing movement that ‎establishes Theses A and B.‎

2008-09-01T00:00:00Z Blakley, J. Ted The characterization of the Markan disciples has been and continues to be the object of ‎much scholarly reflection and speculation. For many, the Markan author’s presentation of ‎Jesus’ disciples holds a key, if not the key, to unlocking the purpose and function of the ‎gospel as a whole. Commentators differ as to whether the Markan disciples ultimately ‎serve a pedagogical or polemical function, yet they are generally agreed that the disciples ‎in Mark come off rather badly, especially when compared to their literary counterparts in ‎Matthew, Luke, and John. This narrative-critical study considers the characterization of the Markan disciples ‎within the Sea Crossing movement (Mark 4:1–8:30). While commentators have, on the ‎whole, interpreted the disciples’ negative characterization in this movement in terms of ‎lack of faith and/or incomprehension, neither of these, nor a combination of the two, fully ‎accounts for the severity of language leveled against the disciples by the narrator (6:52) ‎and Jesus (8:17–18). Taking as its starting point an argument by Jeffrey B. Gibson (1986) ‎that the harshness of Jesus’ rebuke in Mark 8:14–21 is occasioned not by the disciples’ ‎lack of faith or incomprehension but by their active resistance to his Gentile mission, this ‎investigation uncovers additional examples of the disciples’ resistance to Gentile mission, ‎offering a better account of their negative portrayal within the Sea Crossing movement ‎and helping explain many of their other failures. In short, this study argues that in Mark 4:1–8:26, the disciples are characterized as ‎resistant to Jesus’ Gentile mission and to their participation in that mission, the chief ‎consequence being that they are rendered incapable of recognizing Jesus’ vocational ‎identity as Israel’s Messiah (Thesis A). This leads to a secondary thesis, namely, that in ‎Mark 8:27–30, Peter’s recognition of Jesus’ messianic identity indicates that the disciples ‎have finally come to accept Jesus’ Gentile mission and their participation in it (Thesis B).‎ ‎“Chapter One: Introduction” offers a selective review of scholarly treatments of ‎the Markan disciples, which shows that few scholars attribute resistance, let alone ‎purposeful resistance, to the disciples. ‎“Chapter Two: The Rhetoric of Repetition” introduces the methodological tools, ‎concepts, and perspectives employed in the study. It includes a section on narrative ‎criticism, which focuses upon the story-as-discoursed and the implied author and reader, ‎and a section on Construction Grammar, a branch of cognitive linguistics founded by ‎Charles Fillmore and further developed by Paul Danove, which focuses upon semantic ‎and narrative frames and case frame analysis. ‎“Chapter Three: The Sea Crossing Movement, Mark 4:1–8:30” addresses the ‎question of Markan structure and argues that Mark 4:1–8:30 comprises a single, unified, ‎narrative movement, whose action and plot is oriented to the Sea of Galilee and whose ‎most distinctive feature is the network of sea crossings that transport Jesus and his ‎disciples back and forth between Jewish and Gentile geopolitical spaces. Following William Freedman, “Chapter Four: The Literary Motif” introduces two ‎criteria (frequency and avoidability) for determining objectively what constitutes a ‎literary motif and provides the methodological basis and starting point for the analyses ‎performed in chapters five and six. ‎“Chapter Five: The Sea Crossing Motif” establishes and then carries out a lengthy ‎narrative analysis of the Sea Crossing motif, which is oriented around Mark’s use of ‎θάλασσα (thalassa) and πλοῖον (ploion), and “Chapter Six: The Loaves Motif” does the same for The ‎Loaves motif, oriented around Mark’s use of ἄρτος (artos). Finally, “Chapter Seven: The Narrative Logic of the Disciples ‎‎(In)comprehension” draws together all narrative, linguistic, and exegetical insights of the ‎previous chapters and offers a single coherent reading of the Sea Crossing movement that ‎establishes Theses A and B.‎ Chun, Chris http://hdl.handle.net/10023/549 2013-01-25T10:47:45Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis focuses on the legacy of Jonathan Edwards on the Particular Baptists by way of apprehending theories held by their congregations during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In particular, special attention is directed to the Edwardsean legacy as manifested in the theology of Andrew Fuller. The thesis positions itself between Edwards and Fuller in the transatlantic, early modern period and attempts by the two theologians to express a coherent understanding of traditional dogma within the context of the Enlightenment. The scope of the research traces Fuller’s theological indebtedness by way of historical reconstruction, textual expositions, and theological and philosophical implications of the following works: Freedom of the Will, Religious Affections, Humble Attempt, and Justification by Faith Alone et al. It identifies unique Edwardsean ideas as the basis for investigating whether such concepts permeate Fuller’s intellectual and spiritual life. In that process, the study establishes whether Fuller read and interpreted Edwards correctly or otherwise. This dissertation, therefore, endeavors to determine the extent of Edwards’s impact upon Fuller over and above such other influential factors, which could also have been considered influential in his works. An attempt to determine the parameters of such factors is the basis for the ensuing discussion.

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Chun, Chris This thesis focuses on the legacy of Jonathan Edwards on the Particular Baptists by way of apprehending theories held by their congregations during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In particular, special attention is directed to the Edwardsean legacy as manifested in the theology of Andrew Fuller. The thesis positions itself between Edwards and Fuller in the transatlantic, early modern period and attempts by the two theologians to express a coherent understanding of traditional dogma within the context of the Enlightenment. The scope of the research traces Fuller’s theological indebtedness by way of historical reconstruction, textual expositions, and theological and philosophical implications of the following works: Freedom of the Will, Religious Affections, Humble Attempt, and Justification by Faith Alone et al. It identifies unique Edwardsean ideas as the basis for investigating whether such concepts permeate Fuller’s intellectual and spiritual life. In that process, the study establishes whether Fuller read and interpreted Edwards correctly or otherwise. This dissertation, therefore, endeavors to determine the extent of Edwards’s impact upon Fuller over and above such other influential factors, which could also have been considered influential in his works. An attempt to determine the parameters of such factors is the basis for the ensuing discussion. Hubbard, David Allan http://hdl.handle.net/10023/544 2011-09-28T08:56:45Z 1956-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: "The challenge to undertake the task of studying the literary sources of the Kebra Nagast was issued by the orientalist, Carl Bezold. In the introduction to his text and translation of the KN Bezold observes: "Eine Untersuchung der Quellen dieses Werkes müsste auf Grund von Weit ausgedehnteren und viel tieferen Literaturkenntnissen, als sie mir persönlich zu Gebote stehen, unternommen werden und bildete eine eigene Arbeit für sich .... Was folgt, bitte ich daher nur als Skizzen zu einer späteren Zeichnung zu betrachten, die hoffentlich in nicht allzuferner Zukunft von kundiger Hand entworfen werden wird." Although fifty years have passed since Bezold flung down the gauntlet, and in spite of his hope that it be picked up "in nicht allzuferner Zukunft," no one has yet set out to study the KN systematically with a view to disentangling the literary sources. I have attempted to do so, not because of any mistaken idea that I fulfill the lofty qualifications outlined by Bezold, but because I feel that an endeavor to fill this breach should be made." -- Taken from the Introduction.

1956-01-01T00:00:00Z Hubbard, David Allan "The challenge to undertake the task of studying the literary sources of the Kebra Nagast was issued by the orientalist, Carl Bezold. In the introduction to his text and translation of the KN Bezold observes: "Eine Untersuchung der Quellen dieses Werkes müsste auf Grund von Weit ausgedehnteren und viel tieferen Literaturkenntnissen, als sie mir persönlich zu Gebote stehen, unternommen werden und bildete eine eigene Arbeit für sich .... Was folgt, bitte ich daher nur als Skizzen zu einer späteren Zeichnung zu betrachten, die hoffentlich in nicht allzuferner Zukunft von kundiger Hand entworfen werden wird." Although fifty years have passed since Bezold flung down the gauntlet, and in spite of his hope that it be picked up "in nicht allzuferner Zukunft," no one has yet set out to study the KN systematically with a view to disentangling the literary sources. I have attempted to do so, not because of any mistaken idea that I fulfill the lofty qualifications outlined by Bezold, but because I feel that an endeavor to fill this breach should be made." -- Taken from the Introduction. Kuecker, Aaron J. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/532 2009-01-08T16:55:37Z 2008-11-27T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This dissertation investigates the relationship between the Holy Spirit, ethnic identity and the ‘other’ in Luke-Acts. I argue that the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity that affirms, yet chastens and transcends ethnic identity. The investigation is informed methodologically by social identity theory (discussed in chapter 2), a branch of social psychology that examines the effects of group membership upon human identity and intergroup relations. Chapters 3 and 4 investigate the relationship between privileged social identity, the influence of the Spirit and the allocation of group resources to the ‘other’ in Luke 1-4. I conclude that there is an identifiable relationship between the presence of the Spirit and the extension of in-group benefits to the ‘other’. Chapters 5 through 8 enquire into the role of the Spirit in Acts 1-15. In chapters 5 and 6 I identify the Pentecost narrative as the initial clue to the place of ethnic identity within the Jesus movement and the role of the early community in the formation of an allocentrically oriented social identity. In chapters 7 and 8 attention is directed to the role of the Spirit in both the orchestration of intergroup contact and the identification of those rightly related to God. Luke’s use of ‘ethnic language’ alerts us to the precision with which he approaches this topic. I conclude that Luke is convinced of an inseparable relationship between the Spirit and human identity that robustly affirms ethnicity nested within one’s identity as a member of the Jesus group. The existence of this Spirit-formed identity allows for profound expressions of interethnic reconciliation in Luke-Acts. This conclusion grants a broader role to the Spirit in Luke-Acts than the current scholarly consensus which suggests that Luke views the Spirit as the Old Testament/Second Temple ‘Spirit of prophecy’.

