DOCSLIB.ORG

New Testament Theology

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
New Testament Theology Issues in NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY by RICHARD B. GAFFIN JR. Selected Articles on Biblical and Systematic Theology This book was compiled upon the occasion of Dr. Richard Gaffin’s 80th birthday. The Reformed evangelical community celebrates his life and ministry. What a gift Dr. Richard Gaffin has been to Christ’s church—and now for 80 years. Thanks be to God for his faithful witness in life and in theology. We are all in his debt, and we celebrate this important milestone with him in gratitude. —Albert Mohler A Westminster prof, Richard Gaffin, Exhibits the best of good staffin’: Although he is eighty His thoughts are still weighty And sprinkled with good-humored laughin’. —Don Carson TABLE of CONTENTS Contemporary Hermeneutics and the Study of the New Testament (1969) The Usefulness of the Cross (1979) The Holy Spirit (1980) Some EpistemoloGical Reflections on 1 Corinthians 2:6–16 (1995) Biblical TheoloGy and the Westminster Standards (2003) CONTEMPORARY HERMENEUTICS AND THE STUDY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT1 RICHARD B. GAFFIN, JR. HE question of hermeneutics (or how the Bible is to be Tinterpreted) is at the center of contemporary theological debate. In fact, it does not go too far to say that today all theological discussion is, in one form or another, hermeneutical discussion. Particular lines of inquiry are seen to converge in a hermeneutical focus. Specific issues are considered to be reducible to a hermeneutical common denominator. In a word, the problem — for it is recognized to be such — the problem of hermeneutics is felt to be the theological problem par excellence. As long as one continues to operate with the conventional understanding of hermeneutics, this all-consuming interest in the subject remains unintelligible or its significance is, at best, only dimly perceived. Traditionally, hermeneutics has been conceived of as a particular theological discipline, closely associated with, yet distinguished from, exegesis, as both have reference to the biblical text. To be more specific, hermeneutics and exegesis are related to each other as theory to practice. Hermeneutics is concerned with enunciating principles of interpretation derived, for the most part, from previously established epistemological and philological considerations, principles which, in turn, are to facilitate understanding of the text as they are applied in the concrete act of exegesis. This, for instance, is the conception of hermeneutics developed by Abraham Kuyper in the third volume of his monumental work on theological encyclopedia: hermeneutics is "de logica der exégèse."2 1 A paper delivered at the conference of the Board of Trustees and the Faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary on October 21, 1968. 2 Encyclopaedie der Heilige Godgeleerdheid, III (Kampen: J. H. Kok, 1909), 90. 129 130 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL In marked contrast to this traditional point of view is the new grasp of the proportions and nature of the hermeneutical task which has been emerging since the appearance of Karl Barth's commentary on the book of Romans and which has become increasingly dominant since about 1950. This sig- nificant expansion of the hermeneutical horizon is seen most easily in the influential encyclopedia article on "Hermeneutik" by the German church historian, Gerhard Ebeling, which appeared in 1959.3 An excellent statement of this new orienta- tion has been provided for the English reader by James M. Robinson in his essay, "Hermeneutic Since Barth."4 Guided by etymological reflection upon the three root meanings of the Greek verb which directly underlies the word "herme- neutics" and its equivalents in other modern European languages, Ebeling maintains that in his interest in explaining the text the exegete must take into consideration as well the hermeneutical significance not only of translation (from the Hebrew or Greek) but especially of the language itself. It is this — what Robinson refers to as the "interpretative inter- relatedness" of these three aspects: language, translation, and exposition — which is held to have profound implica- tions for the hermeneutical task and to serve as an indication of its true breadth. Hence in an effort to distinguish the more primal, foundational nature of this outlook over against the earlier, more limited conception, the leading movement in current developments refers to itself as the "new hermeneutic" (singular) in distinction from hermeneutics (plural). It needs especially to be underscored that what is central to this viewpoint is its concern with the phenomenon of language. Nothing is more characteristic of contemporary hermeneutic than its attention to language, be it that of the text or the interpreter. In this connection, two emphases of a more formal character stand out: (1) The first of these is the positive and indispensable role of language in understand- ing. Language is not secondary to meaning. Language is not * Kurt Galling, ed., Die Religion in Geschickte und Gegenwart, 3rd ed., Ill (Tübingen: J. C. ¬. Mohr, 1959), 242-262. * James M. Robinson and John B. Cobb, Jr., eds., The New Hermeneutic {New Frontiers in Theology, II, New York: Harper & Row, 1964), pp. 1-77. CONTEMPORARY HERMENEUTICS AND STUDY OF Õ. T. 131 the surface distortion of a presumably deeper level of meaning. Rather, one must make his point of departure, as Robinson puts it, "the unbroken linguisticality of understanding." (2) A second stress, correlate with the first, is that all lan- guage is itself interpretation. The significant implication of this point, so far as the text is concerned, is that as it points to the subject matter, the language of the text is not only in need of interpretation but is already itself an initial inter- pretation of the subject matter. In terms of this combination of factors: the necessary correlation of language and under- standing and the hermeneutically problematic character of all language, one can begin to see why the question of herme- neutics has taken on such central importance. Hermeneutics has (of necessity, as we shall see) come more and more to deal with the phenomenon of understanding itself. It has felt compelled to concern itself with the nature of understanding, how understanding is at all possible, and other related and equally crucial questions: what is meaning? what is the nature of language? what is the precise relation between language and meaning? In other words, the hermeneutical vista has been extended to include some of the most basic questions and problems that man raises and tries to answer; and these are being treated as specifically hermeneutical questions and problems. To describe the situation in a way which serves to point up the revolutionary reshaping of theology which is taking place, we may observe that the action confined formerly to the area of prolegomena to systematic theology is now taking place on a broad front which involves equally all of the theo- logical disciplines. In a word, today theology is hermeneutic. This background needs to be kept in view in any approach to the matter of hermeneutics. Such an awareness, moreover, is particularly integral to a consideration of the topic I have been asked to deal with this evening: the question of herme- neutics as it relates to the study of the New Testament. For it is primarily in the area of New Testament studies that the contemporary preoccupation with hermeneutics which domi- nates all of the theological disciplines has had its origin and continues to receive its stimulus and direction. Hence the scope of this paper has been kept broad deliberately. It is intended as an orientation, to provide a necessary first step 132 WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL toward understanding an exceedingly complex state of affairs. First, I shall try to sketch somewhat further but still in necessarily bold strokes the origin and contours of the con- trolling hermeneutical outlook of our day, and then, with my special interest in the New Testament, to indicate some- thing of the response which appears to be demanded. The discussion which follows may serve to bring out required qualifications and corrections. ************** Contemporary hermeneutics is intelligible only as it is seen to have its proximate roots in the so-called "Enlightenment." That is, contemporary hermeneutics has its origin in that period (during the latter part of the seventeenth and during the eighteenth century) when the principle of human au- tonomy — which has always been latent in the heart of man — begins to come to consistent, well-worked-out, one may say, blatant expression. Man's reason is canonized as the final authority. The notion of an external authority of equal magnitude, be it that of Scripture or the church, is em- phatically rejected. Coupled with the elimination of what has been referred to as the "God-hypothesis," is an assertion of unbounded confidence in the ability of man to penetrate the mysteries of the cosmic order. History and nature are presumed capable of a completely immanent explanation. The pointed hermeneutical significance of this Enlightenment principle of autonomy may be stated in a single sentence: "Man is his own interpreter." The consequences of this hermeneutical outlook for the interpretation of the Bible in particular are far-reaching. Several factors need to be noted here, factors which, it should be stressed, are inextricably related: (1) The doctrine of verbal inspiration, the notion of the divinely spirated, God- breathed origin of the biblical text is abandoned along with the broader understanding of the nature of God and his activity of which this doctrine is a part. (2) A distinction begins to be made, an element of discontinuity introduced, between revelation, the Word of God, on the one hand, and the Bible, the words of men, on the other. (3) The meth- CONTEMPORARY HERMENEUTICS AND STUDY OF Õ. T. 133 odological inference which is inevitably drawn is that no exceptions are to be granted to the Bible when it is dealt with as a text.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer
    Edinburgh Research Explorer 'Dating the Death of Jesus' Citation for published version: Bond, H 2013, ''Dating the Death of Jesus': Memory and the Religious Imagination', New Testament Studies, vol. 59, no. 04, pp. 461-475. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0028688513000131 Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.1017/S0028688513000131 Link: Link to publication record in Edinburgh Research Explorer Document Version: Peer reviewed version Published In: New Testament Studies Publisher Rights Statement: © Helen Bond, 2013. Bond, H. (2013). 'Dating the Death of Jesus': Memory and the Religious Imagination. New Testament Studies, 59(04), 461-475doi: 10.1017/S0028688513000131 General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Edinburgh Research Explorer is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The University of Edinburgh has made every reasonable effort to ensure that Edinburgh Research Explorer content complies with UK legislation. If you believe that the public display of this file breaches copyright please contact [email protected] providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 01. Oct. 2021 Dating the Death of Jesus: Memory and the Religious Imagination Helen K. Bond School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, Mound Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2LX [email protected] After discussing the scholarly preference for dating Jesus’ crucifixion to 7th April 30 CE, this article argues that the precise date can no longer be recovered. All we can claim with any degree of historical certainty is that Jesus died some time around Passover (perhaps a week or so before the feast) between 29 and 34 CE.
