Epistemology And Logic In The New Testament

Biblical contributors express an oral stage engaging Christianity within a properly basic communal worldview similar to Alvin Plantinga advocates. This approach includes a communal Christian application of common sense realism within a worldview and rhetoric similar to Hillite Pharisaism. Each biblical contributor provided vivid testimony using rabbinic language and thought forms. For example, Jewish-Christian midrash re-appropriates Old Testament quotes and narrative in a new performative pesher manner to present Jesus as the Christ. Moving beyond the word studies of biblical epistemologists, Pharisaic-rabbinic Judaism use of biblical revelation, mystical vision, dream, or audible divine voice frame mystical empiricism similar to William Alston. Non-foundational realism facilitates a communal resilient oral tradition similar to the rabbinics. Additionally, Luke-Acts extensively engages Hellenistic historiographic method and the concept of "witness." When multiple interpretations occur concerning miracles, epistemic dualistic non-foundational Lockean epistemology emerges to contribute to the authority of communal kingdom testimony. Occasionally, this Lockean approach adds an internal transformation much as Jonathan Edwards modified Locke to set forth his religious affections as a divine virtue epistemology confirming the authentic narrow way through Peircean pragmatism. This internal knowledge provides self-referential confirmation for a personal relationship and filial knowledge. Each of these expressions of knowledge fosters an ultimate Kierkegaardian commitment to the Trinitarian Christian God.

Biblical contributors express an oral stage engaging Christianity within a properly basic communal worldview similar to Alvin Plantinga advocates. This approach includes a communal Christian application of common sense realism within a worldview and rhetoric similar to Hillite Pharisaism. Each biblical contributor provided vivid testimony using rabbinic language and thought forms. For example, Jewish-Christian midrash re-appropriates Old Testament quotes and narrative in a new performative pesher manner to present Jesus as the Christ. Moving beyond the word studies of biblical epistemologists, Pharisaic-rabbinic Judaism use of biblical revelation, mystical vision, dream, or audible divine voice frame mystical empiricism similar to William Alston. Non-foundational realism facilitates a communal resilient oral tradition similar to the rabbinics. Additionally, Luke-Acts extensively engages Hellenistic historiographic method and the concept of "witness." When multiple interpretations occur concerning miracles, epistemic dualistic non-foundational Lockean epistemology emerges to contribute to the authority of communal kingdom testimony. Occasionally, this Lockean approach adds an internal transformation much as Jonathan Edwards modified Locke to set forth his religious affections as a divine virtue epistemology confirming the authentic narrow way through Peircean pragmatism. This internal knowledge provides self-referential confirmation for a personal relationship and filial knowledge. Each of these expressions of knowledge fosters an ultimate Kierkegaardian commitment to the Trinitarian Christian God.

Using a biblical theology method, this book reflects the content of the epistle of Hebrews within its Jewish-Christian context. Within Jewish monotheism, a Two Powers Christology is championed to float a simple missional Trinitarianism. Jesus Christ is also presented as a superior prophet, Davidic king, and Melchizedek priest. Christ initiates the new covenant with his very Jewish atonement in the Day of Atonement pattern, ultimately perfecting believers’ conscience (as an Edwardsian Religious Affection) and providing everlasting forgiveness. This provision initiates the believer on a new exodus toward the celestial city within a two-way soteriological framework. To make it to that heavenly goal, the believer must continue in faith. Those who are faithful already begin to experience rest in this life as a foretaste of the kingdom rest to come, when Christ brings in eschatological salvation.

This book is about stating gospel, especially in the Bible. After surveying historical statements of gospel within their respective soteriology, biblical contexts are explored that identify either: 1) as gospel; 2) promise forgiveness; 3) promise everlasting life; 4) promise kingdom; or 5) promise resurrection with Christ. These five statements indicate the outcomes that are normally associated with the gospel across Christendom. This framework provides legitimate biblical gospel statements within exclusive salvation in Christ. This volume presents and appropriates biblical gospel patterns as a new reformation for fullness of salvation in Christ and His earthly kingdom. This variety of biblical gospel statements provoke: 1) unity around Jesus Christ and God's gracious salvation; 2) toleration concerning rival statements of Christian gospel; and 3) jettisoning unsupported traditional frameworks. For example, ticket Christianity with little or no life change except past faith and an experience prepare Jesus Christ to say to a major section of the church, "Depart from Me, I never knew you!" Better to hear the eschatological Christ say, "Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world . . . because to the extent that you did to these brothers of Mine, even the least, you did to Me."

