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The aim of this study is first, to identify resonances between Jeremiah 1:10 and the three stages of the spiritual journey as defined by the Carmelites such as John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila (i.e., the stages known as purgative, illuminative and unitive) and then, in light of an in depth understanding of the spiritual senses attributed to Jeremiah 1:10 in its reception history, to evaluate the impact of Jer 1:10 upon the Carmelite conception of the spiritual journey. A comprehensive Word Study is undertaken of six task verbs from Jer 1:10, presented as three pairs: to root out (נתש) and to pull down (נחץ), to destroy (אבד) and to throw down (הרס), to build (בנה) and to plant (נטע). This analysis offers support for the alignment and resonances of the task verbs with the three stages of the spiritual journey. The Word Study also suggests that for the spiritual sense, the Hebrew text may provide a typology of a three-stage progression, in which two stages of purification (described by two pairs of negative task verbs) are necessary before the holiest and whole-hearted stage of unification is effected (described by the positive pair of task verbs). In addition, the repeated proximate position of task verbs to the themes of “turning” and “the heart” suggest that the verbs may work to turn the heart to the Lord, who continues to love his people despite their spiritual adultery and other sins. The evidence reviewed in the Word Study is supported by the reception history and indicates that Jer 1:10 may offer a significant and early spiritual model. This verse directly impacts upon Paul and Origen in the early era of Christianity. Based on Origen’s interpretation, it is possible that Jer 1:10 offers a biblical model for the tri-partite spiritual journey which precedes the conception of spiritual stages by Pseudo-Dionysius, who is often considered the originator of the purgative, illuminative and unitive concepts. In a number of ways, Origen’s spiritual interpretation seems to be carried through Christian tradition and may challenge oft-assumed Platonic or Neoplatonic sources of the spiritual journey. However, the impact of Jer 1:10 upon the Carmelites Saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila is diffuse and indirect. No direct citation or echo of Jer 1:10 has been identified in their writings. Nonetheless, like Origen’s interpretation of Jer 1:10, John recognizes successive stages of spiritual “destruction” (purgation and illumination) designed to open space in the soul for God, allowing for a third phase of “construction” (i.e., union). Jer 1:10 may offer insight into the earliest theological seeds of the spiritual journey, with echoes and resonances throughout the ages.

The thesis of this research project is “If Covenant Baptist Church members are taught the reliability of the Bible, they will be equipped to defend their faith to a skeptical world.” The goals of this doctoral thesis are two-fold: to train adequate believers regarding the Bible’s reliability in a skeptical world, and honor God in the process through the equipping ministry of the church in accordance with Ephesians 4:11-16. Seven lessons were researched, formulated, and presented to a small group of believers in Covenant Baptist Church who desired to become more confident in defending the Bible to a skeptic. Entrance and exit questionnaires were shared to determine comfortability and knowledge of the reliability of the Bible before and after the seven, discipleship lessons were taught. Participants indicated an improvement in confidence and an increased willingness to use the study materials to engage a skeptic or an unbeliever in a witnessing scenario. It is discovered from this research study that intentional discipleship on the reliability of the Bible will provide positive results for those who choose to instruct believers about ways to defend the Bible.

Story was created by God as a vehicle for the revelation and glorification of Himself. Man, made in the image of God, was created as an innate storyteller. The world was created through story, and story is how it progresses and is sustained. As such, story is the foundation of all culture and the most natural and effective method of human communication. Research points to all of man’s stories being derivatives of the Great Story: the metanarrative of Scripture. Exploring man’s relationship with story reveals his place within the metanarrative and ultimately provides evidence for the existence and active presence of God, the Divine Author.

This dissertation disrupts at least two religious spaces: First, scholars religiously adhering to (social) scientific norms, and second, people identifying with religious organizations (i.e., churches). First, we begin constructing a theoretical lens using poststructural ideas offered by Foucault, Derrida, and Bakhtin to read and disrupt (religious) discourse. Second, we complicate organizational identification as a concept, deeming it fixed and fluid—a paradox within religious discourses that endorse Truth and Perfection. Here, we draw from the communication constitutes organization (CCO) approach. Third, we further curate the lens by applying poststructuralism, identification, and CCO in a specific context: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Church). Doing so enables Restorationism—a fixed-fluid theoretical technique for scrutinizing identification paradoxes in religious spaces. Fourth, we try Restorationism on 89 addresses to reveal contradictions of organizational identification within The Church, followed by discussions of the (dis)organizing effect of language, including Scripture, on identity. Throughout the dissertation, we challenge (social) scientific norms—faithful to postmodernism—through performance techniques, including poetry, courtroom scenes, images, metaphors, and embodied discussions. Doing so, along with speculations on (religious organizational) identification, rouses at least three questions, including (1) who am I; (2) where did I come from; and (3) where am I going?

The Bible consistently presents one common theme: the kingdom of God. Biblical theology focuses on God’s faithfulness, wisdom, and purpose in the process of redemption. The Old Testament expresses the firm belief that God will surely fulfill His covenants and reign forever. The Old Testament prophets believed that the Messiah would come for judgment and salvation. They consistently prophesied the birth and reign of the Messiah, which connects the Old and New Testaments. There is a continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The promises made to Israel in the Old Testament will be fulfilled for Israel, not the church. Although God has never said that He has abandoned Israel, some scholars exclude Israel from His salvation plan. Since the study of Israel is an essential area of biblical theology, various interpretation methodologies address the issue of Israel. The present research explores the essential principles of the restoration of Israel and the significance of Israel’s unconditional covenants. These covenants are the key ideas of the Bible and reveal the faithfulness of God’s promises. The faithfulness of God’s promises is revealed by the consistent flow of the Old and New Testaments. The Bible is a record of God’s work of salvation, revealing the creation of the world, the fall of man, and a long history of redemption. It concludes with the end of the world with judgment and complete salvation. The Bible includes the stories and covenants of God that He loves all people in the world and offers salvation beyond time, space, language, and culture. Every promise in the Bible begins in the Old Testament and is completed in the New Testament. This dissertation examines the consistency of the kingdom of God by addressing Israel’s unconditional covenants and their fulfillment. Therefore, this research demonstrates how these covenants support God’s kingdom in the Bible.

This thesis will seek to explore the doctrine of election as it appears in the Old Testament. It will attempt to provide a robust, biblical conception of the doctrine, shedding light on its nature and purpose, viewing the Bible as a singular story of God’s redemptive work. It will consider and assess election as God’s act of divine prerogative—being at times individual but primarily corporate. While inherently partial, effort will be taken to defend the doctrine against common objections this partiality draws. Rather, it will be shown that as the means by which He initiated His gracious plan of salvation, God’s elective acts were the means by which His character and ultimate plan of salvation was revealed to mankind.