    [Show full text]
  • The New Testamentu a Student’S Introduction
    Eighth Edition L A W S O N , A N G E L A 6 8 5 3 B The New TestamentU A Student’s Introduction Stephen L. Harris har19138_ch01_001-022.indd Page 1 06/01/14 3:37 PM user /204/MH02032/har19138_disk1of1/0078119138/har19138_pagefiles part one An Invitation to the New Testament L A W S O N , A N G E L A 6 8 5 3 B U har19138_ch01_001-022.indd Page 2 11/01/14 7:02 PM user /204/MH02032/har19138_disk1of1/0078119138/har19138_pagefiles chapter 1 An Overview of the New Testament L Here begins the Gospel of JesusA Christ. Mark 1:1* W S O Key Topics/Themes A collection of twenty-seven apocalypse (revelation). The early Christian Greek documents that early Christians appended Ncommunity produced a host of other writings as to a Greek edition of the Hebrew Bible (the Old well, which scholars also study to understand Testament) , the New Testament includes four ,the diverse nature of the Jesus movement as it Gospels, a church history, letters, and an spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. A People read the New Testament for an almost in- Npersonal belief and behavior (see Box 1.1). fi nite variety of reasons. Some read to satisfy their GReaders attempt to discover authoritative coun- curiosity about the origins of one of the great sel on issues that modern science or speculative world religions. They seek to learn more about the E philosophy cannot resolve, such as the nature social and historical roots of Christianity, a faith Lof God, the fate of the soul after death, and the that began in the early days of the Roman Empire ultimate destiny of humankind.
    [Show full text]
  • Teaching the Scriptural Emphasis on the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
    Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Faculty Publications 2019 Teaching the Scriptural Emphasis on the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ John Hilton III Brigham Young University - Provo, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub Part of the Christianity Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Hilton, John III, "Teaching the Scriptural Emphasis on the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ" (2019). Faculty Publications. 3255. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/3255 This Peer-Reviewed Article is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This article was provided courtesy of the Religious Educator, a journal published by the Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University Click here to subscribe and learn more The scriptures consistently emphasize the importance of the Savior’s CrucifixionintheAtonement. theimportance consistentlyemphasize The scriptures oftheSavior’s Harry Anderson, The Crucifixion. © Intellectual Reserve, Inc. Teaching the Scriptural Emphasis on the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ john hilton iii John Hilton III ([email protected]) is an associate professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University. colleague recently shared with me how, when teaching missionary A preparation classes, he would role-play with students. When students pretending to be missionaries would ask him (acting as an investigator) if he knew about Christ’s Atonement, he would say, “Yes, I saw that Mel Gibson movie about Christ dying for our sins on the cross.” At least half of his students would correct him, stating that Christ atoned for our sins in Gethsemane, but not on the cross.