2008-11-27T00:00:00Z Kuecker, Aaron J. This dissertation investigates the relationship between the Holy Spirit, ethnic identity and the ‘other’ in Luke-Acts. I argue that the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity that affirms, yet chastens and transcends ethnic identity. The investigation is informed methodologically by social identity theory (discussed in chapter 2), a branch of social psychology that examines the effects of group membership upon human identity and intergroup relations. Chapters 3 and 4 investigate the relationship between privileged social identity, the influence of the Spirit and the allocation of group resources to the ‘other’ in Luke 1-4. I conclude that there is an identifiable relationship between the presence of the Spirit and the extension of in-group benefits to the ‘other’. Chapters 5 through 8 enquire into the role of the Spirit in Acts 1-15. In chapters 5 and 6 I identify the Pentecost narrative as the initial clue to the place of ethnic identity within the Jesus movement and the role of the early community in the formation of an allocentrically oriented social identity. In chapters 7 and 8 attention is directed to the role of the Spirit in both the orchestration of intergroup contact and the identification of those rightly related to God. Luke’s use of ‘ethnic language’ alerts us to the precision with which he approaches this topic. I conclude that Luke is convinced of an inseparable relationship between the Spirit and human identity that robustly affirms ethnicity nested within one’s identity as a member of the Jesus group. The existence of this Spirit-formed identity allows for profound expressions of interethnic reconciliation in Luke-Acts. This conclusion grants a broader role to the Spirit in Luke-Acts than the current scholarly consensus which suggests that Luke views the Spirit as the Old Testament/Second Temple ‘Spirit of prophecy’. Collett, Donald C http://hdl.handle.net/10023/527 2008-08-15T11:29:26Z 2007-10-26T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study explores the hermeneutical issues raised by critical approaches to the Book of the Twelve and their implications for the concepts of authorial intent, history, and canon. By means of a critical engagement with the Twelve’s modern reception history it seeks to demonstrate that with few exceptions, recent attempts to come to terms with the peculiar character of the prophetic intentionality at work in the Twelve reflect the continuing impact of historicism and its hermeneutical legacy upon the study of Old Testament prophecy. As a result the key roles played by theological pressures and the hermeneutical significance of canon in the Twelve’s formation history continue to be marginalized, particularly with respect to the eschatological and typological moves involved in the redactional expansion of prophecy. The study seeks to constructively address these problems by offering a theological exegesis of Hosea 1:5 and 2:23-25, arguing that the study of these ‘Day of the Lord’ texts and the larger theological significance of Hosea’s prologue for the Twelve has been virtually eclipsed by the central hermeneutical role assigned to Joel by the Twelve’s modern interpreters. The larger contribution to the hermeneutical logic of prophecy rendered by Hosea’s ‘wisdom coda’ (Hosea 14:10) has also not been given its proper due, exegetically speaking. With these concerns in mind, the study then proceeds to argue that Hosea’s prologue establishes a theological context for the logic of prophecy, eschatology, and typology in the Twelve which finds its hermeneutical ground in Exodus 32-34 and the continuing theological significance of Yahweh’s name for his providential dealings with Israel. In this way Hosea’s prologue constrains the interpretation of prophecy and the DOL in the Twelve by linking their theological function to the significance of Yahweh’s name for Israel. The wisdom coda both embraces and extends this agenda for readers of Joel through Malachi by instructing them in the proper stance toward prophecy and “the ways of Yahweh” toward Israel and the nations vis-a-vis his revealed character in Exodus 34:5-7. The book of Hosea thus ends by establishing hermeneutical guidelines for the “wise” interpretation of prophecy, a stance which is then further facilitated by the summons to wisdom in Joel’s prologue (1:1-4) and Joel’s own deployment of the DOL in Joel 1-2.

2007-10-26T00:00:00Z Collett, Donald C This study explores the hermeneutical issues raised by critical approaches to the Book of the Twelve and their implications for the concepts of authorial intent, history, and canon. By means of a critical engagement with the Twelve’s modern reception history it seeks to demonstrate that with few exceptions, recent attempts to come to terms with the peculiar character of the prophetic intentionality at work in the Twelve reflect the continuing impact of historicism and its hermeneutical legacy upon the study of Old Testament prophecy. As a result the key roles played by theological pressures and the hermeneutical significance of canon in the Twelve’s formation history continue to be marginalized, particularly with respect to the eschatological and typological moves involved in the redactional expansion of prophecy. The study seeks to constructively address these problems by offering a theological exegesis of Hosea 1:5 and 2:23-25, arguing that the study of these ‘Day of the Lord’ texts and the larger theological significance of Hosea’s prologue for the Twelve has been virtually eclipsed by the central hermeneutical role assigned to Joel by the Twelve’s modern interpreters. The larger contribution to the hermeneutical logic of prophecy rendered by Hosea’s ‘wisdom coda’ (Hosea 14:10) has also not been given its proper due, exegetically speaking. With these concerns in mind, the study then proceeds to argue that Hosea’s prologue establishes a theological context for the logic of prophecy, eschatology, and typology in the Twelve which finds its hermeneutical ground in Exodus 32-34 and the continuing theological significance of Yahweh’s name for his providential dealings with Israel. In this way Hosea’s prologue constrains the interpretation of prophecy and the DOL in the Twelve by linking their theological function to the significance of Yahweh’s name for Israel. The wisdom coda both embraces and extends this agenda for readers of Joel through Malachi by instructing them in the proper stance toward prophecy and “the ways of Yahweh” toward Israel and the nations vis-a-vis his revealed character in Exodus 34:5-7. The book of Hosea thus ends by establishing hermeneutical guidelines for the “wise” interpretation of prophecy, a stance which is then further facilitated by the summons to wisdom in Joel’s prologue (1:1-4) and Joel’s own deployment of the DOL in Joel 1-2. Oldfield, Jeffery S. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/515 2012-10-22T15:45:41Z 2008-06-27T00:00:00Z

Abstract: In 1978 a group of evangelical philosophers and theologians held a meeting to decide what the definitive statement on the doctrine of inerrancy would be. Drawing on the thought of B.B. Warfield and others this group came up with a statement comprising of a short statement, nineteen articles including both statements of affirmation and denial, as well as, an exposition of these articles. Taken in its entirety, this statement is intended to be the Evangelical statement determining all subsequent information about the doctrine of inerrancy. Leading evangelicals, including Carl F.H. Henry signed this document in order to establish a consensus on what one meant when using the term inerrancy. Almost three decades later this term is still used with a sense of confusion and the doctrine is no less controversial. In fact, it still is responsible for the division of departments in many evangelical institutions of higher education in North America. The following thesis hopes to help loosen this doctrine from its theological ‘stronghold’ and place it in a position where it will be less likely to cause division amongst evangelicals. By examining the thought of both B.B. Warfield, who helped create the doctrine, and Carl F.H. Henry, who played a contemporary role in the formation of the Chicago Statement and who might rightly be considered the evangelical theologian of the twentieth century, this thesis brings to light certain presuppositions of the doctrine of inerrancy that allow it take a position that undergirds other theological doctrines. By identifying the nature of truth and authority as the main tenants of the inerrantist position, the thesis examines these terms in light of the thought of both Warfield and Henry. Their thought is found to be remarkably similar to certain principles and concerns raised by Enlightenment philosophers and it is concluded that the understandings of truth and authority presupposed by the doctrine of inerrancy ultimately are biased by Enlightenment philosophy and so are an inadequate representation of the terms as used in Scripture and tradition. The thesis suggests that an adequate understanding of truth would be primarily Christological in nature and, therefore, a larger category than the one presupposed by the doctrine of inerrancy. Also, an adequate understanding of authority would presuppose the contemporary work of the Holy Spirit, which again makes for a much larger pneumatological category than the one presupposed by the doctrine of inerrancy as it is currently defined. Enlarging these categories in no way necessitates the denial of inerrancy altogether. Rather it removes the doctrine of inerrancy from its theological pedestal and places it amongst other beliefs that might support the truth and authority of Scripture but by no means establish them. The concluding chapter ends with a statement of what this new doctrine of inerrancy might look like.

