I. Historical-Critical and Textual Studies (10 Ideas)
This domain focuses on the foundational work of determining the origins, authorship, and transmission reliability of the biblical text, utilizing methods like textual criticism and source criticism.
Re-evaluating the Documentary Hypothesis (DH) in the 21st Century: Analysis of contemporary models that challenge the classical J. Wellhausen formulation of the DH, specifically examining the dating and provenance of the hypothesized Pentateuchal sources (J, E, D, P). This research addresses the scholarly "ferment" resulting from challenges to this long-standing paradigm.
The critical analysis of the biblical text must manage a persistent methodological tension: the necessity of studying physical artifacts alongside the use of speculative historical reconstructions. Textual criticism is devoted to the tangible data of manuscripts and the observable procedures of textual transmission , whereas Source Criticism relies on hypothetical models, such as the JEDP complex. The discovery of manuscripts like the Dead Sea Scrolls underscores the difficulty of simplistic reconstruction, demanding that future research rigorously justify both the observable facts of transmission and the speculative history of textual development.
II. Literary and Narrative Criticism (10 Ideas)
Literary criticism focuses on the aesthetic and structural qualities of the final text, analyzing how elements like plot, rhetoric, and characterization convey complex theological meaning.
Rhetorical Analysis of Paul’s Argument in Galatians: Mapping the structure of the Epistle to the Galatians onto the formal divisions of ancient Greco-Roman forensic rhetoric, including the Exordium, Narratio, Propositio, Probatio, Refutatio, and Peroratio.
Analyzing the Narrative Climax in the Gospel of John: Focusing on the plot structure and controlled point of view in John 17-21, assessing how the evangelist’s literary craft presents the definitive understanding of the passion and resurrection.
Advanced analysis requires adopting a functional perspective on rhetorical devices. It is not sufficient merely to identify a rhetorical structure, such as the Greco-Roman model in Paul’s letters ; research must assess the text’s pragmatic aspect, determining how the persuasive strategy functions to communicate effectively with and influence the addressees. This shifts the focus from simple description to functional critical evaluation. Furthermore, this literary domain holds that theological conclusions are strengthened, not weakened, by analyzing the text’s form. Narrative criticism demonstrates that profound theological truth emerges directly from the skillful utilization of literary artistry, including plot structures, characterizations, and point of view.
III. Comparative and Ancient Near Eastern Contexts (10 Ideas)
This domain contextualizes biblical narratives and laws by comparing them with the vast corpus of Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) literature, illuminating Israel’s cultural environment and emphasizing the distinctiveness of biblical thought.
The Code of Hammurabi vs. The Covenant Code (Exodus 21–23): A comprehensive comparative legal study of these two texts, emphasizing that while both address property rights and personal injury, the biblical law grounds justice in the unique character of God and mandates special dignity for vulnerable groups like widows and orphans.
The Historical Background of Israel’s Neighbors in the Book of the Twelve Prophets: Utilizing external archaeological, epigraphic, and historical records to accurately contextualize the specific socio-political conditions referenced in the Oracles Against Foreign Nations.
The Divine Council Motif in the Psalms and Ugaritic Literature: Analyzing shared concepts of celestial hierarchy, focusing on how the biblical text fundamentally subverts polytheistic implications by subordinating all entities to Yahweh alone.
Research in this field confirms that the Old Testament is situated within a rich linguistic and cultural milieu. Hebrew, a Semitic language, naturally shares linguistic roots and concepts (e.g., the word El as a divine name) with Canaanite literature. Therefore, researchers cannot assume theological equivalence based solely on linguistic similarity. The value of ANE comparisons lies not in finding mirror images, but in illuminating the context to highlight the profound differences—the unique theological redefinition of shared cultural concepts—that confirm the distinctive message of the Bible. Archaeological discoveries are vital, as they provide the necessary historical and religious background for interpretation, moving beyond mere textual analysis.
IV. Intertextuality and Canon Formation (10 Ideas)
This domain explores the literary relationships between biblical texts and external writings, examining citation, allusion, and the historical process by which certain books gained canonical authority.
The Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation: Analyzing how John’s apocalyptic imagery and symbolism draw from and transform specific prophetic texts (especially Daniel and Ezekiel) to establish a sense of canonical coherence and eschatological fulfillment.
The Pseudepigrapha are critical to understanding the dynamism of early Jewish and Christian development. The fact that these works were actively written and often attributed to legendary figures demonstrates the process of early biblical interpretation and the effort to reconcile authoritative texts with lived experience. For the early church, intertextuality was also a theological legitimation strategy: New Testament authors utilized the language and stories of the Old Testament—seeing every text as a "mosaic of quotations"—to conceptualize the radical transformation brought about by Jesus's mission and death, thereby affirming continuity while marking revolutionary change.
V. Biblical Archaeology and Material Culture (10 Ideas)
Archaeological research utilizes material evidence—excavations, inscriptions, and artifacts—to provide historical and socio-cultural illumination of the biblical world and narratives.
Verification of the Davidic Dynasty: A Critical Analysis of the Tel Dan Stele: Comprehensive review of the epigraphic evidence concerning the reference to the "House of David" , assessing its implications for the historicity and chronology of the United Monarchy period (1049-931 BC).
The Archaeology of Worship in the Old Testament: Investigation into recovered material evidence—cult sites, altars, and ritual objects—to understand variations between mandated Temple worship and local, often syncretistic, practices.
Biblical archaeology operates within a structured chronological framework, defining specific research categories such as the Patriarchal Era, the United Monarchy, and the New Testament Era. This approach allows for detailed historical corroboration. A critical observation arises from the intersection of history and theology: the decree of a pagan ruler, Emperor Augustus, caused the movement of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, facilitating the fulfillment of prophecy. This illustrates how divine purpose utilizes even pagan political machinery—the Roman Empire—as an instrument for its redemptive plan.
VI. Theological Themes and Systematic Concepts (10 Ideas)
This domain focuses on the development of core Christian doctrines, often employing systematic and philosophical methods to trace concepts across the entire scriptural canon.
The Crucified King: Integrating Atonement and Kingdom Theology: Analyzing how the themes of the Kingdom of God and the Atonement—often studied in isolation—intersect and are mutually defining in both biblical and systematic theology.
A critical methodological development is the use of philosophical criticism, which analyzes biblical texts to understand the philosophical concepts held by the ancient Semites. This method prevents the anachronistic error of imposing later, often Greek-derived, philosophical categories onto the biblical world , thereby yielding a purer understanding of indigenous biblical thought. Furthermore, modern scholarship identifies a critical need for the integration of core doctrines. Researchers should avoid setting important themes, such as the Kingdom of God and Atonement, at odds; instead, the study should demonstrate how these concepts are inextricably linked throughout Scripture.
VII. Biblical Ethics and Socio-Political Justice (10 Ideas)
This area applies biblical moral principles to contemporary issues, examining governance, economic equity, and moral decision-making within society.
Examining Biblical Representations of Democracy and Communism: Analyzing scriptural principles regarding governance structures, authority, and communal property (e.g., Acts 2), assessing how biblical texts address or critique aspects of modern political models.