While various OT and NT authors may employ the wilderness wanderings traditions for their own purposes, the traditions themselves generally present the Israelites in a negative light. This negative presentation is primarily due to the murmuring motif. This essay revealed the stereotyped verbs and collocations of the motif in addition to the variety of forms the murmurings can take, a prominent form being an accusatory question. When the stereotyped verbs and collocations do not occur, it is the presence of an accusatory question with stereotypical content and language regarding the Israelites’ life in Egypt and their exodus that signals the murmuring motif. The motif must be limited to the murmurings only and must exclude any responses from the addressee(s) that may be present in the text. When this is done, the final form of the pericopes in which the motif occurs can be more effectively evaluated. This essay has shown that the murmuring comprises one element of the two recurring patterns in the wilderness wanderings traditions, Pattern A and Pattern B. The murmuring motif must always be viewed as negative and hostile, and as an act of open rebellion against the LORD. The failures of the Israelites are on full display in the pre-Sinai, Pattern A, wilderness wanderings texts as they time and time again murmur against the LORD; however, it is in the midst of these failures that the mercy and grace with which the LORD meets their murmurings is magnified.

Problem The works of Jon Levenson and Terence Fretheim highlight the problem of determining which interpretations of the biblical worlds of meaning around the text are congruent with the text of the Aqedah (also known as the Sacrifice of Isaac, Genesis 22: 1-19) and which should be disclaimed. A hermeneutical model is needed for Abraham's test that provides a text-based paradigm for sound interpretation of the narrative world (in the text), the historical world (behind the text), the theistic world (above the text), the cosmological world (below the text), and the present world (in front of the text). Method Four steps were taken to create and apply a hermeneutical model for understanding the Aqedah test. First, Levenson's and Fretheim's interpretations of the Aqedah were compared to test the usefulness of a tri-level hermeneutic analysis. Second, a tri-level (micro-meso-macro) spiral hermeneutical model was created that integrated the biblical text as the long central axis of the model and related the five biblical worlds of meaning to the text. Third, this model was tested by the Aqedah narrative of Genesis 22:1-19 and a new interpretive hypothesis was perceived. Fourth, the hermeneutical model and the interpretive hypothesis were evaluated. These four functional tasks were accomplished through six chapters. Chapters one and two introduced the issues and compared the interpretations of two theologians on the Aqedah. Chapters three to five paired sequential construction of the three levels of the hermeneutical model to their Aqedah application. The final chapter evaluated the two products of this study. Results Two conceptual products have emerged from this dissertation project: the Axial Model of hermeneutics and the Covenant Hypothesis for the Aqedah. The Axial Model embeds the biblical text as the central long axis of a hermeneutical spiral. This text axis emanates the five biblical worlds of meaning (in, behind, in front of, above, and below the text) and norms any and all interpretations of those worlds. The spiraling ramp of the Axial Model slices through these worlds of meaning, depicting the features that are accessible for the particular interpreter. The interpreter progresses through the micro, meso and macro levels of hermeneutics (micro: exegetical and biblical hermeneutics, meso: theological and dogmatic hermeneutics, macro: philosophical and metaphysical hermeneutics) in a sequential fashion in order to grasp deep understanding of the text. Within the Axial Model, the interpretive principle of Sola Scriptura is represented by the central long axis of the biblical text that emanates the biblical worlds of meaning and norms all interpretations of those worlds. Tota Scriptura is embodied in the canonical worlds of meaning behind and in front of the text which clarify and test all interpretations. Prima Scriptura extracts from the worlds of meaning above and below the text the biblical metaphysical framework for interpretation, and Viva Scriptura recognizes the Holy Spirit's transformative work through the fusion of horizons between the interpreter’s personal and the text's biblical worlds of meaning. The rolling path of the interpreter on the spiral ramp of the Axial Model integrates three hermeneutical circles (parts to a whole, fusion of horizons, projective-integrative) in achieving comprehensive understanding. This Axial Model was then activated by the Aqedah. From the micro-hermeneutical level of exegesis, God's final speech (vv. 15-18) in the Aqedah was recognized as an emphatic divine interpretation ("By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord") of Abraham’s test response ("because you have done this thing"). Six of the seven Abrahamic covenant revelations were then evoked by God in retrograde sequence through covenant themes and blessings. Therefore, the Abrahamic covenant appears to be the divine test norm for evaluating Abraham’s test response. On the meso-hermeneutical level, based on the covenant as the test norm, a logical interpretation was constructed and tested that saw the Aqedah, not as a test requiring mute compliance to destroy the covenant as embodied in Isaac but as a covenant crisis test to be solved by Abraham embodying the covenant. In other words, God's purpose was to test Abraham's covenant identity by eliciting a compassionate response of integrated covenant revelations (Gen 12:1-3, 12:7, 13:14-17, 15, 17, 18, 21:12-13). Had Abraham actualized all seven covenant lessons in his test response, it could have culminated in covenant-driven intercession for Isaac at the altar site, a mediation appealing to God's character of justice and mercy (the covenant lesson of Gen 18). In that scenario, the discovery of God's provided ram was set up to be the climax of Abraham's test as the grace-filled divine test solution ("God will provide") given as the anticipated answer to Abraham’s prophetic mediation. This ideal possibility was not perfectly actualized by Abraham. Hence, the divine interpretation that alluded to only six of the seven covenant lessons was an accurate assessment of Abraham's historic test response. Abraham’s faith-filled ("Now I know you fear God") but imperfect response still passed the test because he remained open (hinneni) to mid-test divine correction and did not sacrifice Isaac, but accepted and sacrificed the ram as God's provided solution. This theocentric Covenant Hypothesis rests on a linear, non-retracting alignment of God’s actions as the Tester in the Aqedah. Finally, on the macro-hermeneutical level, the Covenant Hypothesis revealed the Aqedah to be a summative (achieving the incorporation of past elements), evaluative (accountable to a standard or norm), diagnostic (revealing any hidden problems or flaw) and formative (assessing for improvement) test of Abraham. Abraham's test obedience is revealed by God's final speech to be an integrative, correctable, healing and dynamic fear of God that exceeds traditional anthropocentric interpretations of Abraham's obedience as a literalistic, uncomprehending, yet hopeful compliance. Conclusion The tri-level Axial Model reveals the Aqedah test narrative holds higher moral consistency and rational complexity than has been traditionally assumed. Most importantly, the Covenant Hypothesis demonstrates that the enigmatic Aqedah text is fully capable of unbinding itself by making sense of its own parts. In conclusion, the Axial Model appears to be a text-normed hermeneutical model that can unearth deeper understanding of biblical texts.

