One of the fundamental issues at the core of evangelical ethical debates involves the use of Scripture. Rejecting historical-critical methods on the one hand, and simplistic prooftexting on the other. Richard Hays wrote The Moral Vision of the New Testament in order to deal with this very problem. By most accounts, Hays's approach succeeds. This dissertation explores the method proposed by Hays in The Moral Vision , seeking to locate the strengths of his approach while noting its primary weaknesses. Upon finding Hays's method wanting, the dissertation posits a constructive proposal, in conversation with Hays, for using Scripture in ethics. The first chapter of the dissertation introduces the problem and suggests The Moral Vision as an ethical text which has garnered sufficient accolades as to make it worthy of examination. Chapter 2 seeks to describe in detail the major lines of argument, giving specific attention to the method Hays proposes to use Scripture in ethics. Chapter 3 offers a critique of The Moral Vision , beginning with several strengths. The thrust of the chapter, however centers on the following four weaknesses of Hays's method: first, Hays's program of appropriating Scripture is built on his view that Scripture speaks in disunity; second, that view of the canon necessitates that Hays identify three focal images to locate a coherent moral voice. The focal images serve to develop, despite Hays insistence to the contrary, a canon within the canon; third, Hays gives priority to narrative in his system, which opens his method up to greater subjectivity and personal bias; and lastly, Hays's approach provides no criteria for judging whether an appropriation is faithful, it unwittingly relies on transcendent ethical principles, and it fails to distinguish between interpretation and application. After offering a critique of The Moral Vision , chapter 4 proposes an original method for appropriating Scripture in ethics. That proposal seeks first to establish foundational convictions regarding Scripture and ethics. Building on those presuppositions, the dissertation prescribes how one might rightly read the ancient text of Scripture and from there draw conclusions about how the Bible gives ethical instructions today. At every turn, the dissertation's interest is concerned primarily with methodology rather than specific ethical conclusions. The chapter closes by drawing conclusions about one contemporary ethical issue ( in vitro fertilization) in order to test the method prescribed and help the reader see how such a proposal might proceed. The final chapter proposes application for the church that arises from the method proposed by this dissertation. The chapter also raises tensions for further research which lay outside the scope of this dissertation's purposes. / 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.

ABSTRACT THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL GROUNDING OF PAULINE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP IN 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY Robert Lee Stanford, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2015 Chair: Dr. Hal K. Pettegrew The purpose of this textually-based research was to establish the thesis that there is a discernible language of leadership utilized by the apostle Paul in 1 and 2 Timothy, born out of his ecclesiological purposes. This thesis investigated Paul’s leadership from the perspective of his leader-speak. A working premise was that leaders lead through communication of concepts and ideas, with the goal of influencing and persuading followers. To that end, leadership was defined as the effort to influence others to accomplish a collective goal through the development of relationships, actions, and words, which stimulate the attendant actions of those being led, in order to effect the desired response of a shared achievement. Similarly Paul’s leader-speak was defined, in part, as that which was communicated, to some degree, through the rhetorical teaching of his day and empowered and utilized by the holy spirit. The thesis measured against the discoveries offered a biblical base, 1 Timothy 3:15, for the theological context and purpose that informs Paul’s language of leadership. Paul’s ecclesiological purpose is that the church, the pillar and support of truth, must protect and promote the gospel. To that end, Paul’s leader-speak is concerned about orthodoxy as well as orthopraxy. Such leader-speak issues from Paul’s mouth to Timothy in a variety of voices including that of a father, teacher, and example. A parental perspective is apparent in the conversational framing and vocabulary Paul utilizes, as well as the tenor of his words. Paul speaks as a teacher in the employment of metaphorical illustrations, preformed materials and rhetorical strategies. Paul’s leader-speak is often the rhetoric of example: godly behavior in suffering. Such implicit language of example is often that of influence and persuasion, as well as contrast. At other times, Paul is explicitly direct in his leader-speak. The thesis of a Pauline language of leadership grounded in an ecclesiological purpose appears to be a valuable proposition. Thus, some implications and applications of these conclusions were discussed.

