2. Choosing Topics and Questions for Biblical

1
2. Choosing Topics and Questions for Biblical
Theological Research

• Theological Research Methods
• APTS RES 536

2
2.1 What areas of research are there?

• 2.1.1 OT Studies
• 2.1.1.1 Ancient Near Eastern Studies Epigraphy,
  ANE Languages, Art Architecture.
• 2.1.1.2 Second Temple Era Persian, Greek,
  development of Judaica, Greek Roman Religions,
  etc.
• 2.1.1.3 Textual Studies Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic,
  Qumran Hebrew, Samaritan Hebrew, Latin, etc.

3
2.1 What areas of research are there?

• 2.1.2 NT Studies
• 2.1.2.1 Textual Studies
• 2.1.2.2 Intertestamental Period
• 2.1.2.3 Apocrypha Pseudepigrapha
• 2.1.2.4 Josephus Philo
• 2.1.2.5 Judaica Qumran

4
2.1 What areas of research are there?

• 2.1.3 Biblical Theology
• 2.1.3.1 OT
• 2.1.3.2 NT
• 2.1.3.3 A Specific School of thought or Scholar.
• 2.1.3.4 Theological Topic.

5
2.1 What areas of research are there?

• 2.1.4 Systematic Dogmatic Theology
• 2.1.4.1 Systematic topic
• 2.1.4.2 A Specific School of Thought or
  Theologian.
• 2.1.4.3 Philosophical Support, etc.

6
2.1 What areas of research are there?

• 2.1.5 Church History
• 2.1.5.1 Pentecostal History
• 2.1.5.2 History of Doctrine
• 2.1.5.3 History of Interpretation

7
2.1 What areas of research are there?

• 2.1.6 Practical Theology
• 2.1.6.1 Counseling
• 2.1.6.2 Church Growth
• 2.1.6.3 Christian Education
• 2.1.6.4 Faith, Growth and Development

8
2.2 What do you want to accomplish with your
research?

• 2.2.1 Submit a paper for a class to fulfill its
  requirements so that you can graduate.
• 2.2.2 Investigation into a field in which you
  desire to contribute something to the field
  itself.
• 2.2.3 Investigate a new teaching, etc.

9
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• HBD James Hastings, A Dictionary of the Bible,
  Dealing with Its Language, Literature, and
  Contents, Including the Biblical Theology. 4
  Volumes (1898-1902, 1904)

10
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• ABD D. N. Freedman, The Anchor Bible Dictionary.
  6 Volumes (1992, CD-Rom 1997) software ed.
• ISBE G. W. Bromiley, The International Standard
  Bible Encyclopedia. 4 Volumes (1979-88) software
  ed.

11
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• IDB G. A. Buttrick, The Interpreters' Dictionary
  of the Bible. 4 Volumes (1962). K. R. Crim,
  Supplement (1976).
• N.B. Software ed.

12
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious
  Knowledge, Embracing Biblical, Historical,
  Doctrinal, and Practical Theology and Biblical,
  Theological, and Ecclesiastical Biography from
  the Earliest Times to the Present Day. 12 Volumes
  (1908-14, reprint 1949-50 with sup.)
• N.B. http//www.ccel.org/s/schaff/

13
(No Transcript)
14
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• W. J. McDonald, The New Catholic Encyclopedia. 14
  Volumes. (1967, online at http//newadvent.org/cat
  hen/

15
(No Transcript)
16
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• C. Roth, Encyclopedia Judaica. 16 Volumes.
  (1971-2, CD-Rom 1998) software ed.

17
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• J. M'Clintock, Cyclopaedia of Biblical,
  Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. 10
  Volumes (1867-97, reprint 1968-70)
• N.B. Software ed.

18
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• Mircea Eliade, The Encyclopedia of Religion. 14
  Volumes (1987).
• F. L. Cross, Oxford Dictionary of the Christian
  Church.
• K. Rahner, Sacramentum Mundi. 6 Volumes (1968-70)
  .

19
2.3 Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• E. Fahlbusch, The Encyclopedia of Christianity. 6
  Volumes (1999-?) n.b. 3 volumes as to 2002

20
2.4 The Use of Bible Dictionaries Encyclopedias

• General Summary of the topic.
• Summary of major schools of thought.
• Selected bibliography.

21
2.5 Browsing the Internet

• Search Engines
• Robot
• Registered
• Specialty Engines
• Links

22
2.5 Browsing the Internet

• Several Search Engines
• http//altavista.com/
• http//google.com/
• http//ask.com/
• http//searchenginewatch.com/

23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
2.6 Important Introductory Sites

• The Catholic Encyclopedia http//newadvent.org/ca
  then/
• Okeanos http//faculty.washington.edu/snoegel/oke
  anos.html
• Research Resources at Fuller Theological
  Seminary http//www.fuller.edu/library/internet_r
  esources.asp

28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
2.6 Important Introductory Sites

• Wabash Center Internet Guide http//www.wabashcen
  ter.wabash.edu/Internet/front.htm
• Resources Page for Biblical Studies
  http//www.torreys.org/bible/

32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
2.6 Important Introductory Sites

• APS Guide to Resources in Theology
  http//www.utoronto.ca/stmikes/theobook.htm
• Internet Theology Resources Church History and
  Historical Theology http//www.csbsju.edu/library
  /internet/subpages.htmltheolog

35
(No Transcript)
36
(No Transcript)
37
2.6 Important Introductory Sites

• Librarians Index to the Internet
  http//lii.org/
• Infomine A Guide to Scholarly Internet
  Resources maintained by UC Riverside
  http//infomine.ucr.edu/

38
(No Transcript)
39
(No Transcript)
40
2.7 Defining the Rationale

• 2.7.1 Step One Name Your Topic
• I am learning about/working on/studying
  _________________.
• 2.7.2 Step Two Suggest a Question
• I am studying X because I want to find out who/
  what/ when/where/ whether/ why/ how
  __________________.

41
2.7 Defining the Rationale

• 2.7.3 Step Three Motivate the Question
• I am studying X in order to understand how, why,
  or what ___________________.

42
2.8 More Helpful hints on Topics

• Choose a subject you can handle in the time
  available to you.
• Choose a subject about which you have a measure
  of prior experience.
• Choose a subject that enables you to make a
  contribution no one else can make but you no one
  else has access to your experience.
• Choose a subject that will satisfy your mentor
  he sic is your best friend and your severest
  critic.

43
2.8 More Helpful hints on Topics

• Choose a subject that promises available data to
  do justice to its complexity.
• Choose a subject you can handle methodologically
  you are sure you can gather and evaluate the
  data.
• Choose a subject that allows for academic
  treatment tightly reasoned thought carefully
  written.

44
2.8 More Helpful hints on Topics

• Choose a subject that is capable of theoretical
  depth involving theology, anthropology, church
  growth, etc.
• Choose a subject that has structural unity not a
  series of essays but a developed theme.

45
2.8 More Helpful hints on Topics

• Choose a subject that can be subjected to
  scientific appraisal - that is, empirical
  analysis be concerned with problem solving.
• Choose-a subject you are eager to put your heart
  into then you'll be proud of it years from now.
• SCHOOL OF WORLD MISSION DISSERTATION MANUAL
  Fuller Theological Seminary, p. 29