Apostasy is a subject that has been an intriguing question for many biblical scholars. This thesis examines apostasy from a biblical theological approach, meaning the Bible, and not Systematic Theology, has priority. First, the subject of apostasy within the covenantal context of the Old Testament is examined. Examples are given and discussed while the themes that can be gathered from this discussion are also be touched upon. Then texts addressing this issue within the New Testaments are examined and expanded upon. Finally, a conclusion of what the Bible has to say on the subject of apostasy is made.

This project will examine the deacon-led model of church leadership that is employed in many churches today, in order to ascertain whether this model of leadership is consistent with both the New Testament and the witness of the early church. With more than 3,700 churches failing yearly, it is imperative that churches be organized and led in a biblical manner so that they might be positioned for ministry successes in their local contexts. Without a biblical framework and reference for polity, it is highly unlikely that the church will yield results of any lasting nature. This analysis will be done though a critical examination of ecclesiological passages, including analyses from various backgrounds, as well as an examination of the early church, apostolic period, and beyond. The researcher hopes to demonstrate that the office of Deacon is not an office of ecclesiastical oversight, and churches that utilize deacons in this manner employ them in a manner inconsistent with the intended nature of the office.

The purpose of this thesis project is to propose a new strategy for preparing Biblical Preaching by demonstrating the value of using Relational Reading (RR). Since preaching is communication between God and His people, preachers must properly handle God’s message, His Word, written for His people. RR is a powerful interpretive tool that can help maintain the integrity of Scripture and assist pastors in their biblical preaching ministry. Theoretical and biblical research was conducted in relevant literature and articles on hermeneutics, homiletics and linguistics. Based on surveys sent to current pastors, the present situation of biblical interpreting and preaching was diagnosed. To prove the benefits and possible applications of RR, several biblical discourses were analyzed, and homiletic applications were presented from the results of analyzing discourse structures. Findings in this study were integrated to develop an appropriate nine-step manual intended to aid pastors in using RR for preparing biblical preaching.

To deny that some leaders have problems, and others do not, is to deny Scripture, history, and experience. All leaders may not have as many problems as some, but all leaders do have problems. These problems are not always produced by the grass-roots membership. Leaders are often the cause of the very problems they see and deplore in the church. It is apparent that this is true when a leader has dishonored the moral standards or departed from sound doctrine. It is more often true when the leader has been indolent, failed to plan his work or work the plan, or when he has demonstrated obstinacy or an erroneous attitude. This is the reality; the job of a leader can be 24/7 and carries unique challenges. Some leaders wear themselves out trying to help people, and others affect their families as a result of their ministry. However, others flourish in their ministry and personal life as a result of a Godly, balanced life. Throughout history, many leaders have fallen prey to the mores of society, Satan, and the seductive sins that do so easily beset the man or woman of God. To that end, in the church and society there are many holdups where Satan seems to be wreaking havoc in the lives of the leader. Much can be said to benefit them in avoiding these hang-ups. This thesis project will assist the novice leader in using these elements to become more powerful, productive, and prosperous in his or her calling through a survey of leaders with at least three years’ experience, through applied research, and academic research.

There are many churches in South Korea, but not too many healthy churches. A healthy church should have a proof of early church from the Acts. It is impossible to be a healthy church only with a number of people, buildings, programs, and new church planting. The goal of this thesis is to suggest healthy biblical church using early church as a model and propose strategy. This study will first take a look at what is a healthy biblical church. A healthy biblical church is a nurturing church. Conventional church has a lot of nurturing programs, but this thesis compares the early church and broad church giving suggestion to nurturing church. With the survey, the dissertation evaluates an image of the church about nurturing. Also, this study suggests detailed strategy for an existing church to change to a nurturing church in order to be a health church.

This dissertation will present the Gospel of Mark in light of the Aeneid, Virgil’s epic poem published by Augustus immediately after Virgil’s death in 19 B.C. The Aeneid’s genre, literary style, grammar, symbolic hermeneutics, and lasting influence has been thoroughly researched and dissected in literature courses throughout the centuries. It has been translated into numerous languages and widely distributed in terms of geography and nationalities. Virgil wrote the Aeneid to proclaim the deity of Augustus. “Hic Caesar et omnis Juli progenies magnum caeli ventura sub axem. Hic vir, his est, tibi quem promitti saepius audis, Augustus Caesar, Divi genus, aurea condet saecula qui rursus Latio regnata per arva Saturno quondam.” This was the message the Romans wanted to hear: a Savior from the unending civil wars. In complete contrast to Augustus as the Progenitor / Savior, the Gospel of Mark proclaims Jesus as the Son / Servant of God. This study will seek to demonstrate three contentions, that 1) the Aeneid received wide dissemination immediately after Augustus had it published, that 2) Mark had knowledge of, and access to, the Aeneid, and that 3) one of the reasons that Mark wrote his Gospel was to engage the Aeneid’s concepts and theology. This paper will continue the research of previous scholars by revealing an original and additional component of Mark’s intentions as He wrote his Gospel. This dissertation will help the reader understand Mark from the perspective of Roman theology as found in the Aeneid, which elevated Augustus to the status of a god, and then demonstrate Mark’s contrast between the Aeneid’s presentation of Augustus and Mark’s presentation of Jesus.

The passage of Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29 is an important passage in understanding the work, role and gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. It also is a passage that sends ripple effects throughout the rest of the Bible, most notably through Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2, 10, and 19, and in Paul’s teachings in Galatians 3:28 and 1 Corinthians 12:31 and 14:1. Although this work does not settle any theological debate about speaking in tongues, it does look into the gifts of the Spirit from an Old Testament perspective. The resting of the Spirit that appears in the Old Testament revolves around the theme of leadership and is closely linked with prophecy. Although, as seen in the case of Eldad and Medad, the resting of the Spirit of the Lord is not limited to leaders. In Israel’s early history this resting resulted in ecstatic behavior that is also seen at Pentecost and in early Church history. In this passage, in prophecy, and in all His works, the Holy Spirit works for the glory of God and is a part of the redemptive history and salvific process. It is also argued that the Holy Spirit played an important part in people’s lives before the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In His working in peoples’ lives, both before and after the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit leads believers into a calling of holiness. The methods of the Holy Spirit may differ somewhat between the Old and New Testament eras, but the purpose has always been the same. This work focuses on the contribution of the Old Testament, particularly Numbers 11:16-17 and 24-29, to our understanding of the role, work and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Problems The aspects related to the time of the Second Coming of Jesus were a constant concern of the believers and Bible’s scholars. There are many challenging verses in the Scripture that are talking about the Parousia in temporal terms. This present study was to determine to what extend Jesus’ answer before the Sanhedrin (Matt 26:64) was related to the time of the Parousia and with that generation of his accusers. Method An historical perspective over the process of date setting for the Parousia and over the eschatological theology create the framework for understanding the problem of Parousia’s time. The exegetical study of verse 64 in Matthew 26 answers the question about what Jesus intended to say before the Sanhedrin referring to his Second Coming. Conclusion The study reveals that even if Jesus is using an eschatological language, he is not saying that his return on the clouds of heaven will happen in the members of the Sanhedrin’s generation. The emphasis of Jesus’ sayings is not on the time, but on the fact that the Parousia will happen for sure, and the accusers will see him coming. Therefore, the verse is not talking about a certain time, but about a certain event.

