Scanned copy of Culpepper's dissertation which is now in the public domain. Scanned as part of our digitization on demand service.

Many theological institutions have adopted online educational formats. Proponents of online formats in theological education have typically given pragmatic justifications for the use of online formats while the most vocal detractors of online formats base their objections on theological concerns. This thesis gives a greater theological foundation for the use of online formats in theological education by demonstrating that Paul believed that Christian formation could be effected from a distance via the epistle. Specifically, this thesis shows that Paul held beliefs about the capability of the epistle to act as a personal proxy. Paul therefore displays an educational strategy that utilizes the strengths of both face-to-face education and distance education via the epistle while compensating for weaknesses in each format. Paul's practice would suggest that theological institutions might have the opportunity to do the same: take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of both face-to-face and online formats, utilize the strengths of each, and compensate for the weaknesses of each.

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This dissertation seeks to answer the following question: how did the doctrine of justification fare one hundred years after Paul's death (c. AD 165)? The thesis argued is that Paul's view of justification by faith is present in the second century, which particularly challenges T. F. Torrance's long-held notion that the Apostolic Fathers abandoned this doctrine. Chapter 1 provides an overview for the study. Groundwork is laid by providing a history of research on the reception of Paul in the second century as well as a section examining the important works on justification in the Fathers. Chapter 2 examines justification in 1 Clement. Looking primarily at chapter 32, it is argued that Clement held to justification by faith alone apart from works, despite the frequent claim that he held to works righteousness. Chapter 3 analyzes the seven letters of Ignatius. Although he only makes one pertinent reference to justification, Ignatius does have much to say against Judaism, which reveals a good deal about his view of justification. Chapter 4 covers the oft-tread ground of justification in the Epistle to Diognetus. The ninth chapter of Diognetus contains the clearest expression of justification in the second century. Chapter 5 surveys the Odes of Solomon. This overlooked songbook has a wealth of soteriological motifs, including mentions of justification. In at least three Odes there appears to be a dependence on Paul for the Odist's view of justification, and at times, imputation. Chapter 6 explores justification in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho. Trypho informs Justin that he must keep the whole law in order to be saved. Justin, in turn, looks to the Old Testament, particularly to Abraham, as proof that justification comes by faith and not by adherence to the law. The five authors examined demonstrate greater theological continuity between the first and second centuries than has often been recognized. Paul's doctrine of justification by faith was not replaced with works righteousness in the following century. Justification fared well one hundred years after the Apostle's death.

