This study examines how Herman Melville’s oeuvre interacts with Old Testament (OT) wisdom literature (the Books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). Using recent historical findings on the rise of religious skepticism and the erosion of Biblical authority in both Europe and the United States, I read Melville as an author steeped in the theological controversies of the eighteenth-century. Specifically, I am interested in teasing out the surprising disavowals of overt religious skepticism in Melville’s writing. By tracing the so-called Solomonic wisdom tradition throughout Melville’s oeuvre, I argue that Melville had developed an epistemology of contemplation towards that body of Biblical texts. Scholarship has traditionally painted Melville as a subversive if not downright skeptical religious thinker. Most studies have produced authorial readings, using texts as forensic evidence to make assertions about the author’s psychology. Incidentally, such assessments have confirmed the narrative of Herman Melville as a grand failed author of the nineteenth century, while ignoring the ambivalent attitudes toward Biblical authority, textual history, and skepticism that emerge in Melville’s writing. The present study intervenes by re-addressing several procedural questions about Melville’s literary dealings with the Bible: How does Melville deal with the distinct topics of religion, theology, religious skepticism, and doubt? How does he think through the relationship between science and religion as well as that of personal religion and theology? I claim that Melville’s work can be read as a continuous contemplation of Biblical wisdom. His writing, I argue, deals productively rather than a destructive with the Bible, its textual history, and authority. Melville’s thinking on theological and religious subjects was not merely subversive but constructive. In mounting this argument, I contradict current scholarship that reads Melville as trying to invent a new American Bible. In contrast, I show how Melville’s philosophical forays, even when critical, are dependent on the ethics, language, and thinking of the OT.

Thesis (DTh (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the concept of ‘wisdom’ in the Old Testament Wisdom Literature. This dissertation argues that the concept of ‘wisdom’ is both the search for order and the maintenance of mystery. The coexistence of order and mystery is suggested as a coherent theme of Wisdom Literature, and the various relationships between the two themes are explained as the particular voices in Wisdom Literature. Proverbs 16, Job 28, Ecclesiastes 3, and Sirach 24 exhibit the coexistent relationship between the two themes. While Proverbs 16 reveals an order prevailing coexistence, Ecclesiastes 3 exhibits a mystery prevailing coexistence. While Job 28 shows a dialogical coexistence, Sirach 24 illustrates a mysterious integrated coexistence between order and mystery. This coexistence of order and mystery is investigated by means of socio-rhetorical criticism. The voices of various textures such as inner texture, intertexture, social and cultural texture, and ideological and theological texture in Wisdom Literature reveal the coexistence and various types of coexistent relationships between the search for order and the maintenance of mystery. Inner texture analysis the literal and rhetorical nature of each text, revealing the themes such as the potential and the limitation of human beings and the fear of the Lord. Intertexture elaborates the themes as the search for order and the maintenance of mystery. Social and cultural texture explains the social and cultural setting of the theme, depending on the social topics such as the manipulationist and thaumaturgical response and the cultural categories such as dominant culture and contraculture. Based on this social cultural milieu, the sages or the authors of Wisdom Literature formulate a creation theology comprising of the search for order and the maintenance of mystery, criticising various ideologies such as royal ideology and the doctrine of retribution, and dominant cultures such as Hellenism and Judaism in each period. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie dissertasie is om die konsep ‘Wysheid’ in die Ou Testamentiese Wysheidsliteratuur te ondersoek. Hierdie dissertasie voer aan dat die begrip ‘Wysheid’ sowel die soeke is na orde as na die behoud van misterie. Die saambestaan van orde en misterie word voorgehou as ‘n tema wat alle Wysheidsliteratuur saamvat. Die verhoudings tussen die twee temas word verduidelik as die verskillende stemme van elke vorm van Wysheidsliteratuur. Spreuke 16, Job 28, Prediker 3 en Sirach 24 toon die samehangende verhouding tussen die twee temas. Terwyl Spreuke 16 ‘n vervlegtheid toon waarin orde oorheersend is, toon Prediker ‘n saambestaan waarin misterie oorheersend is. Waar Job 28 ‘n samehang van dialoog toon, toon Sirach 24 ‘n misterie-geïntegreerde saambestaan van orde en misterie. Hierdie vervlegtheid van orde en misterie word ondersoek deur middel van sosio-retoriese kritiek. Die stemme van verskillende teksture soos binne-tekstuur, intertekstuur, sosiale en kulturele tekstuur asook ideologiese en teologiese teksture in die Wysheidsliteratuur wys op die saambestaan van verskillende tipes verhoudings tussen die soeke na orde en die behoud van misterie. Binnetekstuur ontleed die letterlike en retoriese aard van elke teks, en toon temas soos die potensiaal en die beperktheid van die mens asook die vrees van God. Intertekstuur brei die temas uit as die soeke na orde en die behoud van misterie. Sosiale en kulturele tekstuur van die tema word toegelig deur die sosiale en kulturele tekstuur, afhangende van die sosiale temas soos die manipulerende en thaumaturgiese response en van die kulturele kategorieë soos dominante- en kontrakulture. Gebaseer op hierdie sosiale en kulturele milieu druk die outeurs van die Wysheidsliteratuur die skeppingsteologie uit as die soeke na orde en behoud van misterie en kritiseer verskeie ideologieë soos die ideologie van konings, die vergeldingsleer, asook Hellenisme en Judaïsme in elke periode.