This study seeks to uncover a link between the Second Temple and patristic material as it relates to the resurrection. The methodology employed here is a diachronic interconceptual analysis. After surveying this material Paul's discussion of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 is then addressed. Given the surrounding milieu in which Paul was operating and the way some Fathers understood the resurrection (via Paul's writings), it is possible that Paul was not trying to discuss an individual resurrection. Instead, he was speaking of a resurrection in which the physical raising of the body is but one step. The terminology utilized for this is "the resurrection age," and is meant to convey the idea that "resurrection" can be used in a way that allows for, first, a raising of the body, and second, a glorification of that same body. The pattern follows that of Christ, who was raised in his same body without alteration, and only later was glorified at his ascension.

Suffering in Early Christianity has often been highlighted in martyrdom and the stories surrounding the persecution of the Early Church. The biblical idea of redemptive suffering was not an afterthought to the Christian community or part of what Joyce Salisbury calls, “the unintended consequences of ancient violence,” but it appears to be part and parcel of the Early Christian community as they sought to live faithfully to Christ’s teachings. As the Early Church lived out redemptive suffering, it became apparent to the surrounding culture and critics of Christianity that their suffering was different and it pointed to something else. Through an inquiry into the understanding of suffering in the biblical tradition and patristic tradition, this dissertation seeks to bring forth the apologetic uses of suffering which Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, and Cyprian of Carthage have written about in their various works. With biblical presentation of suffering in the Old Testament (מַכְאוֹב֙) describes the natural and consequential emotional as well as physical pain and sorrow felt by those such as Job, King David, and the Suffering Servant from the book of Isaiah. This מַכְאוֹב֙ also describes the suffering the people of God endure as in the case of their wandering in the desert. In the NT, suffering (παθήματα, πάσχων, κακοπαθίας) also denotes physical and emotional pain while the idea of suffering physical and emotional pain together (συνκακοπάθησον) is also used in the biblical tradition. In the patristic tradition the notion of suffering was at times used to describe the persecution and martyrdom the Early Church was experiencing but also was still firmly rooted in OT and NT expressions of suffering, particularly the type of suffering which Christ endured and which believers participated in together. In various works of Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, and Cyprian of Carthage, the Church Fathers present the idea of suffering not only to describe their particular state of distress and its possible redemptive qualities but they also present suffering as a type of apologetic expression and bridge which would help not only transform their contemporary cultural ideas of suffering but infuse those cultural ideas of suffering with a biblically informed redefinition of the purpose and results of suffering. With this redefinition of suffering the Early Church Fathers may help current believers re-evaluate the current church’s teachings on suffering, both corporate and individual.

There exists a conspicuous void in Christological scholarship both historically and more recently as it pertains to interest in what the Revelation of John has to offer one’s understanding of the God-Man. Furthermore, those works that do investigate the Apocalypse for its Christological content fail to appreciate how its central character is portrayed. In so doing, these settle for overly simplistic interpretations of unique verbiage John employs to describe Christ—particularly the Lamb (ἀρνίον). Therefore, in an effort to cultivate the clearing that exists in the Christological forest, this dissertation will endeavor to reach a robust understanding of Revelation’s Lamb. Ultimately, this project argues that John’s use of ἀρνίον throughout his Apocalypse yields a multi-faceted Christological presentation of Jesus Christ that is dependent on the paradoxical theme of glory in humility. This interpretation affords the Lamb a great deal of linguistic flexibility as it is employed throughout Revelation to promulgate a sophisticated Christology along with the corresponding theological implications thereof.

Two important theistic defenses, the Free Will Defense and the Expanded Free Will Defense, provide valuable thought in defense of theism but are insufficient for addressing specific cases of intense evil, as the non-theistic evidential/abductive arguments from the problem of evil are want to do. However, theodical suggestions from systems of regularity, as a necessary part of living out a free will existence, provide a theistic defense that correlates with free will defenses and more fully accounts for the existence of good and intense evil. This Free System Corollary is derived from a starting point of two basic goods in human life: free will and free systems. After consideration of free will and free systems, theodical suggestions arise, naturally flowing from the evidence provided from free will and free systems. Through the application of the Free System Corollary to specific cases of intense evil, the argument is made that theism offers better potential explanations than naturalism for the amounts and kinds of evils in this world based on what is known of human reality.

The New Perspective on Paul is a new theory of how to interpret the Pauline epistles through the lens of first century Judaism. Three of the leading scholars that hold to the New Perspective are E.P. Sanders, James D.G. Dunn, and N.T. Wright. These men have done their best to defend the New Perspective of Paul, but have not adequately used, or explained the arguments set forth in the book of James, specifically found in James 2:14-26. The New Perspective fails to either give an analysis of James through the proposed lens of the New Perspective, or show how the book of James affects the New Perspective on Paul overall.

This work presents a theistic argument for the existence of God based on man’s ability to apprehend, aesthetic value. The argument is called the Aesthetic Theistic Argument. Man’s ability to appreciate aesthetic value is unique among biological life forms and is common to every human culture. Explaining the origins of this ability implies a creator/designer who also apprehends aesthetic value. The study both affirms the argument for theism and critiques the philosophical and scientific foundations of Darwinian naturalism. The result of this study affirms the cause for man’s capacity to apprehend aesthetic value is best explained by the existence of God as revealed in Holy Scriptures and the person of the Lord Jesus.

Christ’s headship of the church has strong parallels to the husband’s headship of the family unit. As postmodernism, socio-economic factors, egalitarianism, globalization and shifts in the communicational processes drive inter-generational issues to greater heights, insidiously tear families apart—relationally, intellectually and spiritually. On the other hand, the church models the world through its discipleship programs, organization structures and has asserted itself as the spiritual head of the home. This paper will survey Christian young adults to identify key influences on their spiritual formation and family ministries the church provide to support families. The paper will provide a critique on family-equipping ministries that can help bridge the intergenerational divide in the church, re-integrate the family and reestablish spiritual leadership in the home.

A review of current literature demonstrates a plethora of material focused on various deliverance techniques, yet very little material is available to assist pastors with developing a spiritual warfare “basic training” plan. The purpose of this project is to illuminate a ministry’s desperate need to adopt a spiritual warfare worldview, to present the basic elements essential to a spiritual warfare basic training plan, and to create an effective strategy for implementing such a plan. Based on surveys and questionnaires sent to pastors and other ministry leaders, the project reveals the need for a spiritual warfare basic training plan for any ministry in order to bring courage, freedom, and fresh fire to Christian “soldiers” everywhere. It then reviews both historical and current approaches to spiritual warfare to discern the basic elements needed in any spiritual warfare basic training plan and offers such a plan.