This study examined the biblical/theological foundations found in the Holy Spirit for leading ecclesial change within the text of Luke-Acts. Chapter 1 describes the purpose, goals, rationale, and research methodology for the study. Chapter 2 is a literature review that examines secular, Christian, and biblical/theological models for leading ecclesial change. Chapter 3 examines the role of the Holy Spirit in the empowered Messiah and demonstrates how the same Spirit that empowered, enabled, and equipped the Messiah is the same Spirit that enables, empowers, and equips believers today. Chapter 4 displays the manifestation of the Spirit’s work not only in the believer but inside the New Testament church. Chapter 5 offers conclusions of this study. Here the purpose and goals of the study are examined and biblical reflections as well as recommendation for practices are offered.

This thesis aims to compare the words and governing ethical pattern of thought in the catalogue of virtues and vice in Colossians 3:5, 8, 12-17 to Greco-Roman and Jewish texts that are antecedent to, or contemporaneous with the writings of the apostle Paul and the Epistle to the Colossians. In carrying out this study, I will interact with and critique the arguments of scholars who have proposed that Paul and the author of Colossians are operating from a Stoic, Cynic or Aristotelian governing ethical pattern of thought. I will demonstrate that such positions are called into question in light of the lack of both central Greco-Roman ethical terms, and the lack of essential ethical concepts in both the generally agreed upon genuine Pauline epistles and in the Epistle to the Colossians in particular. Lastly, I will combine the results of the comparative studies of Colossians and the Greco-Roman and Jewish sources with an exegesis of Colossians in order to propose that: (i) the ethical terms of Colossians - while incidentally and peripherally influenced by the various Hellenistic ethical schools of thought - are most directly influenced by words found in the texts of the Jewish traditions, (ii) several of the ethical terms used by the author of Colossians are largely absent from and certainly uncommon in the Greco-Roman sources surveyed but widely attested in the Jewish sources, and that (iii) the author of Colossians presents his ethical material through an inherited binary format derived from the Jewish Two Ways tradition that is driven by a governing pattern of thought which focuses on Christlike transformation through the enactment and reception of cruciform love.

黃健羒著. / 手稿本, 複本據手稿本影印. / 論文(神學學部神道學碩士)--香港中文大學硏究院. / 參考文獻: leaves 143-151. / Huang Jianfen zhu. / 論文撮要 --- p.ii / 謝詞 --- p.iv / 經文引述按語 --- p.v / 附表目錄 --- p.iii / Chapter 第一章 --- 導論 --- p.1 / Chapter 第二章 --- 教牧書信作者問題 --- p.9 / Chapter 二、一節 --- 作者問題的重要性 --- p.10 / Chapter 二、二節 --- 推斷作者是否保羅的途徑 --- p.14 / Chapter 二、三節 --- 總論 --- p.23 / Chapter 第三章 --- 使徒性教會的本質 --- p.26 / Chapter 三、一節 --- 初期教會信經 --- p.29 / Chapter 三、二節 --- 使徒傳統 --- p.34 / Chapter 三、三節 --- 承繼使徒傳統的準則 --- p.43 / Chapter 第四章 --- 受按立之牧職 --- p.52 / Chapter 四、一節 --- 初期教會之情況 --- p.53 / Chapter 四、二節 --- 牧職之涵義 --- p.58 / Chapter 四、三節 --- 按立之涵義 --- p.66 / Chapter 四、四節 --- 長老、監督及執事 --- p.76 / Chapter 第五章 --- 受按立牧職之重要功能─教導 --- p.86 / Chapter 五、一節 --- 教牧書新重視教導 --- p.89 / Chapter 五、二節 --- 藉教導保持使徒性 --- p.97 / Chapter 五、三節 --- 如何在今日教會中推行教導 --- p.108 / Chapter 第六章 --- 結論 --- p.116 / 畧字表 --- p.122 / 註釋 --- p.124 / 書目 --- p.143

