Papers by Stanley N Helton
Course Work, 2012
This paper explores how the Minor Prophets (often transmitted in a single scroll) influ-enced Luk... more This paper explores how the Minor Prophets (often transmitted in a single scroll) influ-enced Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. Two citations (Joel 2.28-32 and Amos 9:11, 12) from the Minor Prophets appear to have paradigmatic value in the ensuing narrative. Stanley E. Porter has already argued that Joel 2.28-32 functions in Acts as Isa 61.1-2 does for Luke’s Gospel. Yet in Acts 15, Amos 9:11, 12 also functions likewise by providing the divine mandate for the mission to the Gentiles, perhaps the most important theme of Acts. An examination for inter-textual traces from these two texts from the Minor Prophets may suggest that Luke found the Book of the Twelve as a single scroll paradigmatic for his project in Acts. This paper, repre-senting only a first stage of research on this topic, demonstrates that these two texts are para-digmatic for Luke’s missional goals.
Course Paper, 2012
In Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity, Walter Bauer argued that heresy preceded orthod... more In Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity, Walter Bauer argued that heresy preceded orthodoxy in many locations and that the imperialistic ambitions of the Roman church both propagated and controlled “orthodoxy.” In contrast to this theory, Origen (AD 185-254) presents a challenge to Bauer’s understanding of orthodoxy and heresy. Posthumously marked as a heretic, Origen in his day was active in winning others away from what was called “heresy” and Origen actually named some of his opponents as “heretics.” Despite the anomaly that Origen presents, Bauer maintained that in the late second century in Egypt, heresy was not distinguishable from orthodoxy until the end of the second century. This research paper presents a major challenge to Bauer’s understanding of the state of Christianity in Egypt at the time. Moreover, Bauer’s treatment of Origen’s early life and work in Alexandria serves as a suitable test case.
This was a course paper for HIST9418 ORTHODOXY & HERESY at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Not Published , 2012
This paper then details the efforts of scholars to trace that particular way of reading Scripture... more This paper then details the efforts of scholars to trace that particular way of reading Scripture in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles by providing a review of literature mapping the scholarly research related to how Luke employed the OT. For the sake of completeness, the resulting bibliography will be also concerned about Luke’s use of non-biblical sources as well since intertextuality need not be solely restricted to biblical precursors. Scholars of Acts have stressed that Luke also wrote against larger cultural and (more importantly here) literary backgrounds.
In other words, this project seeks to create a bibliographic narrative about significant studies that have a bearing on “intertextuality” and Acts. This paper is laid out in levels. The introductory chapter familiarizes readers with some general tools for the study of Acts and by familiarizing the readers with some recent commentaries that have some bearing on the conversation concerning intertextuality. The first chapter narrows the focus some by charting the history of interpretation of the Book of Acts from concerns of historicity and redaction to those of sociology and literary theory. This chapter seeks to establish the context in which Acts studies have taken place and to present the background out of which the study of intertextuality grows. Finally, chapter three introduces explicit studies on intertextuality in Acts, covering general tools, studies specific to the LXX, studies on parts of scripture that recur in Acts, and finally an brief introduction to a few scholars looking for non-biblical precursors. The last category includes scholars working with Classical sources and Second Temple Jewish sources. This approach engages in some redundancy as each level covers some of the same territory. But this approach allows the presentation of the quest for intertextuality in Acts to be placed in its larger context and in the context of the studies on which any modern student of Acts depends.
Not Published, 2012
Litke examines Luke’s OT citation and major allusions to test Tragott Holtz’ conclusion that Luke... more Litke examines Luke’s OT citation and major allusions to test Tragott Holtz’ conclusion that Luke only knew the LXX of the Minor Prophets, Isaiah, and the Psalter, where as the Pentateuch and the OT historical books depended on testimonia and other sources. Hotlz further argued that Luke was familiar with only a portion of the rest of the LXX. In this dissertation, Litke seeks (1) “to ascertain the extent of Luke’s familiarity with the LXX; (2) to determine the sorts of traditional material Luke uses, and how he uses it (3) to ascertain whether Luke’s LXX MSS may have been Hebraicizing; and (4) to understand how Luke’s redactional activity affects the final form of the citation” (adapted from 54-55).