The Book of Job displays well the reality of the human predicament. However, does the Book of Job provide an answer to the problem it so vividly displays: the existence of God and the reality of suffering? This paper is a quest for an answer, which, if correct, is no. The purpose of the book has less to do with an answer for why good people suffer and more to do with exactly what God has done, and continues to do, to rectify suffering, culminating in the Christ event. Stated simply, the Book of Job exists as a harbinger, to all those with eyes to see and ears to hear, to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ: explaining what to expect and how to respond to a suffering messiah. What follows should not be mistaken as an argument for the interpretation of the Book of Job but rather one suggesting a potential interpretation as an alternative to theodicy.

Problem There is a disagreement between three theological models (sacramental, functional, and ontological) of interpretation about Christ’s priesthood. One clear aspect of this disagreement is the existence of different views on the relationship between sacrifice and heavenly mediation in the priesthood of Christ. These conflicting views reveal that Christian theology does not have a consensus about the nature of the priestly work of the ascended Christ, including the conception of how Christ mediates salvation through his priesthood. This problematic situation raises the question whether there is a way to resolve this conflict of interpretations. Method The present study hermeneutically deconstructs these models of Christ’s priesthood to articulate a constructive proposal of an alternative model as a suggestion for the resolution of the conflict of interpretations regarding this doctrine. This deconstruction seeks to uncover the logic of each interpretation of Christ’s priesthood from the perspective of the macro-hermeneutical principles of reality or ontological presuppositions assumed in that interpretation. Such perspective indicates how these presuppositions inform and impact an interpretation or theory about the priesthood of Christ. This deconstruction involves three steps in this dissertation: (1) a systematic outline of the interpretations of Christ’s priesthood; (2) a description of the understanding of the macro-hermeneutical principles of reality assumed in each interpretation depicted in the first step and an indication of the implications for the doctrine of Christ’s priesthood; and (3) a transition to the construction of an alternative model derived from an interaction with Hebrews, including its pointers to the interpretation of macro-hermeneutical principles of reality, and the implications for the doctrine of Christ’s priesthood. Results With regard to the macro-hermeneutical principles of reality in the sacramental, functional, and ontological models, the research shows that divinity is a reality defined by non-sequentiality (understood as, or at least logically close to, a timeless-spaceless being), the humanity of Christ is a spatio-temporal instrument of the divine non-sequential reality, and heaven is understood as, or logically close to, a timeless-spaceless environment. When the sacramental, functional, and ontological interpretations of the priesthood of Christ are read from the perspective of these macro-hermeneutical principles of reality, the results below are generated. In the sacramental model, the priesthood of Christ refers to a Christological picture that is soteriologically concrete in spatio-temporal instruments that convey and actualize the timeless-spaceless reality of the new creation in human beings. In the functional model, the priesthood of Christ is described in a Christological language that involves sequentiality of functions (earthly cross and heavenly intercession), but it is soteriologically concrete in spatio-temporal instruments that convey/actualize the timeless-spaceless reality of the new creation in human beings. In the ontological model, the priesthood of Christ portrays a Christology that reveals, by means of spatio-temporal instruments, in our spatio-temporal world the soteriological reality of new creation that is already concrete in God. However, on the basis of a systematic reading of Christ’s priesthood in the epistle to the Hebrews, the research suggests an alternative view, namely, the historical model. This reading finds pointers to a different interpretation of macro-hermeneutical principles of reality, where the divine reality, the humanity of Christ, and heaven are spatio-temporal realities. In contrast to the other models, as they hold a distinct interpretation of macro-hermeneutical principles, the historical model strongly emphasizes a heavenly priesthood and intentionally interprets Christ’s priesthood as spatio-temporal. This means that Christ performs a sequential official activity in heaven, in which God is involved in the soteriological process of forgiving and transforming human beings. Conclusions The main contention of this study is that the historical model constitutes a viable alternative that points to a way out of the conflicting systematic interpretations of the doctrine of Christ’s priesthood. This conclusion is unpacked in the following arguments. First, the basic problem of the sacramental model lies on the interpretation of the macro-hermeneutical principles of reality, as it conceptualizes the divine reality and realm in terms of timelessness-spacelessness. By assuming a spatio-temporal view of divine reality, the historical model necessarily (in terms of internal consistency) outlines a different conception of the priesthood of Christ in comparison with the sacramental model. Second, in contrast to the internal coherence of the sacramental model, the chief weakness of the functional model is the lack of consistency between its notion of the priesthood of Christ and its interpretation or assumptions regarding the macro-hermeneutical principles of reality. While the picture of Christ’s priesthood in this model seems to imply a spatio-temporal view of reality, its interpretation of the principles of reality is aligned with a timeless-spaceless perspective of divine reality. In this way, the important idea of sequential actions and events in the functional model is obscured by a timeless-spaceless understanding of divine reality. With this situation in mind, the historical model stipulates that a consistent understanding of Christ’s priesthood characterized by sequential actions and events requires an interpretation of the macro-hermeneutical principles of reality that presupposes spatio-temporality in the notion of divine reality. Third, the major problem of the ontological model is that it did not modify in a substantial way the timeless-spaceless view of reality assumed by the sacramental and functional models. While this model is more internally coherent than the functional model, the interpretation of Christ’s priesthood in the ontological model does not seem consistent with the picture of this priesthood in Hebrews, according to the interpretation of the historical model. Fourth, the consistency of the historical model is basically described by a focus on an official heavenly priesthood in Hebrews that implies, for instance, a real appearance before God and a real activity of intercession in the heavenly sanctuary that is supported by a spatio-temporal view of divine realm and reality. These activities allow an actual sequential interaction between what takes place on earth (e.g., human prayer) and what happens in heaven (e.g., Christ’s intercession).