M.Litt. et Phil. / The importance of the Trinity cannot be overemphasised in the matter of salvation. We cannot talk about a salvation if we cannot talk about a Trinity. Paul thinks of salvation only in trinitarian categories. For the purpose of this treatise, we call it a Soteriological Trinity. Paul takes the soteriological trinity as a matter of fact because he ascribes deity to both Christ and the Holy Spirit without denying his monotheistic background or beliefs. For Paul, God's dealing with people in the world is to call a people for his own name. These are called the People of God, and is identified with the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the Church. The Holy Spirit is instrumental in constituting this People, or Body, or Temple. Because of the death and resurrection of Christ, and the gift of the promised Holy Spirit, this People is defined as an eschatological community, and salvation is an eschatological event. Through these events, the future and the kingdom is present in the here and now ("already"), while there is still a "not yet" aspect to that future. This society, the Church, is therefore a reflection of the Divine Trinity. They reflect God's unity, love, grace, kingdom and more in this world. Because the community of believers is a Spirit-instituted, Spirit-sealed, Spirit-quickened, Spirit-initiated, Spirit-controlled and Spirit-endowed community, they characterise the New Age, which is the age of the New Covenant and the age of the Spirit. That means that our obedience to God is internally motivated rather than by external codes or requirements of law. The Church is, really then, the beneficiaries of God's grace, thus making them a charismatic community. Salvation is by God's grace. Sanctification is by God's grace. Security is ours by God's grace. In fact for Paul, the whole of the Christian life is a matter of God's grace. He calls it "the riches of the glory of God's grace" (Eph. 1:7). Grace is the antithesis of the Law. Paul's own experience of Christ and the Spirit, changed his whole understanding of God, the People of God, and the Law. God was now understood as a trinity; the People of God now consisted of both Jews and Gentiles; and the Law, though holy and good, was weak through the flesh, and unable to bring salvation. In fact, the Law brought death and bondage, rather than life and liberty. The Spirit of life and liberty set us free from the law of sin and death. The Spirit, life and liberty are then gifts of grace. We now have to live as free, not using our freedom as a 'cloak of maliciousness', but to bring honour to God. Freedom was for Paul the mark of sonship, and bondage of slavery. We are sons and not slaves. Through the Spirit we were made sons of God, and are being fashioned after the image of the true Son of God. All of the Spirit's operations in the Church, are to this end. Whether to give us life, or to place us in Christ's Body, or to unite believers to Christ and to each other, or to give gifts for the building up of the saints and for the work of the ministry, or to lead and control us, or to have us bear spiritual fruit, a to reveal to us the mysteries of God, it is so that the Body and the individual believer be conformed to Christ's likeness. All these operations are done in conjunction with the Father and the Son. The Kingdom of God is for Paul the final goal of the relationship between the Spirit, Christ and the People of God. So that God's righteousness and rule be the culmination of it all. The Kingdom of God is nevertheless a present reality, in that righteousness, peace and joy are already the experience of the Church. Yet, the future of the believers' participation in the Kingdom, is guaranteed by their participation with the Holy Spirit in the present. Through this present participation with the Spirit, are we guaranteed of the future bodily resurrection, inheritance and eternal life. Our participation in the "firstfruits" guarantees our participation in the "harvest". When the Holy Spirit is involved in the world, he is involved with the task of the Kingdom; the calling of those who will be the People for God's Name. The Holy Spirit makes the Word understandable and appropriate for salvation through the Gospel. He gives life which opens them up for his work in them to bring about their identification with Christ, the Lord and King. The Holy Spirit is the key to true spirituality and Christ-likeness. The Holy Spirit is the key to the future.

Traditionally, Paul's phrase "under the law" has been interpreted as a reference to being under a legal/legalistic system of the law, being under the law as a guiding/restraining power, or being under the curse/condemnation of the law. Recently many scholars have avoided the condemning aspect of the law in existence under the law. Especially, James D. G. Dunn and N. T. Wright tend to reject the law’s condemning function as its “negative” function (Dunn) or to minimize it as a "secondary" element (Wright). Thus, they, emphasizing the law's constraining element, understand that with the salvation-historical assumptions they posited, Paul uses the phrase as a reference to Jewish covenantal experience under the law of Moses prior to Christ─Jews’ nationalistic misuse of the law under the law (Dunn) and Israel’s continuing curse of exile under the law (Wright). Here, despite their emphasis on eschatological elements in Paul, Dunn and Wright, from their view of covenantal nomism, emphasizing the law’s guardianship of Israel in salvation history, fail to see the just, eschatological condemning function of the law in the existence under the law apart from Christ, and thereby the forensic, eschatological aspect of freedom in Christ. In this dissertation, I investigate every occurrence of the phrase “under the law,” and develop my thesis that in his view of eschatological situation, Paul uses the phrase to refer to the universal human plight under the law's eschatological condemnation, from which Christ set us into all the eschatological blessings in Christ─sonship, freedom, and new life.