To these areas of investigation, the author concludes Luke does know the LXX Pentateuch, however, at times, Luke uses sources other than the OT in seeking to be faithful to a source he highly regarded or because the version was most applicable in the context in which he places the OT text. The (single) MS of the LXX Minor Prophets was likely Hebraicizing, but not those of any other OT book used by Luke. Finally, Luke’s left redactional traces in adapting passages for Christological or apologetic interpretation; stylistically though he shapes the OT material (either summarizing or alluding) to his narrative context. The latter is particularly the case with Pentateuch references in Luke’s narrative. Litke theorizes that Pentateuch citations and allusion provided less material for Christological or apologetic uses.
Not Published, 2013
Scholars have frequently commented on how unusual and unexpected Paul’s self-description as a “pr... more Scholars have frequently commented on how unusual and unexpected Paul’s self-description as a “priestly” apostle in Rom 15:16 is.3 Yet when these priestly or hieratic metaphors are given their full rhetorical weight and place in Paul’s letter, they become powerful rhetorical tools he used to negotiate the distance between his readers and himself. In demonstration of that negotiation, this paper offers a rhetorical justification for Paul’s use of temple or hieratic metaphors in his own self-description. Furthermore, the hypothesis of this paper is that Paul’s hieratic metaphors of self-description works effectively to accomplish his overall rhetorical strategy in Romans.4
The primary research question driving the quest of this paper is “What is the rhetorical function of Paul’s self-descriptive hieratic metaphors in Romans 15:16?”
Women Still on the Margins - How Jesus Treated a Lady
Jesus knew how to treat a lady and the church has not caught up. Jesus engaged different women in... more Jesus knew how to treat a lady and the church has not caught up. Jesus engaged different women in Luke’s Gospel: paupers, prostitutes, patrons, pupils and preachers. Luke teaches us that Jesus intended women to be full participants in God’s mission
The Text of Acts of the Apostles in the Writings of Origen
BILL 301 of 2003; "An Act to amend an Act to incorporate Radville Christian College." Regina, SK:... more BILL 301 of 2003; "An Act to amend an Act to incorporate Radville Christian College." Regina, SK: Queen's Printer, 2003. Available at http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca /index.cfm?fuseaction=publications.details&p=4460. This document lists all previous acts related to the school for those interested in the history and the relationship of WCC to higher education and to the provincial government.
Getting the Fuller Sense of Scripture - Living God's Future
Navigating First Thessalonians Employing Aristotle's Enthymeme
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Nov 6, 2015
Before taking up the task of assessing Paul’s enthymemes in 1 Thessalonians from an Aristotelian ... more Before taking up the task of assessing Paul’s enthymemes in 1 Thessalonians from an Aristotelian perspective, we must determine the foci of Aristotle’s views on the enthymeme. Aristotle’s modus operandi in considering any subject was to collect whatever data or artifacts were available and, in the case of rhetoric, the perspectives of prior rhetoricians. Since it is not possible to determine who first identified enthymemes in discourse or how they perceived them, our attention in this essay centers upon Aristotle’s
comments.
In this essay we will begin by identifying the major presuppositions in 1 Thessalonians whether stated or unstated.9 These premises are case specific to Pauline Christianity and the Christian social locations in which he worked. We then will determine how these premises are fleshed out in the arguments, for the most part, through specific instances or examples or, in the vocabulary of Aristotle, paradigms (paradeigma). Finally we will
address the rhetorical characteristics of exhortation and paraenesis.
Stone-Campbell Journal, 2022
Churches of Christ have long found confirmation for their non-instrumental approach to music for ... more Churches of Christ have long found confirmation for their non-instrumental approach to music for gathered worship in the belief that the early church took the term yav llein (psallein) to mean "to sing." This view, chiefly supported by the work of patristic scholar Everett Ferguson, is being tested by Joseph Trigg's new translation of a recently rediscovered manuscript containing twenty-nine of Origen's psalm homilies. This article, in examining Origen's use of the word, particularly in his homilies on Pss 67 and 80 (Ps 81 in the Hebrew and English) demonstrates Origen assumed the range of meaning for yav llein included the use of musical instruments. In fact, he expected his audience to share this understanding to pick up on points he made in his homilies, including his analogy between instruments in the hands of musicians and the church in God's hands. Joseph Trigg's new translation of a recently rediscovered manuscript (MS) of homilies on various psalms Origen delivered in the mid-third century translates yav llein (psallein) as "to play a stringed instrument." This expansive translation 1 would seem at odds with the longstanding view many Churches of Christ hold that by the first century, the word had come to mean merely "to sing," 2 though the Septuagint (LXX) takes yav llein as "to play" in some contexts.