Biblical ethics explicitly rejects "relativistic situational ethics," maintaining that moral decision-making must be grounded in moral absolutes. The challenge for advanced research is not simply identifying these absolutes, but navigating the complex application of clear principles (e.g., the Golden Rule) to multifaceted contemporary issues. It is observed that while biblical laws may share structural parallels with ANE laws, the scriptural mandates distinguish themselves by emphasizing justice rooted fundamentally in the character of God. Therefore, ethical research must be theological, defining justice not merely as legal compliance but as conformity to the divine standard.
VIII. Contextual and Post-Critical Theories (10 Ideas)
Contextual studies employ critical theory lenses to examine power, marginalization, gender, and environment, often providing a corrective to traditional Western interpretations.
Feminist Critique of Biblical Divorce Laws: Employing both a "hermeneutic of suspicion" (challenging patriarchal assumptions) and a "hermeneutic of trust" (honoring the Bible’s authority) to evaluate Deuteronomy’s laws alongside Jesus's corrective teachings, affirming the full humanity of women.
Contextual theologies, such as eco-theology and feminist theology, are categorized under the Praxis Model of contextualization, meaning they prioritize present realities and future possibilities over classic texts or behaviors. This approach serves as a necessary corrective, challenging centuries of male-dominated interpretation and revealing overlooked aspects of scripture. The ultimate goal of this critical engagement is not pure dismissal, but to facilitate a deeper, more accurate understanding of the text by balancing suspicion against bias with trust in the text’s underlying authority. However, this differentiation from traditional theology raises methodological concerns regarding the potential for over-contextualization, which can make the connection between the new expression and the greater Christian tradition tenuous.
IX. Specific Genre Analysis (Poetry, Apocalypse, Law) (10 Ideas)
This domain applies genre-specific critical methods (Form Criticism, Discourse Analysis) to accurately interpret the literary conventions of major biblical genres.
The Theme of Wisdom and the Absurdity of Life: Comparative study of Ecclesiastes and Job, focusing on how their distinct poetic structures and use of dialogue address the profound limitations of human knowledge and the problem of suffering.
In the analysis of poetic and apocalyptic genres, constraints often serve a literary function that deepens meaning. For instance, the systematic use of alphabetic acrostics or parallelism in poetry is not merely ornamental; the repetition and semantic pairing inherent in parallelism emphasizes key ideas and provides lexical depth. Similarly, apocalyptic imagery, such as the relationship between the seven lampstands (churches) and the heavenly temple , maintains a necessary "paradoxical tension between heaven and earth." This structure requires the researcher to interpret the symbolism as simultaneously addressing God’s divine transcendence and the socio-historical realities of earthly communities.
X. Reception History and Cultural Impact (10 Ideas)
This domain investigates the Afterlife of the biblical text, tracing its interpretation, adaptation, and influence across subsequent history, law, art, and global culture.
The Decalogue and its Cultural Influence on Ethical Debates: Tracing the enduring influence of the Ten Commandments on Western legal history, political philosophy, and global ethical and moral debates.
The Impact of Digitalization on New Testament Textual Criticism: Examining how high-resolution imaging and digital collation techniques affect established general procedures for describing, classifying, and editing the Greek New Testament. This includes considering the development of the "New Testament of the future".
Source Criticism Beyond the Pentateuch: The Case of Chronicles: Analysis of the Chronicler’s selective quotation and purposeful retelling of the accounts found in the Books of Samuel and Kings. This investigation identifies redactional agendas and assesses the Chronicler's theological framing of monarchic history.
Assessing the Stability of Textual Identification through Manuscript Simulation: A practical study designed to test assumptions regarding textual transmission by simulating the process of creating and corrupting ancient manuscripts. This work emphasizes that textual criticism is fundamentally the study of physical manuscripts, contrasting it with the hypothetical nature of source criticism.
Historical-Critical Tracing of the Quest for the Historical Jesus: A comprehensive historiographical survey tracing the evolution of this scholarly interest from its inception during the German Enlightenment—driven by rationalist and Protestant influences—through subsequent critical waves, a quest that has remained significant for over two centuries.
The Process of Editing the Greek New Testament: Future Directions: A theoretical and practical examination of the ongoing process of editing the Greek New Testament, assessing the implications of current textual discoveries and methodological shifts for the projected form of the text in the coming decades.
Analyzing Bilingual Variants in New Testament Manuscripts: Focused research on the specialized difficulties involved in distinguishing translational influences, harmonizing variants, and discerning scribal habits within diglot New Testament manuscripts.
Reconstructing the Sitz im Leben of Selected Legal Codes (e.g., Leviticus 17-26): Application of Form Criticism to determine the original socio-religious context and function of specific legal stipulations, particularly those related to holiness and purity laws.
Theological Bias in Pre-Critical Biblical Analysis: Examining the trajectory of early biblical criticism, particularly the Tübingen School (1830s-1840s), which was guided by Hegelian philosophy and sought to read early Christian literature "against the grain," often challenging traditional theological foci.
The Authorship and Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch: Evaluation of both unified Mosaic authorship models and fragmented literary source models, contrasting them with the Documentary Hypothesis to assess the complexity of the corpus’s composition.
Theological Implications of Character Foil in the Gospels and Acts: Analyzing how the deliberate contrast between character pairings (e.g., Jesus and the previous prophets , Paul and Barnabas) reinforces or subtly nuances the central theological message of the narrator.
The Literary Coherence of the Book of Job: Investigating the complex structure of Job, including the relationship between the poetic dialogue, the speeches of Elihu, and the climactic divine speeches, to assert the book’s thematic unity despite its varied stylistic components.
Discourse Analysis of the Theme of Wisdom in Proverbs: Examining the rhetorical framing devices and poetic parallelism used to structure the fifteen “sonnets” and two “monologues” that extol wisdom in the early chapters of Proverbs.
The Function of Repetition and Leitmotifs in Genesis 1-11: Analyzing repeated phrases, motifs (e.g., Cain and Abel, Noah’s Flood ), and genealogies as deliberate literary mechanisms that unify the Primeval History and establish narrative precedent for subsequent events.
Narrative Time and Pacing in the Book of Acts: A study focusing on how the narrator controls the pace of the story—through techniques of time compression and expansion—to emphasize key theological or communal events, such as the Jerusalem Council detailed in Acts 15.
The Use of Allegory and Figurative Language in Biblical Metaphors: Examining the distinctive nature of allegory in the Bible, particularly in prophetic books and the parables of Jesus, and how these figures of speech function to communicate truth about the divine.
The Rhetoric of Lament and Thanksgiving in the Psalms: Analyzing the established structural components of these major Psalm genres to understand their performative function and role in expressing community and individual theological responses to life events.
Literary Analysis of the Davidic Covenant Narrative: Focusing on 2 Samuel 7 as the pivotal moment, analyzing the literary strategies—such as the interplay between divine promise and David's ambition—that shape royal and covenantal ideology.
The Treaty Structure in Deuteronomy and Hittite Suzerainty Treaties: Detailed analysis demonstrating how Deuteronomy adopts the structure of Hittite suzerainty treaties (preamble, historical prologue, stipulations, blessings, and curses) to underscore the covenant relationship as a theological suzerain-vassal agreement, while uniquely highlighting divine grace and love.
The Flood Stories: Theological Distinctives in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis: Analysis of the differences in divine motivation, the role of humanity, and the narrative outcome in both accounts to argue for the unique nature of biblical revelation set against a common mythological background.