Paul's citation of an early baptismal tradition in Gal 3:28, 1 Cor 12:13 and Col 3:11 is as notable for its prominence in the Pauline corpus as it is for its ambiguity. A survey of the variety of views as to what Paul is denying and, conversely, affirming by this formula highlights the importance of identifying both the broad mythic vision into which Paul has set it as well as the social arrangements he advocates by means of it. This attention to how cultural symbols and stories correlate with social praxis is prompted by insights from the sociology of knowledge. This thesis argues that in each instance Paul deploys the formula to support his vision for social unity in his churches that are composed of members from various social strata and subcultures who in Christ gain a new social identity that they are to express as family-like solidarity. The predominance of kinship terminology and expectations in Paul's exhortations to ecclesial unity lead me to propose a model of ethnic identity construction as appropriate for assessing the role of the baptismal unity formula in its Pauline usage. A reading of each epistle in which the formula occurs demonstrates how the formula serves in each case to epitomize Paul's vision for social unity. Furthermore, the proposed model of ethnic identity formation serves to highlight how Paul warrants that social solidarity by appeal to the believers' fictive, genealogical connectedness and presumed shared origins and essence. Such contextualization of the formula within the social vision expressed in each epistle highlights how Paul patterns the believers' identity on Israel as reconfigured through the story of Christ Jesus' death and resurrection. This assessment of Pauline social identity formation depends on and contributes to apocalyptic understandings of Paul's gospel as well as the social emphasis of the so-called new perspective on Paul.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the “clothe-” metaphor in the Pauline literature in terms of its contribution toward a Pauline baptismal theology. The relevant “clothe-” terms are identified via an analysis of the semantic domain of cloting, which are then grammatically analysed for specific tendencies. This poses certain constraints to the meaning of the metaphors on the way to exegesis. An exegetical study of nine Scripture portions that are identified via the semantical study follows: Gal 3:19-29; Col 2:11-15; 3:8-17; Eph 4:22-25; 1 Cor 15:49,53-54; 2 Cor 5:2-4; Rm 13:12-14; 1 Thes 5:8 and Eph 6:11-15. These texts are analysed exegetically with a specific focus on the theological meaning of the “clothe-” metaphors in Pauline theology. The usage of the “clothe-” metaphor is also considered in the non-Pauline and non-biblical texts, and the social and cultural context in which the metaphors are employed. The main meanings of the “clothe-” metaphor that emerges from the semantic, exegetical and contextual study, can be summarised as follows: 1) it is mostly used in close connection with baptism, 2) it mainly has a reciprocal function as a result of the middle voice in which it is typically used, and functions within a theologically imperative context where the subject of the action is personally and consciously involved, 3) it is used as a metaphor to resist evil, 4) it is used in an eschatological context, 5) it is closely related to the actualisation of the new identity in Christ, and 6) the socially participating character of the baptismal candidate at baptism is constituted by the “clothe-” metaphor. The meaning of the “clothe-” texts does not only contribute to a better understanding of Paul’s baptismal theology, but also to a better understanding of baptism from the perspective of the believer’s baptismal tradition. The suggestions towards the discussion about baptism focus on the deeper theological meaning of baptism, a better understanding of the points of departure in the respective baptismal traditions, and the contribution that the study of the Pauline “clothe-” metaphors make to the debate. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die “beklee-” metafoor in die Pauliniese literatuur met die oog op die bydrae wat dit lewer tot ’n Pauliniese doopteologie. Die relevante “beklee-” terme word geïdentifiseer deur ’n analise van die semantiese domein van kleding, waarna dit grammatikaal ontleed word en sekere tendense uitgewys word. Dit stel bepaalde grense aan die betekenis van die metafore op weg na eksegese. Hierná volg ’n eksegetiese studie van nege skrifgedeeltes wat aan die hand van die semantiese ondersoek geïdentifiseer is: Gl 3:19-29; Kol 2:11-15; 3:8-17; Ef 4:22-25; 1 Kor 15:49,53-54; 2 Kor 5:2-4; Rm 13:12-14; 1 Ts 5:8 en Ef 6:11-15. Hierdie teksgedeeltes word eksegeties ontleed met ’n spesifieke fokus op die teologiese betekenis wat die “beklee-” metafore het in Paulus se teologie. Die gebruik van die “beklee-” metafoor word ook oorweeg in buite-Pauliniese en buite-Bybelse tekste, asook die sosiale en kulturele konteks waarin die metafore gebruik word. Die vernaamste betekenisse van die “beklee-” metafoor wat vanuit die semantiese, eksegetiese en kontekstuele studies na vore kom, kan soos volg saamgevat word: 1) dit staan meestal in ’n noue verband met die doop, 2) dit het meestal ’n wederkerige funksie as gevolg van die mediumvorm waarin dit hoofsaaklik gebruik word, en figureer binne ’n teologiese imperatiewe konteks waarby die subjek van die handeling persoonlik en bewustelik betrokke is, 3) dit word gebruik as metafoor om weerstand teen die bose te bied, 4) dit word in ’n eskatologiese konteks gebruik, 5) dit staan in ’n noue verband met die aktualisering van die nuwe identiteit in Christus, en 6) die sosiaal deelnemende karakter van die doopkandidaat tydens die doop word deur die “beklee-” metafoor gekonstitueer. Die betekenis van die “beklee-” tekste lewer nie net ’n bydrae om die doop by Paulus beter te verstaan nie, maar ook om die verstaan van die doop vanuit die perspektief van die belydenisdoop-tradisie sterker toe te lig. Die voorstelle wat gemaak word ten opsigte van die gesprek oor die doop fokus op die dieper teologiese betekenis van die doop, ’n beter begrip vir die vertrekpunte in die onderskeie dooptradisies, en die bydrae wat die studie van die “beklee-” metafoor by Paulus tot die debat maak.

