bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
More Than a Gift: Revisiting Paul's Collection for Jerusalem and the Pilgrimage of Gentiles
Authors: Auler Samuel
Published: May 2022

The Danish scholar Johannes Munck proposed a connection between Paul's collection for Jerusalem and prophetic texts that envisage a pilgrimage of Gentiles to Zion in the end times. Nonetheless, Munck's seminal theory on the collection for Jerusalem has been contested in recent times. This article argues that the Pauline Epistles contain some textual evidence of this link between the two events and that the collection and the pilgrimage of Gentiles share many common characteristics in meaning, both pointing to an eschatological time of reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles under the Messiah. In conclusion, the pilgrimage of Gentiles tradition was likely an influence for Paul in his collection of funds for the church in Jerusalem.
The Pursuit of Self-Control: Titus 2:1–14 and Accommodation to Christ
Authors: Christensen Sean
Published: May 2022

An attempt to account for the unique language and themes in the Pastoral Epistles presents distinct challenges for Pauline scholars. A specific example appears with the use of self-control (σώφρων) language in the book of Titus, where 5 of the 16 New Testament instances of this language appear in a brief section (2:1–14). Because of the prominence of this language in Greco-Roman ethical teaching, many have used this flurry of virtue language as an example of an accommodative Pauline ethic in Titus. This article tests this label of the accommodative ethic and ultimately cautions scholars against focusing singularly on the lexical similarities between Paul and his Greco-Roman counterparts without adequately accounting for the distinctives in the way the lexical items are used in Titus. This article shows that the ethics conveyed by the frequent use of σώφρων terminology in Titus 2:1–14 cannot properly be labeled accommodative in light of the stark differences that the text exhibits from common Greco-Roman concepts for the purpose and source of self-control. Instead, these factors suggest that, while mission remains of paramount importance to the ethical exhortation in Titus 2:1–14, the use of σώφρων terms supports a different ideology, prioritizing the gospel and union with Jesus Christ.
How Could Paul Accuse Peter of “Living Ethné-ishly” in Antioch (Gal 2:11–21) If Peter Was Eating according to Jewish Dietary Norms?
Authors: Nanos Mark D.
Published: May 2022

The prevailing readings of the Antioch incident depend on a number of assumptions about the relevant context, including more than a few that remain unexamined, on which several central interpretive decisions about Paul's language depend. These include a fundamental conflict between Pauline and Jerusalem- or Jewish-based Christ-following groups and, following from this, that the mixed meal-time gathering Paul discussed was not conducted according to Jewish dietary norms but instead according to Pauline and thus presumably non-Jewish standards. That is, when Paul accused Peter and the other Jews involved of “living like Gentiles,” Paul thought not only that they should do so but that this consisted of behavior like eating without regard for Jewish dietary halakhah. Traditional as well as New Perspective approaches such as these might be classified as based on and leading to “Paul, not Judaism” readings. This essay challenges these and similar assumptions and related decisions by conducting a close review of Paul's language and the assumptions from which Paul seems to work (as well as the others to whom he refers or writes) and offers a reading based on a very different set of assumptions and decisions that results in a “Paul within Judaism” alternative.
The Antioch Incident Revisited
Authors: Zetterholm Magnus
Published: May 2022

The prevailing readings of the Antioch incident depend upon a number of assumptions about the relevant context, including more than a few that remain unexamined, on which several central interpretive decisions about Paul's language depend. These include a fundamental conflict between Pauline and Jerusalem- or Jewish-based Christ-following groups and, following from this, that the mixed meal-time gathering Paul discussed was not conducted according to Jewish dietary norms, but instead according to Pauline and thus presumably non-Jewish standards: that is, when Paul accused Peter and the other Jews involved of “living like Gentiles,” Paul not only thought that they should do so, but that this consisted of behavior like eating without regard for Jewish dietary halakhah. Such traditional as well as New Perspective approaches might be classified as based on and leading to “Paul, not Judaism” readings. This essay challenges these and similar assumptions and related decisions by conducting a close review of Paul's language and the assumptions from which Paul seems to work (as well as the others to whom he refers or writes), and offers a reading based upon a very different set of assumptions and decisions that results in a “Paul within Judaism” alternative.
Until the Fullness of the Gentiles Comes In: A Critical Review of Recent Scholarship on the Salvation of “All Israel” (Romans 11:26)
Authors: Goodrich John K.
Published: May 2022

This review essay critically evaluates and responds to several recent proposals on the salvation of “all Israel” in Rom 11:26. Those readings include the ecclesiastical view defended by N. T. Wright and Jason Staples, as well as the Jewish-remnant view defended by Ben Merkle, Christopher Zoccali, and Colin Kruse. By assessing these recent publications, this essay ultimately seeks to defend the conventional view—that “all Israel” refers to some totality of ethnic Jews who will be saved by faith in the Messiah following the incoming of the fullness of the Gentiles.
Christ as Creator: Implications for Ecotheological Readings of Paul
Authors: Leese J. J. Johnson
Published: May 2022

