Ancient Eastern Thought and the Old Testament Essay

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THE BIBLE AMONG THE MYTHS JOHN, N. OSWALT A SUMMARY PAPER OF THE TEXT ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN THOUGHT AND THE OLD TESTAMENT SUBMITTED TO DR. RANDY G. HANEY DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY BY 03 MARCH 2013 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: HISTORY AND METHODS 3 CHAPTER 2: COMPARATIVE STUDIES, SCHOLARSHIP, AND THEOLOGY 6 CHAPTER 3: SUMMARY OF THE LITERATURE OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST 10 CHAPTER 4: THE GODS 14 CHAPTER 5: TEMPLES AND RITUALS 19 CHAPTER 6: STATE AND FAMILY RELIGION 22 CHAPTER 7: COSMIC GEOGRAPHY 25 CHAPTER 8: COSMOLOGY AND COSMOGONY 28 CHAPTER 9: UNDERSTANDING THE PAST HUMAN ORIGINS AND ROLE 31 CHAPTER 10: UNDERSTANDING THE PAST 34 CHAPTER 11: ENCOUNTERING THE PRESENT 38 CHAPTER 12:†¦show more content†¦Cultural Dimensions of Theology An examination of Israelite theology goes beyond finding similarities and differences, it should articulate the relationships which existed and clarify the cultural context. Otherwise, the mere interpretation of text may lead to interpretation with a theological significance based on our understanding. Scope of Comparative Study Academic attention in comparative studies focused on either individual features or literary preservation of traditions. Comparative research can be divided into three categories: 1) individual elements, 2) worldview concepts, and 3) literary preservation. Conclusions Walton listed ten principles for performing comparative studies and stated four goals for undertaking background studies. CHAPTER 2: COMPARATIVE STUDIES, SCHOLARSHIP, AND THEOLOGY Comparative study is employed by critical scholars in the critical study of historical and literary texts and is also used in confessional contexts. This chapter will look at the roles comparative studies play in both the critical and confessional contexts as well as how it is utilized for polemic purposes. Comparative Study and Critical Scholarship Darwin’s theory of evolution spurred critical scholarship in the nineteenth century and evolution provided the groundwork for being sympathetic to the idea that religious practice andShow MoreRelatedBook Summary of John H. Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament:4623 Words   |  19 PagesJohn H. Walton’s Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible is broken up into fourteen chapters. Those fourteen chapters are each part of one of five sections. This book also contains over twenty historical images. Before the introduction, the author gives readers a full appendix of all images used in this published work. The author then gives his acknowledgements followed by a list of abbreviations. Part 1- Comparative studies TheRead MoreAncient Near Eastern Thought Essay3623 Words   |  15 PagesAncient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament (Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible) Introduction Using contemporary studies as the foundation of his research John Walton reviews the ancient and Near Eastern and Israelite cognitive context. He provides guidance for students and general public to have a wider understanding and expand their knowledge of today’s culture, and historical culture interacts with the ancient world culture. In doing so, he tries to balance allRead MoreA Discussion Of The Old And New Testaments Essay1141 Words   |  5 Pagesrelevance to both a discussion of the Old and New Testaments. In specific terms Wisdom is associated with Creation and with Redemption in both Testaments as an illustration of its importance in overall Salvation History. Wisdom is generally understood as the right use of knowledge. More than that, it is thought of as basic to a religious understanding of the twin ideas of Creation and Redemption, and thisextends its relevance to both a discussion of the Old and New Testaments. In clearly stated/particularRead MoreA Study On Ancient Israelites And The Rise Of Christianity1640 Words   |  7 Pages My initial perspective on ancient Israelite religion was what I was taught in church. In fact, in church, the pastor put less emphasis on Ancient Israelites themselves and more emphasis on Christians. For me, when I thought of Israelites I thought of only a small segment of the bible. I thought of the group of people trapped in Egypt kept as slaves. Coming into Intro to Old Testament class, I assumed the class would be nothing more than a lecture about everything I had already learned in churchRead MoreGENESIS AND ANCIENT MYTHS OF THE NEAR EAST930 Words   |  4 Pagesapproaches the biblical text, it is important to explore the cultural context in which the text occurs. With regard to the Book of Genesis, it is important to examine the writing with other contemporary works of similar geography and topics. The people of ancient Mesopotamia, where the oldest civilizations originated, produced a number of stories of creation and natural occurrences. It is important to note that many of the stories of the Sumerians, Akkadians and Hebrews began as oral traditions as the eventsRead MoreWhat Makes The Bible Into Theology?849 Words   |  4 Pagesbinding. (Detweiler, 1985). The particular qualities of biblical literature which become canon are what makes the Bible into theology (Stordalen, 2007). The word â€Å"canon† is an ancient Semitic word that, in ancient times, had come to be thought of as a standard or rule for faith and life. The books of the Old and New Testaments have long been considered canon, or â€Å"divine writings† (â€Å"Lecture 2,† 2015). Canonization of the Bible was a varied process that occurred over a very long span of time and involvedRead MoreWhat Were The Key Social And Cultural Factors That Enabled The Gospel Of Spread So Quickly Through The Roman1186 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Roman Empire are contained in the New Testament and outline Paul s theology. He insisted that Gentiles had as much access to the faith as Jews and that freedom from the Law set everyone free. It was this teaching which was essential for the development and success of the early church which would otherwise have remained another Jewish sect. The culture of Paul’s time was Greco-Roman. In the fourth century BC Alexander the Great dominated the Near Eastern world and was a strong devotee of GreekRead MoreIntroduction The great American scholar, William Foxwell Albright was an American Biblical800 Words   |  4 Pagesreferred as the ‘father of biblical archaeology’† He was considered an expert in many areas of study associated to the ancient Near East, particularly the Old Testament. â€Å"Albright’s most enduring legacy is his contribution to the establishment of a new paradigm of ancient Near Eastern Studies called biblical archaeology.† Furthermore, Albright was an authority on Near Eastern languages and became known in the archaeological world for his authentication of the Dead Sea Scrolls. His archaeologicalRead MoreThe First Address Of Moses Essay925 Words   |  4 Pages31:30) A. Ratification Ceremony (27:1-26) B. Blessings and Curses (28:1-18) C. The Covenant Oath (29:1- 30:14) D. Call to Decision (30:15-20) E. Leadership and the law (31:1-30) V. Appendixes (32:1 – 34:12) A. The Song of Moses (32:1-47) B. The Testament of Moses (32:48 – 33:29) C. The Death of Moses (34:1-12) Overview pg.141 I. Introduction that establishes the historical andRead MoreThe Tradition Of Wisdom And Immortality And How God Rewards The Sufferings Of The Just1549 Words   |  7 Pagesthese narratives light is thrown on the struggles of Judaism in the Greek and Roman eras, upholding values and the fight against pagan ideas; monotheism versus polytheism (Boadt:1984) There are many examples of Wisdom literature found in the Old Testament including I Kings 20:11; Jeremiah 23:28; 31:29. Historians believe the transition from oral sayings to literary wisdom took place in Egypt at approximately 2500 BC and in Sumer shortly afterward. Throughout the Near East, a class of scribes or