    [Show full text]
  • Some Observations on the New Testament Concept of "Witness"
    Some Observations On The New Testament Concept of "Witness" DONALD G. MILLER I "Witness" is a significant New Testament word. M artus occurs thirty-four times; the verb form martureo appears seventy-nine times; the nouns marturia and marturion total fifty-seven uses between them. The concept appears sparingly in the Synoptic Gospels, but is concentrated in the Johannine literature and the Acts of the Apostles. This distribution of its usage suggests that it is a vital aspect of the Church's growth from a local Jerusalem group to a world-wide movement, and contributed much to the propagation of the belief that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" through which believers found " life in His name" (John 20:21 ). Its importance, however, goes beyond statistical considerations. Its importance lies in its meaning, and in its close affinity to the nature of the Christian faith as a historic religion. The Christian faith dawned on the world as a "light shin[ing] in the darkness" of paganism (John 11:5a; see Eph 6:12), with a power that "delivered [them] from the dominion of darkness" (Col 1:13a). It came into a world filled with "many 'gods' and many 'lords"' (1 Cor 8:5b)-- those of Mt. Olympus and the temples of Rome, and the deities of the mystery religions from Egypt such as Isis and Osiris; and many philosophies--such as Epicureanism and Stoicism which commanded the loyalties of many for whom the ancient gods had died. It confronted all this with a simple account of a man named Jesus in whom, it was claimed, the one, living eternal God had visited the earth.
    [Show full text]
  • The Trinity Review
    THE TRINITY REVIEW For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. And they will be ready to punish all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Number 259 Copyright 2006 John W. Robbins Post Office Box 68, Unicoi, Tennessee 37692 September 2006 Email: [email protected] Website: www.trinityfoundation.org Telephone: 423.743.0199 Fax: 423.743.2005 The Orthodox Presbyterian Cover-up Paul M. Elliott Editor’s note: Last year The Trinity Foundation published Assembly’s commendation of it, both maintain the OPC as a Paul Elliott’s book, Christianity and Neo-Liberalism: The safe haven for those who teach error. Spiritual Crisis in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Men within the OPC, including at least one member of the Beyond. That book examines in detail the false doctrine of Committee itself, teach heresy regarding the Gospel and salvation now being taught in the Orthodox Presbyterian many other fundamentals of the faith. Even the men on the Church and W estminster Theological Seminary. It is Committee who have their personal doctrine right have available from The Foundation for $19.95, plus shipping. facilitated the teaching of false doctrines by others for In June 2006, the OPC General Assembly voted to decades. Some will reject this as a blanket, indiscriminate distribute, but did not adopt, a Report produced by its indictment.
    [Show full text]
  • Covenant Theology in Reformed Perspective
    COVENANT THEOLOGY IN REFORMED PERSPECTIVE Collected essays and book reviews in historical, biblical, and systematic theology Mark W. Karlberg Wipf and Stock Publihsers 150 West Broadway, Eugene OR 97401 Made available electronically through Two Age Press Covenant Theology in Reformed Perspective By Karlberg, Mark W. Copyright©2000 by Karlberg, Mark W. ISBN: 1-57910-315-4 (For the bound printed version) Printed by Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2000. This book is reprinted electronially by Two Age Press on behalf of Wipf & Stock Publishers. The original bound copy by Wipf and Stock differs slightly in pagi- nation. Dedicated to my parents and aunt, Dorothy Bloser, For their spiritual discernment in the things of the Lord And their sacrifice in the struggle for the faith in our generation. Soli Deo gloria Permission to republish material was granted by: Calvin Theilogical Journal The Evangelical Quarterly Foundations Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society Trinity Journal The Westminster Theological Journal and by John Muether and Howard Griffith, editors, Creator, Redeemer, and Consummator: Essays in Biblical Theology Presented to Meredith G. Kline Collection of Articles CHAPTER ONE: “Reformed Interpretation of the Mosaic Covenant,” The Westminster Theological Journal 43 (1980) 1-57. CHAPTER TWO: “Reformation Politics: The Relevance of OT Ethics in Calvinist Political Theory,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 29 (1986) 179-91. CHAPTER THREE: “Moses and Christ: The Place of Law in Seventeenth-Centu- ry Puritanism,” Trinity Journal 10 NS (1989) 11-32. CHAPTER FOUR: “The Original State of Adam: Tensions in Reformed Theolo- gy,”The Evangelical Quarterly 59 (1987) 291-309. CHAPTER FIVE: “Covenant Theology and the Westminster Tradition,” WTJ 54 (1992) 135-52.