2008-06-27T00:00:00Z Oldfield, Jeffery S. In 1978 a group of evangelical philosophers and theologians held a meeting to decide what the definitive statement on the doctrine of inerrancy would be. Drawing on the thought of B.B. Warfield and others this group came up with a statement comprising of a short statement, nineteen articles including both statements of affirmation and denial, as well as, an exposition of these articles. Taken in its entirety, this statement is intended to be the Evangelical statement determining all subsequent information about the doctrine of inerrancy. Leading evangelicals, including Carl F.H. Henry signed this document in order to establish a consensus on what one meant when using the term inerrancy. Almost three decades later this term is still used with a sense of confusion and the doctrine is no less controversial. In fact, it still is responsible for the division of departments in many evangelical institutions of higher education in North America. The following thesis hopes to help loosen this doctrine from its theological ‘stronghold’ and place it in a position where it will be less likely to cause division amongst evangelicals. By examining the thought of both B.B. Warfield, who helped create the doctrine, and Carl F.H. Henry, who played a contemporary role in the formation of the Chicago Statement and who might rightly be considered the evangelical theologian of the twentieth century, this thesis brings to light certain presuppositions of the doctrine of inerrancy that allow it take a position that undergirds other theological doctrines. By identifying the nature of truth and authority as the main tenants of the inerrantist position, the thesis examines these terms in light of the thought of both Warfield and Henry. Their thought is found to be remarkably similar to certain principles and concerns raised by Enlightenment philosophers and it is concluded that the understandings of truth and authority presupposed by the doctrine of inerrancy ultimately are biased by Enlightenment philosophy and so are an inadequate representation of the terms as used in Scripture and tradition. The thesis suggests that an adequate understanding of truth would be primarily Christological in nature and, therefore, a larger category than the one presupposed by the doctrine of inerrancy. Also, an adequate understanding of authority would presuppose the contemporary work of the Holy Spirit, which again makes for a much larger pneumatological category than the one presupposed by the doctrine of inerrancy as it is currently defined. Enlarging these categories in no way necessitates the denial of inerrancy altogether. Rather it removes the doctrine of inerrancy from its theological pedestal and places it amongst other beliefs that might support the truth and authority of Scripture but by no means establish them. The concluding chapter ends with a statement of what this new doctrine of inerrancy might look like. Diller, Kevin S. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/497 2008-06-25T15:02:44Z 2008-06-27T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This study brings Christian theology and Christian analytic philosophy into dialogue through an examination of the compatibility and complementarity of Karl Barth’s theology of revelation, and Alvin Plantinga’s epistemology of Christian belief. The first two chapters are aimed at elucidating the central features of Karl Barth’s theology of revelation and clarifying his attitude toward the place of philosophy in theology. We establish that, for Barth, human knowledge of God is objective, personal, cognitive knowing, enabled by the Spirit’s transforming gift of participation in revelation. We dispel the notion that Barth is hostile to philosophy per se and chart the boundaries he gives for its interface with theology. In chapters 3 and 4, we focus on Alvin Plantinga’s Christian epistemology of warranted belief, and its relationship to Barth’s theology of revelation. A general alignment emerges in their shared inductive approach and agreed rejection of the necessity and sufficiency of human arguments for warranted Christian belief. Their contributions are complementary, with Barth providing what Plantinga lacks in theological depth, and Plantinga providing what Barth lacks in philosophical clarity and defense. Despite their general compatibility, two areas of significant potential incompatibility are flagged for closer analysis in the final two chapters. In chapter 5, we consider their views on natural theology. We extend our thesis of complementarity with respect to negative apologetics, and argue for a harmonizing interpretation of their views with respect to a potential positive contribution from natural theology. The final chapter addresses the role of faith and the constitution of a genuine human knowledge of God. We conclude that Barth and Plantinga do not disagree about the personal and propositional character of revelation, but may disagree about the possibility of a generically theistic de re knowledge of God independent of the Spirit’s gift of faith.

2008-06-27T00:00:00Z Diller, Kevin S. This study brings Christian theology and Christian analytic philosophy into dialogue through an examination of the compatibility and complementarity of Karl Barth’s theology of revelation, and Alvin Plantinga’s epistemology of Christian belief. The first two chapters are aimed at elucidating the central features of Karl Barth’s theology of revelation and clarifying his attitude toward the place of philosophy in theology. We establish that, for Barth, human knowledge of God is objective, personal, cognitive knowing, enabled by the Spirit’s transforming gift of participation in revelation. We dispel the notion that Barth is hostile to philosophy per se and chart the boundaries he gives for its interface with theology. In chapters 3 and 4, we focus on Alvin Plantinga’s Christian epistemology of warranted belief, and its relationship to Barth’s theology of revelation. A general alignment emerges in their shared inductive approach and agreed rejection of the necessity and sufficiency of human arguments for warranted Christian belief. Their contributions are complementary, with Barth providing what Plantinga lacks in theological depth, and Plantinga providing what Barth lacks in philosophical clarity and defense. Despite their general compatibility, two areas of significant potential incompatibility are flagged for closer analysis in the final two chapters. In chapter 5, we consider their views on natural theology. We extend our thesis of complementarity with respect to negative apologetics, and argue for a harmonizing interpretation of their views with respect to a potential positive contribution from natural theology. The final chapter addresses the role of faith and the constitution of a genuine human knowledge of God. We conclude that Barth and Plantinga do not disagree about the personal and propositional character of revelation, but may disagree about the possibility of a generically theistic de re knowledge of God independent of the Spirit’s gift of faith. Edwards, J. Andrew http://hdl.handle.net/10023/496 2008-06-18T10:51:28Z 2008-06-27T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Any consideration of the aural reception of Christian faith must take the ecclesial practice of music and its relation to the divine logos into account. Specifically, the logos provides normativity for such music, as the latter endeavours to proclaim that divine Word. Contemporary theological reflections on music are made difficult by the modern development of the concept of taste, which has culminated in a radicalized subjectivity that eschews normative criteria. A reclamation of the normative role of the logos is thus required in the dogmatic theology of music. Karl Barth’s theology is examined in order to establish the critical relation between proclamation and dogmatics. Barth’s praise of Mozart is reviewed to demonstrate how his detachment from a broader historical tradition confines him to a strictly formalist aesthetic that is unable to hear musical meaning. Further examination of his early writings reveal how his critical revelatory dialectic, vis-à-vis his reading of the Auftrag, prohibits a proclamatory role for the ecclesial practice of music. Pope Benedict XVI’s theology provides a fitting alternative, as his dogmatic reflections assume a necessarily kerygmatic role for music that Barth denies. In this Benedict is more in tune with the ancient Church Fathers. His dogmatic reflections on the “musified” logos are in dialectical tension with modern philosophies of music, as he espouses a Christian rationality over against modern secular/subjective reason. This dialectic is augmented with a comparison of Augustine and Kant on the practice of counting. Finally, contrary to some readings, the normativity of Benedict’s musical logos is not an oppressive force, hampering the freedom of musical performance. A “descriptive” method of dogmatic reflection is finally recommended, in which the theology of music approximates a kind of journalistic “music criticism,” albeit one that listens for the Word of Christ, the hearing of which brings faith (Romans 10:17).