Pauline scholarship has contributed rather modestly to the growing corpus of ecotheological readings of Scripture with Rom 8:19–23 and Col 1:15–23 as the primary texts for consideration. This study complements existing scholarship by proposing that 1 Cor 8–10 provides yet another potentially engaging and fruitful text having ecotheological implications. Because Paul is dealing with practical questions related to one's relationship to food, community, and Christ, his directives provide a unique interplay for teasing out the ethical implications for believers with the created realm; of special significance is that his ethical praxes are grounded on theological claims about the relationship of Christ and creation. This study gives particular attention to the Christological texts of 1 Cor 8:6 and 10:26 that provided the theological framework of 1 Cor 8–10. The following questions guide this study: What do 1 Cor 8:6 and 1 Cor 10:26 articulate about the relationship between Christ and creation? How is the relationship between Jesus Christ (Ίησου̃ς Χριστός), God (𝜃εός), all things (τὰ πάντα), and us (ἡμει̃ς) formulated, and what implications might be drawn from that formulation? What are the principles of relatedness that Paul draws between Christ, believers, and creation, and how might those principles extend to the broader ecotheological discussion?
Satan, the Serpent, and Witchcraft Accusations: Reading Romans 16:17–20a in Light of Allusions and Anthropology
Authors: Crouser Wesley
Published: May 2022

Scholars debate whether the reference to Satan in Rom 16:20a should be identified with God's supernatural adversary or with Paul's opponents described in 16:17–19. The latter position is preferred for two reasons. First, while most scholars agree that that there is some sort of allusion to Gen 3:15 in 16:20a, the entire pericope—16:17–20a—contains language that reflects Gen 3. Paul utilizes language and motifs from the Eden narrative in order to compare the tactics of his opposition to those of the serpent. When Paul says that “the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly,” this reference to Satan presupposes the allusion to Gen 3 in Rom 16:17–19 and indicates that Satan should be identified with the opponents. Second, Mary Douglas's anthropological model, grid and group theory, is applied to explore the social tensions between Paul and his opposition. Paul uses what Douglas calls a “witchcraft accusation” by demonizing the opposition with satanic labels. The application of this social science model reinforces the conclusion that Satan should be understood as human opponents rather than a supernatural enemy.
The Beginnings of a Theology of Luke—Acts: Divine Activity and Human Response
Authors: Jipp Joshua W.
Published: May 2022

Whereas NT theology has been the subject of a large amount of sophisticated analysis, the lack of methodological reflection regarding what it means to speak of the theology of a distinct NT text is surprising, especially given that the task is foundational, one would suppose, for the larger project. One should begin, then, by asking the methodological question: what does it mean to speak of a theology of a distinct NT text? Related, what is theology, and how does it, or how should it, determine the task of writing a theology of Luke–Acts? What sets apart a theology of Luke–Acts from, say, a literary analysis, a motif-oriented study, or a historiographical examination? And what is the relationship between theology and genre, in this instance, theology and narrative? My basic claim is that a "theology of Luke–Acts" should render the kerygmatic intention of Luke in such a way so as to explicate the epistemological, existential, and theological claims that Luke's narrative makes on the reader. The subject of Luke–Acts is the living God as revealed in Jesus Christ and, as Acts would have us affirm, within his church. Therefore, to speak of a theology of Luke–Acts presumes that God's presence is truly experienced within the lives of his people through these writings. A theology of a NT composition, then, should include both rigorous historical and literary attention to the text as well as attention to the way the biblical text elicits human faith, knowledge of God, and humanity's relation to God.
"Nothing beyond What Is Written"? 1 Corinthians and the Hermeneutics of Early Christian "Theologia"
Authors: Starling David I.
Published: May 2022

A recent flurry of discussion among evangelical theologians and interpreters of Scripture has explored the question of whether, and in what manner, we ought to go "beyond the Bible" in doing systematic theology. In this article, I examine several of Paul's forays into the conversations that would have counted as theologia in the Greco-Roman world of early Christianity, with the aim of shedding some Pauline light on the question of how we might make a faithful movement from Scripture to theology.
What Do I Fear When I Fear My God? A Theological Reexamination of a Biblical Theme
Authors: Fout Jason A.
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTS

Many commonly misunderstand "the fear of God" as a biblical trope. Systematic and constructive theologians have often left it unexamined; biblical theologians have explicated it from one of three perspectives: either as a response to "the Holy" (drawing on Rudolf Otto), as a human emotional reaction to God, or as human obedience to God. This essay argues against the first two options and for the third as the best understanding of the scriptural term and does so on the basis of theological exploration of the Torah and the Gospel of Matthew. The account concludes that fear of God is a human disposition encouraged, learned, and grown within the covenant people of God. Fear of God might be summarized therefore as an appropriate relational disposition toward God, involving obedience to God above all others; furthermore, this obedience to God implies being just and loving toward others. Fear of God does not paralyze or overwhelm the human creature but is the basis for proper human acting and thinking. This disposition of fearing God leads to human flourishing, but sees this human flourishing as genuine only when understood against the greater horizon of meaning that is God and God's kingdom. Thus fear of God, far from being the hiatus of human agency, is the form of sociality given by God for humanity.
Bible and Church, Bultmann and Augustine: A Response to David Congdon
Authors: Moberly R. W. L.
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTS

I respond here to Congdon's 2014 response to my 2012 essay on Bultmann and Augustine. I argue that although Congdon offers a useful account of Bultmann's theology and ecclesiology on its own terms, he does not sufficiently relate this to the question of the relationship between biblical interpretation, ecclesiology, and the social nature of knowledge, which I find to be well articulated by Augustine. I critique Bultmann's application of justification by faith alone to epistemology, which seems to underlie his reticence about the possible epistemological significance of ecclesiology. And I suggest that Bultmann's program for theological interpretation, although it has enduring depth and challenge, is nonetheless significantly limited as a resource for contemporary theological interpretation.
Prophetic Representations of the Divine Presence: The Theological Interpretation of the Elijah-Elisha Cycles
Authors: Lunn Nicholas P.
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTS

The narratives concerning Elijah and Elisha contain a number of unique elements, the most evident of which is the miracles they performed, without parallel among the other prophets. This article focuses on a further uniqueness hitherto undetected in scholarly research. Many of the episodes involving Elijah and Elisha include language relating either to the Hebrew sanctuaries, namely, the tabernacle and temple, or to theophanies. These two are conceptually associated in that both serve as representations of the divine presence. Allusions to the ritual and furniture of the sanctuary, as well as theophanic elements centering on the prophets, are taken as deliberate literary devices intended to communicate a message to the people of Israel. The latter part of this article discusses the theological import of this message, primarily within its immediate historical context, but also within the larger canonical framework.
The Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge: The Role of Esthetics in Ancient and Modern Interpretations of Paul
Authors: Glass William
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTS

This article explores the effect of basic hermeneutical commitments on biblical interpretation, both historical-critical and theological. First, it examines a recent and controversial historical-critical reading of Rom 1, found in Douglas Campbell's The Deliverance of God, by placing it in conversation with St. Augustine's own exegesis of the same passage in De Trinitate. Campbell sees Paul to be enacting in the opening chapters of Romans a parody of an opponent's preaching and performing a Socratic reduction to absurdity of the argument, clearing the way for his own message. Although many critiques of Campbell's reading note its novelty with some frustration, I suggest that the complex of interpretive moves St. Augustine performs on Rom 1:18–32, and especially on 1:20, constitute a weighty recognition from tradition in support of Campbell's thesis that the passage is ripe for rereading. Campbell's unintentional sympathy with Augustine is found owing to a similarity in approach between Campbell's Polanyist hermeneutic and Augustine's fides quaerens intellectum, both of which admit the effect of readers' own commitments on a text while preserving a meaningful way to arbitrate between competing readings. For both readers, I suggest, competing construals of a text depend for their validity on their ability to negotiate all the features of a text on multiple interpretive planes with simplicity and ease, an admittedly esthetic criterion that ancient theologians would call "fittingness." I conclude that esthetic modes of inquiry may be especially fruitful in discovering other sympathies such as those of Campbell and Augustine.
"You Shall Be Holy, For I Am Holy": Theosis in 1 Peter
Authors: Barbarick Clifford A.
Published: May 2022

In recent years, NT scholars have recognized the idea of "theosis" or "deification" within the pages of various NT writings. To date, however, little to nothing has been written about theosis in 1 Peter. This article seeks to fill the lacuna. For the author of 1 Peter, conformity to the holiness of God is the telos of the Christian community. The community is called to fulfill the purposes of Israel by embodying God's holiness and, thereby, leading the nations to worship God. For the author of 1 Peter, however, the content of God's holiness is defined by the pattern of Christ. In other words, the community will be conformed to the image of God by imitating Christ's example. As in Pauline theology, Christosis is theosis. The author also affirms that conformity to God's holiness is accomplished corporately by means of divine enablement. It is as Israel, not as individuals, that they fulfill their telos. And it is only because they have been regenerated and continually nourished by the "living and enduring word of God" (1:23) that the community can be conformed into the image of God revealed through Christ.
Habakkuk and the Problem of Suffering: Theodicy Deferred
Authors: Whitehead Philip
Published: May 2022

A theological reading of the book of Habakkuk offers insight into the problem of suffering. Approaching the text canonically, this study aims to explore Habakkuk's theological response to suffering and the potential to relate this to Christian and classically theistic attempts to articulate a theodicy. Although Habakkuk puts forward no theological objection to the idea that the suffering experienced by God's people is, in some sense, deserved, he nonetheless questions the extent of the suffering and the justice of the God who permits it from a perspective of faith and eschatological hope. The answers to the questions posed by evil and suffering are apparently deferred by Habakkuk, who persists in faith despite the present lack of resolution to these questions. This sort of reading lends support to models of theodicy that prioritize the practical dimensions of suffering, and challenges accounts that would insist on satisfactory explanations for suffering as a condition for faith.
When Considering Creation, Simply Follow the Rule (of Faith): Patristic Exegesis of Romans 8:19–22 and the Theological Interpretation of Scripture
Authors: Tyra Steven W.
Published: May 2022

