Thesis (M.A.)--Lancaster Bible College, Graduate School, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-99).

Thesis (M.A.)--Lancaster Bible College, Graduate School, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-99).

Despite its generally agreed importance, very little has been written about The Apostles. Even among the extant publications that address The Apostles, scholars have focused on its history and development, its reception, or analytical descriptions of its surface themes. The aim of this study will therefore be to provide neither a biography of Elgar, nor an account of the genesis of the work, but to analyze The Apostles in a manner that will achieve a deeper understanding of the oratorio. Chapter 1 explores the complexities that surround Judas and the different ways in which he was perceived throughout history. Then, through my analysis of the surface motives in Chapter 2 and their significance in relation to the large-scale harmonic structure in Chapter 3, I will suggest that Elgar does not denigrate Judas as the betrayer of Christ in The Apostles, but rather depicts him as a tragic yet crucial figure in achieving the redemption of mankind, and through this Judas himself is redeemed.

Using a narrative-critical approach, this thesis argues that ‘Herod’ may be construed as a composite character in Luke-Acts. Composite characters appear in literary works as a conflation of two or more historic individuals into a single character in a narrative. Scholars have often noted that Luke-Acts evidences a more extensive interest in the Herodian rulers than do the gospels of Mark and Matthew and that each of these rulers are depicted similarly to the others in his work. However, no one has argued that those rulers named ‘Herod’ may be understood as a composite character. In Luke-Acts, three Herodian rulers stand behind the composite ‘Herod’. The thesis will show that when compared/contrasted with what is known about the Herodian rulers from historical evidence, two unique features of the depiction of the Herodian rulers named Herod in Luke-Acts emerge. First, at Luke 1:5 the author uses the title ‘King of Judaea’ which is unattested elsewhere for any Herodian ruler. Second, at Acts 12 the author uses the name ‘Herod’ for Agrippa I, a name that finds no external corroboration for this particular King. While other occurrences of the name ‘Herod’ refer to Herod Antipas (Luke 3—Acts 4), these two distinct features of the narrative may be understood as conflation of the other ‘Herods’ with Antipas. Following an interpretation of all the passages in which ‘Herod’ appears, it will be evident that ‘Herod’ is portrayed consistently and as a single character not only through repeated use of the name ‘Herod’, but as a recurring antagonist to the key protagonists of the narrative (John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles/early church). Finally, the thesis will consider as explanation of the depiction of ‘Herod’ how this composite character embodies Satanic opposition from the political realm toward those who proclaim the gospel in the Lukan narrative.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-217).

The thesis collects and analyses the very first (2nd-5th century) clear quotations, references and interpretations of Acts 15:20.29 and Acts 21:25. It consists of three parts: Part I, which is introductory in nature, presents and comments upon the textual variants of these biblical verses. Part II catalogues and analyses all the relevant texts referring to and commenting on Acts 15:20.29 and Acts 21:25. The purpose is to discover each ancient author’s understanding of the Jerusalem Council’s prohibitions, enumerated in the above verses of Acts. The writers and their texts are divided into three groups depending on which main textual variant of Acts 15:20.29 and Acts 21:25 they referred or quote. Part III presents in its first two chapters a synthesis of the above analyses, juxtaposing and summarizing early authors’ views on the meaning and normativity of the prohibitions. Then, the last chapter examines the potential influence of a variant of Acts 15:20.29 and 21:25 quoted or referred to (or preferred if more variants were known to a given author) by the writers on their understanding of the prohibitions. The thesis shows that despite different textual variants used by the early writers, their interpretations of the prohibitions, although often superficially different, have in a number of cases and on a deeper level more in common than one would preliminarily surmise.

A charismatically created organization works to tear down the routine and the norm of everyday society, replacing them with new institutions. Max Weber has stated that a charismatic organization can only exist in the creation stage, after which it will either collapse under the weight of the changes it has made, or begin a move towards the routine, making it as well-established and routinized as the society it sought to replace. The changes to the seniority of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints demonstrate the movement of the church from charismatic to routinized leadership. They also show how the charismatic attributes of the first leader of the church were institutionalized in the office of President of the Church. The first change occurred in 1861, reversing the seniority of John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff. The second change occurred in 1875, making Taylor and Woodruff senior to two original members of the Quorum of the Twelve, Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt. The final change occurred in 1900, making Joseph F. Smith senior to Brigham Young, Jr. The few scholars who have addressed these changes tend to focus on either the official explanations or personal relationships and motives of those involved. This thesis moves beyond these to explore the broader institutional motives. It also discusses the effects of changing the rules determining who would succeed to the presidency of the church. The 1861 and 1900 changes have not been examined in any substantial way before. All three changes affected who became president of the church, thus changing the direction of the church. More than satisfying personal vendettas or righting obvious problems in the rules of seniority, the three changes highlight difficult choices church leaders made that moved The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from a charismatically led organization to a highly routinized bureaucracy.

It is the object of this paper to review Sir Edward Elgar's life as a composer, and to discuss and study the thematic elements of his oratorio, "The Apostles." To understand and evaluate the significance of any person's rise to fame in his own field, it is necessary to reconstruct the surroundings from which he came. If a study of the musical conditions had been made when Elgar's development as a composer was starting to draw attention, it would have been noted that the British public was prepared to listen to music in newer forms only if it was from a country other than England. There was very little done or said to encourage any music in a modern character if it was composed by someone from England.

<p> This dissertation argues that the corpus of so-called Catholic Epistles in the New Testament canon, that is James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude, should be accurately called the Jerusalem Apostolic Epistles. These epistles were written by the alleged Jerusalem Apostles, namely James, Peter, John and Jude. Instead of looking at these writings separately, it is proposed that the mission of the Jerusalem Apostles can be discovered by an authorial, historical, and canonical reconstruction of their epistles if they are studied as a collection. These four canonical authors represented three locations of origin, James and Jude from Jerusalem to the Diaspora Jews, Peter from Rome to the Diaspora Jews of eastern Asia Minor, and John from Asia Minor to the vicinity. The seven epistles were closely knitted together like a web through various kinds of connections and similarities.</p> <p> In the process of the canonization of these epistles, we find that the Jerusalem Apostolicity representing the Jewish Christianity played a role in the church in, on the one hand, separating from first-century Judaism, and, on the other, counterbalancing the Gentile Christianity represented by Paulinism. The latter parting of the ways has been in existence from the days of the apostles to even the days of Augustine. The rise of heresies indirectly stimulated the making of creeds and regula fidei.</p> <p> Papyrological and patristic evidences show that some of these epistles existed and were in circulation as early as the second century. The Jerusalem Apostles and their writings were recognized, mentioned, quoted, and circulated. There were obstacles for some of the writings of the Jerusalem Apostles to be recognized into the canon. However, in view of the final product and the placement of the canon, all these epistles were compiled together following the Book of Acts to form a single unit of the Apostolos. I propose a canon-logical reconstruction of the Jerusalem Apostolic Theology, and a reading of the Catholic Epistles with literary rearrangement within the Apostolos as part of the discussion of the final canonical product.</p> <p> This dissertation concludes with my attempt of an authorial, historical, and canonical reconstruction of the mission of the Jerusalem Apostles.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)