2008-06-27T00:00:00Z Edwards, J. Andrew Any consideration of the aural reception of Christian faith must take the ecclesial practice of music and its relation to the divine logos into account. Specifically, the logos provides normativity for such music, as the latter endeavours to proclaim that divine Word. Contemporary theological reflections on music are made difficult by the modern development of the concept of taste, which has culminated in a radicalized subjectivity that eschews normative criteria. A reclamation of the normative role of the logos is thus required in the dogmatic theology of music. Karl Barth’s theology is examined in order to establish the critical relation between proclamation and dogmatics. Barth’s praise of Mozart is reviewed to demonstrate how his detachment from a broader historical tradition confines him to a strictly formalist aesthetic that is unable to hear musical meaning. Further examination of his early writings reveal how his critical revelatory dialectic, vis-à-vis his reading of the Auftrag, prohibits a proclamatory role for the ecclesial practice of music. Pope Benedict XVI’s theology provides a fitting alternative, as his dogmatic reflections assume a necessarily kerygmatic role for music that Barth denies. In this Benedict is more in tune with the ancient Church Fathers. His dogmatic reflections on the “musified” logos are in dialectical tension with modern philosophies of music, as he espouses a Christian rationality over against modern secular/subjective reason. This dialectic is augmented with a comparison of Augustine and Kant on the practice of counting. Finally, contrary to some readings, the normativity of Benedict’s musical logos is not an oppressive force, hampering the freedom of musical performance. A “descriptive” method of dogmatic reflection is finally recommended, in which the theology of music approximates a kind of journalistic “music criticism,” albeit one that listens for the Word of Christ, the hearing of which brings faith (Romans 10:17). Donahoe, Kate C. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/493 2008-06-26T11:59:34Z 2008-06-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The thesis, entitled “From Self-Praise to Self-Boasting: Paul’s Unmasking of the Conflicting Rhetorico-Linguistic Phenomena in 1 Corinthians,” examines the rhetorical conventions of “boasting” and self-praise among those vying for social status and honor within the Greco-Roman world. While the terminological options for “boasting” and self-praise frequently overlap, a survey of these conventions demonstrates that the ancients possessed a categorical distinction between “boasting” and self-praise, which oftentimes conflicted with Paul’s distinction. Clear examples of this conflict appear in 1 Cor 1:10-4:21; 5:1-13; 9:1-27; 13:1-13; and 15:30-32, where Paul addresses the Corinthians’ overestimation of wisdom and eloquence, redirects the Corinthians’ attention away from loyalties to specific leaders to loyalty to Christ, redefines the standards by which the Corinthians should view themselves and their leaders, counters the Corinthians’ tendency to engage in anthropocentric “boasting,” and affirms his own apostolic ministry. It is the Corinthian community’s inability to grasp the application of theocentric “boasting” which leads Paul to address certain aspects and values of secular Corinth that have penetrated the Corinthian community. Thus, operating from an eschatological perspective, Paul critiques both the Corinthians’ attitudes and the Greco-Roman cultural values upon which their attitudes are based. Through irony, self-presentation, imitation, differentiating between theocentric and anthropocentric “boasting,” and distinguishing between personality and gospel rhetoric, Paul challenges the secular notions of social status, power, wisdom, leadership, and patronage and exhorts the Corinthians to focus their attention on their relationship with the Lord rather than on improving their social status or on increasing their honor.

2008-06-01T00:00:00Z Donahoe, Kate C. The thesis, entitled “From Self-Praise to Self-Boasting: Paul’s Unmasking of the Conflicting Rhetorico-Linguistic Phenomena in 1 Corinthians,” examines the rhetorical conventions of “boasting” and self-praise among those vying for social status and honor within the Greco-Roman world. While the terminological options for “boasting” and self-praise frequently overlap, a survey of these conventions demonstrates that the ancients possessed a categorical distinction between “boasting” and self-praise, which oftentimes conflicted with Paul’s distinction. Clear examples of this conflict appear in 1 Cor 1:10-4:21; 5:1-13; 9:1-27; 13:1-13; and 15:30-32, where Paul addresses the Corinthians’ overestimation of wisdom and eloquence, redirects the Corinthians’ attention away from loyalties to specific leaders to loyalty to Christ, redefines the standards by which the Corinthians should view themselves and their leaders, counters the Corinthians’ tendency to engage in anthropocentric “boasting,” and affirms his own apostolic ministry. It is the Corinthian community’s inability to grasp the application of theocentric “boasting” which leads Paul to address certain aspects and values of secular Corinth that have penetrated the Corinthian community. Thus, operating from an eschatological perspective, Paul critiques both the Corinthians’ attitudes and the Greco-Roman cultural values upon which their attitudes are based. Through irony, self-presentation, imitation, differentiating between theocentric and anthropocentric “boasting,” and distinguishing between personality and gospel rhetoric, Paul challenges the secular notions of social status, power, wisdom, leadership, and patronage and exhorts the Corinthians to focus their attention on their relationship with the Lord rather than on improving their social status or on increasing their honor. Toone, Mark James http://hdl.handle.net/10023/460 2012-05-31T09:49:13Z 1988-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: By the turn of the twentieth century, British and American evangelical Christianity was sharply divided over, among other things, the issues of biblical authority, the nature of the person and work of Christ and the validity of modern scientific thought. Dwight L. Moody, the major evangelical figure of the late nineteenth century, found himself in the centre of this controversy. As a man of conservative theology yet ecumenical spirit, both the Fundamentalists and the liberal evangelicals 'claimed' him for their cause. The tension which developed between these two sides is well illustrated in the lives and ministries of Moody's protégés, R. A. Torrey and Henry Drummond, who ended up on opposite sides of the modernist/Fundamentalist debate, one perpetuating Moody's theological beliefs and the other his broad, irenic spirit. Having examined the religious historical context in both Scotland and America, this study will consider Moody's development as an ecumenically minded evangelist. Furthermore, both in the Scottish and in the American settings, it will consider the work of Drummond and Torrey, examining Moody's influence upon them and tracing the development of each man's thought and career from the time of their early contacts with the great evangelist. It will explore the nature of the modern/Fundamentalist controversy within late nineteenth century evangelicalism as illustrated in the lives of these three men: Moody the mentor-father figure and Torrey and Drummond as unlikely stepbrothers. In addition to the theological issues, it will be concerned to investigate the spirit in which this debate was carried on. Most importantly, it will argue that, contrary to the claims of Fundamentalists to the present day, their movement did not perpetuate the work of D. L. Moody because it lost the warm catholicity which was integral to Moody's ministry.

1988-01-01T00:00:00Z Toone, Mark James By the turn of the twentieth century, British and American evangelical Christianity was sharply divided over, among other things, the issues of biblical authority, the nature of the person and work of Christ and the validity of modern scientific thought. Dwight L. Moody, the major evangelical figure of the late nineteenth century, found himself in the centre of this controversy. As a man of conservative theology yet ecumenical spirit, both the Fundamentalists and the liberal evangelicals 'claimed' him for their cause. The tension which developed between these two sides is well illustrated in the lives and ministries of Moody's protégés, R. A. Torrey and Henry Drummond, who ended up on opposite sides of the modernist/Fundamentalist debate, one perpetuating Moody's theological beliefs and the other his broad, irenic spirit. Having examined the religious historical context in both Scotland and America, this study will consider Moody's development as an ecumenically minded evangelist. Furthermore, both in the Scottish and in the American settings, it will consider the work of Drummond and Torrey, examining Moody's influence upon them and tracing the development of each man's thought and career from the time of their early contacts with the great evangelist. It will explore the nature of the modern/Fundamentalist controversy within late nineteenth century evangelicalism as illustrated in the lives of these three men: Moody the mentor-father figure and Torrey and Drummond as unlikely stepbrothers. In addition to the theological issues, it will be concerned to investigate the spirit in which this debate was carried on. Most importantly, it will argue that, contrary to the claims of Fundamentalists to the present day, their movement did not perpetuate the work of D. L. Moody because it lost the warm catholicity which was integral to Moody's ministry. Scaringi, Paul A. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/443 2008-03-07T16:22:20Z 2008-06-27T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This project revisits the work of Nikolai Berdiaev, one of the first Russian Silver Age religious philosophers to be widely read in the West. The focus of this research is his thought on freedom and the ‘creative act’. We will argue that Berdiaev’s vision of freedom contains two types of freedom – a freedom understood within the created order and a freedom ‘outside’ of creation. It will be shown that in the former type, the reader finds a nuanced and insightful multi-layered conception of human freedom, which offers intriguing possibilities for exploring freedom and its implications for humanity. It will also be demonstrated that this type of freedom is closely related to his innovative view of creativity. Berdiaev conceives of freedom and creativity as distinct concepts, and yet so integrally related that they are interdependent. In the latter type of freedom, the reader will encounter a highly speculative and original metaphysical view that attempts to explain freedom as non-determination and answer the challenges of theodicy, which, this research will maintain, fails to do. This research will contend (contrary to Berdiaev’s own statements) that his thought is most comprehensible from a broadly theological perspective. This perspective will underscore the significant tension within his work that arises from his speculative metaphysics. Unlike earlier works on Berdiaev that glossed over this tension, we will attempt to ameliorate it by engaging Jürgen Moltmann’s theology of freedom. Moltmann’s theology will provide a number of ideas and concepts for an analysis, critique, and reconfiguration of Berdiaev’s vision. This reconfiguration will seek to remain faithful to Berdiaev’s core concerns, while providing a new interpretation of his thought that is relevant for a contemporary dialogue concerning the significance of freedom and creativity for the person and community in relation to God.

