Biblical Studies Research Articles

Dualism and Christian Hope in Marianne Moore’s “The Fish”

This article provides a close reading of Marianne Moore’s “The Fish,” asserting that it’s imagery should be understood allegorically to represent the split between the physical and the spiritual, or temporal and eternal. In particular, the image of the cliff represents the dualistic nature of humanity—one side physical (and continually eaten away by the encroaching sea), and the other side spiritual. Many readers of Moore have not been able to explain how the cliff can be seen at once to be defeated by the sea on one side, but yet triumph over it on the other. An Christian-allegorical reading, based in Moore’s life-long Protestant faith and her in-depth Bible studies, provides an explanation that makes sense of the imagery.

About Edom and Idumea in the Persian Period: Recent Research and Approaches from Archaeology, Hebrew Bible Studies and Ancient Near Eastern Studies ed. by Benedikt Hensel, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Diana V. Edelman (review)

About Edom and Idumea in the Persian Period: Recent Research and Approaches from Archaeology, Hebrew Bible Studies and Ancient Near Eastern Studies ed. by Benedikt Hensel, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Diana V. Edelman (review)

THE LEVITE'S CONCUBINE BASED ON JUDGES 19

This paper offers a hermeneutics of meaning developed for victims or survivors of sexual violence in the parish context, focused primarily on Judges 19 and its ramifications in Judges 20–21. I construct this hermeneutic through an exegesis of Judges 19, based on feminist commentaries that tease out entry points for discussion with victim survivors. Using an imagined community Bible study, i construct a hermeneutic of meaning based on reconciliation and action using the work of pastoral theologians Carrie Doehring, Al Miles, and Monica A. Coleman.

Mentoring families for spiritual growth in a quest to end family violence, infidelity and divorce

The fall of humanity negatively affected the relationship between God and Human beings. Isaiah 59:2 states that iniquities separate people from God and sins hid the face of God that He does not hear. There is a need therefore, to restore the relationship between God and people in order for life to be what God intended when he created man. Careful and incessant attention should be given to spiritual aspect of a person, which should result into a better relationship with the Creator. To have spiritual growth that will finally end into glorification, a positive relationship with God should be built. This may well be done in a family setting; because a family remains an important institution in the entire human history. Though important a family is, it is difficult to have a precise definition for the word family because it has many meanings depending on how it is used and the purpose for using it. Nevertheless, three elements are common when describing a family. These are marriage, parenthood and residence. In this article, the word family refers to a group of people who live together in a household due to marriage and parenthood. It is in this setting where mentorship should begin. In a family circle, effective mentors, who are dispensers of know-how are well placed in an age where morality has gone down and media has become the order of the day. Through family mentorship for spiritual growth, foundational values, for character development would be encouraged. These values are honesty, respect, kindness, empathy, and responsibility. The values can easily be promoted through family worship, Bible studies, prayer meetings and the involvement of the Holy Spirit in one’s daily life. In turn, positive relationships among family members would be the result that would end family violence, infidelity and divorce. Mentoring families for spiritual growth will also restore broken relationships. The goal of mentoring families for the spiritual growth is to have peaceful families that are waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The Role of Christian Family Education in Anticipating Sexual Deviations in Society

The purpose of this research was to provide an explanation of the first things to discover and explain the issue of sexual deviation as part of a Bible study. Second, to find and explain the factors that cause sexual deviation in society even though Allah only created men and women. This research is motivated by the author's concern with a phenomenon that exists in society, namely LGBT issues as something that is trending. Using qualitative methods in the form of interviews and literature studies, it was found that the family is the main person responsible for anticipating deviant sexual behavior in children. Parents are role models in spirituality who must instill the fear of God in their children, so that children find the correct self-image as God's creation, namely boys and girls. Families also need to provide proper education and encourage children to become future generations who make achievements and are proud of being children. The Bible must be the basic reference for spiritual education in the family. Keywords: family education, sexual deviation.

