In most translations of Galatians 6.1, Paul directs the “spiritual” (οἱ πνευματικοί) among the Christ-followers in Galatia to restore transgressors in their midst “in a spirit of gentleness” (ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος). Such translations, and those like it, have often led interpreters to think that Paul is here being sarcastic or polemical with the designation “spiritual.” … Read more
The Book of Revelation is often described as perplexing, bewildering, or even impenetrable—terms that signal what cognitive pragmatics would call a “pragmatic failure.” Readers encounter moments of interpretive impasse, or aporias, in which the text seems to contradict itself or defy coherence. These aporias are not accidental. Rather, I argue that they function as deliberate … Read more
How does the angelology of Jonathan Edwards relate to his Reformed forebears? For many contemporary theologians and church historians, Edwards is an aberration from the Reformed tradition. Others counter that he was no aberration, but rather was simply trying to take what the Reformed were doing and articulate that vision in a new context. The … Read more
The argumentation of my paper has to do not on the fall of Lucifer per se, but on the fall of those angels who fell with him following him. That an irruption among the heavenly hosts of angels somehow came about at some point in primordial history, resulting in a remainder of holy angels on … Read more
There is a certain universal recognition that the cry “the temple of YHWH” in Jeremiah 7.40 is condemned by both God and the prophet as a direct reflection of the deceptive words that the people had embraced. The most common interpretation of the verse simply reflects the idea that the call to the temple serves … Read more
The social model represents the primary lens through which disability theologians explore disability. Yet this model is inextricably linked to Critical Theory and often employs Foucauldian analysis to identify potential issues for people with disabilities. Many prominent voices in disability theology use this framework in their writings, to include Amos Yong, Brian Brock, and Nancy … Read more
To what was Jesus referring in the life of Abraham when he told the Jews, “Abraham your father rejoiced that he would see my day, and he saw it and he was glad”? This dissertation will demonstrate the intentionality of Jesus’s choice of seeing words in John 8:56 that allude to Genesis 22:1-19. The intimation … Read more
The literature review finds that both Anglophone and Chinese scholars working on Watchman Nee’s thoughts attempt to read and analyze his writing through a systematic theological perspective. Generally, those research results identify two theological emphases in Nee’s teaching: the “spiritual man” and the “local church.” Corresponding approaches could be concluded as one from an anthropological … Read more
Can Christians within the Reformed tradition confess that God still speaks? In terms of past activities, reflection on few other types of divine action have generated more fruit than God’s speech; in at least one theologian’s estimation, “it is God’s mouth and vocal cords that have had a preeminent hold on Christian theology.” Accordingly, within … Read more
The deleterious effects of slavery remain a significant field of study. Exploring why Southern clergy supported African enslavement reveals motivations not unlike today’s luminaries in religious and political life who demonstrate similar objectionable behaviors. This paper argues that two pillars of pastoral support for the South’s doctrine of slavery were, first, that it was providentially … Read more