2008-06-27T00:00:00Z Scaringi, Paul A. This project revisits the work of Nikolai Berdiaev, one of the first Russian Silver Age religious philosophers to be widely read in the West. The focus of this research is his thought on freedom and the ‘creative act’. We will argue that Berdiaev’s vision of freedom contains two types of freedom – a freedom understood within the created order and a freedom ‘outside’ of creation. It will be shown that in the former type, the reader finds a nuanced and insightful multi-layered conception of human freedom, which offers intriguing possibilities for exploring freedom and its implications for humanity. It will also be demonstrated that this type of freedom is closely related to his innovative view of creativity. Berdiaev conceives of freedom and creativity as distinct concepts, and yet so integrally related that they are interdependent. In the latter type of freedom, the reader will encounter a highly speculative and original metaphysical view that attempts to explain freedom as non-determination and answer the challenges of theodicy, which, this research will maintain, fails to do. This research will contend (contrary to Berdiaev’s own statements) that his thought is most comprehensible from a broadly theological perspective. This perspective will underscore the significant tension within his work that arises from his speculative metaphysics. Unlike earlier works on Berdiaev that glossed over this tension, we will attempt to ameliorate it by engaging Jürgen Moltmann’s theology of freedom. Moltmann’s theology will provide a number of ideas and concepts for an analysis, critique, and reconfiguration of Berdiaev’s vision. This reconfiguration will seek to remain faithful to Berdiaev’s core concerns, while providing a new interpretation of his thought that is relevant for a contemporary dialogue concerning the significance of freedom and creativity for the person and community in relation to God. Hansen, Bruce http://hdl.handle.net/10023/433 2009-08-20T14:53:25Z 2007-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Paul's citation of an early baptismal tradition in Gal 3:28, 1 Cor 12:13 and Col 3:11 is as notable for its prominence in the Pauline corpus as it is for its ambiguity. A survey of the variety of views as to what Paul is denying and, conversely, affirming by this formula highlights the importance of identifying both the broad mythic vision into which Paul has set it as well as the social arrangements he advocates by means of it. This attention to how cultural symbols and stories correlate with social praxis is prompted by insights from the sociology of knowledge. This thesis argues that in each instance Paul deploys the formula to support his vision for social unity in his churches that are composed of members from various social strata and subcultures who in Christ gain a new social identity that they are to express as family-like solidarity. The predominance of kinship terminology and expectations in Paul's exhortations to ecclesial unity lead me to propose a model of ethnic identity construction as appropriate for assessing the role of the baptismal unity formula in its Pauline usage. A reading of each epistle in which the formula occurs demonstrates how the formula serves in each case to epitomize Paul's vision for social unity. Furthermore, the proposed model of ethnic identity formation serves to highlight how Paul warrants that social solidarity by appeal to the believers' fictive, genealogical connectedness and presumed shared origins and essence. Such contextualization of the formula within the social vision expressed in each epistle highlights how Paul patterns the believers' identity on Israel as reconfigured through the story of Christ Jesus' death and resurrection. This assessment of Pauline social identity formation depends on and contributes to apocalyptic understandings of Paul's gospel as well as the social emphasis of the so-called new perspective on Paul.

2007-11-30T00:00:00Z Hansen, Bruce Paul's citation of an early baptismal tradition in Gal 3:28, 1 Cor 12:13 and Col 3:11 is as notable for its prominence in the Pauline corpus as it is for its ambiguity. A survey of the variety of views as to what Paul is denying and, conversely, affirming by this formula highlights the importance of identifying both the broad mythic vision into which Paul has set it as well as the social arrangements he advocates by means of it. This attention to how cultural symbols and stories correlate with social praxis is prompted by insights from the sociology of knowledge. This thesis argues that in each instance Paul deploys the formula to support his vision for social unity in his churches that are composed of members from various social strata and subcultures who in Christ gain a new social identity that they are to express as family-like solidarity. The predominance of kinship terminology and expectations in Paul's exhortations to ecclesial unity lead me to propose a model of ethnic identity construction as appropriate for assessing the role of the baptismal unity formula in its Pauline usage. A reading of each epistle in which the formula occurs demonstrates how the formula serves in each case to epitomize Paul's vision for social unity. Furthermore, the proposed model of ethnic identity formation serves to highlight how Paul warrants that social solidarity by appeal to the believers' fictive, genealogical connectedness and presumed shared origins and essence. Such contextualization of the formula within the social vision expressed in each epistle highlights how Paul patterns the believers' identity on Israel as reconfigured through the story of Christ Jesus' death and resurrection. This assessment of Pauline social identity formation depends on and contributes to apocalyptic understandings of Paul's gospel as well as the social emphasis of the so-called new perspective on Paul. Colledge, Gary http://hdl.handle.net/10023/422 2010-11-04T09:51:57Z 2008-06-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: While the study of Charles Dickens’s religion has produced various results, few would contest that Dickens’s religious views are shaped by his peculiar emphasis on Jesus and the Gospels. As to the precise nature of his views and the degree to which his commitment to the Christian faith extends, however, a much lesser degree of consensus has been established. I attempt to demonstrate here that at the heart of his work is a conspicuous Christian worldview, which is grounded squarely in the imitation of Jesus and which pervades his life and his work in the most profound yet unobtrusive ways. I argue, then, that Dickens’s The Life of Our Lord is a definitive source in the Dickens corpus for our understanding of his Christian thought and worldview. Moreover, as a serious expression of Dickens’s understanding of Christianity, The Life of Our Lord also functions as an index to his Christian thought in the larger Dickens corpus. Of first importance then, I attempt to establish the authority of The Life of Our Lord as a composition that will bear the full weight of such assertions. Then, I analyze its content as to its implicit theology in order to establish not only its thoroughgoing Christian character but also to demonstrate that it reveals Dickens’s own genuine Christian conviction manifested in all his work. Drawing the work to a close, I attempt to demonstrate how The Life of Our Lord helps us to understand Dickens’s churchmanship and his relationship to the church. In the end, I comment on its intended purpose as moral instruction for his children exemplifying his understanding of Christianity. The study demonstrates throughout how the Christianity embodied and articulated in The Life of Our Lord is consistently and naturally reflected in all of Dickens’s work, whether fiction, journalism or correspondence.

2008-06-01T00:00:00Z Colledge, Gary While the study of Charles Dickens’s religion has produced various results, few would contest that Dickens’s religious views are shaped by his peculiar emphasis on Jesus and the Gospels. As to the precise nature of his views and the degree to which his commitment to the Christian faith extends, however, a much lesser degree of consensus has been established. I attempt to demonstrate here that at the heart of his work is a conspicuous Christian worldview, which is grounded squarely in the imitation of Jesus and which pervades his life and his work in the most profound yet unobtrusive ways. I argue, then, that Dickens’s The Life of Our Lord is a definitive source in the Dickens corpus for our understanding of his Christian thought and worldview. Moreover, as a serious expression of Dickens’s understanding of Christianity, The Life of Our Lord also functions as an index to his Christian thought in the larger Dickens corpus. Of first importance then, I attempt to establish the authority of The Life of Our Lord as a composition that will bear the full weight of such assertions. Then, I analyze its content as to its implicit theology in order to establish not only its thoroughgoing Christian character but also to demonstrate that it reveals Dickens’s own genuine Christian conviction manifested in all his work. Drawing the work to a close, I attempt to demonstrate how The Life of Our Lord helps us to understand Dickens’s churchmanship and his relationship to the church. In the end, I comment on its intended purpose as moral instruction for his children exemplifying his understanding of Christianity. The study demonstrates throughout how the Christianity embodied and articulated in The Life of Our Lord is consistently and naturally reflected in all of Dickens’s work, whether fiction, journalism or correspondence. Moon, Joshua http://hdl.handle.net/10023/419 2012-08-22T08:49:15Z 2008-06-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: The struggle to read Jer 31:31-34 as Christian Scripture has a long and divided history. Yet remarkably little has been done to grapple with the depth of this struggle in the Christian tradition from the post-Nicene period to the modern era. This thesis attempts to show the value of the tradition as an interlocutor for contemporary exegetical concerns in Christian readings and use of Jer 31:31-34. The study begins with Augustineâ s interpretation of the text as an absolute contrast between unbelief and faith, rather than the standard reading (found in Jerome) of a contrast between two successive religio-historical eras - one that governed Israel (the â old covenantâ ) and a new era and its covenant inaugurated in the coming of Christ. Augustineâ s absolute contrast loosened the strict temporal concern, so that the faithful of any era were members of the â new covenantâ . The study traces this reading of an absolute contrast in a few key moments of Christian interpretation: Thomas Aquinas and high medieval theology, then the 16th and 17th century Reformed tradition. The thesis aims at a constructive reading of Jer 31:31-34, and so the struggle identified in these moments in the Christian tradition is brought into dialogue with modern critical discussions from Bernhard Duhm to the present. Finally I turn to an exegetical argument for an â Augustinianâ reading of the contrast of the covenants. The study finds that Jer 31:31-34, read in its role in Jeremiah, contrasts Israelâ s infidelity with a future idyllic faithfulness to Yhwh: in the new covenant all will be as it always ought to have been. The contrast is thus between two mutually exclusive standings before Yhwh. Thus the study aims to contribute to modern exegetical, theological and ecclesial discussions of â oldâ and â newâ covenants by examining one of the central texts of the discussion in dialogue with parts of the history of interpretation.