This thesis has three main aims. First, I will propose and explain a genre ascription for the sayings in Prov 10:1-22:16 – the ‘didactic proverb’. Second, I will analyse ‘openness’ as a textual feature, and show its contribution to the functions of this genre. Third, I will demonstrate how reading this way may influence our understanding of some key issues in Proverbs’ scholarship. Part 1 tackles the first and second aims. In ch. 1, I suggest that the sayings in Prov 10:1-22:16 have something of a hybrid genre, displaying features akin to both ‘didactic’ texts and ‘proverbs’. This can be seen from their: generically related texts, probable social settings, media, self-presentation, and literary forms. As ‘didactic’ texts, the sayings shape the worldview, character and intellect of their students. As ‘proverbs’, they apply to specific situations with specific purposes. In ch. 2, I explain three manifestations of literary ‘openness’: polysemy can give a text multiple meanings; parallelism makes the relationship between lines unclear; imagery opens up worlds for exploration. Ch. 3 begins to show how this ‘openness’ enhances the sayings’ ‘didactic’ and ‘proverbial’ functions. Here I move beyond openness in interpretation to openness in application, and draw on the field of ‘paremiology’ (the technical study of the ‘proverb’ as a genre), which has been somewhat neglected in Proverbs’ scholarship. In Part 2, I turn to the text, drawing out the openness of key verses, and showing how they function ‘didactically’ and ‘as proverbs’. This proves to have implications for certain classic debates in Proverbs’ scholarship (my third aim). Ch. 4 considers ‘character’ terms (e.g. wise/foolish, righteous/wicked). I use cognitive linguistic theories to examine the terms as open categories with ‘prototype structure’. Viewed this way, the terms are not (as some have argued) abstract and cut off from the world, but profoundly useful for life. Ch. 5 considers the apparent ‘act-consequence connection’ in Proverbs. The connection is predictable but not inviolable, may come about through a number of agencies, and has strong motivational potential. Ch. 6 looks at proverbs about the king. These do not necessitate an actual court context, for the ‘king’ figure may encapsulate wider principles, and function as a teaching tool. Even when he appears to be glorified, his role may be subverted, requiring students to exercise their minds. In ch. 7, I consider the way wisdom is acquired in the ‘didactic proverb’ genre, and suggest a principle for gaining it: students must ‘trust and scrutinise’. They are thereby empowered in their quest for wisdom, whilst also becoming aware of their limitations. Throughout Part 2, I find ‘openness’ to be an important facilitator for didactic and proverbial goals. Prov 10:1-22:16 presents its readers with a panoply of fascinating texts. By exploring them as ‘open’, ‘didactic’, and ‘proverbial’, this thesis offers a fruitful reading strategy; new insights into functions and meanings; and some fresh perspectives on old debates.

