Reception History as Theological Retrieval: Insights from Intellectual History

The subfield of intellectual history has derived much of its vitality in the last thirty years from theological history, largely because of the latter’s focus upon continuity or discontinuity of thought in the search for orthodoxy. Yet recent methodological innovations upon reception history allow that subfield to give back, mainly in the way of theological … Read more

A Complementarian Approach to First Corinthians 7:10–11

This paper assumes as a starting point the Erasmian position regarding divorce and remarriage. It proceeds to argue that in 1 Cor 7:10–11 Paul additionally grants to wives only the possibility of initiating divorce but without the possibility of remarriage. Gordon Fee (NICNT, 2nd ed, pp 326–27) argues that 1 Cor 7:10–11 presents an ideal … Read more

The Creed and the Mystery: Augustine’s Reception of Nicaea in De Trinitate

As the Christian world marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the need to revisit the reception history of its theological legacy becomes pressing. While much scholarly attention has been devoted to the Cappadocian Fathers and Latin pro-Nicene developments in Hilary and Ambrose, Augustine’s engagement with the Nicene faith—particularly in his magnum opus … Read more

Identity and Idolatry: Echoes of Deuteronomy in Luke’s Account of Stephen’s Story

This paper explores Luke’s allusions to Deuteronomic themes in his account of Stephen’s story (Acts 6:1-8:1a) to argue that the death and resurrection of Jesus enacted the true Exodus and produced a Spirit-empowered community, whose identity is defined by Messiah Jesus and whose mission fulfills God’s covenant purposes for Israel. Luke’s allusions to Moses’s summary … Read more

Recovering the ‘News’ aspect of the Good News

Over the last 150 years western culture has moved from a slow-media environment through the rise of the ‘objective’ news paradigm to news as entertainment. These transitions have affected all of culture in obvious and subtle ways. The nature of what is considered news has changed as has the value of information and action. In … Read more

Shattering Foundations: How Denying Classical Theism Undermines Presuppositional Apologetics

According to presuppositional apologetics, only the Christian worldview provides the necessary preconditions for knowledge, logic, and morality. This paper argues that the rejection of classical theism within certain contemporary presuppositional circles undermines the very epistemological claims it seeks to defend. If God is composed of parts or mutable in any sense, He would be contingent … Read more

Written to Be Heard: Toward a Comprehensive Oral Hermeneutic

To the credit of Walter Ong (Orality and Literacy, 1982), and Werner Kelber (The Oral and the Written Gospel, 1983)—along with other recent scholars who have advanced the study of biblical orality—the oral culture of the biblical world has become more widely known. But the full implications of orality studies (now expanded to media studies) … Read more