In this wide-ranging study Rosalind Selby explores the hermeneutical implications of a Barthian epistemology in which 'giveness' (of knowledge, talk of God and Scripture, and the Church) is paramount. From this she seeks to develop a 'hermeneutics of service' that challenges both liberal and fundamentalist approaches to theological language and biblical interpretation. Selby tackles the issues of knowledge, and especially knowledge of God, the language used to communicate that knowledge and that language as Scriptural textuality. Barth wrote of 'the comical doctrine that the true exegete has no presuppositions'. In fact, he said, 'no one reads the bible directly--we all read it through spectacles'. In the train of his insight, Selby examines the role of community as a prerequisite for knowledge and truth claims before examining the different ways that various 'communities' interpret Scripture (focusing on St. Mark's Gospel). The presuppositions of the different starting places are revealed and the appropriateness of various methodologies discussed. The Quest for the Historical Jesus and its struggles to handle the resurrection are used as a 'test case' to show the impact of different hermeneutical strategies. The insights in this thought-provoking study have implications for issues as wide ranging as the genre 'Gospel', the authority of Scripture, the Church as a 'reading community', the plurality of interpretations and the possibility of controlling them, the relationship between general and special theological hermeneutics, as well as epistemological foundationalism and its alternatives.

Using a similar method to Kennard’s biblical theology of Jesus, Hebrews, Isaiah, and Peter, Kennard’s Petrine Studies fills out background issues, narrative biographical theology and practical life concerns from Mark. The companion volume, Petrine Theology, makes contributions to Peter’s theology, including: Peter’s Jewish heritage, bridging from Jesus to Paul, expressing compatible sovereignty and free will, high Christology, missional Trinity, Hebraic anthropology, Jewish atonement, redemption and new exodus, gospel as allegiance to Christ, contextual sociological ecclesiology, suffering and spiritual warfare in a narrow virtuous way to kingdom, and nuanced consistent eschatology. Following a combination of Mark, Peter’s sermons in Acts and Petrine epistles, Gene Green claims that Petrine Theology makes unique contributions to Christian theology. Pheme Perkins concurs, “Peter is the universal ‘foundation’ for all the churches…There is no figure who compasses more of that diversity than Peter.” F. J. Foakes-Jackson concluded, “the very fact that Peter was singled out by the unanimous voice of the writers of the NT for pre-eminence is sufficient reason why he should demand our serious attention.” James Dunn celebrated, “Peter was probably in fact and effect the bridge-man (pontifex maximus!) who did more than any other to hold together the diversity of first-century Christianity.”

Using a similar method to Kennard’s biblical theology of Jesus, Hebrews, and Isaiah, Kennard’s Petrine Theology makes contributions to Peter’s theology, including: Peter’s Jewish heritage, bridging from Jesus to Paul, expressing compatible sovereignty and free will, high Christology, missional Trinity, Hebraic anthropology, Jewish atonement, redemption and new exodus, gospel as allegiance to Christ, contextual sociological ecclesiology, suffering and spiritual warfare in a narrow virtuous way to kingdom, and nuanced consistent eschatology. The companion volume, Petrine Studies, fills out background issues, narrative biographical theology, and practical life concerns from Mark. Following a combination of Mark, Peter’s sermons in Acts and Petrine epistles, Gene Green claims that Petrine theology makes unique contributions to Christian theology. Pheme Perkins concurs, “Peter is the universal ‘foundation’ for all the churches . . . There is no figure who compasses more of that diversity than Peter.” F. J. Foakes-Jackson concluded, “the very fact that Peter was singled out by the unanimous voice of the writers of the NT for pre-eminence is sufficient reason why he should demand our serious attention.” James Dunn celebrated, “Peter was probably in fact and effect the bridge-man (pontifex maximus!) who did more than any other to hold together the diversity of first-century Christianity.”

Christology and eschatology form a double-core conception in the New Testament that enables one to understand other themes radiating out from it. The present volume addresses fifteen topics within this central core, seven on 'the person of Jesus', and eight on 'this age and the age to come'. The essays interact with and further discussion on disputed topics in contemporary New Testament Studies, including the historical Jesus and the Gospels; deity christology in the Synoptics and in the Pauline writings; the meaning of resurrection in the teaching of Jesus, the Sadducees and Qumran; eschatology in Luke's writings and the structure of Pauline eschatology; New Testament teaching on hell; and other christological and eschatological motifs. Three concluding pieces provide the historical and hermeneutical framework from which the theological studies proceed. This publication has also been published in paperback, please click here for details.