Gender Pairs in the Gospel of Matthew: Intertextual Considerations

This paper argues that the gender pairs in Jesus’ teachings and the narratives in the Gospel of Matthew have OT precedents in terms of the structure and content of OT male/female pairs, which build upon the concept from Gen 1:27. While the pairs in Luke have been mentioned by some scholars, the gender pairs in … Read more

The Myth Behind All Myths: J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Multiple Narrative Theodic(ies)

Representative of the broader project of Narrative Theodicy, itself a God-justifying account at the intersection of immanence and transcendence, J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis suggest an intrinsic connection between the religiously neutral fairy-story/myth and the religiously positive Christian eschatological metanarrative. “One of the recurrent truths reflected in many myths and fairy tales … Read more

When Gold is not Enough: CBT´s Insufficiency in Providing Effective Solutions to IPV

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has long been regarded as the “gold standard” of psychotherapy due to its empirical support and interdisciplinary application. As a research-driven therapeutic model, CBT dominates psychological interventions for mental health and relational issues. However, the question remains: Is CBT sufficient in addressing cases of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), particularly within a … Read more

The Gates of Hades in Matthew 16:18

Scholars have debated whether “gates of Hades” (πύλαι ᾅδου) in Matt.16:18 refers to the ungodly powers of the underworld (Davies and Allison 2004, 2.630-633) or death itself (Luz 2001, 363). This paper contends that significant progress can be achieved by exploring Septuagintal sources mediated through Second Temple literature. The argument begins by exploring πύλαι ᾅδου … Read more

The Congruence of Individual and Corporate Exile in the Old Testament

Starting with the publication of N.T. Wright’s The New Testament and the People of God in 1992, the field of biblical theology has seen a growth in scholarship on the biblical theology of exile and restoration. N.T. Wright’s thesis that the story of an ongoing exile drastically shaped the worldview of Jews in the first … Read more

The Obedience of Faith: Paul’s Ontology of Obedience in Romans

Though multitudinous volumes concerning Romans have been penned, it seems a vital key has been largely overlooked. The phrase, “the obedience of faith,” (ὑπακοὴν πίστεως) appears in both the opening and closing paragraphs of the letter (arguably programmatic for the letter), is cited by Paul as the reason for grace and apostleship, and is noted … Read more

Rationality and Faith in Jonathan Edwards and Søren Kierkegaard

Faith and reason are central avenues through which Christian spirituality is accessed and experienced. The dialectic between the two, however, has alternately been characterized as being either synergistic or adversarial. For some faith is an intrinsic aspect of “knowing” and a necessary facet of properly warranted belief. Others would agree with Mark Twain that “faith … Read more