Possible Paper Topics (Some of these topics will need to be
narrowed down. Exegesis papers focusing
on particular verses are not acceptable.)
The Role of
Astrology and the Occult in Greco-Roman Culture
The Role of
Asceticism in Greco-Roman Culture
Roman Imperial
Policy towards the Jews in the First Century
The
Organization and Tactics of the Roman Army in Antiquity
Education in
the Greco-Roman World
Christianity
and Mithraism in the First Century
Greco-Roman
Philosophies and their Impact on NT Writers
The Use of the
OT in the NT
The Use of the
OT Apocrypha in the NT
The
The Importance
and Place of Jewish Hermeneutics for NT Writers
The Influence
of Apocalyptic Thought on the NT
Arguments for
and against Christ’s Second Coming in AD 70
Gnostic
Influence in the NT
The Role and
Importance of the Nag Hammadi Gnostic Library in NT
Interpretation
The Function of
Miracles and Miracle Stories in the NT
The Titles of
the Gospels as Evidence for Authorship
Redaction
Criticism as a Tool for Conservative Scholars
Literary
Criticism and NT Studies
Literary Forms
in the NT
The Role and
Use of Rhetoric in NT Interpretation
Reader Response
Theories
Analysis of
Feminist Biblical Interpretation
The
Contribution of Rudolf Bultmann to NT Studies
Trends and
Issues in the Sociological Approach to the NT
Attempted
Solutions to the Synoptic Problem
The Case for
and against the Q Hypothesis
The Synoptic
Problem: The Argument from Order
Select Minor
Agreements of Matthew and Luke vs. Mark
The Search for
the Historical Jesus
The “Jesus
Seminar”
Types of Jewish
Messianic Expectation in the First Century
The Son of Man
Debate
The Structure
of Matthew
The Purpose of
Matthew
Papias’ Statement concerning Mark
The Date of
Luke-Acts
Political
Apologetic in Luke-Acts?
The
The Identity of
the Beloved Disciple in John
The Purpose of
John’s Gospel as Described in 20:30-31
The
Authenticity of John 21
The Structure of
Acts
The Speeches in
Acts
Luke’s Paul and
Paul’s Paul: A Comparison
The Collection
of Paul’s Letters
Co-Authorship
in the Letters of Paul
The Role of
Secretaries in the Letters of Paul
Paul’s Epistles
as Response to Roman Imperial Propaganda
Paul and the
Law in Recent Interpretation
Righteousness
in Recent Pauline Debate
Recent Trends
in Pauline Eschatology
Ethics in
Pauline Thought
Worship in the
The Role of
Women in Greco-Roman Society and
The Role of
Spiritual Gifts in Greco-Roman Culture and Pauline Theology
The Purpose of
Romans and Edict of Claudius
The Unity of 2
Corinthians
The Identity of
the Letter of 2 Cor. 2:4; 7:8
Opponents in
the Galatians Letter
The Audience of
Ephesians
The Colossian
“Heresy”
The Eschatology
of 2 Thessalonians
Differences and
Identity of Opponents in 1-2 Timothy, Titus
The
Authenticity of the Pastorals: Language and Style
The Situation
Addressed by Hebrews
The Christology
of Hebrews
The Relation
between 2 Peter and Jude
2 Peter:
Internal Evidence for a Late Date
The Structure
of 1 John
The Identity of
the Opponents in 1 John
Jude’s Use of 1
Enoch
Jude’s Use of
the Assumption/Testament of Moses
The Authorship
of Revelation
Internal
Evidence for a Neronian Date for Revelation
The Roman
Emperor Cult
The Development
of the NT Canon to the End of the Second Century