Term
| Marcus Borg believes that the Bible has authority over Christians because: |
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Definition
| Borg believes that the Bible is a collection of human experiences and encounters with God (but not literally written by God.) If we assume this to be true, and God is all-powerful, then the Bible is authoritative because it says it is. |
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Term
| A Christian who believes in "verbal inspiration and total inerrancy" is someone who believes that: |
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Definition
| The Bible was directly communicated from God to the authors, and that every claim in the Bible is free of errors. |
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Term
| Why might someone like Gary Meador distinguish between the "direct teaching" and the "implied teaching" of a passage in the Bible? Explain this distinction, and why a theologian should be sensitive to it? |
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Definition
Direct teaching - The teaching that best represents what the original author intended the original audience to understand from the text.
Implied teaching - A teaching that seems reasonably clear by examining how "texts speak." These teachings are never explicitly stated, but can be inferred from the text.
It's important to be aware of the differences between these two types of teachings because implied teachings are exactly what they sound to be - implied. One must use reasoning outside of what is stated explicitly in the text to interpret ideas that are implied. |
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Term
| What textual evidence does Fischer appeal to in order to establish his conclusion that Adam and Eve lived between 6,000 and 7,000 years ago? |
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Definition
| The technology used in Genesis by Adam, Eve, and their descendants (such as tents, farmings, livestock, musical instruments, implements of bronze, and iron) did not appear until 4000 B.C. Fischer believes that Adam and Eve were real people but that they weren't our real parents. |
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Term
| John Collins discusses the use of "kind" in "kinds of animals" in Genesis 1. What is the relevance of saying that "kinds of animals" is non-technical and descriptive? |
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Definition
| Genesis 1 is not a scientific text, so "kinds of animals" is not a scientific claim and is a loose description. |
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Term
| Why does Augustine distinguish between "originating sin" and "the condition of original sin in humankind"? |
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Definition
| Augustine believed that "universal sin" is explained by a historical ancestor and inheritance of sinful state. (This is why we baptize babies.) The "originating sin", then, is the actual sin commited by Adam and Eve. The "condition of original sin in humankind" is the fact that all humans are born in the state of sin and need redemption. |
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Term
| According to Davies, God wants Abraham to love and care for the promised child Iaac, but Abraham is less concerned for Isaac. According to a traditional understanding, Abraham loves Isaac. Consequently, Davies and the traditional reading give different interpretations of Abraham's not withholding the knife fro msacrificing Isaac. What are these different interpretations? |
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Definition
Traditional interpretation: If Abraham kills Isaac, he loves God more than Isaac. Since Abraham doesn't stop his knife-hand, he is displaying his faith and love of God. This is the definition of "righteousness."
Davies's interpretation: God wanted Abraham to show that he loves and cares for Isaac. By not withholding his hand with the knife, Abraham challenges God's plan.Abraham doesn't beg God that he not have to sacrifice this promised child. Therefore, God must intervene to save the promised child. |
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Term
| In Exodus 3 we learn that the God of Abraham, for the first time, revealed his name, "YHWH". This revelation was given to Moses. What does this revelation to Moses suggest about the human authorship of Genesis 2:4a-25? |
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Definition
| It suggested that Genesis was written either during or after the time of Moses, because if God revealed his name to Moses, obviously someone could not write the Genesis text knowing that God's name is "YHWH". |
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Term
| According to Cardinal Ratzinger, why isn't the Ancient Near Eastern literary background for the Mosaic Law (including the Ten Commandments) sufficient for our understanding of YHWH's relationship to Isreal? |
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Definition
| If all we understand is the world behind the text of the Mosaic Law, it looks like God is simply commanding people into a one-sided relationship with him. However, Ratzinger concludes that Isreal's relationship with God was not assymetrical, but rather two-sided. |
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Term
| What is the overall purpose of "ritual cleanliness" in the book of Leviticus? |
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Definition
| The laws of purity set Isreal apart from its neighbors. They are to be a sign of God's holiness and justice. The ritual cleanliness shows that God was to not be taken lightly by the Isrealites. God was meant to be taken very seriously. |
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Term
| How did Jerusalem become (i) the religous center and (ii) the political capital of the nation of Isreal? |
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Definition
| David brought the Arc of the Covenant to Jerusalem, which he made his political capital. So then, a religious center (the temple) was now associated with the political capital. |
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Term
After David sins with regard to Bathsheba and Uriah, the prophet Nathan addresses David by presenting a legal case to him. Give a theological reason for why Nathan presents a legal case to David rather than directly condemning David for his sins.