Fostering collaboration among people of diverse ethnicities is vital to improving our relationships with Nature and with each other. All knowledges known to humans have their limits, including Western scientific knowledge. This study argues that Indigenous elders have a wealth of nature-based wisdom which is urgently needed. The Thirteen International Indigenous Grandmothers have been sharing their wisdom with the world and meeting them inspired this work. Two Grandmothers, one Mazatec and member of the Thirteen Grandmothers who follows in the healing tradition of curandera María Sabina, the other Taíno (Caribbean Arawak), and several members of their families in Mexico and in Cuba kindly agreed to be research participants so that I could bring attention to their gifts and share with the world. Embodying their ancient wisdom they do not see themselves as separate from Nature but as integral part of her. Their relationships to all beings, humans, animals, plants, minerals, and spiritual entities, are imbued with love and care. They can be role models for people who have forgotten the most basic premise of respect, reciprocity, responsibility, and empathy for all our relations. The methodologies underlying this investigation are Indigenous. I used strategies of inquiry such as storytelling, participant observation, and reflexive self study. Relationality and accountability are its pillars. Being of European descent, doing research with Indigenous elders required great vigilance on my part. I had to challenge my own conventional Western views and question the truths I am surrounded with to gain an understanding of my research participants’ worldview. Even with the best of intentions all I could hope for was an approximation. As I immersed myself into the worlds of my participants the great significance of plants as part of their physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing became evident. Maize, tobacco, and the plant teachers cohoba and psilocybe mushrooms were, and for the most part still are, essential and closely knit into their cultural fabric. Coming from a background where the written word is placed high above the spoken one, and Nature is seen as separate to us, it is important to acknowledge that much rich understanding of the world is beyond pen and paper, even beyond words. / Graduate / 0727 / gabriela@uvic.ca

Adat Iban are Indigenous law of the Iban people of Sarawak, Malaysia. This dissertation explores the wisdom of Adat Iban and examines whether the Adat and the underlying wisdom are living Adat. Currently, the interpretation, application, and enforcement of the Adat are basically following the Iban ancestors’ practices and complying with spiritual obligations. This practice provides very little legal reasoning which obscures the rationales and wisdom of Adat. Under such situation, the flux of socio-economic and political developments and social changes that have been taking place in the Iban communities impinges the relevance and significance of Adat in the regulation of social relations of the communities. This study presents a reinterpretation and/or re-evaluation of Adat Iban to elucidate the rationales and wisdom of Adat Iban. This approach could provide legal reasonings which could rejuvenate the relevance of Adat and make Adat to become more comprehensible law of general application to the changing Iban communities. “Wisdom” encompasses Iban autochthonous knowledge, ideas, experiences, judgements, and spiritual principle that evolved into Adat. Wisdom is the quality that enables an Adat to be utilised to bring about beneficial or noble purpose, or justice. The study contends that there is wisdom in most Adat Iban. However, the social changes and modernisation that are taking place in most Iban communities raise the question of whether the Adat and the underlying wisdom are living Adat. A living Adat is one that is dynamic and flexible and constantly adjusting and adapting to the new or changing social situations. This study concludes that most Adat Iban have the potential to be living Adat and continue to be relevant for the regulation of Iban communities. However, the survival, development, and continuing relevance of Adat Iban depend on the Iban. / Graduate / 2021-11-18

The Joseph narrative (Gn 37-50) has fascinated scholars since the discovery of sources in the Pentateuch. However, it was Gerhard von Rad (1901-1971) who opened scholars’ eyes to the wisdom current in the narrative. In recent years, narrative criticism became an important exegetical toll to analyze biblical stories. The dissertation makes use of the “quinary scheme” which narrative critics identified in some story plots since this scheme fits the plot of the Joseph narrative like a glove. There is an “initial situation”, a “complication”, a “transforming action”, a “denouement” and a “final situation”. However, the dissertation also takes the Israelite understanding of wisdom into account in assessing whether the different characters acted in a responsible or irresponsible way. Each of the sections of the plot is scrutinized to see how the different characters behave and to judge whether that behaviour can be classified as responsible in a wisdom sense. / Biblical and Ancient studies / M. Th. (Old Testament)

Recent scholarship has demonstrated that Matthew's gospel has significantly developed both sapiential and apocalyptic elements within its narrative. Little attention has been paid, however, to the question of how these two features of Matthew's gospel might relate to one another. It is this gap in scholarly literature that the present study is intended to fill, by means of a comparative study with two other texts of mixed genre: 1 Enoch and 4QInstruction. An examination of these texts demonstrates that each is marked by an inaugurated eschatology, within which the revealing of wisdom to an elect group, defined in distinction to the Jewish parent group, serves as the pivotal moment of inauguration. In addition, within 4QInstruction the idea is developed that possession of this revealed wisdom allows the remnant to live in fidelity to the will of the Creator and to the patterns built-in to the original creation. Thus, possession of revealed wisdom facilitates a recovery of creation. These findings provide lines of enquiry that may be brought to Matthew. Three sections of the gospel are examined (chapters 5-7; 11-12; 24-25). It is argued that Jesus is presented as an eschatological figure who reveals wisdom to an elect group. This wisdom cannot be reduced to great moral insight or interpretation of Torah, but is presented as prophetic revelation, happening in eschatological time. It remains the case, however, that Matthew presents it as wisdom and presents Jesus as a sage. More tentatively, it is suggested that creation provides the patterns for the ethical requirements of Jesus' wisdom, thus indicating that the idea of restored creation is also at work in Matthew. The fall of the temple may also be connected in Matthew's narrative to such a restoration, but again, the evidence for this is not clear.