A leitura popular da Bíblia

The popular reading of the Bible proposed by Ecumenical Center for Biblical Studies (CEBI) is a concrete way of approaching the text based on the demands of reality, thus fitting into what the Pontifical Biblical Commission calls the Liberation Approach. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the document on The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, we bring to reflection the memory of the work of popular reading of the Bible carried out in the Catholic Diocese of Mossoró-RN within the methodology proposed by the CEBI. Examining the reports of the meetings that took place in the seventies and eighties of the twentieth century, we can see the strong presence of women, the relationship with ecclesiastical and base communities and popular movements and the resistance of the group that remains active even in the face of a adverse ecclesiastical situation.

Re-Examining יְהוָה רֹעִי in Psalm 23: Implications for Akan Translations and African Biblical Studies

Psalm 23 is one of the psalms that are familiar to Ghanaians. The translation of יְהוָה רֹעִי in some Akan mother-tongue languages avoid the use of the shepherd imagery. The Mfantse translation, however, is very unique among the Akan translations. Its uniqueness lies in the translation of the shepherd imagery. The ‘shepherd’ is an indispensable imagery or a metaphor in the text. The rendering of יְהוָה רֹעִי as Awurade ne me hwefo in the Twi translations misses the imagery that the source text seeks to convey. This paper examines the place of ’adônâ rõ‘i in the source language and its translations in the Akan versions of the Bible. It deduces its implications for African Biblical Studies and suggests that in the next revision of the Twi translations due consideration should be given to the shepherd imagery.

Keefektifan Discovery Bible Study Group: Sebuah Metode Sederhana Dalam Pemuridan

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of Discovery Bible Study (DBS) in groups commonly referred to as Discovery Groups as a method of bringing life transformation and spiritual growth and moving participants to live in obedience. The research approach used was a literature study by analyzing various literatures and other relevant data sources. The findings of this study show that the Discovery Bible Study is able to support and contribute to the effectiveness of forming Fellowship and Prayer, creating Accountability (Responsibility), increasing people's Understanding of God's Word through the process of self-discovery, and motivating people or participants to live in Obedience in transforming, sharing, and discipling others.

African Biblical Studies: Unmasking Embedded Racism and Colonialism in Biblical Studies, written by Mbuvi, Andrew M.

African Biblical Studies: Unmasking Embedded Racism and Colonialism in Biblical Studies, written by Mbuvi, Andrew M.

African biblical studies and the question of methodology: A focus on New Testament scholarship in Nigeria

African biblical studies (ABS) focus on biblical interpretation in Africa. Although new, it has gained massive recognition among African biblical scholars as the biblical interpretation focus that best suits the peculiar challenges that face African Christians. Its emergence, of course, was reactionary to the Western approach to the interpretation of the Bible in Africa and the practice of Christianity as well, which failed to take into cognisance the peculiar needs of African Christians. In New Testament scholarship in Nigeria, ABS has come to dominate biblical interpretation, being the most preferred by New Testament scholars. However, this article notices a persistent problem with regard to methodological rigour in ABS in Nigeria. This article aims to call the attention of New Testament scholars in Nigeria to methodological rigour while engaging in ABS as this is also part of the reasons breaking into mainstream New Testament scholarship has become a problem for many of these scholars. This equally leads to poor global visibility and competitiveness on the part of many Nigerian New Testament scholars. The approach to the discussion in the work is analytical and descriptive with a touch of personal observation.Contribution: This article calls attention to the need for ABS scholars in Nigeria to emphasise methodological rigour in their research. While this will lead to recognition of the works of ABS practitioners in Nigeria and beyond, this article makes a case for academic excellence which is the hallmark of good biblical scholarship.

Textual Criticism, Literary Criticism, and State Capture: Returning 3 Reigns 12:24p–t to the Canon of Local African Communities

This article begins by considering the relationship between textual variants and the canonical text, arguing for a fuller presence of significant variant readings alongside the canonical text, in line with contemporary textual critical scholarship and their associated eclectic critical editions. Alongside such eclectic critical editions and their appropriation within Bible translation, this article suggests that a community-based approach like Contextual Bible Study could be used to return significant and relevant variants to ordinary African readers and hearers of the Bible. The article argues that LXX 3 Reigns 12:24p–t is such a significant and relevant textual variant, offering as it does a remarkable resonance with contemporary South African concerns about state capture. The article analyses 24p–t as a significant textual variant in text critical terms, as significant narrative literature in its own right, as a coherent economic narrative analysis concerning the cause of the division of the united monarchy, and as a potential resource for Contextual Bible Study work within the contemporary South African context of state capture.