    [Show full text]
  • Pauline Epistles Notes
    Pauline Epistles Notes • Date: The life of Paul. He was born in 5 A.D. and died in 67 A.D. Although there are some discrepancies most of the commentaries agree that 1 Thessalonians was the first Epistle written, 52 A.D. and 2 Timothy was the last Epistle written, 67 A.D. A young man named Saul was bent on murdering all the Christians he could. He was a Jew, a Pharisee (well- versed in the Law of Moses), a man of knowledge, letters, and spirit. Then Jesus directly intervened. The risen savior appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus- an encounter that completely transformed him. This man Saul became the beloved apostle, saint, evangelist, theologian, and pastor we call Paul. Paul’s an important character: out of the 27 books in the New Testament, Paul wrote 13. Out of all the biblical human authors, Paul has written the most books of the Bible. Paul was chosen for a few specific tasks (Ephesians 3:8- 9): • Preach Christ to the Gentiles. • Convey God’s plan for managing the church. We see Paul doing the first in the book of Acts. We see him doing the second in his letters. Most of Paul’s letters fall into two groups: letters to the churches and letters to pastors. Chronology of Epistles 1 Thessalonians 52 A.D. 2 Thessalonians 53 A.D. Galatians 54 A.D. 1 Corinthians 57 A.D. 2 Corinthians 57 A.D. Romans 57 A.D. Colossians 62 A.D. Ephesians 62 A.D. Philippians 62 A.D.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Perspective on John the Baptist's Failure to Support Jesus
    A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON JOHN THE BAPTIST'S FAILURE TO SUPPORT JESUS Laurent Guymot At the heart of all dialogues between Christians and Jews there is, inevitably, the question of the Messiah: "Are you he who is to come, or shall we wait for another?" —Jürgen Moltmann pplied to the New Testament, some of the tasks of the historical- critical method are to separate layers of redaction work in the Gospels, to Adetermine the oldest strata of tradition, and to present the most probably authentic words of Jesus and the events of his life. Conservative evangelical Christians are generally hostile to such an approach and insist that the complete New Testament is inspired and historically true. One possible meeting point between conservatives and historically-minded liberals which has gained some recent support is, to assert that since Christianity is founded on the resurrected Jesus, it need not be threatened by historical inquiry into Jesus' earthly ministry. One reason is sufficient, in my eyes, to justify the historical-critical method as part of Unificationist studies. Unificationism claims to rely not only on revelation but also on science, and it cannot be denied that archeology and critical exegesis, the basic tools of historical research, are scientific in nature. Beyond the polemic that they generate, most scholars involved in the "quest Laurent Guyénot graduated from the Unification Theological Seminary in 1990. He is presently director of Editions Exergue, a French publishing company. He is the author of three books, one of which, Le roi sans prophète (The King without Prophet) is about the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist.
    [Show full text]
  • 09ST5450 – Apologetics
    ST 5450 Apologetics Reformed Theological Seminary, NY – Remote-Live Dr. N. Gray Sutanto ([email protected]) May 31-June 14th – M-Th, 8-11am. Course Description This course introduces the theological discipline of apologetics. It focuses on developing a holistic Reformed apologetic for the contemporary world. Course Readings1 Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 2, God and Creation (Baker Academic), chpts. 1-2. (73 pages) Richard Gaffin, “Some Epistemological Reflections on 1 Cor. 2:6-16,” WTJ (1995): 103-24 (PDF provided) Matthew Kaemingk, Christian Hospitality and Muslim Immigration (Eerdmans: 2018), Entirety (280 pages) Christopher Watkin, Thinking Through Creation: Genesis 1-2 as Tools of Cultural Analysis (P&R, 2017), (140 pages). Joshua Chatraw, Telling a Better Story: How To Talk about God in a Skeptical Age (Zondervan: 2020), Entirety. (240 pages). Cornelius Van Til, Christian Apologetics, 2nd edition, ed. William Edgar (P&R, 2003). Entirety (206 pages) James Anderson, “If Knowledge then God: The Epistemological Theistic Arguments of Plantinga and Van Til,” CTJ (2005): 49-75. Alvin Plantinga, “Two Dozen (or so) Theistic Arguments” (PDF provided – 25 pages) Course Requirements: 1. Participation (10%) a. 4 Canvas Topic Discussions. b. 2 Student-to-student discussion threads. 2. Reading Pledge (20%) a. Students will write a pledge on how many percent of the reading have been completed. 1 This list is also sequenced according to suggested reading order. b. Due July 16th 3. Apologetics Term Paper (30%) – 4000 words maximum. Students will write a paper responding to an alternative faith or worldview, while utilizing the material from the course readings. You will interact with a section from a classic or contemporary text (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • 5 Inspiring Lessons from the Life (And Death) of Dorcas Heather Adams | Contributing Writer 2021 24 May