The central theoretical statement of this study proposes that practical wisdom as an executive virtue within positive psychology may be applied in a pastoral-theological paradigm. One of the main virtues in positive psychology, namely wisdom, is investigated and defined in this study. The article format has been used in this thesis, ultimately consisting of five articles. In Article 1 the scriptural perspectives found on practical wisdom in the Old Testament are discussed. From the information contained in the article, it is deduced that Old Testament wisdom should and can possibly be used to connect the reader with the teachings in a realistic way so that the person is enabled to apply the principles of Old Testament wisdom literature to everyday circumstance. Article 2 deals with the wisdom principles found in the Sermon on the Mount. It can be said that wisdom teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount could possibly be used to enable the reader to achieve personal happiness in everyday life. It is further concluded that the principle of the transforming initiative could possibly be used in a valid psychotherapeutic process by the Christian psychologist with Christian clients. In Article 3 the meta-theoretical fields of philosophy, psychology, and specifically positive psychology, are investigated in terms of wisdom principles. The study focuses on how practical wisdom can be used as an executive virtue within the context of a Christian psychotherapeutic process. The conclusions from this chapter are used to direct the empirical research on the executive function of wisdom. Wisdom is an essential part of the psychotherapeutic process and can be used to enable the client to achieve personal happiness in everyday life. Article 4 deals with the empirical research where practical wisdom as executive virtue in the psychotherapeutic process was used to drive a process of personal growth and exploration for the clients in this study. It is stated further that wisdom is not the primary aim of the therapeutic intervention, but a tool to assist the therapist and the client in a more effective, outcomes-based, measurable result of personal growth. In Article 5 a pastoral-theological model for the executive virtue of practical wisdom in positive psychology is formulated. This model could possibly be applied to a therapeutic context, providing the client has the ability to comprehend the concepts and that the spiritual dimensions fit into his religious frame of reference. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The central theoretical statement of this study proposes that practical wisdom as an executive virtue within positive psychology may be applied in a pastoral-theological paradigm. One of the main virtues in positive psychology, namely wisdom, is investigated and defined in this study. The article format has been used in this thesis, ultimately consisting of five articles. In Article 1 the scriptural perspectives found on practical wisdom in the Old Testament are discussed. From the information contained in the article, it is deduced that Old Testament wisdom should and can possibly be used to connect the reader with the teachings in a realistic way so that the person is enabled to apply the principles of Old Testament wisdom literature to everyday circumstance. Article 2 deals with the wisdom principles found in the Sermon on the Mount. It can be said that wisdom teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount could possibly be used to enable the reader to achieve personal happiness in everyday life. It is further concluded that the principle of the transforming initiative could possibly be used in a valid psychotherapeutic process by the Christian psychologist with Christian clients. In Article 3 the meta-theoretical fields of philosophy, psychology, and specifically positive psychology, are investigated in terms of wisdom principles. The study focuses on how practical wisdom can be used as an executive virtue within the context of a Christian psychotherapeutic process. The conclusions from this chapter are used to direct the empirical research on the executive function of wisdom. Wisdom is an essential part of the psychotherapeutic process and can be used to enable the client to achieve personal happiness in everyday life. Article 4 deals with the empirical research where practical wisdom as executive virtue in the psychotherapeutic process was used to drive a process of personal growth and exploration for the clients in this study. It is stated further that wisdom is not the primary aim of the therapeutic intervention, but a tool to assist the therapist and the client in a more effective, outcomes-based, measurable result of personal growth. In Article 5 a pastoral-theological model for the executive virtue of practical wisdom in positive psychology is formulated. This model could possibly be applied to a therapeutic context, providing the client has the ability to comprehend the concepts and that the spiritual dimensions fit into his religious frame of reference. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Göttingen, 2004/2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [301]-313) and indexes.