Abstract This study focuses on the testimony of John the Baptist—“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” [ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου] (John 1:29, 36)—and its impact on the narrative of the Fourth Gospel. The goal is to provide a deeper understanding of this rich image and its influence on the Gospel. In an attempt to do so, three areas of concentration are explored. First, the most common and accepted views of the background of the “Lamb of God” title in first century Judaism and Christianity are reviewed. An effort is made to determine the intended reference underlying the word “lamb,” whether taken literally or figuratively, and to analyze the title in light of the use of the lamb in the Old Testament Jewish animal sacrifices. The New Testament and Christian first century writings are also examined. Second, the study analyzes the literary structure of John 1, includes an exegesis of John 1:29-34, and discusses the Lamb of God title as well as other titles of Jesus found in the pericope. In addition, this discussion provides an overview of the diverse contributions offered by recent scholars who have examined the “Lamb Of God” title. Their different claims are grounded in the Old Testament theology of sacrificial traditions and in the existence of different Semitic dialects in Palestine in the first century AD. Finally, this study addresses the purpose for which the Evangelist, at the beginning of his Gospel, introduces the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus as lamb and its impact on the rest of the Gospel. The discussion follows the pertinent Passover and Exodus themes, theological motifs, and references to the paschal lamb in relevant passages so to reach a structural conclusion: as a witness to Jesus’ death and resurrection, the beloved disciple John confirms the Baptist’s salvific message and connects Jesus’ activities and discourses with the Passover and Exodus themes. Ultimately, the Evangelist portrays Jesus in the Passion narrative as the true paschal lamb. As an eyewitness, the beloved disciple makes an intertextual correlation with the Passover ritual and the slaughtering of the lamb through his description of the various details concerning the Crucifixion. In summary, the study explains the Lamb of God title and demonstrates how the prophetic testimony of John the Baptist regarding Jesus as the Lamb of God, found at the beginning of the Gospel, is ultimately confirmed and handed on by the eyewitness testimony of the beloved disciple at the end of Gospel.

From conception, America has embraced the Christian church as its cornerstone. However, as noted by Barnes and Lowry, “Church attendance has decreased substantially in recent years in comparison to the 1950s and 60s. The majority of Americans do not attend church on a regular basis.” This thesis project will research churches with regards to their effectiveness and will both isolate and analyze the characteristics of churches that fit into operative categories. A survey using a quantitative research instrument, such as the Likert Measurement Scale, will examine the New Hope Missionary Baptist Association of North Carolina. The survey’s purpose will be to evaluate characteristics, philosophies, programs, teachings, and worship methods that will be useful for churches. This thesis project will provide key concepts and a step-by-step biblical guide on how to transition a non-functional church into a Bible-focused functional church.

The American culture is experiencing the degradation of the family. James Dobson describes this as “America in peril.” This is not solely because of lack of spiritual leadership in the household, but the lack of which is a prominent factor for the American family in crisis. Through qualitative and quantitative analyses of 203 Christian men, this doctoral project identifies shortfalls, provides evidence of biblical responsibility, and develops a model to assist Christian men to lead their families spiritually, which is the mandate of God. Proposing a faith-based approach to preserving the Christian family, this thesis underlines the importance of the role of a husband and father as a spiritual leader. This thesis provides a biblical model of spiritual leadership that will equip, encourage, and empower Christian husbands and fathers to engage in their God given role, providing hope for the present as well as future generations.

This study is an attempt to introduce a pastoral system called Life-healing to Restore God’s Image. God made man in His image when He created him. The image, however, was broken because of the fall. Even after becoming a new creation by believing in Jesus, many Christians remain the same instead of experiencing the restoration of God’s image. Korean churches have grown in number and emphasize doctrines but face criticism for not exemplifying the life resembling God’s image. In an effort to overcome the criticisms, the researcher biblically analyzes the concept of God’s image and examines the theological resources related to the subject in order to build the theoretical basis. In addition, the researcher introduces as a practical alternative the six steps of training—Emotion, Language, Communication, Relationship, Caring, and Leadership—that were developed through the experiences in the pastoral ministries for twenty years. He witnessed rapid changes in the emotion, or pathos, of the church members when the program was applied to the church ministries. The researcher administered a survey to forty participants who had gone through the training in order to measure the results of clinical trials of the Life-healing system, and he shows the effect and latent potential of Life-healing training in recovering the image of God based on the results of the survey.

One of the primary objectives of the Christian school (K-12) is the development of a biblical worldview in its students. This study examined the impact that these Christian schools had on their students’ biblical worldview development by administering a biblical worldview assessment to graduate students at a private, Christian university (Liberty University). Christian, graduate students in the School of Education at Liberty completed a demographic survey and a biblical worldview assessment. The survey collected information on age, gender, type of K-12 schools attended, profession to the Christian faith, and denominational background. The results of the survey and assessment were analyzed to determine if there was a significant difference in the biblical worldviews of Christian students who had a substantial Christian school background when compared to Christian students who had a minimal Christian school background and to those who had no Christian school experience. This causal comparative (ex post facto) study employed one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a post-hoc Tukey test to determine if there were any significant differences between the means of the pre-determined groups and if the null hypotheses should be accepted or rejected. An informational survey was created to capture selected demographic data and the Three Dimensional Worldview Survey – Form C (3DWS-Form C) was used to assess biblical worldview. Participation by the graduate students was both voluntary and anonymous. Results of the study showed that there was no statistically significant difference in participants’ biblical worldview scores based on their attendance in Christian school. Portions of the study did indicate that there might be a disposition to a stronger propositional biblical worldview for individuals with a significant Christian school background. Further research should explore this disposition with recently graduated participants.

Why do some Christians expect and experience the power of God (biblical anointing) in their daily living and other Christians rarely do? This project contends that a lack of understanding the principles of biblical anointing is a fundamental cause of this difference. The purpose of this study is to increase the understanding of biblical anointing by the Christians attending Faith Baptist Church. Biblical principles related to understanding, living and maintaining the anointed life will be presented. This project will measure the increase in understanding biblical anointing from the responses given to pre-study and post-study surveys. The teaching will be in two formats, an intensive three-day instruction and through a sermon series on six Sunday mornings to the entire congregation in worship. The study will also seek to determine the most useful teaching method of the two formats through examination of the survey results.