Romans 8:19–22 and its "groaning creation" have long provoked lively discussion and disagreement among commentators. Alongside more traditional historical criticism, the passage has recently been the subject of theologically driven interpretation in a particular vein. Commentators responding to the "ecological crisis" have utilized the text to explore the intersection of biblical studies and environmental concerns. This study seeks to enter these wider interpretive discussions with historical perspective. In this article, I trace Patristic exegesis of the text through the fourth century, with special attention to the "Rule of Faith" and its fruitfulness as an ancient–and perhaps contemporary—hermeneutic. Figures that I analyze in detail include Irenaeus, Ambrosiaster, Origen, and Augustine. The study concludes by suggesting that the early church's Rule was indeed an effective interpretive tool in regard to Rom 8:19–22—but only under certain conditions.
I, the Fool: A "Canonical" Reading of Proverbs 26:4–5
Authors: Schwáb Zoltán
Published: May 2022

Although Prov 26:4 says that one should not answer a fool, the immediately following verse advises the opposite. This article suggests that if one thinks through all of the different aspects of the issue raised by these two verses and their immediate context, the logical solution is to follow v. 5 and answer the fool. This is not only good for the fool but also benefits the whole society. This does not mean, however, that v. 4 is mistaken when it claims that by answering a fool one becomes a fool. Nonetheless, becoming a fool is not an entirely negative development. It serves the spiritual needs of the one who answers a(nother) fool. The second half of this article compares this interpretation with the postbiblical "fool for Christ" tradition, then discusses some hermeneutical questions raised by the interpretation.
The Theological Presuppositions of Ancient Christian Exegesis: G. K. Beale and Henri de Lubac in Conversation
Authors: Moscicke Hans
Published: May 2022

The appropriation of the theological presuppositions of ancient Christian exegesis is a matter of debate in the discipline of theological interpretation. In recent years, G. K. Beale has become a leading expert in the NT use of the OT, having conducted extensive research on the NT authors' exegetical methods and addressing the question of the theological presuppositions underlying these methods. Beale proposes that modern Christian readers of the Bible ought to pattern their exegesis after that of the apostles. I wish to bring Beale into conversation with the Catholic, ressourcement theologian, Henri de Lubac, who has had a significant influence on the contemporary retrieval of spiritual exegesis and has provided profound insight into the reading strategies of patristic and medieval exegesis. I hope to demonstrate that de Lubac's exposition of the fourfold sense of Scripture finds certain profound resonances with Beale's understanding of the NT writers' presuppositions. Furthermore, de Lubac's theological categories, the Fact of Christ and the mystery of Christ, and his understanding of tropology, offer two points of constructive insight for proponents of Beale's project, while Beale's emphasis on the hermeneutical continuity between the Testaments offers an important corrective for proponents of spiritual exegesis. In bringing these two different scholars into conversation, I hope to clear a pathway for an "ecumenical hermeneutic" that addresses certain concerns of both Protestants and Catholics. I also suggest several ways both scholars' projects can work together to address constructively the question which presuppositions modern Christians should appropriate in a theological interpretation of Scripture.
A Short Note toward a Theology of Abiding in John's Gospel
Authors: Latz Andrew Brower
Published: May 2022

This essay aims to show that "abiding" or "remaining" (μένω and its cognates) is a major theme of John's Gospel and therefore deserves more attention than commentators usually afford it. It tries to show that abiding is John's preferred and primary way to characterize discipleship and that, as this abiding is based on the relations between Jesus and the Spirit and the Father, John in some way gestures toward a Trinitarian logic. Further, the theme emerges in connection with John's pneumatology and sacramental theology.
The "Imago Dei" Once Again: Stanley Grenz's Journey toward a Theological Interpretation of Genesis 1:26–27
Authors: Sexton Jason S.
Published: May 2022

While engaged in his own construction of systematic theology, Stanley J. Grenz looked increasingly to the imago Dei as the major motif for his project. Having previously seen the theme carrying some weight for both ethics and theology, as his project progressed in the Matrix of Christian Theology series in the new millennium, Grenz came to understand this biblical motif as a unifying agent. This significant biblical theme, run through the coherence test of the theological loci and sufficiently able to unite the systematic categories, became for Grenz a lens for reading all of Scripture, and for understanding God, humanity, and all reality. Within the imago Dei Grenz found a way to bring a relational model of the Trinity to bear on the systematic discipline, which also gave him a unified approach to reading and interpreting the Bible in light of this Trinitarian framework flowing from the earliest part of the canonical narrative. As such, his approach offers a helpful model for consideration in the ongoing conversation of theological interpretation of Scripture.
Reading for the Subject: The Paradox of Power in Romans 14:1–15:6
Authors: Gaventa Beverly Roberts
Published: May 2022