Creation Narratives and Enuma Elish: Comparative analysis of creation accounts, focusing on how Genesis 1 redefines cosmology by rejecting the polytheistic conflict and establishing a sovereign deity who creates orderly existence through speech.
Ugaritic Texts and Biblical Job: Utilization of expertise in ancient Semitic languages, particularly Ugaritic—which is linguistically similar to Biblical Hebrew—to re-evaluate controversial or opaque passages in the Book of Job, seeking textual comparison and cognates to enhance retranslation.
Concepts of Malkuth (Kingship) in Israel and Ancient Egypt: Comparing the theological ideology underpinning Pharaoh’s absolute rule with the conditional nature of the Davidic monarchy, which remains subordinate to the covenant structure.
The Question of Uniqueness of Israelite Religion: A critical scholarly assessment of Israelite religious practices and institutions (e.g., sacrifice, prophecy) that appear to have parallels in the ANE, arguing for the distinctive Israelite theological interpretation that sets them apart.
Wisdom Literature: Comparing Ecclesiastes with Hellenistic Skepticism: Researching potential thematic convergence between Qoheleth’s philosophical resignation concerning human effort and contemporary Greek philosophical schools, such as Cynicism or Skepticism.
Inner-Biblical Allusion and the Concept of God’s Mission: Tracing the theological development of God’s overall redemptive purpose through the deliberate adoption and adaptation of words, images, and phrases across the various books of Scripture.
The Function of the Apocryphal/Deutero-Canonical Books: Analyzing the theological value of texts like Tobit and Ben Sirah as significant "windows into the development of biblical interpretation, theology, ethics, and liturgy" within Early Judaism.
The Davidic Covenant and Its Role in Messianic Expectations: Tracing the explicit citations and implicit allusions to the Davidic line and the covenant of 2 Samuel 7 throughout the Gospels and Pauline Epistles, analyzing its role in shaping early Christology.
Canon Criticism and the Attribution to Authoritative Figures: Analyzing why certain literary works (e.g., 1 Enoch, The Testament of Adam) were attributed to early, authoritative biblical figures during the 3rd century BCE to the 7th century CE. This reveals attempts by Jewish and Christian groups to reconcile "authoritative" teaching with their contemporary experiences.
The Reader as a Text: Analyzing Interpretive Assumptions in Biblical Allusion: Applying the concept that the reader is a "bundle of hermeneutics" to study how pre-existing reader knowledge and textual familiarity shape the perception and interpretation of intertextual links within the New Testament.
The Theological Trajectory of the Angels Motif: Tracing the development of angelology, analyzing its representation in the Hebrew Bible and its more extensive and formalized focus in the Pseudepigrapha (e.g., 1 Enoch).
The Relationship between the New Testament and Rabbinic Material (Targums): Investigating potential shared exegetical traditions, linguistic parallels, and interpretive methods between New Testament writings and contemporaneous Rabbinic materials.
The Concept of the Logos in the Gospel of John and the Wisdom Tradition: Tracing the philosophical progression of the Logos concept, analyzing its roots in the Old Testament Wisdom literature and its definitive theological transformation in the New Testament prologue.
Intertextuality in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Examining the literary relationships between the canonical books found at Qumran and the sectarian writings, such as the Pesharim, to understand the community’s unique interpretation of prophecy.
The Socio-Economic Impact of the Roman Census on Judea: Analyzing archaeological and literary evidence (Luke 2:4-5) to understand how the decrees of the Roman Emperor Augustus mandated registration and movement, facilitating the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.
Archaeological Evidence for the Divided Monarchy (931-587 BC) and External Records: Correlation of excavation data from sites like Megiddo and Lachish with external inscriptions, such as the 9th-century BCE Moabite Mesha Stele, to reconstruct historical conflicts and geopolitical realities.
The Material Culture of Second Temple Judaism and Sectarianism: Utilizing the findings of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the archaeology of Qumran to gain unprecedented insight into Jewish sectarian practices, biblical transmission, and daily life during the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE.
The Egyptian Background of the Exodus Narrative: Examining archaeological evidence for settlement patterns, trade routes, and potential migration in the Nile Delta and Sinai Peninsula to evaluate the historical plausibility of the Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings (1446-1406 BC).
Ancient Near Eastern Law and Socio-Political Organization: Comparative study of recovered legal tablets and administrative documents to contextualize and contrast Israel’s unique approach to legal and social institutions, relative to neighboring kingdoms.
The Impact of Hellenization on Architectural Style in New Testament Cities: Analysis of public buildings, coins, and monumental architecture in cities like Alexandria to gauge the extent of Greek cultural influence during the Second Temple and New Testament eras.
Reconstructing the Conquest of Canaan (1406-1371 BC) through Destruction Layers: Analyzing archaeological sites for evidence of widespread cultural shift, violence, and replacement culture that aligns with the narratives found in the Book of Joshua.
Everyday Life in Graeco-Roman Times and Biblical Narrative: Utilizing non-biblical material culture, such as papyri and household artifacts, to illuminate the social, economic, and political norms referenced in New Testament writings, providing necessary context.
Theodicy: The Issue of Evil in the World: A philosophical investigation into how biblical texts (e.g., Job, Genesis 3) address the difficulty of reconciling widespread human suffering and moral evil with the existence of a benevolent and omnipotent God.
Trinitarian Scriptures: Establishing the Bible’s Divine Origin: A comprehensive biblical theology tracing the implicit and explicit development of the concept of the Holy Trinity through the Old Testament, the Synoptic Gospels, and subsequent New Testament writings.
Christian Theology and Greek Culture: An analysis of the intellectual debt owed by early Christian thought to Greek science, Plato, Aristotle, and Neoplatonism. This examines the claim that Christian philosophy is not mere repetition but a transformation and protection of Greek culture.
Biblical Philosophy of Ontology and Existence: Utilizing philosophical criticism to analyze how ancient Semitic authors might have conceived of philosophical concepts, aiming to reconstruct the "folk philosophy" inherent in texts like Genesis and Exodus.
Theological Differences: Bible or Qur'ān? A formal comparative analysis of scriptural authority, textual transmission, and core theological content, addressing the question of which text better withstands the bibliographical test.
Biblical Foundations for Health Theology: Research into scriptural principles concerning healing, suffering, human embodiment, and divine providence to develop a coherent theological model for addressing contemporary health and wellness concerns.
Biblical Perspective on the Role of Women in Theology: Analyzing the scriptural evidence for the participation of women in ministry, leadership, and theological reflection across the Testaments, offering a corrective to traditionally restrictive interpretations.
Theological Analysis of Conversion Narratives: A systematic study of key conversion accounts (e.g., Paul, the Ethiopian Eunuch) to synthesize a coherent doctrine of salvation (Soteriology) and sanctification.
Divine Currency: The Theological Power of Money: Analysis of the scriptural function of money, wealth, and debt, investigating their theological implications and ethical obligations as presented in wisdom literature and the Gospels.
The Doctrine of Human Liberty in the Bible: Analysis of the legal codes and prophetic critiques that safeguard individual freedom and responsibility, balancing governmental authority with the requirement for human flourishing.