by Elizabeth Leung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-86). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Acknowledgments --- p.iii / Abbreviations --- p.iv / Abstract --- p.v / Chapter / Chapter I. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter A. --- A Brief Survey of Method of Matthean Studies --- p.1 / Chapter 1. --- Before the 1980s: Redaction Criticism --- p.1 / Chapter 2. --- An Example of Transition --- p.4 / Chapter 3. --- Narrative Criticism --- p.5 / Chapter B. --- Method of Study --- p.13 / Chapter C. --- Thesis --- p.14 / Chapter II. --- The Eschatological Theme of Persecution --- p.16 / Chapter A. --- Persecutors & Persecution --- p.16 / Chapter 1. --- "Identity of Persecutions, Traitors and Haters (24:9-10 cf. 10:17-18, 21-22)" --- p.16 / Chapter 2. --- Severity of Persecution (24:9 cf. 5:11) --- p.19 / Chapter B. --- Communal Disharmony --- p.22 / Chapter 1. --- The Lack of Reconciliation (24:10 cf. 5:21-26) --- p.23 / Chapter 2. --- "The Lack of Non-Retaliation (24:10 cf. 5:38-42, 43-48)" --- p.26 / Chapter 3. --- "The Lack of Forgiveness and Non-Judgment (24:10 cf. 6:14-15, 7:1-5)" --- p.28 / Chapter C. --- False Prophets & Lawlessness --- p.30 / Chapter 1. --- "False Prophets (24:11, 24 cf. 7:15-20)" --- p.31 / Chapter 2. --- Lawlessness (24:12 cf. 7:21-23) --- p.34 / Chapter D. --- Perseverance & Purpose --- p.38 / Chapter 1. --- The Way of Persevering (24:13 cf. 7:24-27) --- p.38 / Chapter 2. --- The Circumstances of Persevering (24:13 cf. 10:22) --- p.41 / Chapter 3. --- The Purpose of Persevering (24:14 cf. 10:5-6) --- p.42 / Chapter E. --- Concluding Remarks --- p.46 / Chapter III. --- The Eschatological Theme of Separation --- p.48 / Chapter A. --- "The Time of Separation (24:3 cf. 13:24-30，36-43, 47-49)" --- p.49 / Chapter 1. --- "The Destruction of the Temple and ""These Things""" --- p.50 / Chapter 2. --- The Sign of the Parousia and the End of Age --- p.53 / Chapter B. --- "The Reason for Separation (24:40-41; 25:1-13,31-46 cf. 13:24-30,36-43,47-49)" --- p.56 / Chapter 1. --- The Ones Being Separated in the Parables Speech --- p.56 / Chapter 2. --- The Reasons of Separation in the Eschatological Speech --- p.61 / Chapter C. --- Separation & the Responsibility of Authority (24:45-51; 25:14-30 cf. 18:1-35) --- p.65 / Chapter 1. --- The Leadership Authority to Love --- p.66 / Chapter 2. --- The Leadership Authority to Discipline --- p.70 / Chapter 3. --- Use and Misuse of Authority --- p.73 / Chapter D. --- Concluding Remarks --- p.78 / Chapter IV. --- Conclusion --- p.80 / Bibliography --- p.84

林志堅. / "2013年9月". / "2013 nian 9 yue". / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 280-303). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in Chinese and English. / Lin Zhijian.