Reading for "the subject," in Barth's terms, requires close attention to the details of Scripture. Here, Rom 14:1–15:6, which is usually neglected in studies of Paul's theology, offers a test case. Claims about God's power in vv. 1–12 are not rhetorical maneuvers; they actually prepare for his warnings about human power in vv. 13–23 and his redefinition of strength in 15:1–6. This passage asks Roman Christians not merely to tolerate differences but to acknowledge together ("with one mouth," 15:6) that their only strength comes from and continues to reside in God. There is also a warning that the new life in Jesus Christ is not beyond the temptation to hubris. It continues as new life only as God causes human beings to continue to stand (14:4) and not of its own power or out of its own "reflexive faith" (14:22).
Romans: The First Christian Treatise on Theosis
Authors: Gorman Michael J.
Published: May 2022

Building on renewed interest in theosis generally, and particularly with respect to Paul, this essay argues that Romans is the first Christian treatise on theosis, an elaboration of the embryonic passages about theosis, including the "interchange" (Morna Hooker) texts, found in 2 Corinthians. Earlier work on theosis in Paul suggests that it means transformative participation in the kenotic, cruciform character of God through Spirit-enabled conformity to the incarnate, crucified, and resurrected/glorified Christ. This essay traces Paul's soteriology of restoring human dikaiosynē and doxa—fundamental elements of theosis—in Romans. For Paul, this restoration is accomplished by participation in the death and resurrection of the obedient and faithful Son. It is manifested in "righteoused," cruciform communities of Christlike Godlikeness in which Gentiles and Jews glorify God together as a partial and proleptic foreshadowing of the final glory of God and, at least implicitly, as a counterpoint to the pseudo-glory of Rome.
Typology of Types: Typology in Dialogue
Authors: Ribbens Benjamin J.
Published: May 2022

Figural reading is reemerging as an approach to theological interpretation of Scripture. As a result, biblical scholars are beginning to speak of figural reading where they once talked about typology. Typology has been a contentious matter among biblical scholars, and a firm definition of it has eluded them. For that very reason, scholars would be remiss to discard typology too quickly, before determining how to define it in the first place and how the typological debates might inform current discussions of figural reading. The debates concerning the definition of typology (a study of types) are essentially debates concerning how to define a type. This article defines a type broadly as ikonic mimēsis, which denotes a correspondence in both fact and significance between persons, events, institutions, and so on. Within this broad definition, (at least) three subcategories, each with its own characteristics, can be identified: Christological, tropological, and analogical types. By defining types broadly as ikonic mimēsis and by delineating three subcategories of types, this article establishes categories that will allow for a more transparent discussion concerning typology and its relationship to figural reading.
Scripture as Semiotic System: Theological Interpretation and the Multiple Senses of Scripture
Authors: Toffelmire Colin M.
Published: May 2022

This paper argues for the appropriation of interpretation of the Scriptures according to the spritual sense as a helpful and acceptable way of engaging in constructive theology. Grounded to a degree in the work and thought of Thomas Aquinas, and drawing significantly on Paul Ricoeur's suggestions regarding figurative language and speculative discourse, the primary thesis of the paper is that when interpreting according to the spiritual sense, the content of Scripture itself functions as a semiotic system allowing the interpreter to press beyond the semantic capabilities of literal language in an attempt to speak meaningfully about God.
Docetism, Käsemann, and Christology: Can Historical Criticism Help Christological Orthodoxy (and Other Theology) After All?
Authors: Strawn Brent A.
Published: May 2022

Thinking theology and history together is a difficult task and a longstanding problem. While in prior centuries history has typically dominated the dyad, recent progress in the theological interpretation of Scripture has begun to reverse this trend, often at the expense of the historical-critical method. A case study of both of these points may be found in the work of Ernst Käsemann and, particularly, in A. K. M. Adam's recent critique thereof—especially Käsemann's comment that historical criticism protects against docetism. Looking closely at Adam's article and Käsemann's work on the historical Jesus, the present study concludes that, while several of Adam's points against historical criticism writ large may well be correct, his direct attack on Käsemann is misplaced. An analysis of Käsemann's positions on the uniqueness of the Gospel genre and the importance of the historical Jesus to the earliest kerygma reveals that, far from a simplistic commendation of historical criticism, Käsemann offers something of a via media between theology and history. Perhaps better, Käsemann's work represents a theological use of history. If such a theological use of history (or of historical criticism) is permitted, Käsemann's work not only eludes Adam's criticism, it actually becomes a partner in support of, not an adversary to, his larger argument regarding the limited usefulness of "mere history." Käsemann's synthesis of the historical and the theological thus shows itself to be a viable option in the theology-history nexus—one that retains its usefulness in a way that Adam's critique has not yet obviated.
A View from the Retail Market: The Promise of Theological Interpretation of Scripture for Preaching
Authors: Willson Patrick J.
Published: May 2022