Biblical Ethics on Capital Punishment: Exegetical analysis of specific legal injunctions (e.g., Genesis 9:6) and related laws to assess the biblical justification, application, and constraints on the state's use of execution.
The Separation of Church and State: The Things That Are Caesar's: Detailed analysis of the biblical mandate that the church should not govern "the things that are Caesar's," and the corresponding limits placed upon civil government.
Ethical Analysis of Government Deception (National Security): Applying biblical moral absolutes, such as "thou shalt not steal" or "thou shalt not murder" , to evaluate the ethical permissibility of deception by state actors in contexts like national security or social engineering policies.
The Biblical View on Civil Disobedience: Researching the theological and ethical conditions under which citizens are biblically mandated or permitted to disobey governing authorities when those authorities demand action contrary to core scriptural principles.
Theological Issues on the Sovereignty of Nations: A critical survey of biblical texts regarding divine sovereignty and the necessary rivalry between State and Ecclesiastical authorities, contrasting biblical political theology with secular theorists such as Thomas Hobbes.
Bioethics from the Christian Ethics Perspective: Applying biblical principles concerning the sanctity of life, creation, and human dignity to complex contemporary bioethical issues such as reproductive technologies and end-of-life care.
Biblical Justification for Social Justice: Exegetical research tracing the theme of justice (mishpat and tzedakah) and its practical application to issues of economic disparity and mandated provision for the vulnerable, such as widows and orphans.
The Role of Scripture in Contemporary Counseling: An ethical and theological study examining best practices for integrating spiritual direction and the use of scripture with modern psychological care, ensuring fidelity to biblical authority.
Post-Colonial Analysis of the New Testament in its Roman Imperial Context: Examining how the New Testament came into being within a context of Roman imperial power, analyzing how early Christian writers justified, supported, or resisted the imperial presence and ideology.
Eco-theology: Critiquing the 'Domination Hypothesis': Assessing the historical critique that traditional Christianity fostered ecological destruction and analyzing how eco-theology, using principles like "intrinsic worth" and "interconnectedness," offers a constructive theological corrective.
Agency of Women in the Book of Judges: A feminist critique examining the narrative portrayals of Deborah, Jael, and the Woman at Thebez to uncover overlooked facets of female agency, societal roles, and religious responsibility in ancient Israel.
Post-Colonial Hermeneutics for Social Justice: Researching how postcolonial theory provides a tool for biblical interpretation, calling the church to a constructive reading that highlights the universal mission of justice within contexts facing socio-political and economic upheaval.
The Principle of Interconnectedness in the Psalms: Analyzing creation poetry through the lens of ecojustice principles, studying passages that describe the Earth as a community of interconnected living things mutually dependent for survival.
Trauma Hermeneutics and the Pauline Epistles: Interpreting key passages concerning suffering, persecution, and eschatological hope through the methodological lens of trauma studies, viewing the texts as responses to the traumatic experiences of early Christian communities.
Liberation Theology and the Catholic Church: Analyzing the historical development, methodological peculiarities, and scriptural basis of Latin American Liberation Theology and its connection to social justice movements.
Exploring Dual Loyalty in Diasporan Judaism: Researching the challenges faced by Alexandrian Jews during the Second Temple period, specifically concerning their interpretation of scripture and perceived conflict of loyalty to the Roman Empire and the Jerusalem Temple.
Methodological Risks in Contextual Interpretation: A study examining crucial translation problems inherent in socio-scientific methods, such as ethnocentrism and anachronism, while affirming that effective hermeneutical tools must ultimately yield discovery of life and faith.
Hebrew Parallelism and Semantic Amplification in Prophecy: Detailed analysis of how synonymous, antithetical, and synthetic parallelism functions to enhance meaning, emphasis, and rhetorical force in the prophetic books.
Apocalyptic Imagery and Symbolism in the Book of Revelation: Comprehensive analysis of specific symbols (e.g., seven lampstands, son of man, seven stars ) and their connection to Second Temple apocalyptic traditions to determine their symbolic interpretation for the early churches.
The Concept of the Logos in the Gospel of John: An exegetical study tracing the philosophical and theological precursors of the Logos doctrine, relating it to the hypostatized Wisdom figure in the Old Testament and subsequent Hellenistic thought.
The Narrative Function of Metaphors in the "I Am" Sayings: Analyzing the theological weight of Christ's self-descriptions (Bread of Life, Good Shepherd, True Vine ) and their functional relationship to Old Testament covenantal and identification language.
The Structure and Meaning of Lament in the Book of Lamentations: Analyzing the theological significance of its meticulously constructed alphabetic acrostic form, focusing on how this literary constraint affects the expression of national grief.
The Prophetic Call Narrative Form: A form-critical analysis identifying the structural components (divine confrontation, commission, objection, reassurance) in the inaugural visions and call narratives of major prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
The Parable of the Sower, a Path Through an Interpretive Maze (Mark 4:1–20): Detailed interpretive analysis of this specific pericope, focusing on the layers of interpretation and the pedagogical strategy employed by the narrator.
The Use of Hyperbole and Paradox in Paul’s Rhetoric: A genre-based analysis of Paul's deployment of exaggeration and self-contradiction to achieve theological or ethical ends, particularly in addressing challenges to his authority (e.g., 2 Corinthians).
The Role of the Psalms in Worship: An analysis of the theological themes and literary arrangement of the Psalms, examining their historical and continuing function in communal worship settings.
The Cultural Afterlife of the King James Bible (KJB): Investigating the KJB’s monumental impact on English literature, its role in global Protestant missions, and its significance as a "Text in Transit" across cultures.
The Bible and the Qur'ān: Historical and Theological Disparities: A comparative study analyzing shared prophetic figures and narratives, focusing on the major theological disparities in interpretation and canonical claims.
The Use, Influence, and Impact of the Bible in Visual Art: Researching the adaptation and interpretation of specific biblical narratives (e.g., the Parable of the Sower , the Passion) in post-biblical art history and visual culture.
From the Margins: Biblical Women and their Afterlives: Analyzing the adaptation and expansion of narratives concerning marginalized or controversial biblical women (e.g., Tamar, Ruth) in later literary traditions, theatrical works, and film.
Biblical Metaphors in Contemporary Works: Examining how specific narratives, themes, and biblical metaphors are cited or implicitly utilized in contemporary cultural products, including philosophy, news agencies, and critical media (such as film).
The Historiography of the Christianization of the Roman Empire: A critical analysis contrasting traditional historical narratives (e.g., Gibbon's view of Constantine's political cynicism ) with modern scholarship that utilizes a broader evidentiary basis, including coins, legal practices, and architecture.
The Reception of Biblical Apocalypticism in American Millenarian Movements: Tracing the use of Revelation and Daniel to interpret contemporary geopolitical events, predict the future, and justify specific socio-political action or withdrawal.
Biblical Apologetics: Using Pascal’s Wager as a Model: Assessing the effectiveness and theological foundations of using philosophical models like Pascal’s Wager to introduce Christian concepts to unbelievers in an increasingly secular and fast-paced modern world.
The Role of Ancient Manuscripts and Translations in Contemporary Apologetics: Examining how newly accessible ancient texts and translations (e.g., the New Revised Standard Version, or NRSV ) are utilized by scholars to provide historical and textual grounding for the Bible in defense of the faith.