The literature of Second Temple Period Judaism indicates there was an increased interest in and speculation about the fate of the righteous and the wicked following their physical death. This period saw the birth of multiple Jewish sects and also multiple views of the afterlife. This study will outline the numerous afterlife views and will analyse the resurrection passages appearing in the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha to gain a comprehensive overview of the texts used from the TaNaKh in support of these various resurrection beliefs. This study also provides a better understanding of how the TaNaKh was read by differing communities during this important period and the role the TaNaKh played in the development of the resurrection belief – a central article of faith in both Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism. Appendix A of this study provides a comprehensive list of resurrection passages from Second Temple period literature, compiled from the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha which are categorized and analyzed. Anthologies of the listed passages are also provided to show the larger context of each resurrection statement. Appendix B lists resurrection passages also found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, New Testament, and Early Rabbinic material. In addition to outlining the numerous afterlife views, this study provides comprehensive examinations of the resurrection passages that either refer or allude to texts from the TaNaKh in support of a resurrection belief. This gives a better understanding of the role the TaNaKh played in the development of the resurrection belief and reveals which TaNaKh passages were considered a resurrection passage by authors and/or communities who produced these Second Temple period compositions. Primary findings, their implications and some general observations are also discussed. This study identifies eighteen distinct views regarding “life-after-death” with varying degrees of complexity, suggesting great diversity in resurrection beliefs during this period. There is also no progress from a basic to a more complex death and resurrection view, as differing levels of complexity are represented throughout the period. Thus, there is no linear development of the resurrection belief, but rather, multiple views co-existed, although an eschatological bodily resurrection belief became the central tenet for both Rabbinic Judaism and the Early Christian Church. There seems to be no evidence in this literature in support of a shift in focus from a bodily resurrection towards the immortality of the soul, as the fate of both the body and soul seem to be of great interest to the authors and the communities to which they belonged. Several influencing factors are identified as causing the many resurrection perspectives, such as, human anthropology, the nature of the soul, scope of the resurrection, number and function of the Judgments, and the final destination of the righteous and the wicked. A careful reading of these resurrection passages in the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha reveals that most of the distinct views on “life-after-death,” regardless of their complexity, are often supported by several key passages from the TaNaKh or shared motifs with the TaNaKh. It is suggested that future analysis of these key passages from the TaNaKh may shed further light on how literary works from this period interpreted, understood, used, and reused the TaNaKh. It may even determine if the resurrection belief is indeed present in these texts (based on good exegesis) or if this belief was read into these texts by Second Temple Period authors (an example of eisegesis). Based on preliminary observations, some of these resurrection concepts seem to derive naturally from the TaNaKh, while others seem to be based on an interpretation or a more elaborate exegesis. Yet, other usages seems a bit more forced, and in those cases the TaNaKh appears to be considered a source of proof-texts, seemingly often disregarding the larger context of the text quoted or alluded to. Early Second Temple period resurrection texts seem to be supported by a creative use of the TaNaKh while late Second Temple Period, early Christian, and Rabbinic texts seems to utilize more proof-texting – some of which were used by several literary works in support of their unique perspective on the afterlife. An awareness of Second Temple period literature is helpful for gaining a better understanding of the death and afterlife views presented in the New Testament and in Early Rabbinic literature, as it shows they are a part of the larger discussion taking place during this critical period. Table 45 provides a list of the TaNaKh passages which were either referred or alluded to in the context of the resurrection statements surveyed from the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha. Table 46 centers on the 18 distinct afterlife views and indicates which views are supported by the TaNaKh. These two tables give an indication of the number of TaNaKh texts which were perceived as resurrection texts and the texts which were most often referred or alluded to.

Problem The old covenant is often understood to be contrary to the new covenant. A distinction is made by such claims as the following: the old covenant represents the Old Testament, and new covenant represents the New Testament. The old covenant was made with only Israelites while the new covenant is made with the Church. The old covenant was based on works, and the new covenant is based on grace and is better than the old. Purpose The goal of this study is to present evidence that the new covenant was not established because it was different in the content than the old or the old was faulty. This study will seek to demonstrate that the old and new covenants are actually the same in nature or one in kind and belong to the one everlasting covenant. God has only one covenant and He called it My covenant, also known as the "everlasting covenant." Method The old covenant is often understood as a contract or an agreement but this study will focus on the fact that it was a relationship and will establish the covenant formula of everlasting covenant after an analogy with ANE treaties. The next section will apply this covenant formula to the Abrahamic, the old and the new covenants. The last chapter will deal with the differences and allegations against the old covenant. Conclusions After careful study, it will be presented that God has only one covenant and it is known as the everlasting covenant. The divine covenants with Abraham and Israel, through Moses, along with the new covenant, can be viewed as successive stages of God’s single covenant of redeeming grace that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The only difference between the old and new covenant is that the things which were shadow: The earthly sanctuary, earthly priest, sacrificial system in the old covenant met their reality in the new covenant. This is not something that stands contrary to the old covenant but serves as a fulfillment of its types and shadows.

The predominant theory of textual criticism known as “reasoned eclecticism” often engages the NT manuscripts in a manner that is not truly eclectic. Instead, the modus operandi is often to overlook textual witnesses from manuscript families that do not agree with the favored Alexandrian text-type. At the same time, in cases where the early church fathers seem to cite passages from these other known families, their words are often discounted and removed as evidence for a particular reading. This thesis deals predominantly with the second issue, and it addresses a number of foundational issues that lead to such a flawed use of patristic material. First, it is argued that the only adequate way to begin discussing the early material is to begin even earlier with the nature of Scripture itself. This is a fundamental issue that must not be overlooked, since the Fathers either viewed the material they were citing as Scripture or they did not. Second, it is shown that the core problem with the distrust of the Fathers stems from the notion of “orthodox corruption.” This theory views the earliest members of the church—even the NT authors themselves—as a devious group of individuals who sought to suppress earlier ideas. These earlier ideas came to be known as heresy only because it was the orthodox that had won the day. In any case, such a view is critiqued and a few warnings are issued to evangelicals, who in some cases have adopted similar ideas. Third, the concepts of “earliest-equals-best,” “oral tradition,” and “scriptural recognition” are explained and their relevance to this topic expounded. Overall, these theories have some merit, but each is in need of being qualified in order to move forward toward a truly eclectic text-critical model. Fourth, over twenty biblical passages are presented as cited by many of the earliest Fathers. This is given as evidence that numerous passages that do not exist within the Alexandrian text-type existed in textual form prior to those manuscripts. This is not intended to prove that such citations constitute the original form of the NT, but that it is not acceptable to disregard this early material based upon any of the criteria addressed throughout this thesis.

Southern Baptists have expressed increasing degrees of alarm over allegedly rising rates of child baptisms. As a result, an increasing number of Southern Baptists have argued that the baptism of young children is inconsistent with Southern Baptists’ understandings of credobaptism and a regenerate church membership. Against these allegations, this dissertation asserts that children can be converted and when converted they should be baptized. The first chapter of this dissertation argues that water baptism is prescriptively contemporaneous with Spirit baptism. It establishes such based on the relationship between water and Spirit baptism as seen in the seven direct references to Spirit baptism in the New Testament. It also examines the New Testament data regarding the timing of water baptism as it relates to faith, repentance, confession of sins, and Spirit baptism. Baptism is shown to be the proper confessional response to Christian conversion. As a result, delaying baptism undermines its confessional nature and its close temporal connection to conversion. The second chapter explores the biblical data pertaining to the spiritual condition of children as such data relates to conversion. It examines both Old and New Testament discipleship and initiation processes, as well as the biblical data related to individual responsibility and the age of accountability. It establishes that even relatively young children are valid candidates for conversion. The third chapter explores historical views of Southern Baptist regarding the spiritual condition of children as well as the validity of baptizing children. It establishes that claims of a uniform practice by Southern Baptists in which the baptism of children is delayed until they reach a specific age are suspect from a historical perspective. It also offers statistical analysis of the historical trends in regards to baptism by age. The final chapter examines how the baptism of young children affects a regenerate church membership. It argues that children cognitively can respond to the gospel and behave as converts. This is against how some have applied Piaget and Fowlers developmental stages to child conversion. It also explores soteriological, ecclesiological (rebaptisms), and evangelistic objections relating to the baptism of young children.