    5 Inspiring Lessons from the Life (and Death) of Dorcas Heather Adams | Contributing Writer 2021 24 May Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Ridofranz “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas)...” (Acts 9:36a). Dorcas is mentioned only briefly, in the New Testament book of Acts. Yet she has been the subject of poems, paintings and even stained-glass art pieces. In the Catholic faith, feasts have been observed in her honor, along with other women who were very active in ministry for the early church. Why is there so much admiration for someone who only appears once in Scripture? Part of the reason can actually be found in the reaction of those that knew her, as they saw her illness and death. The story of this Godly woman offers insights for Christians who want to make a real difference in their communities. Who Was Dorcas? Dorcas, or Tabitha, lived in Joppa, an important port city overlooking the Mediterranean sea. She kept busy there as a seamstress, and her days were filled with activities that brought relief to the needy, especially widows. The fact that so many gathered to mourn her hints at how well-known and respected she must have been. And it was the widows’ affection for her that led them to seek the Apostle Peter’s help. He may have responded to their pleas in part because he had heard of her important work for the Lord in that area. The account of Dorcas is found in Acts 9:36-42. It occurred when Peter was staying in Lydda as he travelled around the region encouraging “the Lord’s people” (Acts 9:32).
    [Show full text]
  • Christocentricity and Appropriation in Calvin's Exposition of Daniel1
    TTJ 19.2 (2016): 223–254 ISSN 1598-7140 Christocentricity and Appropriation in Calvin’s Exposition of Daniel1 Willem A. VanGemeren Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA Introduction: The Occasion for this Paper A recent publication on Christocentricity2 led me to reflect some more on John Calvin’s approach to messianic prophecies. Several faculty members of Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia), representing the classical theological areas (OT, NT, and ST), have outlined definitive hermeneutics that defines the Westminster approach to biblical interpretation, biblical theology, and systematic theology. Both the Board and Faculty are now unanimous as to the implications of Westminster’s historic mission, as President Lillback writes, “The seminary today continues to believe that the hermeneutical method identified in the Reformation tradition of Westminster is biblically sound and in fact essential for a high view of Scripture in an age of doubt, controversy, and compromise.” (6) Permit me to enter briefly into the fray of my alma mater. I matriculated at Westminster nearly fifty years ago. It was a critical time in her history, because the theologian, John Murray, had recently retired (1966) and the Old Testament scholar, Edward J. Young, had passed away (1968). Of the founding fathers, Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987) was still teaching apologetics. It was also a joy to be introduced to biblical theology by Edmund Clowney, Meredith G. Kline, and Richard Gaffin. 1. I thank the faculty and students at Chongshin Theological Seminary and Torch Trinity (Seoul, South Korea) for their engagement with different forms of this paper. I also thank Dr. Cristian G. Rata for the partial editing of the paper.
    [Show full text]
  • Mary Magdalene: Her Image and Relationship to Jesus
    Mary Magdalene: Her Image and Relationship to Jesus by Linda Elaine Vogt Turner B.G.S., Simon Fraser University, 2001 PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in the Liberal Studies Program Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences © Linda Elaine Vogt Turner 2011 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fall 2011 All rights reserved. However, in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for "Fair Dealing." Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, particularly if cited appropriately. APPROVAL Name: Linda Elaine Vogt Turner Degree: Master of Arts (Liberal Studies) Title of Project: Mary Magdalene: Her Image and Relationship to Jesus Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. June Sturrock, Professor Emeritus, English ______________________________________ Dr. Michael Kenny Senior Supervisor Professor of Anthropology ______________________________________ Dr. Eleanor Stebner Supervisor Associate Professor of Humanities, Graduate Chair, Graduate Liberal Studies ______________________________________ Rev. Dr. Donald Grayston External Examiner Director, Institute for the Humanities, Retired Date Defended/Approved: December 14, 2011 _______________________ ii Declaration of Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users.
    [Show full text]