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I. Historical-Critical and Textual Studies (10 Ideas)
This domain focuses on the foundational work of determining the origins, authorship, and transmission reliability of the biblical text, utilizing methods like textual criticism and source criticism.
Re-evaluating the Documentary Hypothesis (DH) in the 21st Century: Analysis of contemporary models that challenge the classical J. Wellhausen formulation of the DH, specifically examining the dating and provenance of the hypothesized Pentateuchal sources (J, E, D, P). This research addresses the scholarly "ferment" resulting from challenges to this long-standing paradigm.
The Impact of Digitalization on New Testament Textual Criticism: Examining how high-resolution imaging and digital collation techniques affect established general procedures for describing, classifying, and editing the Greek New Testament. This includes considering the development of the "New Testament of the future".
Source Criticism Beyond the Pentateuch: The Case of Chronicles: Analysis of the Chronicler’s selective quotation and purposeful retelling of the accounts found in the Books of Samuel and Kings. This investigation identifies redactional agendas and assesses the Chronicler's theological framing of monarchic history.
Assessing the Stability of Textual Identification through Manuscript Simulation: A practical study designed to test assumptions regarding textual transmission by simulating the process of creating and corrupting ancient manuscripts. This work emphasizes that textual criticism is fundamentally the study of physical manuscripts, contrasting it with the hypothetical nature of source criticism.
Historical-Critical Tracing of the Quest for the Historical Jesus: A comprehensive historiographical survey tracing the evolution of this scholarly interest from its inception during the German Enlightenment—driven by rationalist and Protestant influences—through subsequent critical waves, a quest that has remained significant for over two centuries.
The Process of Editing the Greek New Testament: Future Directions: A theoretical and practical examination of the ongoing process of editing the Greek New Testament, assessing the implications of current textual discoveries and methodological shifts for the projected form of the text in the coming decades.
Analyzing Bilingual Variants in New Testament Manuscripts: Focused research on the specialized difficulties involved in distinguishing translational influences, harmonizing variants, and discerning scribal habits within diglot New Testament manuscripts.
Reconstructing the Sitz im Leben of Selected Legal Codes (e.g., Leviticus 17-26): Application of Form Criticism to determine the original socio-religious context and function of specific legal stipulations, particularly those related to holiness and purity laws.
Theological Bias in Pre-Critical Biblical Analysis: Examining the trajectory of early biblical criticism, particularly the Tübingen School (1830s-1840s), which was guided by Hegelian philosophy and sought to read early Christian literature "against the grain," often challenging traditional theological foci.
The Authorship and Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch: Evaluation of both unified Mosaic authorship models and fragmented literary source models, contrasting them with the Documentary Hypothesis to assess the complexity of the corpus’s composition.
The critical analysis of the biblical text must manage a persistent methodological tension: the necessity of studying physical artifacts alongside the use of speculative historical reconstructions. Textual criticism is devoted to the tangible data of manuscripts and the observable procedures of textual transmission , whereas Source Criticism relies on hypothetical models, such as the JEDP complex. The discovery of manuscripts like the Dead Sea Scrolls underscores the difficulty of simplistic reconstruction, demanding that future research rigorously justify both the observable facts of transmission and the speculative history of textual development.
II. Literary and Narrative Criticism (10 Ideas)
Literary criticism focuses on the aesthetic and structural qualities of the final text, analyzing how elements like plot, rhetoric, and characterization convey complex theological meaning.
Rhetorical Analysis of Paul’s Argument in Galatians: Mapping the structure of the Epistle to the Galatians onto the formal divisions of ancient Greco-Roman forensic rhetoric, including the Exordium, Narratio, Propositio, Probatio, Refutatio, and Peroratio.
Theological Implications of Character Foil in the Gospels and Acts: Analyzing how the deliberate contrast between character pairings (e.g., Jesus and the previous prophets , Paul and Barnabas) reinforces or subtly nuances the central theological message of the narrator.
The Literary Coherence of the Book of Job: Investigating the complex structure of Job, including the relationship between the poetic dialogue, the speeches of Elihu, and the climactic divine speeches, to assert the book’s thematic unity despite its varied stylistic components.
Discourse Analysis of the Theme of Wisdom in Proverbs: Examining the rhetorical framing devices and poetic parallelism used to structure the fifteen “sonnets” and two “monologues” that extol wisdom in the early chapters of Proverbs.
The Function of Repetition and Leitmotifs in Genesis 1-11: Analyzing repeated phrases, motifs (e.g., Cain and Abel, Noah’s Flood ), and genealogies as deliberate literary mechanisms that unify the Primeval History and establish narrative precedent for subsequent events.
Narrative Time and Pacing in the Book of Acts: A study focusing on how the narrator controls the pace of the story—through techniques of time compression and expansion—to emphasize key theological or communal events, such as the Jerusalem Council detailed in Acts 15.
The Use of Allegory and Figurative Language in Biblical Metaphors: Examining the distinctive nature of allegory in the Bible, particularly in prophetic books and the parables of Jesus, and how these figures of speech function to communicate truth about the divine.
The Rhetoric of Lament and Thanksgiving in the Psalms: Analyzing the established structural components of these major Psalm genres to understand their performative function and role in expressing community and individual theological responses to life events.
Literary Analysis of the Davidic Covenant Narrative: Focusing on 2 Samuel 7 as the pivotal moment, analyzing the literary strategies—such as the interplay between divine promise and David's ambition—that shape royal and covenantal ideology.
Analyzing the Narrative Climax in the Gospel of John: Focusing on the plot structure and controlled point of view in John 17-21, assessing how the evangelist’s literary craft presents the definitive understanding of the passion and resurrection.
Advanced analysis requires adopting a functional perspective on rhetorical devices. It is not sufficient merely to identify a rhetorical structure, such as the Greco-Roman model in Paul’s letters ; research must assess the text’s pragmatic aspect, determining how the persuasive strategy functions to communicate effectively with and influence the addressees. This shifts the focus from simple description to functional critical evaluation. Furthermore, this literary domain holds that theological conclusions are strengthened, not weakened, by analyzing the text’s form. Narrative criticism demonstrates that profound theological truth emerges directly from the skillful utilization of literary artistry, including plot structures, characterizations, and point of view.
III. Comparative and Ancient Near Eastern Contexts (10 Ideas)
This domain contextualizes biblical narratives and laws by comparing them with the vast corpus of Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) literature, illuminating Israel’s cultural environment and emphasizing the distinctiveness of biblical thought.
The Code of Hammurabi vs. The Covenant Code (Exodus 21–23): A comprehensive comparative legal study of these two texts, emphasizing that while both address property rights and personal injury, the biblical law grounds justice in the unique character of God and mandates special dignity for vulnerable groups like widows and orphans.
The Treaty Structure in Deuteronomy and Hittite Suzerainty Treaties: Detailed analysis demonstrating how Deuteronomy adopts the structure of Hittite suzerainty treaties (preamble, historical prologue, stipulations, blessings, and curses) to underscore the covenant relationship as a theological suzerain-vassal agreement, while uniquely highlighting divine grace and love.
The Flood Stories: Theological Distinctives in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis: Analysis of the differences in divine motivation, the role of humanity, and the narrative outcome in both accounts to argue for the unique nature of biblical revelation set against a common mythological background.