2008-06-01T00:00:00Z Moon, Joshua The struggle to read Jer 31:31-34 as Christian Scripture has a long and divided history. Yet remarkably little has been done to grapple with the depth of this struggle in the Christian tradition from the post-Nicene period to the modern era. This thesis attempts to show the value of the tradition as an interlocutor for contemporary exegetical concerns in Christian readings and use of Jer 31:31-34. The study begins with Augustineâ s interpretation of the text as an absolute contrast between unbelief and faith, rather than the standard reading (found in Jerome) of a contrast between two successive religio-historical eras - one that governed Israel (the â old covenantâ ) and a new era and its covenant inaugurated in the coming of Christ. Augustineâ s absolute contrast loosened the strict temporal concern, so that the faithful of any era were members of the â new covenantâ . The study traces this reading of an absolute contrast in a few key moments of Christian interpretation: Thomas Aquinas and high medieval theology, then the 16th and 17th century Reformed tradition. The thesis aims at a constructive reading of Jer 31:31-34, and so the struggle identified in these moments in the Christian tradition is brought into dialogue with modern critical discussions from Bernhard Duhm to the present. Finally I turn to an exegetical argument for an â Augustinianâ reading of the contrast of the covenants. The study finds that Jer 31:31-34, read in its role in Jeremiah, contrasts Israelâ s infidelity with a future idyllic faithfulness to Yhwh: in the new covenant all will be as it always ought to have been. The contrast is thus between two mutually exclusive standings before Yhwh. Thus the study aims to contribute to modern exegetical, theological and ecclesial discussions of â oldâ and â newâ covenants by examining one of the central texts of the discussion in dialogue with parts of the history of interpretation. Stearns, Michelle L. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/405 2012-11-09T11:36:29Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This project consists of a theological exploration of unity, both divine and created, through an engagement with the writings of the composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874- 1951). It proceeds by examining Schoenberg' s philosophy of unity as embodied in his compositional theory and practice, and brings to light his explicit and implicit metaphysical commitments through the lens of Arthur Schopenhauer's philosophy. A critique is offered that utilizes a vibrant tradition of contemporary trinitarian theology, drawing, in particular, upon the work of Colin Gunton. This theological critique employs 'musical space' to assist in 'sounding out ' and articulating a trinitarian and perichoretic model of unity. Thus, this thesis shows not only how theology can benefit the philosophy of music, but also how the philosophy of music can enrich and augment theological discourse. Part I examines unity from the perspective of 'particularity' . This inquiry traces Schoenberg's investigations into the material of music, from which he draws two conclusions: that conflict is essential to the musical material, and that the distinction between consonance and dissonance is illusory. Through adopting these assumptions into his philosophy of unity, Schoenberg unwittingly develops a theory of the many that undermines the value and integrity of material particulars. In response, this project counters with a trinitarian theology that upholds the integrity of particulars through a mutually constitutive understanding of particulars-in-relation. Part II examines unity from the perspective of 'the whole' . This investigation focuses upon Schoenberg' s structural principles of coherence, from which he makes three claims: that 'the whole' ('the musical idea') is distinct from the composition, that the essence of the musical idea must be expressed in every individual part within the whole, and that the primary goal of the composer is to express the musical idea. Schoenberg' s construction of unity is, therefore, dependent upon privileging the one over the particular. Thus, Schoenberg' s theory and practice lack the sort of unity in which the concepts of oneness and particularity are related adequately. This project proposes that a proper understanding of unity can arise only from a triune conception of being that holds oneness and particularity inseparably together: not as mutually exclusive, but as mutually constitutive.

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Stearns, Michelle L. This project consists of a theological exploration of unity, both divine and created, through an engagement with the writings of the composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874- 1951). It proceeds by examining Schoenberg' s philosophy of unity as embodied in his compositional theory and practice, and brings to light his explicit and implicit metaphysical commitments through the lens of Arthur Schopenhauer's philosophy. A critique is offered that utilizes a vibrant tradition of contemporary trinitarian theology, drawing, in particular, upon the work of Colin Gunton. This theological critique employs 'musical space' to assist in 'sounding out ' and articulating a trinitarian and perichoretic model of unity. Thus, this thesis shows not only how theology can benefit the philosophy of music, but also how the philosophy of music can enrich and augment theological discourse. Part I examines unity from the perspective of 'particularity' . This inquiry traces Schoenberg's investigations into the material of music, from which he draws two conclusions: that conflict is essential to the musical material, and that the distinction between consonance and dissonance is illusory. Through adopting these assumptions into his philosophy of unity, Schoenberg unwittingly develops a theory of the many that undermines the value and integrity of material particulars. In response, this project counters with a trinitarian theology that upholds the integrity of particulars through a mutually constitutive understanding of particulars-in-relation. Part II examines unity from the perspective of 'the whole' . This investigation focuses upon Schoenberg' s structural principles of coherence, from which he makes three claims: that 'the whole' ('the musical idea') is distinct from the composition, that the essence of the musical idea must be expressed in every individual part within the whole, and that the primary goal of the composer is to express the musical idea. Schoenberg' s construction of unity is, therefore, dependent upon privileging the one over the particular. Thus, Schoenberg' s theory and practice lack the sort of unity in which the concepts of oneness and particularity are related adequately. This project proposes that a proper understanding of unity can arise only from a triune conception of being that holds oneness and particularity inseparably together: not as mutually exclusive, but as mutually constitutive. Wright, Ross M. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/399 2012-07-27T12:26:45Z 2007-11-30T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis consists of an original translation, annotation, and analysis of Karl Barth’s Academic lectures on Ephesians, delivered in Göttingen, winter semester, 1921-1922. The translation is composed from a typescript of Barth’s handwritten manuscript, located in the Karl Barth Archives, Basel, and is annotated for scholarly research, including complete bibliographical information on Barth’s sources. Barth’s exposition is a detailed exegesis of the Greek text of Eph. 1:1-23, comprising 13 lectures, with a summary of Ephesians 2-6 in the final chapter. Materially and formally, the exposition strongly resembles Romans II and Barth’s 1919 sermons on Ephesians, which the study examines. It also exhibits the theological objectivity of the Göttingen period, chiefly because of Barth’s explication of gnosis in Ephesians and his appropriation of Calvin’s theology of the knowledge of God. Barth made a material discovery in his study of Ephesians that fundamentally shaped his subsequent theology. He observes in Eph. 1:3-14 a train of thought which witnesses to God’s action to the creature in Christ and the creature’s subsequent movement to God. He concludes that we have come from God, who has chosen us in eternal election, and we are moving toward the glory of God, our divinely appointed goal. The exposition’s central theme is expressed in Barth’s claim that “the knowledge of God is the presupposition” and “the goal” of human existence. The distinguishing mark of Barth’s theological exegesis is its concreteness, that is, his ability to speak about the text’s contemporary meaning without lapsing into theological abstraction. This concreteness is the consequence of his theological hermeneutic. He describes the interpretive event as a field of action, consisting of the biblical text, the activity of the interpreter, and the divine speech act.