Liu Tsui-yuk. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-128). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / List of Abbreviations --- p.ix / Chapter / Chapter 1. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / The Issue of Rom 11 :25-32 --- p.1 / Brief Survey on Scholarly Concerns --- p.4 / Theological Considerations --- p.4 / Text-Context-Semantic Considerations --- p.7 / Purpose and Methodology of the Present Study --- p.14 / The Nature of the Epistle of Romans --- p.15 / The Role of Paul to the Community --- p.17 / The Christian Community of Rome --- p.20 / The Audience of the Epistle of Romans --- p.24 / The Thesis of the Present Study --- p.24 / Chapter 2. --- THE SOCIAL SETTING OF ROMANS IN THE LIGHT OF KIRCHENPOLITIK --- p.25 / Building up Consensus --- p.25 / The Necessity of a Consensus --- p.25 / The Necessity of a Consensus for the Roman Christian Community --- p.25 / The Necessity of a Consensus for Paul --- p.27 / The Content of the Consensus --- p.29 / Defining Self-Identity Regarding the Religion of Origin --- p.30 / The Necessity of Defining Self-Identity Regarding the Religion of Origin --- p.31 / Defining Self-Identity --- p.32 / Freeing from Jewish Identity Markers --- p.33 / Setting up New Boundary --- p.33 / Resolving Conflicts --- p.35 / "Conflicts between the ""“Strong"" and ""Weak""" --- p.35 / Boasting of the Jewish Christians over the Gentile Christians --- p.36 / Boasting of the Gentile Christians over the Jewish Christians --- p.36 / Paul's Way to Resolve the Conflicts --- p.37 / Giving Direction Regarding the Surrounding World --- p.38 / "The ""“Chrestus"" Expulsion" --- p.38 / The Content of the Instruction Regarding the Surrounding World --- p.41 / Creating an Image of World --- p.41 / Offering Orientations --- p.43 / Establishing a Structure of Authority --- p.44 / Independence of the Influence of External Authority --- p.45 / Establishing Internal Authority --- p.46 / The Lordship of Jesus Christ --- p.47 / The Leadership of Paul --- p.48 / The Structure of Authority --- p.48 / Chapter 3. --- THE CONTEXT OF ROMANS IN THE LIGHT OF KIRCHENPOLITIK --- p.51 / ROM 1:1-17 introducrtion in the Light of Kirchenpolitik --- p.52 / Rom 1:18-5 :21 The Core Values of the Gospel: Righteousness of God-To Man's Faith in the Light of Kirchenpolitik --- p.60 / Rom 6:1 -8:39 The Outworking of the Gospel: In Relation to the Individual in the Light of Kirchenpolitik --- p.66 / Rom 9:1-11:36 The Outworking of the Gospel: In Relation to Israel and Gentiles in the Light of Kirchenpolitik --- p.68 / Rom 12:1-15:13 The Outworking of the Gospel: for the Redefined People of God In Everyday Terms in the Light of Kirchenpolitik --- p.68 / Rom 15:14-16:27 Conclusion in the Light of Kirchenpolitik --- p.70 / Chapter 4. --- THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT OF ROMANS IN THE LIGHT OF KIRCHENPOLITIK --- p.72 / Paul's Concern for His Kinspeople (Rom 9:1-5) --- p.72 / The Election and Mercy of God (Rom 9:6-29) --- p.74 / God's Election (Rom 9:6-13) --- p.74 / God's Mercy (Rom 9:14-29) --- p.75 / The Word of Faith (Rom 9:30-10:21) --- p.77 / The Mystery of God's Faithfulness (Rom 11:1 -24) --- p.80 / A Concluding Hymn of Adoration (Rom 1 1:33-36) --- p.82 / Chapter 5. --- "PAUL'S MEANING AND RHETORICAL FORCE OF ""ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED"" (ROM 11:25-32) IN THE LIGHT OF KIRCHENPOLITIK" --- p.83 / Paul's Intended Audience --- p.84 / The Inaccurate Assumption: Gentile Christian Audience --- p.84 / True Audience: Gentile and Jewish Christians --- p.84 / Rom 11:25-32 in the Light of Kirchenpolitik --- p.87 / The Confession(Rom 11:25-27) --- p.87 / Prelude （(Rom 11:25a) --- p.88 / Mystery: Hardening of Israel and Fullness of Gentiles (Rom 11:25b) --- p.92 / Mystery: All Israel will be saved (Rom 11:26a) --- p.97 / The Biblical Basis (Rom 11:26b-27) --- p.102 / Concluding Remark (Rom 11:28-32) --- p.104 / Irrevocable Divine Gifts and Call (Rom 11:28-29) --- p.105 / Divine Disobedience and Mercy (Rom 11:30-32、) --- p.108 / Summary: The Rhetorical Force of All Israel Will Be Saved --- p.109 / Chapter 6. --- CONCLUSIONS --- p.115 / Bibliography --- p.119