Moffat’s seTlhaping translation as invasion: Re-translation resources for decolonisation

In the book The Stolen Bible: From Tool of Imperialism to African Icon (2016) the author provided a detailed analysis of Robert Moffat’s translation practice. In this article the author takes that analysis further, using the theoretical framework provided by Nathan Esala in this PhD thesis and forthcoming book, namely ‘translation as invasion’. Esala traces the colonial history of Africa-based translation practice, theorising the practice as ‘translation as invasion’. This article draws on Esala’s theorising in re-analysing Moffat’s translation practice among the BaTlhaping. The article then goes on to argue for forms of decolonial ‘re-translation’, focussing on two forms of decolonial translation, Contextual Bible Study (CBS) as translation (as advocated by Esala) and Julius Nyerere’s use of indigenous Tanzanian poetics for translating the gospels. The article uses Michel Foucault’s notion of ‘heterotopic space’ and Sithembiso Zwane’s notions of ‘invigorated space’ and ‘invented space’ to theorise CBS and Nyerere’s poetics as forms of decolonial space for African-led re-translation, with potential implications for African community-based participatory development.Contribution: The article demonstrates how translation as a form of colonial invasion is practised by the missionary Robert Moffat, and how such forms of translation are being resisted through indigenous African reception of the Bible through re-translation practices.

Nothing New Under the Sun?

This article investigates the potential impact of generative artificial intelligence, specifically OpenAI's GPT, on the field of biblical studies, particularly biblical Hebrew. The study is divided into three main categories: (1) knowledge retrieval or language understanding, (2) generative modeling or creative problem solving, and (3) command interpretation or query parsing. Experiments are conducted using OpenAI's GPT, the ETCBC's BHSA dataset, and Text-Fabric Python libraries. Results demonstrate GPT's limitations and proficiencies in biblical Hebrew and its capacity to employ its proficiencies creatively in problem-solving scenarios involving multifaceted forms of reasoning. The study concludes that understanding the capabilities and potential trajectories of these technologies is vital for biblical Hebrew scholarship, as they already possess the capacity to disrupt established scholarly norms and democratize access to advanced tools.

Duties of The Church Diaconal According to Acts 6:1-7

Diaconal ministry to those in need is a statement that needs to be proven by conducting a study based on the original manuscripts of the Bible. So to achieve this goal, the author conducts literary research using biblical studies of the New Testament and using a historical-critical approach. As the number of disciples grew, there was one ministry that the apostles neglected, the "table ministry." This ministry is concerned with providing daily assistance to widows and the poor. Democratically, the apostles proposed that the disciples choose seven well-known, Spirit-filled, and wise men to carry out this ministry. Many people consider the ministry of the Diakonia separate from the ministry of the Word. But there is an interesting thing that the author finds here, namely diaconal ministry is one form of word ministry.

Cumulative Part-Whole Relations as a Verbal and Visual Rhetorical Strategy: Song of Songs 7 and Composite Beings of the Southern Levant

In biblical studies, a growing interest in metaphors as the conceptual key to the ancient mind has arisen. However, in contrast with the popularity of metaphor, other tropes have received little attention. This article sheds light on another rhetorical feature: ‘cumulative part-whole relations,’ which construct a new whole by compounding disparate body parts, a textual and visual strategy deliberately used to cross boundaries of individual parts, to integrate the parts into a larger whole, and to demonstrate superiority and supernatural powers. Through examining visual and textual examples from the ancient Near East, including Song 7.1–6 and the composite creatures ( Mischwesen) from the Levant, this article reveals that the rhetorical mechanism of the cumulation of part-whole relations follows the logic that the whole is more than the sum of its parts, while that whole remains a single one no matter how many parts are compounded.

