Thesis (MPhil (Ancient Studies))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This thesis seeks to investigate the possible influence of Iranian apocalyptic on the Judaean apocalyptic literature, which was widely disseminated in the Near East during the Hellenistic and Roman phases of the Second Temple Period (c. 539 BCE- 70 CE). The similarities between Zoroastrianism and Judaism have been the object of scholarly study for more than a century. Iranologists such as Zaehner, Widengren and Boyce were particularly partial to the notion that Zoroastrianism influenced Judaism. They felt such influences were an inevitable consequence of the Judaeans living under Achaemenian rule for almost two centuries, and in close proximity of Persian communities for some centuries after the demise of the Achaemenid Empire. They based their conclusions on literary parallels between some key biblical passages and Persian literature, linguistic evidence and the obviously dualistic nature of both religions. Recently, however, this point of view has come in for criticism from biblical scholars like Barr and Hanson, who have pointed out that many seemingly Iranian concepts could as easily have emanated from other Near Eastern influences or evolved from within the Judaean tradition. The similarities between the Iranian and Judaean world-view are particularly apparent when considering the apocalyptic traditions from Zoroastrianism and Judaism: Both traditions view the course of history as a pre-determined, linear process in which good and evil are in constant conflict on both a physical and metaphysical level, until a great eschatological battle, introduced by a “messiah” figure, will rid all creation of evil. A judgment of all humanity and resurrection are envisaged in both traditions, as well as an utopian eternal life free of evil. However, it is very difficult to prove that these two apocalyptic traditions are in any way related, as most of the apocalyptic works from Iran are dated considerably later than the Judaean apocalypses, which mostly originated during the Hellenistic period. The apocalyptic phenomena within the two traditions are also not always entirely similar, raising the possibility that they are indeed not the result of cultural interaction between the Iranians and Judaeans. Furthermore, one must also consider that many phenomena constituting apocalyptic occurred widely during the Second Temple Period in the Ancient Near East, on account of the general state of powerlessness and disillusionment brought about by the Macedonian conquest of the Achaemenid Empire and the resulting political unrest. This study investigates the relations between Judaeans and Iranians under Achaemenian rule, the political and religious background and apocalyptic traditions of both these peoples in an attempt to ascertain whether Iranian beliefs did indeed influence Judaean apocalypticism. These investigations will show that, given the cultural milieu of the Ancient Near East in the Second Temple period, contemporary Greek evidence of Zoroastrian beliefs and the interpretative bent of Judaean scribal and priestly classes, there is a strong likelihood that seemingly Iranian concepts in Judaean apocalypticism were indeed of Iranian origin.