Creation Narratives and Enuma Elish: Comparative analysis of creation accounts, focusing on how Genesis 1 redefines cosmology by rejecting the polytheistic conflict and establishing a sovereign deity who creates orderly existence through speech.
Ugaritic Texts and Biblical Job: Utilization of expertise in ancient Semitic languages, particularly Ugaritic—which is linguistically similar to Biblical Hebrew—to re-evaluate controversial or opaque passages in the Book of Job, seeking textual comparison and cognates to enhance retranslation.
Concepts of Malkuth (Kingship) in Israel and Ancient Egypt: Comparing the theological ideology underpinning Pharaoh’s absolute rule with the conditional nature of the Davidic monarchy, which remains subordinate to the covenant structure.
The Question of Uniqueness of Israelite Religion: A critical scholarly assessment of Israelite religious practices and institutions (e.g., sacrifice, prophecy) that appear to have parallels in the ANE, arguing for the distinctive Israelite theological interpretation that sets them apart.
Wisdom Literature: Comparing Ecclesiastes with Hellenistic Skepticism: Researching potential thematic convergence between Qoheleth’s philosophical resignation concerning human effort and contemporary Greek philosophical schools, such as Cynicism or Skepticism.
The Historical Background of Israel’s Neighbors in the Book of the Twelve Prophets: Utilizing external archaeological, epigraphic, and historical records to accurately contextualize the specific socio-political conditions referenced in the Oracles Against Foreign Nations.
The Divine Council Motif in the Psalms and Ugaritic Literature: Analyzing shared concepts of celestial hierarchy, focusing on how the biblical text fundamentally subverts polytheistic implications by subordinating all entities to Yahweh alone.
Research in this field confirms that the Old Testament is situated within a rich linguistic and cultural milieu. Hebrew, a Semitic language, naturally shares linguistic roots and concepts (e.g., the word El as a divine name) with Canaanite literature. Therefore, researchers cannot assume theological equivalence based solely on linguistic similarity. The value of ANE comparisons lies not in finding mirror images, but in illuminating the context to highlight the profound differences—the unique theological redefinition of shared cultural concepts—that confirm the distinctive message of the Bible. Archaeological discoveries are vital, as they provide the necessary historical and religious background for interpretation, moving beyond mere textual analysis.
IV. Intertextuality and Canon Formation (10 Ideas)
This domain explores the literary relationships between biblical texts and external writings, examining citation, allusion, and the historical process by which certain books gained canonical authority.
The Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation: Analyzing how John’s apocalyptic imagery and symbolism draw from and transform specific prophetic texts (especially Daniel and Ezekiel) to establish a sense of canonical coherence and eschatological fulfillment.
Inner-Biblical Allusion and the Concept of God’s Mission: Tracing the theological development of God’s overall redemptive purpose through the deliberate adoption and adaptation of words, images, and phrases across the various books of Scripture.
The Function of the Apocryphal/Deutero-Canonical Books: Analyzing the theological value of texts like Tobit and Ben Sirah as significant "windows into the development of biblical interpretation, theology, ethics, and liturgy" within Early Judaism.
The Davidic Covenant and Its Role in Messianic Expectations: Tracing the explicit citations and implicit allusions to the Davidic line and the covenant of 2 Samuel 7 throughout the Gospels and Pauline Epistles, analyzing its role in shaping early Christology.
Canon Criticism and the Attribution to Authoritative Figures: Analyzing why certain literary works (e.g., 1 Enoch, The Testament of Adam) were attributed to early, authoritative biblical figures during the 3rd century BCE to the 7th century CE. This reveals attempts by Jewish and Christian groups to reconcile "authoritative" teaching with their contemporary experiences.
The Reader as a Text: Analyzing Interpretive Assumptions in Biblical Allusion: Applying the concept that the reader is a "bundle of hermeneutics" to study how pre-existing reader knowledge and textual familiarity shape the perception and interpretation of intertextual links within the New Testament.
The Theological Trajectory of the Angels Motif: Tracing the development of angelology, analyzing its representation in the Hebrew Bible and its more extensive and formalized focus in the Pseudepigrapha (e.g., 1 Enoch).
The Relationship between the New Testament and Rabbinic Material (Targums): Investigating potential shared exegetical traditions, linguistic parallels, and interpretive methods between New Testament writings and contemporaneous Rabbinic materials.
The Concept of the Logos in the Gospel of John and the Wisdom Tradition: Tracing the philosophical progression of the Logos concept, analyzing its roots in the Old Testament Wisdom literature and its definitive theological transformation in the New Testament prologue.
Intertextuality in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Examining the literary relationships between the canonical books found at Qumran and the sectarian writings, such as the Pesharim, to understand the community’s unique interpretation of prophecy.
The Pseudepigrapha are critical to understanding the dynamism of early Jewish and Christian development. The fact that these works were actively written and often attributed to legendary figures demonstrates the process of early biblical interpretation and the effort to reconcile authoritative texts with lived experience. For the early church, intertextuality was also a theological legitimation strategy: New Testament authors utilized the language and stories of the Old Testament—seeing every text as a "mosaic of quotations"—to conceptualize the radical transformation brought about by Jesus's mission and death, thereby affirming continuity while marking revolutionary change.
V. Biblical Archaeology and Material Culture (10 Ideas)
Archaeological research utilizes material evidence—excavations, inscriptions, and artifacts—to provide historical and socio-cultural illumination of the biblical world and narratives.
Verification of the Davidic Dynasty: A Critical Analysis of the Tel Dan Stele: Comprehensive review of the epigraphic evidence concerning the reference to the "House of David" , assessing its implications for the historicity and chronology of the United Monarchy period (1049-931 BC).
The Socio-Economic Impact of the Roman Census on Judea: Analyzing archaeological and literary evidence (Luke 2:4-5) to understand how the decrees of the Roman Emperor Augustus mandated registration and movement, facilitating the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.
Archaeological Evidence for the Divided Monarchy (931-587 BC) and External Records: Correlation of excavation data from sites like Megiddo and Lachish with external inscriptions, such as the 9th-century BCE Moabite Mesha Stele, to reconstruct historical conflicts and geopolitical realities.
The Material Culture of Second Temple Judaism and Sectarianism: Utilizing the findings of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the archaeology of Qumran to gain unprecedented insight into Jewish sectarian practices, biblical transmission, and daily life during the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE.
The Egyptian Background of the Exodus Narrative: Examining archaeological evidence for settlement patterns, trade routes, and potential migration in the Nile Delta and Sinai Peninsula to evaluate the historical plausibility of the Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings (1446-1406 BC).
Ancient Near Eastern Law and Socio-Political Organization: Comparative study of recovered legal tablets and administrative documents to contextualize and contrast Israel’s unique approach to legal and social institutions, relative to neighboring kingdoms.
The Impact of Hellenization on Architectural Style in New Testament Cities: Analysis of public buildings, coins, and monumental architecture in cities like Alexandria to gauge the extent of Greek cultural influence during the Second Temple and New Testament eras.
Reconstructing the Conquest of Canaan (1406-1371 BC) through Destruction Layers: Analyzing archaeological sites for evidence of widespread cultural shift, violence, and replacement culture that aligns with the narratives found in the Book of Joshua.