The stimulating academic conversations regarding the theological interpretation of Scripture notwithstanding, theological interpretation occurs regularly in the "retail market" of local congregations as the Scriptures are preached and taught. No less than the academic community, congregations need to be reminded of the theological nature and thrust of Scripture and, consequently, of the theological ground and goal of interpretation. Contemporary homiletics has yearned after imaginative and creative resources of all sorts while often overlooking the creative, imaginative character of Scripture itself which could fund lively preaching. The parish's demands for weekly sermons and lessons can subtly shape the preacher/teacher/exegete into a consumer of usable texts, an understandable occupational hazard, but the faithful reader is invited to "abide" in the text as one who listens patiently before rushing into production with marketable meanings. The word that needs be spoken need not be wrested from Scripture; that word was and is addressed to local worshipping communities. Like every other human enterprise, theological interpretation is meant for the glorification and enjoyment of God.
An Ecclesially Located Exegesis Informed by Augustine's "De Doctrina Christiana"
Authors: Strahan Joshua Marshall
Published: May 2022

This article opens with an example of what a Christian interpretive paradigm might look like. For help with this, it turns to Augustine's De Doctrina Christiana (DDC), which will be shown to have a hermeneutic with a priori theological convictions. Augustine's ecclesially located exegetical framework results in a hermeneutic that (1) calls for humble, submissive, and virtuous readers; (2) highly values authorial communicative intent; (3) is nonetheless open to polysemy; and (4) delimits interpretations by appealing to the rule of faith, the double love commandment, and clearer canonical texts. Insights from DDC are then brought into conversation with the hermeneutical paradigms of Räisänen and Stendahl. In brief, Augustine's hermeneutic clashes with Räisänen's, because Augustine reads Scripture from the standpoint of Christian faith, whereas Räisänen attempts to read from a so-called neutral standpoint. Regarding Stendahl's exclusive privileging of authorial intent, an ecclesially located theology would seem to challenge Stendahl because of (1) how NT writers often seem to read OT texts beyond the intent of the OT author, and (2) the inability of sola scriptura to determine crucial theological doctrines. The last section of this article notes how Augustine's approach to delimiting polysemic interpretations holds together many of the strengths offered by contemporary theological interpreters, including Max Turner, Richard Hays, Joel Green, Stephen Fowl, A. K. M. Adam, Richard Briggs, and others. The hope is that, by bringing DDC into the conversation, this article can contribute to the elusive task of making room for, while simultaneously bounding, polysemy in biblical interpretation.
The Early "Wirkungsgeschichte" of Daniel 3: Representative Examples
Authors: Tucker W. Dennis
Published: May 2022

Early Christian writers made frequent use of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their experience in the fiery furnace. Often, this story was associated with the hope of resurrection (especially when used in iconography), but textually the story was retold in literature related to martyrdom at the hands of the Roman Empire. In the context of early Christianity, questions of loyalty and disloyalty to the state were driven by religious and political commitments in a way that appears analogous to those presented in the book of Daniel. Texts such as Origen's Exhortation to Martyrdom, as well as Hippolytus's commentary on Daniel reflect the association made between Dan 3 and martyrdom. Following the conversion of Constantine, however, the interpretation of Dan 3 shifted in light of changing historical and social circumstances. In the works of Chrysostom and Theodoret of Cyrus, the threat of empire diminishes, with attention focused instead on the virtuous lives of the three youths.
The Quest for the Historical Leviathan: Truth and Method in Biblical Studies
Authors: Van Leeuwen Raymond C.
Published: May 2022

This article sets the problem of historical study of the biblical world in the context of the post-Enlightenment ideological development of scientism and historicism, viewed as basic, contradictory cultural ideals. Employing the literary analyses of Meier Sternberg and aspects of Gadamer's hermeneutics, I argue that the normative "truth claims" that Scripture makes on its readers reside in the text, not in the "facts" behind the text, even when Scripture is explicitly referring to the real world and describing historical events.
Scripture and the Church: A Précis for an Alternative Analogy
Authors: Castelo Daniel , Wall Robert W.
Published: May 2022

This article surveys the popular analogy of thinking of Scripture as "incarnational," that it is both "human" and "divine," and shows how an alternative model, one framed in terms of the church's traditional marks of oneness, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity, can be more theologically coherent in terms of Scripture's nature or ontology. Furthermore, we believe that a shift in analogies can render an approach to Scripture that is more attentive to Scripture's role as a means of grace employed by the triune God to bring about repair and healing among its faithful and God-seeking readers.
On Original Sin and the Scandalous Nature of Existence
Authors: Andrews James A.
Published: May 2022