2007-11-30T00:00:00Z Wright, Ross M. This thesis consists of an original translation, annotation, and analysis of Karl Barth’s Academic lectures on Ephesians, delivered in Göttingen, winter semester, 1921-1922. The translation is composed from a typescript of Barth’s handwritten manuscript, located in the Karl Barth Archives, Basel, and is annotated for scholarly research, including complete bibliographical information on Barth’s sources. Barth’s exposition is a detailed exegesis of the Greek text of Eph. 1:1-23, comprising 13 lectures, with a summary of Ephesians 2-6 in the final chapter. Materially and formally, the exposition strongly resembles Romans II and Barth’s 1919 sermons on Ephesians, which the study examines. It also exhibits the theological objectivity of the Göttingen period, chiefly because of Barth’s explication of gnosis in Ephesians and his appropriation of Calvin’s theology of the knowledge of God. Barth made a material discovery in his study of Ephesians that fundamentally shaped his subsequent theology. He observes in Eph. 1:3-14 a train of thought which witnesses to God’s action to the creature in Christ and the creature’s subsequent movement to God. He concludes that we have come from God, who has chosen us in eternal election, and we are moving toward the glory of God, our divinely appointed goal. The exposition’s central theme is expressed in Barth’s claim that “the knowledge of God is the presupposition” and “the goal” of human existence. The distinguishing mark of Barth’s theological exegesis is its concreteness, that is, his ability to speak about the text’s contemporary meaning without lapsing into theological abstraction. This concreteness is the consequence of his theological hermeneutic. He describes the interpretive event as a field of action, consisting of the biblical text, the activity of the interpreter, and the divine speech act. Deary, Janice L. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/398 2012-07-27T10:51:31Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Iconoclastic discourse, as a critique of ‘idols’ of various kinds, has been appropriated by a range of different thinkers and traditions – often not always explicitly religious – throughout history. One of the more recent targets of iconoclasm is metaphysics, understood as a way of doing philosophy that appeals to an ideal or transcendent ground that is used to offer a totalising explanation of ‘reality’. For some reason, the issue of ‘metaphysical idolatry’ has become entangled with the problem of ‘writing’, or ‘representation’ more generally, which is pictured in some rather strange ways by a range of thinkers and theorists – including philosophers and theologians such as Jacques Derrida, Jean-Luc Marion, and Catherine Pickstock – in order to either challenge, or to be held accountable for, the ‘idolatry’ of metaphysical thought. It seems, however, that these strange pictures of writing compound rather than solve the problem of metaphysics, and it is towards pictures such as these that we direct our own iconoclastic critique. What many critics of metaphysics have failed to comprehend, we argue, is that metaphysics is a certain type of philosophical practice, and it must therefore be judged from this perspective. Idolatry itself has, since biblical times, been understood as a form of sinful practice, and unless we understand iconoclastic problems in a praxeological way, we risk basing our critical arguments on delusional assumptions. We turn to the work of thinkers as diverse as Marx, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Ryle, Bourdieu, Ingold, and others, who have challenged metaphysics, and the strange pictures that metaphysical thought has inspired, through the adoption of what we call a praxeological approach. It is from this perspective, we argue, that we can make iconoclastic judgements, and justify these judgements, in a way that avoids the speculative conundrums of some other more problematic approaches.

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Deary, Janice L. Iconoclastic discourse, as a critique of ‘idols’ of various kinds, has been appropriated by a range of different thinkers and traditions – often not always explicitly religious – throughout history. One of the more recent targets of iconoclasm is metaphysics, understood as a way of doing philosophy that appeals to an ideal or transcendent ground that is used to offer a totalising explanation of ‘reality’. For some reason, the issue of ‘metaphysical idolatry’ has become entangled with the problem of ‘writing’, or ‘representation’ more generally, which is pictured in some rather strange ways by a range of thinkers and theorists – including philosophers and theologians such as Jacques Derrida, Jean-Luc Marion, and Catherine Pickstock – in order to either challenge, or to be held accountable for, the ‘idolatry’ of metaphysical thought. It seems, however, that these strange pictures of writing compound rather than solve the problem of metaphysics, and it is towards pictures such as these that we direct our own iconoclastic critique. What many critics of metaphysics have failed to comprehend, we argue, is that metaphysics is a certain type of philosophical practice, and it must therefore be judged from this perspective. Idolatry itself has, since biblical times, been understood as a form of sinful practice, and unless we understand iconoclastic problems in a praxeological way, we risk basing our critical arguments on delusional assumptions. We turn to the work of thinkers as diverse as Marx, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Ryle, Bourdieu, Ingold, and others, who have challenged metaphysics, and the strange pictures that metaphysical thought has inspired, through the adoption of what we call a praxeological approach. It is from this perspective, we argue, that we can make iconoclastic judgements, and justify these judgements, in a way that avoids the speculative conundrums of some other more problematic approaches. Noble, Stuart J. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/350 2012-11-09T09:43:51Z 2007-06-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Societies burdened by the deep social and political divisions created by conflict struggle to move on from patterns of division, tension and mutual suspicion. Attitudes and negative beliefs about political opponents are made permanent parts of the social landscape by violence. Political settlements address the mechanics of governance and the organization of society, however, they fail to deal with the way deeply divided societies have evolved during the period of conflict. The cessation of violence and development of political solutions leaves in its wake many questions about how to tackle the injustices of the past and the reality of a divided society. The exploration of these questions and the attempt to address the challenge of deep divisions is central to any move towards reconciliation. The aim of this thesis is to offer a theological analysis of the political implications of the Christian doctrine of reconciliation. The discussion of reconciliation takes place within the context of Northern Ireland, a society burdened by deep divisions caused by decades of violent political conflict. By exploring a variety of models of reconciliation and attending to the particularities of the theology of reconciliation the analysis will attempt to develop a distinctively Christian interpretation of reconciliation and explain its meaning in the Northern Irish context. A discussion of the questions raised by justice and forgiveness will be given significant attention since these two themes are central to any attempt to address the past and move beyond deep societal divisions to a shared future.

2007-06-01T00:00:00Z Noble, Stuart J. Societies burdened by the deep social and political divisions created by conflict struggle to move on from patterns of division, tension and mutual suspicion. Attitudes and negative beliefs about political opponents are made permanent parts of the social landscape by violence. Political settlements address the mechanics of governance and the organization of society, however, they fail to deal with the way deeply divided societies have evolved during the period of conflict. The cessation of violence and development of political solutions leaves in its wake many questions about how to tackle the injustices of the past and the reality of a divided society. The exploration of these questions and the attempt to address the challenge of deep divisions is central to any move towards reconciliation. The aim of this thesis is to offer a theological analysis of the political implications of the Christian doctrine of reconciliation. The discussion of reconciliation takes place within the context of Northern Ireland, a society burdened by deep divisions caused by decades of violent political conflict. By exploring a variety of models of reconciliation and attending to the particularities of the theology of reconciliation the analysis will attempt to develop a distinctively Christian interpretation of reconciliation and explain its meaning in the Northern Irish context. A discussion of the questions raised by justice and forgiveness will be given significant attention since these two themes are central to any attempt to address the past and move beyond deep societal divisions to a shared future. Brannan, David http://hdl.handle.net/10023/342 2012-07-27T10:46:18Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: What has come to be known within the Academy as, Identity theology, is presented in the literature as a monolithic belief system which supports and encourages terrorism and other forms of political violence. This dissertation argues that inattention to theological and social issues within the many Identity theology based groups in the US has led to a deeply flawed understanding of the relation between Identity adherents, terrorism and other political violence. Discussions about these groups in the literature are flawed and there is an imprecise understanding which has led to an inaccurate alignment of widely varied social groups with a pejorative classification that is neither descriptive of the various theologies at work, nor the social manifestations observed in these groups. Further, the research suggests that the academic community known as “Terrorism Studies” continues to contribute to the inaccurate understanding and that those inaccuracies are likely impediments to effective government policy in relation to the phenomenon known as Identity theology. The research presented here suggests that there are both theological and social distinctions, which can and should be delineated and understood by all those researching Identity groups. The research highlights four significant types or differences within what is now known as Identity theology, by highlighting the nuances between social groups including the Church of Israel, Covenant, Sword and the Arm of the Lord (CSA), Mission to Israel, KKK and Aryan Nations and suggests that a more precise understanding of the differences could lead to declining instances of violence and more openness to positive social change by those who currently follow these very different types of theological belief systems.

