Buswell Bulletin: Journal Articles – May/June 2022

Buswell Bulletin

Jun 9

Covenant’s librarians keep an eye on the new journal issues coming into the library and then each month we highlight recent articles and reviews that strike us as interesting and/or important to the scholarly conversation. (Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement.)

Linked items marked “Open Access” are accessible to anyone. Otherwise, a Covenant library account may be required for access. Alumni may access items marked “Alumni Access Available” by visiting the Alumni Portal and selecting the identified resource on the library resources page.

Trauma-Informed Theology or Theologically Informed Trauma?

Alex R. Wendel
Journal of Reformed Theology 16, no. 1–2 (April 2022): 3–26

Abstract:

In this article I first provide an overview of the ways in which trauma impacts people’s understandings and experiences of God, then survey two works of “trauma-informed theology” to demonstrate how these approaches to theology can lead to diminished views of God and turn theology into anthropology, and, finally, propose an approach to trauma and theology that maintains a theocentric theological method that affirms the subjective experiences of traumatized individuals while not advancing diminished understandings of God. It is the triune God revealed in Scripture that wipes away the tears of trauma survivors and this God alone who comforts and heals humanity.

The Formation of the Eucharistic Prayer in the Apostolic Tradition.

Paul F. Bradshaw
Theology 125, no. 2 (March 2022): 101–108

Abstract:

What was thought to be a third-century eucharistic prayer from Rome exercised great influence on twentieth-century liturgical revision, but recent scholarship shows that in its finished form it belongs to West Syria, and its roots are even older, in the second century.

Alumni Access Available: SAGE Journals

Writing Literature Reviews in Church-Based Research

David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal 14, no. 1 (2022): 5–18

Abstract:

Because of the knowledge explosion taking place, literature reviews in church-based research are needed more than ever. Summaries and syntheses of previous research make this knowledge available to practitioners and help researchers focus on what remains unknown. In contrast to empirical studies, literature reviews rely on previously published studies to make conclusions and advance theory. These studies may include both church-based research and more general research that is not particularly Christian. In contrast to meta-analyses which focus on synthesizing statistical information, literature reviews focus on conceptual synthesis and theory advancement. To write a literature review, authors must first choose a research problem to address. An initial review of past literature will help them focus on a narrower research question, most likely in an iterative process, to choose a specific topic. The authors must also consider the purpose of their review in light of past research and theoretical contributions that they can make to the chosen topic.

Open Access

Clergy Resilience: Accessing Supportive Resources to Balance the Impact of Role-Related Stress and Adversity

Margaret Allison Clarke, Keith D. Walker, Shelley Spurr, and Vicki Squires
Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling (April 18, 2022): 1–14

Abstract:

Resilience is a helpful construct when considering how to support clergy well-being. The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about clergy resilience, specifically those resources that clergy perceived had supported their professional resilience. The study gave attention to aspects of preservice training and professional development that helped to foster clergy resilience and initiatives that clergy desired to further support their resilience. Clergy reported multiple resources that supported their resilience including supports for spiritual life, relational supports, personal aspects, and organizational practices. Spiritual dimensions of support for resilience were prominent for clergy, especially the centrality of calling to ministry, theological meaning-making, and relationship with God. Participants also revealed helpful aspects of preservice training and professional development. Aspects of preservice training included rigorous discernment and screening of their callings and the inclusion of required practices, such as spiritual direction or mentorship. Aspects of professional development included a variety of skill development opportunities, lifelong learning, conferences, and networking with peers. Participants reported their desire for initiatives that included more wellness opportunities and an increased organizational prioritization of clergy wellness.

Alumni Access Available: SAGE Journals

Constructivist Curriculum for Christian Transformation

Lindsey Wilkerson
Christian Education Journal 19, no. 1 (April 2022): 32–46

Abstract:

This article seeks to present a faith-based constructive approach to curriculum design for Christian formation. It explores the essential components of a curriculum that encourages the transference of knowledge and understanding to promote Christ-like transformation. Based on this information, an inquiry-based curriculum design method based on the Inquiry Design Model (IDM) is developed that balances biblically cohesive constructive principles with the established vision for Christian education.

Alumni Access Available: SAGE Journals

Changes in the Centurion on Paul’s Last Journey to Rome in Acts 27

Sin Pan Ho
Biblical Theology Bulletin 52, no. 2 (May 2022): 99–110

Abstract:

This article argues that Luke intends to delineate the changes of social distance between the character “centurion” and Paul throughout the voyage in Acts 27. The social location of the centurion consistently moves from outsiders towards the group “we” in the narrative. The story functions as a thought experiment for first readers to encourage them to establish trusting relations with Roman officials in times of trial. It conveys Luke’s commission to the first readers for gospel witness.

Alumni Access Available: SAGE Journals

The Kingdom of Jesus and Atonement Theology: Friends or Foes?