From a close reading of both the Book of Job and Deuteronomy I would propose that the former might be intentionally responding to and challenging the prevailing Deuteronomic doctrine of divine retributive justice as it is expressed clearly in the notion of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy (11:26-28; chs. 27-28). It is also claimed that in order not to offend or upset the mainstream theological position too much, the author of Job chooses to adopt another theological position, the principle of divine providence, to balance the radical nature of his/her project. The two theological themes intertwine and they address different circles of audience, the orthodox and the liberal. This may provide an explanation for the existence of the seemingly self-contradictory elements in the Book of Job. / I will place the Book of Job in the post-exilic historical background and relate it to the contemporary intellectual context, that is, the Deuteronomistic historical writings (hereafter DH). While fully acknowledging the scholarly hypothetical nature of the DH, it can nevertheless be observed that the theme of "a just divine retribution" (Noth) works through the writings of the Deuteronomists. It is in this sense that some scholars label the DH as "a theodicy" (Romer), i.e., a defense of divine justice in the face of the national tragedy of exile. Since the Book of Job also seriously questions the validity of divine retributive justice it seems quite reasonable to read it in the light of the Deuteronomistic works and their theological doctrines. / Many biblical scholars have stated, the Book of Job relates to the issue of the validity/applicability of divine justice (Jastrow, Crenshaw, etc.). There are others who disagree and they consider the book offers a strong confirmation of divine providence (e.g. Andersen). This is especially true with YHWH speeches (38:1-40:2; 40:6-41:34) and the so called "happy ending" (42:7-17). Though most scholars would acknowledge the complexity and even contradictions in the book and observe that there is more than one single theme, few would present competing ideas as parallel discourses of comparable significance. To my view, the dimensions of questioning the validity of divine justice and the confirmation of divine providence are juxtaposed in the book. They come into conflicts and contradict one with the other. What the present author intends to do in this thesis is to explore how the two discourses work together in creative tension in the book and why the two seemingly competing theological claims are employed by the author in his/her construction of the text. / This dissertation will employ multiple approaches. Classical theory of poetry, contemporary drama theory, and Intertextual reading strategies will be adopted in different stages of its argument. Basically, the literary-critical method will be relied on in the analysis of the text of Job. / 張纓. / Adviser: Archie C. C. Lee. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0638. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 267-288). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Zhang Ying.

Perhaps the most perplexing issue in Psalm 82 is its obvious cultic and polytheistic background with its source remains elusive to scholars. Consequently, to grasp the main intention and purpose of this psalm becomes an equally baffling exercise. This thesis will take up these two pertinent issues. It attempts to take the psalm as a whole. This paper will put forward two arguments. First, the genre of 'cultic prophetic psalm' is not only the most helpful, but also the most befitting approach to grasp its holistic intent. Second, Psalm 82 is seminal in developing a new cultic motif on "righteous judgment" from the cult of the "living and dying god" of the ancient traditions. / Psalm 82---a text notorious of its brevity, yet profound complex concepts is the subject of this thesis. Since the last two extensive works which were published in the late 1960s by James. S. Ackerman and Hans-Winfried Jungling, there are several other pieces which develop from these two contributions but concentrate only on some aspects of the psalm, and not a comprehensive study of it. It is therefore more appropriate and necessary than ever, that at the beginning of the 21st century when the academia on the ancient Near East has flourished in leaps and bounds, a re-examination of the scholarship on Psalm 82 will be fruitful venture. / Therefore, I shall present my thesis as follows: In chapter one, I shall review the past research results on Psalm 82. This sets up a starting point for the thesis and raises the main issues for discussion. It is proposed that Psalm 82 is a cultic prophetic psalm, which is performed in the temple expressing the Israelite belief of a just God. It is proposed that Psalm 82 is a cultic prophetic psalm with performance in the temple and expresses the Israelite belief in a Just God. In chapter two, I shall analyze and present the contents and the structure of the whole cultic drama. It will attempt to prove that the core content of this psalm is 'Belief in the Just God' and that this content is both inherited and developed from the motif of the "living and dying god" in the ancient traditions. Hence, a new cultic motif is formed that the just God of Israel judges the unjust gods and pronounces a death sentence. In chapter three, the whole psalm is submitted under the framework of a cultic drama, and I will attempt to analyze the words and the complex concepts in the psalm. These include "the council of gods", the relationship between "God" and the "gods", the righteous God of Israel judging the unjust gods, the meaning of "the poor", "orphans", "widows" and "the wicked", the usage of the image and meaning of both "the foundations of the earth" and "the shaking of the foundations of the earth", the function of "the nations" and "inheritance", and the significance of the death of the gods. Finally in chapter four, after comparing the concepts and usage of words mentioned above with the myths and stories of the ancient Canaanites. I shall further verify that Psalm 82 mainly absorbs and uses the mythical and religious elements of ancient Canaan. The psalm expresses the firm belief in the just God Yahweh, albeit in a polytheistic setting. By using the idea of "the council of gods" in the ancient Near East, especially in Canaan, the psalm integrates many mythical elements and ideas of the ancient religious traditions, and finally develops a new cultic motif on "righteous judgment" from the cult of the "living and dying god" of the ancient traditions. / 徐雪梅. / Adviser: Archie C. C. Lee. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-08, Section: A, page: 3183. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-253). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Xu Xuemei.