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Brannan, David What has come to be known within the Academy as, Identity theology, is presented in the literature as a monolithic belief system which supports and encourages terrorism and other forms of political violence. This dissertation argues that inattention to theological and social issues within the many Identity theology based groups in the US has led to a deeply flawed understanding of the relation between Identity adherents, terrorism and other political violence. Discussions about these groups in the literature are flawed and there is an imprecise understanding which has led to an inaccurate alignment of widely varied social groups with a pejorative classification that is neither descriptive of the various theologies at work, nor the social manifestations observed in these groups. Further, the research suggests that the academic community known as “Terrorism Studies” continues to contribute to the inaccurate understanding and that those inaccuracies are likely impediments to effective government policy in relation to the phenomenon known as Identity theology. The research presented here suggests that there are both theological and social distinctions, which can and should be delineated and understood by all those researching Identity groups. The research highlights four significant types or differences within what is now known as Identity theology, by highlighting the nuances between social groups including the Church of Israel, Covenant, Sword and the Arm of the Lord (CSA), Mission to Israel, KKK and Aryan Nations and suggests that a more precise understanding of the differences could lead to declining instances of violence and more openness to positive social change by those who currently follow these very different types of theological belief systems. Khovacs, Ivan Patricio Morillo http://hdl.handle.net/10023/329 2012-10-25T08:12:52Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: If from God’s perspective ‘all the world’s a stage’, theology invites one to think and act according to the view afforded from this height. To speak theologically of a ‘world stage’ as many contemporary theologians have done has required rethinking the Church’s long-established antagonism towards the stage. Of late, theology has opened up academic exchange with the drama’s understanding of ‘the great theatre of the world’. Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theo-drama in particular has given Christians a means for entering into discussion with dramatic forms. Contemporary theological engagements with ‘drama’, however, have been limited to its most literary/metaphorical aspects; less attention has been paid to the potentialities in theology’s exchange with the performance aesthetics of live theatre. Pressed to its logical ends, however, von Balthasar’s idea of a ‘theological dramatics’ and its advances made in contemporary theology, suggest the need for sustained engagement with other modes of dramaturgy, including performance theory and the stage. This thesis attempts to instantiate this theological engagement through the aesthetics of theatrical performance.

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Khovacs, Ivan Patricio Morillo If from God’s perspective ‘all the world’s a stage’, theology invites one to think and act according to the view afforded from this height. To speak theologically of a ‘world stage’ as many contemporary theologians have done has required rethinking the Church’s long-established antagonism towards the stage. Of late, theology has opened up academic exchange with the drama’s understanding of ‘the great theatre of the world’. Hans Urs von Balthasar’s theo-drama in particular has given Christians a means for entering into discussion with dramatic forms. Contemporary theological engagements with ‘drama’, however, have been limited to its most literary/metaphorical aspects; less attention has been paid to the potentialities in theology’s exchange with the performance aesthetics of live theatre. Pressed to its logical ends, however, von Balthasar’s idea of a ‘theological dramatics’ and its advances made in contemporary theology, suggest the need for sustained engagement with other modes of dramaturgy, including performance theory and the stage. This thesis attempts to instantiate this theological engagement through the aesthetics of theatrical performance. Giere, Samuel D. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/155 2012-07-27T10:57:51Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: This thesis is an unconventional history of the interpretation of Day One, Genesis 1.1-5, in Hebrew and Greek texts up to c. 200 CE. Using the concept of ‘intertextuality’ as developed by Kristeva, Derrida, and others, the method for this historical exploration looks at the dynamic interconnectedness of texts. The results reach beyond deliberate exegetical and eisegetical interpretations of Day One to include intertextual, and therefore not necessarily deliberate, connections between texts. The purpose of the study is to gain a glimpse into the textual possibilities available to the ancient reader / interpreter. Central to the method employed is the identification of the intertexts of Day One. This is achieved, at least in part, by identifying and tracing flags that may draw the reader from one text to another. In this study these flags are called ‘intertextual markers’ and may be individual words, word-pairs, or small phrases that occur relatively infrequently within the corpus of texts being examined. The thesis first explores the intertextuality of Genesis 1.1-5 in the confines of the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint. The second half of the thesis identifies and explores the intertexts of Day One in other Hebrew texts (e.g. the Dead Sea Scrolls, Sirach) and other Greek texts (e.g. Philo, the New Testament) up to c. 200 CE. The thesis concludes with a summation of some of the more prominent and surprising threads in this intertextual ‘tapestry’ of Day One. These summary threads include observations within the texts in a given language and a comparative look at the role of language in the intertextual history of Day One.

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z Giere, Samuel D. This thesis is an unconventional history of the interpretation of Day One, Genesis 1.1-5, in Hebrew and Greek texts up to c. 200 CE. Using the concept of ‘intertextuality’ as developed by Kristeva, Derrida, and others, the method for this historical exploration looks at the dynamic interconnectedness of texts. The results reach beyond deliberate exegetical and eisegetical interpretations of Day One to include intertextual, and therefore not necessarily deliberate, connections between texts. The purpose of the study is to gain a glimpse into the textual possibilities available to the ancient reader / interpreter. Central to the method employed is the identification of the intertexts of Day One. This is achieved, at least in part, by identifying and tracing flags that may draw the reader from one text to another. In this study these flags are called ‘intertextual markers’ and may be individual words, word-pairs, or small phrases that occur relatively infrequently within the corpus of texts being examined. The thesis first explores the intertextuality of Genesis 1.1-5 in the confines of the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint. The second half of the thesis identifies and explores the intertexts of Day One in other Hebrew texts (e.g. the Dead Sea Scrolls, Sirach) and other Greek texts (e.g. Philo, the New Testament) up to c. 200 CE. The thesis concludes with a summation of some of the more prominent and surprising threads in this intertextual ‘tapestry’ of Day One. These summary threads include observations within the texts in a given language and a comparative look at the role of language in the intertextual history of Day One. Cortez, Marc http://hdl.handle.net/10023/145 2012-07-27T10:20:58Z 2006-10-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract: Contemporary developments in cognitive neuroscience are having a profound impact on the philosophy of mind as philosophers work to understand the implications of these advances for appreciating what it means to be a human person. At the same time, a recent consensus has formed among contemporary theologians around the thesis that Jesus Christ is the revelation of what it means to be truly human. Unfortunately, very few thinkers have made any concerted effort to bring these two developments into dialogue with one another. This study addresses this lack by drawing on the anthropological insights of Karl Barth and bringing them to bear on certain aspects of the contemporary discussions regarding the mind/brain relationship. The thesis thus comprises two major sections. The first develops an understanding of Karl Barth’s theological anthropology focusing on three major facets: (1) the centrality of Jesus Christ for any real understanding of human persons; (2) the resources that such a christologically determined view of human nature has for engaging in interdisciplinary discourse; and (3) the ontological implications of this approach for understanding the mind/body relationship. The second part of the study then draws on this theological foundation to consider the implications that understanding human nature christologically has for analyzing and assessing several prominent ways of explaining the mind/body relationship. This study, then, is an exercise in understanding the nature of a christocentric anthropology and its implications for understanding human ontology. While it will devote significant attention to the theology of Karl Barth and various contemporary philosophers of mind, its fundamental aim is to draw together these apparently disparate fields of inquiry by engaging both theology and philosophy in a vital dialogue on the nature of the human person as revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

2006-10-01T00:00:00Z Cortez, Marc Contemporary developments in cognitive neuroscience are having a profound impact on the philosophy of mind as philosophers work to understand the implications of these advances for appreciating what it means to be a human person. At the same time, a recent consensus has formed among contemporary theologians around the thesis that Jesus Christ is the revelation of what it means to be truly human. Unfortunately, very few thinkers have made any concerted effort to bring these two developments into dialogue with one another. This study addresses this lack by drawing on the anthropological insights of Karl Barth and bringing them to bear on certain aspects of the contemporary discussions regarding the mind/brain relationship. The thesis thus comprises two major sections. The first develops an understanding of Karl Barth’s theological anthropology focusing on three major facets: (1) the centrality of Jesus Christ for any real understanding of human persons; (2) the resources that such a christologically determined view of human nature has for engaging in interdisciplinary discourse; and (3) the ontological implications of this approach for understanding the mind/body relationship. The second part of the study then draws on this theological foundation to consider the implications that understanding human nature christologically has for analyzing and assessing several prominent ways of explaining the mind/body relationship. This study, then, is an exercise in understanding the nature of a christocentric anthropology and its implications for understanding human ontology. While it will devote significant attention to the theology of Karl Barth and various contemporary philosophers of mind, its fundamental aim is to draw together these apparently disparate fields of inquiry by engaging both theology and philosophy in a vital dialogue on the nature of the human person as revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.