Everyday Life in Graeco-Roman Times and Biblical Narrative: Utilizing non-biblical material culture, such as papyri and household artifacts, to illuminate the social, economic, and political norms referenced in New Testament writings, providing necessary context.
The Archaeology of Worship in the Old Testament: Investigation into recovered material evidence—cult sites, altars, and ritual objects—to understand variations between mandated Temple worship and local, often syncretistic, practices.
Biblical archaeology operates within a structured chronological framework, defining specific research categories such as the Patriarchal Era, the United Monarchy, and the New Testament Era. This approach allows for detailed historical corroboration. A critical observation arises from the intersection of history and theology: the decree of a pagan ruler, Emperor Augustus, caused the movement of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, facilitating the fulfillment of prophecy. This illustrates how divine purpose utilizes even pagan political machinery—the Roman Empire—as an instrument for its redemptive plan.
VI. Theological Themes and Systematic Concepts (10 Ideas)
This domain focuses on the development of core Christian doctrines, often employing systematic and philosophical methods to trace concepts across the entire scriptural canon.
The Crucified King: Integrating Atonement and Kingdom Theology: Analyzing how the themes of the Kingdom of God and the Atonement—often studied in isolation—intersect and are mutually defining in both biblical and systematic theology.
Theodicy: The Issue of Evil in the World: A philosophical investigation into how biblical texts (e.g., Job, Genesis 3) address the difficulty of reconciling widespread human suffering and moral evil with the existence of a benevolent and omnipotent God.
Trinitarian Scriptures: Establishing the Bible’s Divine Origin: A comprehensive biblical theology tracing the implicit and explicit development of the concept of the Holy Trinity through the Old Testament, the Synoptic Gospels, and subsequent New Testament writings.
Christian Theology and Greek Culture: An analysis of the intellectual debt owed by early Christian thought to Greek science, Plato, Aristotle, and Neoplatonism. This examines the claim that Christian philosophy is not mere repetition but a transformation and protection of Greek culture.
Biblical Philosophy of Ontology and Existence: Utilizing philosophical criticism to analyze how ancient Semitic authors might have conceived of philosophical concepts, aiming to reconstruct the "folk philosophy" inherent in texts like Genesis and Exodus.
Theological Differences: Bible or Qur'ān? A formal comparative analysis of scriptural authority, textual transmission, and core theological content, addressing the question of which text better withstands the bibliographical test.
Biblical Foundations for Health Theology: Research into scriptural principles concerning healing, suffering, human embodiment, and divine providence to develop a coherent theological model for addressing contemporary health and wellness concerns.
Biblical Perspective on the Role of Women in Theology: Analyzing the scriptural evidence for the participation of women in ministry, leadership, and theological reflection across the Testaments, offering a corrective to traditionally restrictive interpretations.
Theological Analysis of Conversion Narratives: A systematic study of key conversion accounts (e.g., Paul, the Ethiopian Eunuch) to synthesize a coherent doctrine of salvation (Soteriology) and sanctification.
Divine Currency: The Theological Power of Money: Analysis of the scriptural function of money, wealth, and debt, investigating their theological implications and ethical obligations as presented in wisdom literature and the Gospels.
A critical methodological development is the use of philosophical criticism, which analyzes biblical texts to understand the philosophical concepts held by the ancient Semites. This method prevents the anachronistic error of imposing later, often Greek-derived, philosophical categories onto the biblical world , thereby yielding a purer understanding of indigenous biblical thought. Furthermore, modern scholarship identifies a critical need for the integration of core doctrines. Researchers should avoid setting important themes, such as the Kingdom of God and Atonement, at odds; instead, the study should demonstrate how these concepts are inextricably linked throughout Scripture.
VII. Biblical Ethics and Socio-Political Justice (10 Ideas)
This area applies biblical moral principles to contemporary issues, examining governance, economic equity, and moral decision-making within society.
Examining Biblical Representations of Democracy and Communism: Analyzing scriptural principles regarding governance structures, authority, and communal property (e.g., Acts 2), assessing how biblical texts address or critique aspects of modern political models.
The Doctrine of Human Liberty in the Bible: Analysis of the legal codes and prophetic critiques that safeguard individual freedom and responsibility, balancing governmental authority with the requirement for human flourishing.
Biblical Ethics on Capital Punishment: Exegetical analysis of specific legal injunctions (e.g., Genesis 9:6) and related laws to assess the biblical justification, application, and constraints on the state's use of execution.
The Separation of Church and State: The Things That Are Caesar's: Detailed analysis of the biblical mandate that the church should not govern "the things that are Caesar's," and the corresponding limits placed upon civil government.
Ethical Analysis of Government Deception (National Security): Applying biblical moral absolutes, such as "thou shalt not steal" or "thou shalt not murder" , to evaluate the ethical permissibility of deception by state actors in contexts like national security or social engineering policies.
The Biblical View on Civil Disobedience: Researching the theological and ethical conditions under which citizens are biblically mandated or permitted to disobey governing authorities when those authorities demand action contrary to core scriptural principles.
Theological Issues on the Sovereignty of Nations: A critical survey of biblical texts regarding divine sovereignty and the necessary rivalry between State and Ecclesiastical authorities, contrasting biblical political theology with secular theorists such as Thomas Hobbes.
Bioethics from the Christian Ethics Perspective: Applying biblical principles concerning the sanctity of life, creation, and human dignity to complex contemporary bioethical issues such as reproductive technologies and end-of-life care.
Biblical Justification for Social Justice: Exegetical research tracing the theme of justice (mishpat and tzedakah) and its practical application to issues of economic disparity and mandated provision for the vulnerable, such as widows and orphans.
The Role of Scripture in Contemporary Counseling: An ethical and theological study examining best practices for integrating spiritual direction and the use of scripture with modern psychological care, ensuring fidelity to biblical authority.
Biblical ethics explicitly rejects "relativistic situational ethics," maintaining that moral decision-making must be grounded in moral absolutes. The challenge for advanced research is not simply identifying these absolutes, but navigating the complex application of clear principles (e.g., the Golden Rule) to multifaceted contemporary issues. It is observed that while biblical laws may share structural parallels with ANE laws, the scriptural mandates distinguish themselves by emphasizing justice rooted fundamentally in the character of God. Therefore, ethical research must be theological, defining justice not merely as legal compliance but as conformity to the divine standard.
VIII. Contextual and Post-Critical Theories (10 Ideas)
Contextual studies employ critical theory lenses to examine power, marginalization, gender, and environment, often providing a corrective to traditional Western interpretations.
Feminist Critique of Biblical Divorce Laws: Employing both a "hermeneutic of suspicion" (challenging patriarchal assumptions) and a "hermeneutic of trust" (honoring the Bible’s authority) to evaluate Deuteronomy’s laws alongside Jesus's corrective teachings, affirming the full humanity of women.
Post-Colonial Analysis of the New Testament in its Roman Imperial Context: Examining how the New Testament came into being within a context of Roman imperial power, analyzing how early Christian writers justified, supported, or resisted the imperial presence and ideology.
Eco-theology: Critiquing the 'Domination Hypothesis': Assessing the historical critique that traditional Christianity fostered ecological destruction and analyzing how eco-theology, using principles like "intrinsic worth" and "interconnectedness," offers a constructive theological corrective.