This dissertation represents a prolegomena to a new approach to the study of the Greek New Testament, with ½ó¼o[varsigma] in Romans as a test case. Chapter 1 introduces the seemingly intractable interpretive debates concerning the Mosaic Law. Chapter 2 outlines an integrative model of understanding language--systemic-functional linguistics (SFL)--that forms the foundation of this study and the central pillar for the application of that theory--corpus linguistics using the annotation database of Opentext.org project. Chapter 3 develops a number of tools on the basis of SFL and corpus linguistics as supporting pillars for text analysis. Specifically, it provides a map on what to study in a text and how to do it. Chapter 4 illustrates the methods developed in chapter 3 and introduces the reader to the discourse of Romans through the Opening (Rom 1:1-7) and Thanksgiving (Rom 1:8-17) sections. Ultimately, a more comprehensive study building upon this initial attempt at a bottom-up analysis will be needed for a full discourse commentary on Romans. Chapter 5 explores the portrait of ½ó¼o[varsigma] from the angle of patterns of lexical repetition. Different passages on ½ó¼o[varsigma] are shown to be mutually interpretive. Chapters 6 and 7 examines the functional patterns of ½ó¼o[varsigma] as the head term of a word group (without a genitive qualifier) and as a modifier respectively. The common meaning component and reference patterns for ½ó¼o[varsigma] are uncovered in the process. Chapter 8 investigates the patterns of ½ó¼o[varsigma] as modified by a genitive. It was discovered that ½ó¼o[varsigma] has different reference patterns when modified. Chapter 9 is the overall summary. This work contends that while ½ó¼o[varsigma] most often refers to the Mosaic Law, the more general reference usage of the word as an entity that prescribes standards and as a controlling principle (in Romans 7-8) shed light on the meaning and function of the Mosaic Law and on the theme of control in Romans. / 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.

Chapter 1 introduces the particular problem to be addressed and also the thesis of the dissertation as a potential answer to this problem. The three test case passages are briefly introduced as well as the rationale for their selection. Attention is then given to surveying the history of modern research by examining those scholars who maintain that Paul's use of the OT is either a generally non-contextually rooted approach or a contextually rooted approach, respectively. The closing section sets out the methodology of examination. Each of the next three chapters is given to the three hard cases of Paul's use of the OT. Paul's use of Isaiah 59:20-21 and 27:9 in Romans 11:26-27 is discussed in chapter 2 and demonstrated to be a contextually rooted use of the OT by arguing that Paul employs these passages with the same burden as their OT context, namely that one day all Israel will be saved. However, in Paul's modified form it also serves to reinforce the mystery concerning how that salvation will take place. Chapter 3 is a focused interaction with Paul's use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8. After discussing the inadequacies of the various approaches which seek to locate Paul's form of the text as employing an existing interpretive tradition, it is argued that Paul modified the wording of the quotation, not to disregard the OT context, but rather to summarize succinctly the entire psalm and use it to draw together several important themes in his letter. The quotation of Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14 in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 is the subject of chapter 4. While Paul does again modify these texts, he builds upon their original contexts as a way of showing how Christ's resurrection has conquered death. The judgment prophesied in the OT context has been poured out on Christ, thereby clearing a path for resurrection life for his people. Chapter 5 concludes with a synthesis of Paul's hermeneutical method in these passages. Paul's use of the OT is contextually rooted, but also comes through the interpretive lens of the apostle in light of his place in redemptive history.