ProPent and its Implied Conversation Partners’

This contribution is a slightly edited invited presentation at the Society for Biblical Literature annual international conference at the University of Pretoria, 3-7 July 2023, at a panel discussion titled “The role of context in Biblical Studies / exegesis”. A broad overview-interpretation of the past half a century Pentateuch studies in South Africa is offered, indicating implied, though seldom stated, dynamics of Hebrew Bible scholarship, doing so by means of an Aesopian interpretation. These concrete webs of meaning in substantial ways steer also the guild of Pentateuch scholars in South Africa in our time, in how historical exegesis has had to be arranged.

Team‐based learning in the biblical studies classroom: Utilizing the 4S application task to promote deep learning

AbstractThis article provides a brief overview of the instructional strategy known as team‐based learning (TBL). It then focuses specifically on the use of one of its integral components in a biblical studies classroom—namely, the “4S application task.” The 4S application task, which is one of the fundamental pieces of the learning experience in TBL, consists of the problems that small group teams of students need to solve or the decisions the teams need to reach in each class session. The title 4S refers to the fact that the problems must be characterized by the following: significant problem, same problem, specific choice, and simultaneous report. The main aim of this article is to share this engaging and generative pedagogical activity, but to do so effectively by providing some context as to how it is situated within the overarching flow and goals of a TBL approach.

Confronting the cataracts of whiteness to see the invisible: reflections on the transmission and reception of the Bible in post-apartheid South Africa

The goal of this article is to draw on some of the latest insights in biblical studies on the challenges posed to the reflection, transmission, and reception of the Bible with relevance to a post-apartheid South African context. The author engages with prominent figures in the field of Biblical Studies and critical race theory such as David Horrell, in order to address the issue of whiteness and its impact on marginalisation. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of the ways in which certain voices have been rendered invisible and to continue to question and challenge these dynamics. This paper delves into the interpretation of the Bible in Africa, using the perspectives of scholars such as Thomas Wartenberg in conjunction with the ideas of Charles W. Mills, W. Jennings, R. Ellison, and Steven Biko, as well as other notable figures, to criticallyreflect on the role of biblical scholarship in the process of restoring historically marginalised voices within the contextof past injustices.

Feminist Theological Themes in the Biblical Art of Lilian Broca: From Lilith to Mary Magdalene

For three decades, the Canadian artist Lilian Broca has been creating art featuring biblical women: Lilith/Eve, Esther, Judith and Mary Magdalene. These are not single artworks, but series, presenting these women in the contexts of their narratives. In contrast with traditional artistic representations of these figures, dominated by the male gaze, Broca brings a feminist lens to their stories. Broca’s work not only converges with feminist theology and biblical studies, but she also uses this scholarship as part of her research, pointing to a fruitful and significant relationship between feminist art and academic theology.

Prophet and politician dining around the same table: God’s message in conflict?

The research problem in this article is the modern prophets who rub shoulders with politicians. The focus is on the prophets found in New Prophetic Churches (NPCs). These prophets seek favours as much as politicians seek favours that are divinely sanctioned by prophets. The objectives here include ensuring that God’s message is not conflicted because of this prophet–politician symbiosis. It warns Christians not to commodify faith in order to achieve some political ambitions. The foundation is laid on biblical teachings on prophets and prophecy. There are two identified categories of the Old Testament prophets. Those who feasted with the kings at dinner tables and those who suffered under the status quo. These were banished, exiled, always on a run, and sometimes beheaded. Real-world examples of modern politicians who visit prophets on a regular basis are offered using social media and literature evaluations as resources. These politicians do so for a variety of reasons, including seeking spiritual affirmation and expressions of appreciation, praying for divine intervention during times of crisis that may affect their political careers or performances, and eventually soliciting favours. These favours are sought in some ungodly exchanges with expectations of some kickbacks. The solution to this compromise is the calling for the revisit of application of doctrinal and ethical dealings in and by the church and the government. Theology’s task is to clarify to citizens the relationship between church and government. The debate between these two powers (prophet and politician) should continue towards amicable understanding. The church must redefine its political involvement to avoid being swallowed up, and to remain the salt of the earth and a light in the world.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article’s intradisciplinary implication is realised through the literature and social media platforms reviews to enhance social and some theological disciplines such as biblical studies, church history, ecclesiology and pneumatology. Social disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, and psychology combined with theological disciplines argue that prophets and politicians should not become bedfellows unless for enacting social justice and this to be done ethically without any compromise to morality.