This article interprets the story of Sarah and Hagar in terms of the relative freedom of humanity in creation and the absolute freedom of God for creation. The interpretation follows the narrative flow of the story, pointing out the free decisions of the actors and God's responses to them. It is argued that the figures of Hagar and Ishmael fully represent the unfulfilled status of the promise that God will bless all nations through Abraham's offspring. Their expulsion demonstrates the scandalous nature of existence, one in which people are cast out through no fault of their own. Nonetheless, God still responds to them graciously. This theological interpretation provides a framework for a discussion concerning Augustine's doctrines of original sin and infant baptism as well as Karl Barth's doctrine of election in Christ. The interpretation of the Sarah-Hagar narrative allows one to take insights from both theologians. The article concludes with a statement regarding infant baptism and the church's current location between promise and fulfillment.
What Were the Women Afraid Of? (Mark 16:8)
Authors: Topel John
Published: May 2022

After a survey of exegetes' differing opinions about the silence of the women disciples and the fear that keeps them silent, this article progresses to a deeper analysis of fear in Mark's Gospel and comes to the tentative conclusion that the fear arises from an awed reaction to the divine power manifested in the resurrection of Jesus. Beyond this tentative conclusion exegetes fear to go, and those who do so are really arguing from their own theological perspectives rather than from exegesis. This move (which one can see over and over again in exegetical writing) is not only natural, but required. At this point, the interpreter must access the conversion experience in which she knew herself called to discipleship, and from an understanding of how she has (consciously or subconsciously) thematized that reaction in the theological terms of her tradition, confirm or disprove the tentative conclusion of her exegesis. From within my theological tradition, I argue that the women are afraid not just of the cross but of the disciples' need to surrender to a divine holiness that empowers life in the new age.
Hearing the Shepherd's Voice: The παροιμία of the Good Shepherd Discourse and Augustine's Figural Reading
Authors: Wright William M.
Published: May 2022

This essay argues for the congruence between Augustine's figural interpretation of the Good Shepherd discourse (John 10:1–18) and the discourse's literary and rhetorical character. John refers to Jesus' figurative speech in the shepherd discourse as παροιμία (10:6). This term designates a mode of figurative discourse in the Fourth Gospel, which is presently obscure and requires a more-than-literal interpretation. By using παροιμία as a compositional technique, John aligns his audience with the individuals in the Gospel narrative, all of whom work to understand Jesus' figurative language. The παροιμία is a literary strategy by which John draws his audience into the Gospel's narrative world and invites them to adopt his theological understanding of all things in light of the Word. In his figural reading, Augustine positions his congregation to mirror the individuals and relationships in the discourse. His figural reading involves a complex interrelationship between doctrinal profession, moral disposition, and ecclesial participation, all of which serve the reader's spiritual transformation by Christ. Resonant with the Gospel's prologue, the economy of the Word connects these realities and provides the theological architecture for the spiritual associations between the biblical prophets, Jesus, the church, and the interpretation of Scripture. Augustine thus develops the literary and rhetorical cues of the Gospel's plain sense into a figural interpretation, which is congruent with the invitation of the Gospel itself.
Finding the Form of God in Philippians 2: Gregory of Nyssa and the Development of Pro-Nicene Exegesis
Authors: Weedman Mark
Published: May 2022

I argue that Gregory of Nyssa reshaped the Logos-Sarx theological motif through his use of a new theological exegesis of the Christ Hymn in Phil 2. In his argument against Apollinarius, Gregory draws on an earlier Pro-Nicene exegetical tradition, one that was originally formulated in the 350s against the anti-Nicene Homoians by theologians such as Hilary of Poitiers. This exegetical tradition centered on Phil 2:6-7, and it was intended to demonstrate the unity of the Son's divinity and humanity against Homoian attempts to use the distinction between divinity and humanity in the Son to subordinate the Son to the Father. In this reading, Gregory's problem with Apollinarius is that Apollinarius's theology violates something central to the Pro-Nicene tradition that Gregory had inherited, namely, the need to preserve the union of the full divinity and humanity in the Son. Without this, Gregory believes, key aspects of Pro-Nicene faith and practice, especially its account of divinization, fall apart. By using Phil 2 to construct a new theological motif, Gregory can articulate a Christology that has deep exegetical roots and overcomes the limitations of the Logos-Sarx model.
The Fear of the Lord as Theological Method
Authors: Castelo Daniel
Published: May 2022

The fear of the Lord is a motif that makes its way into all major strands of the biblical canon, yet it is often overlooked for its theological value. As prominent as the notion is, it would appear that the fear of the Lord is not only a theme to consider when engaging the Bible theologically but one that would also serve as a paradigm for how theology should be done in the first place. In order to arrive at this juncture, this article problematizes any monolithic account of the fear of the Lord within the canon and offers a dialectical approach to God-talk in which cataphatic and apophatic moments are crucial to the possibilities and limits of theological reflection.
Reception History as a Challenge to Biblical Theology
Authors: Riches John
Published: May 2022