The primary purpose of this thesis is to show that the doctrine of open theism denies the doctrine of inerrancy. Specifically open theism falsely interprets Scriptural references to God's Divine omniscience and sovereignty, and conversely ignores the weighty Scriptural references to those two attributes which attribute perfection and completeness in a manner which open theism explicitly denies. While the doctrine of inerrancy has been hotly debated since the Enlightenment, and mostly so through the modern and postmodern eras, it may be argued that there has been a traditional understanding of the Bible's inerrancy that is drawn from Scripture, and has been held since the early church fathers up to today's conservative theologians. This view was codified in October, 1978 in the form of the Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy. These three sources provide more than ample understanding of Biblical inerrancy by which to measure the views of open theism. Open theism criticizes a traditional view of God's attributes, not the least of which are God's omniscience and sovereignty. The underlying agenda for their efforts is to retain a high view of man's free will. The end result of their efforts is an explicit denial of the full and complete Divine omniscience and sovereignty of God as presented in the Scripture, which in turn commits a violation of the doctrine of inerrancy. The implications of such denial are significant to the doctrine of God and a high view of Scripture.

Several key aspects of eschatology and their treatment appear to be under-explored in contemporary preaching. Within the context of individual eschatology, notions of death, the intermediate state, and the eternal state vary widely. A clearer understanding of these facets of the faith are necessary to fully understand the full measure of the work of Christ, the hope Christians have in Him, and the ability to convey these essentials to the lost. In this project, the writer will seek to discover and examine the key aspects of this doctrine and measure the level of sophistication among a sample of the laity. The measurement will be conducted via a confidential online survey of professing believers. At a practical level the goal of the project is that both pastors and laity would be edified on the central issues of the doctrine and that per its content pastors could utilize the data to craft sermons and lessons that take into consideration the identified weaknesses in knowledge as expressed by the participants.

This paper features an original one-act drama Through a Glass Darkly and analyzes its constructs and themes. The play, written in the contemporary style, depicts the tension between homosexuals and Christians in American culture through emphasizing the contrasting interpretations of love between both communities. It tells the story of Ben, a young gay man struggling to find fulfillment, whose new-found friendship with a Christian named Adam causes him to reevaluate his understanding of love. The play explores the variations of love in an attempt to not only answer what love truly means, but rather what form of love carries the most meaning. Deriving inspiration from 1 Corinthians 13:12, Through a Glass Darkly is based on the concept that the purpose of difficult situations in one’s life may not be made clear until Christ’s return, but until then, the most important command is to love.

Originally, God never put sickness on people. After the fall, the early history of man as recorded in the Bible further demonstrates Him refraining to use sickness. However, once the law was instituted God began to use sickness as a punishment. In the Old Testament, sickness was always defined as a curse and never a blessing. It was used by God to curse people for disobeying the law. In the New Testament, God was seen healing the multitudes instead of cursing them. Through the atonement of Jesus, believers have been redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). Healing has been provided with the forgiveness of sins. There are numerous reasons why people still are not healed but it is not God’s Will for them to remain ill.

An identity in Christ is the only solid foundation on which adolescents or adults can build their life. Identity is a major building block in a person’s life. Individuals with an unhealthy identity as a result of the culture will need to make many changes to this foundation in order to keep an accurate view of their lives. The definition of identity can show examples of negative consequences of an unhealthy identity. An identity based on the views of culture can show areas of weakness. Examining what the Bible says about man before and after a relationship with Christ will help Christians see what their identity is in Christ. This will aid in breaking down the previously identified unhealthy identities in contrast to an identity in Christ as well as building the foundation for an identity in Christ. The aspects and truths found in an identity in Christ show what Christians should make as their foundation. Practical applications can be drawn from these truths to instill this identity in followers of Christ at a critical point in their life, adolescence. Student pastors and pastors may use these results in order to see the need for a correct and biblical identity in adolescents and adults.

The topic of predestination has been discussed throughout church history in the work of men like Augustine, Pelagius, Calvin, Arminius, and Barth. Corporate election seeks to reconcile some problematic areas of Calvinistic and Arminian theology by arguing that in the same way that God chose the nation of Israel through His election of Abraham, so He also chose the Church through His election of Jesus Christ. Despite this view’s seemingly convincing evidence, Scripture points far beyond its main tenets. God’s unconditional election of individuals ought to be foundational to the understanding of corporate election. This study will discuss and interact with the arguments for both corporate election and individual election in order to present an accord between the two views

In Ethiopia, the Song of Hana has been transmitted in two types of manuscripts—biblical manuscripts and Psalters. This thesis compares the textual histories of this song within both manuscript types and shows that these are actually two separate traditions, not one tradition as previously assumed. Chapter one starts with descriptions of what these two manuscript types are and what the Song of Hana is. In chapter two, we briefly discuss some background issues—the scholarly efforts that have taken place in the Ethiopic Old Testament so far and the history of the Judeo-­‐Christian religion in Ethiopia which has shaped these two traditions. Chapter three is devoted to describing the manuscripts and methodology that we used in this study. In chapter four we begin discussing the results. Specifically, we examine the overall uniformity and differences within the two traditions. With the aid of statistical analysis, we then group manuscripts into families and reveal the best representative manuscripts for each family. Following this, we discuss the significance of the textual variants, including the most interesting part of the story—a gender struggle that reveals itself in the Psalters. To conclude this chapter, we provide an analysis of the different forms of the biblical texts and a theory for why the Psalters are so much more uniform than the biblical manuscripts. Chapter five provides a conclusion and an important acknowledgement of the next steps to be taken. Compared to similar biblical research that has been done with Greek and Hebrew manuscripts in the past, academic research into Ethiopic manuscripts has been far too little. Where scholarship has taken place, much of it has been within the context of ascertaining how the Ethiopic might aid in the further understanding of the Greek and Hebrew traditions. However, the textual history of the Ethiopic biblical texts is a story worth telling in its own right. And tracking that history can provide an important glimpse into the textual history of biblical texts in general.

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

This dissertation explores the relationship between gospel proclamation and mercy ministry in Charles Spurgeon’s ministry. The dissertation argues that Spurgeon’s Pastors College, Stockwell Orphanage, and his multitude of other ministries had one clear goal: the spreading of the gospel and the conversion of the lost. This dissertation uses Spurgeon’s approach to missions as an apologetic for a more biblically precise missiology, namely, one that prioritizes gospel proclamation without neglecting the physical needs of those who suffer. This approach could be called “benevolent prioritism” because it prioritizes the proclamation of the gospel while not neglecting works of love for those suffering.