(SHORT ANSWER QUESTION) |
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Definition
| In second Samuel, God claims David as his child. He promises David that his lineage will rule over Isreal. When David breaks his side of the covenant, God shows that he is merciful and holds up his side of the bargain. Acting for God, Nathan presents a legal case that gets David to realize and admit his sins. This does not mean that David goes without punishment though; God kills David's unborn child. |
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Term
| After the fall of Samaria, (i) which king of Judah instituted religous reforms, and (ii) why? |
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Definition
| Josiah instituted religous reform because he rediscovered the "book of the law" and realized that Isreal was committing blatant offenses against their God. |
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Term
| What evidence is there for positing an Isaiah of Jerusalem, and a "Deutero-Isaiah"? |
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Definition
| There are two differing literary styles used in Isaiah. Also, at the end of Isaiah chapter 39, it is before the Isrealite exile in Babylon. In chapter 40, the exile has already taken place. Finally, the "two Isaiahs" had a differing theological position. |
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Term
| According to Walter Brueggeman, what is lost if Christians do not have the lament Psalms in their liturgy? |
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Definition
| Brueggeman says that we lose genuine covenant interaction. Honest communication with God is lost. We also lose the ability to demand justice. |
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Term
What would motivate people to propse that the Church delete Psalm 137 from the canon of Holy Scripture? Explain two ways to interpret this Psalm, and which way could justify its remaining in the canon.
(SHORT ANSWER QUESTION) |
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Definition
Psalm 137 is exceptionally violent and brutal in comparison to the other, more passive psalms. The most shocking part of the psalm is the conclusion: "Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rocks!"
One way to interpret the psalm is that it is a straightforward promise: if you kill the children of your enemies you will be blessed by God. This interpretation would license revenge killing.
Another interpretation says psalm 137 is just an expression of rage. It is like making an empty threat just to blow off steam. The psalmist, in this scenario, would be motivated to say these threatening words becase he is frustrated with his circumstances. This interpretation would not license revenge killing. |
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Term
| In Deuteronomy 15, how does YHWH motivate his people to be generous, and not hard-hearted, to the poor? |
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Definition
| God commands his people to be generous by instituting the "year of jubilee." The year of jubilee entails the relief of debt and servitude every seven years. This benefit applies only for covenant members. |
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Term
| What is theologically significant about Micah not being a "professional prophet"? |
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Definition
| Other "prophets" of the time were paid to tell people what they want to hear. Micah told it straight-up like it is, and didn't want to cater to what people wanted to hear. |
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Term
| What political strategies was Antiochus IV Epiphanes employing that led him to steal the treasury from the Jerusalem Temple, and sacrifice a pig to Zeus there? |
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Definition
| Antiochus wanted to oppress the Isrealites to raise money to buy off the Romans and consolidate his own kingdowm to homogenize his own culture so there wouldn't be uprisings. His enraged the Jews, which eventually led to revolt. |
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Term
| What does Richard Bauckham suppose we learn from Second Temple Judaism that is relevant for understanding who Jesus is? |
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Definition
| Bauckham denies that Jesus fits into the category of "semi-divine being" (like exalted angels/servants) and thus should be included in the "unique identity of this one God." So, Jesus is intrinsic to the one and only God's identity (strict monotheism). |
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