In response to Barth's claim that faith is a void filled by the transcendent Word, Bultmann sought to offer an account of the transformation of the believer's consciousness, the self-understanding that occurs in faith. Influenced by Dilthey, Bultmann located such transformation in particular moments of encounter with the biblical texts, moments that stand outside the attempt to locate the texts within the span of history. Bultmann's views of the role of human consciousness in the reading of texts are in turn challenged by more recent discussions of reception history by Gadamer, who examines the prior formation of the reader's consciousness by the history of reception of the texts with which he or she engages and by Jauss who also emphasizes the role of readers in shaping the world they inhabit as they engage with texts. This article considers examples from the reception history of the Bible (Luther on Rom 1:17 and a variety of readings of Gal 3:19 on the purpose of the Law) to demonstrate the role the reader plays in sustaining the historical life of a text, through which it continues to address contemporary readers and to contribute to the formation of new forms of life and thought. The reception of texts, through which human self-consciousness is transformed, occurs in a conversation, not only with the text itself but with its major interpreters through the ages, who have shaped contemporary readers' consciousness, and it is out of that conversation that renewed understandings and embodiments of the text arise.
At the Margins of the Rule of Faith: Reflections on the Reception History of Problematic Texts and Themes
Authors: Thompson John L.
Published: May 2022

The rule of faith is often celebrated for its apparent effect of uniting Christian theology and exegesis even amidst the obvious divisions that divide Christians and churches. This essay attempts to describe how similarly common commitments and practices may be discerned in the commentaries of Protestant reformers. Special attention is paid, however, to some potential limitations of the rule of faith as well as to the kind of dialogue that may emerge when reception history draws on a truly wide sample of traditional exegesis in order to establish both family resemblances and family disagreements.
Fire in the Water: Baptismal Aptness and Ecology in the Petrine Epistles
Authors: Schlesinger Eugene R.
Published: May 2022

Despite some notable and vocal objections, the claim that Christians bear a responsibility toward the environment is now more or less a truism. In this article, I seek to strengthen, rather than prove, that commitment by an argument ex convenientia (from aptness). I analyze the Petrine epistles' imagery of water and fire. I make explicit the connections between these images and the sacrament of baptism as well as their connection to creation, redemption, and the eschatological consummation. By this analysis, I aim to forge reinforcing symbolic links between biblical interpretation, sacramental practice, and the created order, thereby solidifying and foregrounding Christian commitments to ecological engagement. My primary theological interlocutors are Karl Barth and Sergius Bulgakov, whom I consult to make sense of the imagery of water and fire, respectively. My treatment of Barth and Bulgakov allows me to use their respective theologies to supplement what I perceive as one another's weak points. This gives an ecology that is concretely rooted in the Christ event (from Barth), and which demands human participation and sacramentality (from Bulgakov).
“Once upon a Time”: Galatians as an Apocalyptic Story
Authors: STILL TODD D.
Published: May 2022

Is it possible to combine narratival and apocalyptic readings of Paul in general and Galatians in particular? The answer offered in this essay is a nuanced yes. I will follow trails blazed by J. Louis Martyn and Richard B. Hays in examining aspects of both “historical continuity”/“horizontal linearity” and “apocalyptic discontinuity”/“vertical disruption” in the apostle's fiery communiqué ταĩϛ ἐκκλησίαιϛ τῆϛ Γαλατίαϛ. I begin by scouring the letter along temporal lines before turning to consider, with the aid of French semiotician A. J. Greimas as mediated by Hays, the timely/timeless story set forth in the letter's weighty lines.
Critical Thinking Dispositions as an Outcome of Undergraduate Education
Authors: Lampert Nancy
Published: May 2022

This article discusses variance in critical thinking between arts and nonarts undergraduates. Research indicates that inquiry-based curricula positively influence critical thinking and that learning in the arts is largely inquiry based. These findings and the study results indicate that learning in the arts positively influences undergraduates' disposition to think critically.
MEANING MAKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ACADEMIC ARENA: INVESTIGATING THE CONTEXTUALITY OF EPISTEMOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN COLLEGE STUDENTS
Authors: Pizzolato Jane Elizabeth
Published: May 2022

By investigating undergraduates’ epistemological orientations and processes in academic and personal contexts, this study examined whether and how epistemological development in one context is related to development in another context. It is difficult to know how holistic epistemological development is. Our findings suggest there are contextual differences in students’ epistemologies.
GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA: APPLICATION OF THE THEORY OF REASONED ACTION IN MEASURING COURSE OUTCOMES
Authors: Garg Deepti , Garg Ajay K.
Published: May 2022

This study applied the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Technology Acceptance Model to measure outcomes of general education courses under the University of Botswana Computer and Information Skills program. An exploratory model was validated for responses from 298 students. The results have implications for course design and resource utilization.
Improving Classroom Discussion: A Rhetorical Approach
Authors: Bruss Kristine S.
Published: May 2022

This article reports the results of a speaking-across-the-curriculum project designed to improve classroom discussion in a first-year interdisciplinary humanities course. The project focused on equipping students with the communication skills necessary for effective participation, with the result being more engaged discussion and greater facility with the text.