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This thesis focuses on two issues among the many comprising the broad subject of the relationship between Jews and non-Jews according to Jewish law. The issues are: (1) the prohibition against selling real estate in the land of Israel to non-Jews; and (2) the prohibition against intermarriage. / The prohibition against selling real estate in the land of Israel to non-Jews is based upon a Rabbinic interpretation of the phrase "lo Tehanem" from Deut. 7:2. In the period of the "Rishonim" (from Maimonides till Radbaz) the general view was that this prohibition was still in force and applied to contemporary non-Jews. From the beginning of the modern era, however, this prohibition, as a result of the new reality facing the struggling Jewish settlement in the land of Israel, became problematic. / The prohibition against intermarriage underwent a reverse development. During the Talmudic period most of the Rabbis, guided by the context of the Biblical text, argued that the Biblical prohibition only concerned the "Seven Nations" who used to live in Canaan at the time of the conquest and the settlement. But at the beginning of the modern era a rabbinic consensus gradually emerged that this Biblical prohibition related not only to the "Seven Nations" or "Ancient Pagans", but to all non-Jews at all times. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Emil Ludwig Fackenheim became a Rabbi even as the Holocaust was claiming the lives of six million Jews. Further study, first in Scotland and then in Canada, brought him to an impressive academic career in philosophy, to which he committed much of his life and writings. Yet he was also driven to try to respond theologically to the Shoa, so as to offer Judaism a genuine alternative to the nineteenth century tradition of liberal Judaism which had not been able to withstand or fight against National Socialism when Hitler came to political power. By going behind that failed nineteenth century tradition, primarily in dialogue with the thought of Rosenzweig and Buber, Fackenheim thought, by the middle of the sixth decade of the twentieth century, that he had rediscovered a solid core for post-Auschwitz Jewish faith: one rooted in a recovery of supernatural revelation, of God's presence in, and the messianic goal of, history. The Six Day War of June 1967 threw his careful reconstruction of Jewish faith into disarray, however. Facing a second Holocaust in one lifetime; and with an acute awareness that once again the Jewish people stood alone, Fackenheim raised questions about God and history and the Messianic which utterly destroyed his reconstruction. Even as he struggled with the crisis, however, he began to discern that hope had become a commandment. He began a process of even more profound reconstruction (or "destructive recovery") of the faith that radically reshaped the possibility of hope for Jewish faith in a post-Shoa world. And Christian theologians in dialogue with him find it necessary to embark on a destructive recovery of hope for the Christian tradition as an authentically Christian response to Auschwitz. Emerging from that dialogue is a fresh appreciation of the self-critical tradition of the theology of the cross.

The Christian canon comprises of sixty six book. Of these the majority, thirty nine to be precise, stem from the Jewish religion. These books, comprising the Hebrew Bible direct or guide the adherents of Judaism till today. Christians consider the Hebrew Bible as the Old Testament in the light of a new revelation in Jesus Christ. This thesis questions the last premise, firstly in the light that Messianic Jews or present day Jewish Christians, also still adhere to their heritage as stemming from the Old Testament. Secondly, it should be noted that due to missionary influence both the Old Testament (Hebrew) culture and African culture were discarded. In the light of so many correlations between the Old Testament values and culture and African values and culture I set out to trace whether there is more to the Old Testament than the deductions we, Africans, have inherited from the Western minds down the centuries, as we in the process could have tapped into their (unconscious?) anti-Jewish motivations. As a start in this wide field, I focus on the three pilgrimage festivals, Passover, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles, prescribed in the Old Testament. I go back in history, through the eyes of Messianic Jews, to learn about the celebrations and interpretations that surround these festivals. Once I have gained that insight I contrast it with the general Christian interpretations and celebrations and where there is room for implementation of Messianic Jewish insight I put these forward towards liturgical enrichment and worship enhancement in the Lutheran Church. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

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Thesis (MTh (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology. Church History and Church Polity))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Different theologies have sprung up around the celebration of the Eucharist. Consequently at the very point where Christians should be most united there is often controversy, bitterness and division. This is true of the writer’s own social location within the Anglican Church. The central question of this thesis is therefore how an engagement with Christianity’s Jewish roots helps us to reframe Eucharistic theology. In this regard a historical theological approach is employed to track how Eucharistic theological emphases have changed over time in relation to Jewish meal traditions, Jesus’ meal parables and table fellowship. The implications to reconnecting with the essence of Jesus’ social location are somewhat radical and potentially discomforting. Yet there are several obstacles to connecting with roots of our faith. The first obstacle examined in this thesis is the problematic interpretative gap of history, between the strangeness of the past and the familiarity of the present. A second obstacle only briefly touched upon is the attitude of anti-intellectualism in some churches today and an ignorance of the histories of Christianity. However, given the thesis question, the primary focus is on the obstacle of Christian anti-Semitism and the de-Judaising of Christianity. To seek greater continuity with Judaism is, in some ways, to Christianize Christianity. ii