Benjamin J. Burkholder
Biblical Theology Bulletin 52, no. 2 (May 2022): 111–20

Abstract:

Does maintaining that the Kingdom was central to Jesus’ ministry put one at odds with atonement theology? Some contemporary theologians have argued that these are mutually exclusive options, requiring one to choose between atonement theology and the Kingdom's centrality in Jesus’ ministry. Lending credence to this claim is the fact that some advocates of atonement theology have provided accounts that suggest such a dichotomy might in fact be the case. This essay investigates one such example. As a hopeful contribution to this discussion, this essay first explores how the Kingdom and atonement appear in Mark's presentation of Jesus. In addition to investigating some of the relevant Markan passages, this essay draws from the work of Schweitzer and Hengel to contend that it is indeed possible to affirm the centrality of the Kingdom in Jesus’ proclamation and still believe his death on the cross has an atoning function that serves the Kingdom's arrival.

Alumni Access Available: SAGE Journals

Cruciform Onesimus? Considering How a Slave Would Respond to Paul’s Call for a Cross-Shaped Lifestyle

Nijay Gupta
The Expository Times 133, no. 8 (May 2022): 325–33

Abstract:

I was first introduced to the idea of ‘cruciformity’ about twenty years ago. I have taught about the importance of this concept for about ten years in the classroom. Cruciformity is associated with the suffering love of Christ especially as articulated by the apostle Paul. This has resonated with the vast majority of my students over the years, just as it did with me in my formative years of theological education. But I have noticed an increase in concern from students (and scholars) about how cruciformity relates to power dynamics.2 Does cruciformity ‘work’ for all kinds of people? Can it do harm for some? After a robust discussion with some of my students and colleagues, I thought it would be helpful to flesh out this discussion of cruciformity and power with a case study: the return of the slave Onesimus to Philemon’s household: what would cruciformity look like for Onesimus in this situation? How would Onesimus’s cruciform mindset and action look different than that of his Christian master Philemon? Does cruciformity serve in Onesimus’ best interests and safeguard his well-being? We will explore these questions below, but first we will discuss the concept of cruciformity itself to set up our case study.

Alumni Access Available: SAGE Journals

Humor in the Midst of Tragedy: The Comic Vision of 1 Samuel 4–6

Benjamin J. M. Johnson
Journal of Biblical Literature 141, no. 1 (March 2022): 65–82

Abstract:

The presence of the humorous or comic in the Hebrew Bible has been well established in numerous studies. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the ark narrative in 1 Sam 4–6 has not featured regularly in works on humor in the Hebrew Bible, despite the fact that commentators regularly note the dark humor present in this narrative. I seek to fill that gap by offering a humorous reading of the ark narrative in 1 Sam 4–6, arguing not only that humor is present in the story and therefore worthy of attention but also that the dark humor of this narrative is part of how the story works. One does not fully appreciate the point of this narrative unless one sees the funny side. I will utilize the benign violations theory of humor to see the way this story plays with the reader’s understanding of “the other” first by mocking the other in order to give the Israelites hope and then by asking just how other the other really is in order to convict the Israelites. In order to see how the story does both of these things, we need to pay attention to its comic vision.

Alumni Access Available: Atla Religion Database

The Syntactic Flexibility of 1 Corinthians 14:33b

Aļesja Lavrinoviča
Journal of Biblical Literature 141, no. 1 (March 2022): 157–175

Abstract:

This article discusses the syntactical position and function of 1 Cor 14:33b (“as in all the churches of the saints”) in its immediate context. Internal evidence reveals that verse 33b does not have a smooth syntactic connection to either the preceding (“God is a God of peace”) or the following clause (“women should be silent”). The purpose of this study is to illuminate the syntactical function of verse 33b and its place in 1 Cor 14. Verse 33b has been counted by some scholars, for example, Jan Willem Straatman and Johannes Weiss, as the work of a Pauline editor (along with vv. 34–35). I aim to determine whether the hypothesis of Straatman and Weiss can be justified concerning verse 33b. In the first part of the article, I survey the way the critical edition NA28, SBLGNT, and the tools for the syntactic analysis of the Greek New Testament present 1 Cor 14:33b. Next I outline several proposals in the scholarly literature concerning the position of verse 33b, which result in seven different exegetical readings. Finally, I discuss the syntax of verse 33b and compare it with similar phrases found in 1 Corinthians.

Alumni Access Available: Atla Religion Database

Jephthah: Faithful Fighter; Faithless Father Ancient and Contemporary Views

David J. Zucker
Biblical Theology Bulletin 52, no. 1 (February 2022): 37–47

Jephthah (Judges 11–12) is the eighth of the twelve charismatic/military leaders in the book of Judges. Prior to a crucial battle he vows that if he is successful and returns safely “then the one who comes out of the doors of my house to meet me … shall be offered up by me as a burnt offering to yhwh” (Judg 11:31). It is difficult to know what Jephthah means by these words. The Hebrew verb used (ha-yotzey) in this context could mean equally “the one that comes out,” “whatever comes out,” or “whoever comes out.” In the event it is his only child, a daughter who greets him. Jephthah feels unable to revoke his vow and so appears actually to sacrifice her. This article considers how three sources address this narrative: ancient Rewritten Bibles; early as well as medieval and 18th/19th century Rabbinic commentary; and Contemporary scholarship.

Alumni Access Available: SAGE Journals