Agency of Women in the Book of Judges: A feminist critique examining the narrative portrayals of Deborah, Jael, and the Woman at Thebez to uncover overlooked facets of female agency, societal roles, and religious responsibility in ancient Israel.
Post-Colonial Hermeneutics for Social Justice: Researching how postcolonial theory provides a tool for biblical interpretation, calling the church to a constructive reading that highlights the universal mission of justice within contexts facing socio-political and economic upheaval.
The Principle of Interconnectedness in the Psalms: Analyzing creation poetry through the lens of ecojustice principles, studying passages that describe the Earth as a community of interconnected living things mutually dependent for survival.
Trauma Hermeneutics and the Pauline Epistles: Interpreting key passages concerning suffering, persecution, and eschatological hope through the methodological lens of trauma studies, viewing the texts as responses to the traumatic experiences of early Christian communities.
Liberation Theology and the Catholic Church: Analyzing the historical development, methodological peculiarities, and scriptural basis of Latin American Liberation Theology and its connection to social justice movements.
Exploring Dual Loyalty in Diasporan Judaism: Researching the challenges faced by Alexandrian Jews during the Second Temple period, specifically concerning their interpretation of scripture and perceived conflict of loyalty to the Roman Empire and the Jerusalem Temple.
Methodological Risks in Contextual Interpretation: A study examining crucial translation problems inherent in socio-scientific methods, such as ethnocentrism and anachronism, while affirming that effective hermeneutical tools must ultimately yield discovery of life and faith.
Contextual theologies, such as eco-theology and feminist theology, are categorized under the Praxis Model of contextualization, meaning they prioritize present realities and future possibilities over classic texts or behaviors. This approach serves as a necessary corrective, challenging centuries of male-dominated interpretation and revealing overlooked aspects of scripture. The ultimate goal of this critical engagement is not pure dismissal, but to facilitate a deeper, more accurate understanding of the text by balancing suspicion against bias with trust in the text’s underlying authority. However, this differentiation from traditional theology raises methodological concerns regarding the potential for over-contextualization, which can make the connection between the new expression and the greater Christian tradition tenuous.
IX. Specific Genre Analysis (Poetry, Apocalypse, Law) (10 Ideas)
This domain applies genre-specific critical methods (Form Criticism, Discourse Analysis) to accurately interpret the literary conventions of major biblical genres.
The Theme of Wisdom and the Absurdity of Life: Comparative study of Ecclesiastes and Job, focusing on how their distinct poetic structures and use of dialogue address the profound limitations of human knowledge and the problem of suffering.
Hebrew Parallelism and Semantic Amplification in Prophecy: Detailed analysis of how synonymous, antithetical, and synthetic parallelism functions to enhance meaning, emphasis, and rhetorical force in the prophetic books.
Apocalyptic Imagery and Symbolism in the Book of Revelation: Comprehensive analysis of specific symbols (e.g., seven lampstands, son of man, seven stars ) and their connection to Second Temple apocalyptic traditions to determine their symbolic interpretation for the early churches.
The Concept of the Logos in the Gospel of John: An exegetical study tracing the philosophical and theological precursors of the Logos doctrine, relating it to the hypostatized Wisdom figure in the Old Testament and subsequent Hellenistic thought.
The Narrative Function of Metaphors in the "I Am" Sayings: Analyzing the theological weight of Christ's self-descriptions (Bread of Life, Good Shepherd, True Vine ) and their functional relationship to Old Testament covenantal and identification language.
The Structure and Meaning of Lament in the Book of Lamentations: Analyzing the theological significance of its meticulously constructed alphabetic acrostic form, focusing on how this literary constraint affects the expression of national grief.
The Prophetic Call Narrative Form: A form-critical analysis identifying the structural components (divine confrontation, commission, objection, reassurance) in the inaugural visions and call narratives of major prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
The Parable of the Sower, a Path Through an Interpretive Maze (Mark 4:1–20): Detailed interpretive analysis of this specific pericope, focusing on the layers of interpretation and the pedagogical strategy employed by the narrator.
The Use of Hyperbole and Paradox in Paul’s Rhetoric: A genre-based analysis of Paul's deployment of exaggeration and self-contradiction to achieve theological or ethical ends, particularly in addressing challenges to his authority (e.g., 2 Corinthians).
The Role of the Psalms in Worship: An analysis of the theological themes and literary arrangement of the Psalms, examining their historical and continuing function in communal worship settings.
In the analysis of poetic and apocalyptic genres, constraints often serve a literary function that deepens meaning. For instance, the systematic use of alphabetic acrostics or parallelism in poetry is not merely ornamental; the repetition and semantic pairing inherent in parallelism emphasizes key ideas and provides lexical depth. Similarly, apocalyptic imagery, such as the relationship between the seven lampstands (churches) and the heavenly temple , maintains a necessary "paradoxical tension between heaven and earth." This structure requires the researcher to interpret the symbolism as simultaneously addressing God’s divine transcendence and the socio-historical realities of earthly communities.
X. Reception History and Cultural Impact (10 Ideas)
This domain investigates the Afterlife of the biblical text, tracing its interpretation, adaptation, and influence across subsequent history, law, art, and global culture.
The Decalogue and its Cultural Influence on Ethical Debates: Tracing the enduring influence of the Ten Commandments on Western legal history, political philosophy, and global ethical and moral debates.
The Cultural Afterlife of the King James Bible (KJB): Investigating the KJB’s monumental impact on English literature, its role in global Protestant missions, and its significance as a "Text in Transit" across cultures.
The Bible and the Qur'ān: Historical and Theological Disparities: A comparative study analyzing shared prophetic figures and narratives, focusing on the major theological disparities in interpretation and canonical claims.
The Use, Influence, and Impact of the Bible in Visual Art: Researching the adaptation and interpretation of specific biblical narratives (e.g., the Parable of the Sower , the Passion) in post-biblical art history and visual culture.
From the Margins: Biblical Women and their Afterlives: Analyzing the adaptation and expansion of narratives concerning marginalized or controversial biblical women (e.g., Tamar, Ruth) in later literary traditions, theatrical works, and film.
Biblical Metaphors in Contemporary Works: Examining how specific narratives, themes, and biblical metaphors are cited or implicitly utilized in contemporary cultural products, including philosophy, news agencies, and critical media (such as film).
The Historiography of the Christianization of the Roman Empire: A critical analysis contrasting traditional historical narratives (e.g., Gibbon's view of Constantine's political cynicism ) with modern scholarship that utilizes a broader evidentiary basis, including coins, legal practices, and architecture.
The Reception of Biblical Apocalypticism in American Millenarian Movements: Tracing the use of Revelation and Daniel to interpret contemporary geopolitical events, predict the future, and justify specific socio-political action or withdrawal.
Biblical Apologetics: Using Pascal’s Wager as a Model: Assessing the effectiveness and theological foundations of using philosophical models like Pascal’s Wager to introduce Christian concepts to unbelievers in an increasingly secular and fast-paced modern world.
The Role of Ancient Manuscripts and Translations in Contemporary Apologetics: Examining how newly accessible ancient texts and translations (e.g., the New Revised Standard Version, or NRSV ) are utilized by scholars to provide historical and textual grounding for the Bible in defense of the faith.
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