This dissertation explores the hardening mentioned in Romans 11:25 and its role in Israel's rejection of the gospel. Chapter 1 describes the difficulties faced when addressing the issue of hardening. Additionally, the thesis states that in the case with the Jewish people, the partial hardening has divine origins and serves a glorious purpose. Chapter 2 provides three arguments from Romans 9-11 explaining Israel's rejection of Jesus. These three arguments underline the belief that although vast numbers of Jewish people have rejected Jesus, God's word has not failed. The chapter concludes with the primary argument offered in that Israel's rejection is due to a partial hardening. Chapter 3 presents the argument that God is the primary cause of Israel's hardening. After exploring Scriptures where man seems responsible for his own hardening, the chapter argues that based on Romans 9-11, and especially the statement that God has mercy on whom he wills and he hardens whom he wills, the hardening Israel is experiencing has God rather than man as it cause. Chapter 4 explores the various reasons Paul gave in Romans 11 for the divine hardening. After refuting the idea that the hardening is a demonstration of God's rejection of Israel, that chapter examines three reasons why Israel is experiencing this hardening. Chapter 5 looks at Israel's future once the hardening is removed. The chapter focuses specifically on what the phrase "all Israel will be saved" means. Examined in this chapter are the three traditional interpretations regarding this statement. Strengthens and weaknesses are provided for each position. Chapter 6 discusses the implications for evangelism for SBC entities in light of this divine hardening. After examining the history of the SBC's efforts to evangelize the Jewish people, discussion surrounds future strategies for the SBC at the national, state and local levels. Chapter 7 provides a brief summary of the work and restates the thesis and major issues discussed within the context of the paper. It also offers some suggestions and unanswered questions for further study on this topic. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

O tema o sistema simbólico ritual judaico do tempo de Jesus, uma das principais raízes do Cristianismo primitivo e sua autoafirmação como religião, envolvem uma análise dos elementos rituais que nortearam o Judaísmo do tempo de Jesus e que serviram de base para o surgimento do Cristianismo primitivo. A presente dissertação levará em consideração o sistema cultural religioso judaico do primeiro século da era cristã e como ele influenciou o sistema simbólico ritual de sinais cristãos primitivos, cujo ponto de partida é a pessoa de Jesus. Iniciaremos com uma abordagem sobre a religião, buscando uma visão ampla do fenômeno cultural e da função da religião. O enfoque principal gira em torno de três polos: o sistema simbólico ritual judaico do tempo de Jesus, como uma das principais raízes do Cristianismo primitivo, a importância do Jesus Histórico para o surgimento da religião cristã primitiva e a transformação da religião judaica mediante a fé pós-pascal em Cristo. O Jesus histórico é, a partir da fé pós-pascal, a presença do criador primordial e do juiz escatológico. Ele é um com Deus. A religião cristã primitiva, a partir de então, vai descobrindo os caminhos para tornar-se uma religião autônoma, reaproveitando a essência do sistema simbólico ritual de sinais judaicos e, ressignificando-os a partir de Jesus / The theme the jewish ritual symbolic system from Jesus&#8223; time, one of the primitive Christianity&#8223;s main roots and its self-affirmation as religion involves an analysis of the ritual elements which guided the Judaism from the Jesus&#8223; time and that was used as a base to the primitive Christianity appearance. This work will consider the jewish religious cultural system from the first century of the Christian time and how it influenced the ritual symbolic system of primitive Christian signs, which begings with Jesus Himself. We are going to start with an approach about the religion, searching a huge vision of the cultural phenomenon and the religion function. The main focus turns around three poles: The jewish ritual symbolic system from the Jesus&#8223; time, as one of the primitive Christianity&#8223;s main roots, the importance of the historical Jesus to the raise of the primitive Christian religion and the transformation of the jewish religion through the post-paschal faith in Christ. The historical Jesus is, from the post-paschal faith on, the presence of the primordial creator and the eschatological judge. He is one with God. The primitive Christian religion, from that time on, is going to find ways to become an autonomous religion, reusing the essence of the ritual symbolic system of jewish signs, and giving them a new meaning from Jesus on