Restoration Quarterly, 2022
Marshall Clement "M. C." Kurfees (1856-1931) is perhaps best known in Churches of Christ for his ... more Marshall Clement "M. C." Kurfees (1856-1931) is perhaps best known in Churches of Christ for his defense of exclusively noninstrumental music in the gathered worship of the church. His Instrumental Music in the Worship or The Greek Verb Psallo Philologically and Historically Examined Together with a Full Discussion of Kindred Matters Relating to Music in Christian Worship greatly influenced the polemics of the Churches of Christ against instrumental music in worship and provided apologetic arguments for several generations of members and leaders. 1 In this book Kurfees
focused on the meaning of Psallo in the NT and classical Greek literature because he was certain that by the first century CE the word Psallo, though
frequent in the Septuagint (LXX) with both instrumental and noninstrumental
connotations, had become exclusively equivalent to singing without instrumentation.
In this article, I explore Kurfees's avoidance of a text from Clement of
Alexandria; he sought to circumvent Clement rather than engage him. In this book he steered clear of engaging the church fathers and quickly sought to neutralize evidence from Clement of Alexandria as well as from Ambrose ofMilan. lndeed, as I argue here, Kurfees feared what he found in Clement's text.
Getting the Fuller Sense of Scripture - Living God's Future
Disciples of Jesus can experience a deeper reading of God’s Word through the variety of ways the ... more Disciples of Jesus can experience a deeper reading of God’s Word through the variety of ways the early church read and interpreted Scripture. Explore the four classic ways of reading the Bible from the early church fathers
The text of Acts of the Apostles in the writings of Origen
Women Still on the Margins - How Jesus Treated a Lady
Getting the Fuller Sense of Scripture - Living God's Future
Totally Devoted: Developing a Holistic Spiritual Formation Course for Western Christian College
This thesis reports research results from a learning community composed of faculty, support staff... more This thesis reports research results from a learning community composed of faculty, support staff, ministry leaders, and students who collaborated in a professor’sdevelopment of a new course proposal in Christian spiritual formation at Western Christian College in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The professor used qualitative research methods in the analysis and evaluation of the data produced by the group. The outcome of the project was ethnographic data that informed the creation of the course proposal that included new course application, course syllabus with course schedule, planned activities, bibliography, initial classroom assignments, and initial assessment tools.
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Papers by Stanley N Helton
In other words, this project seeks to create a bibliographic narrative about significant studies that have a bearing on “intertextuality” and Acts. This paper is laid out in levels. The introductory chapter familiarizes readers with some general tools for the study of Acts and by familiarizing the readers with some recent commentaries that have some bearing on the conversation concerning intertextuality. The first chapter narrows the focus some by charting the history of interpretation of the Book of Acts from concerns of historicity and redaction to those of sociology and literary theory. This chapter seeks to establish the context in which Acts studies have taken place and to present the background out of which the study of intertextuality grows. Finally, chapter three introduces explicit studies on intertextuality in Acts, covering general tools, studies specific to the LXX, studies on parts of scripture that recur in Acts, and finally an brief introduction to a few scholars looking for non-biblical precursors. The last category includes scholars working with Classical sources and Second Temple Jewish sources. This approach engages in some redundancy as each level covers some of the same territory. But this approach allows the presentation of the quest for intertextuality in Acts to be placed in its larger context and in the context of the studies on which any modern student of Acts depends.
To these areas of investigation, the author concludes Luke does know the LXX Pentateuch, however, at times, Luke uses sources other than the OT in seeking to be faithful to a source he highly regarded or because the version was most applicable in the context in which he places the OT text. The (single) MS of the LXX Minor Prophets was likely Hebraicizing, but not those of any other OT book used by Luke. Finally, Luke’s left redactional traces in adapting passages for Christological or apologetic interpretation; stylistically though he shapes the OT material (either summarizing or alluding) to his narrative context. The latter is particularly the case with Pentateuch references in Luke’s narrative. Litke theorizes that Pentateuch citations and allusion provided less material for Christological or apologetic uses.
The primary research question driving the quest of this paper is “What is the rhetorical function of Paul’s self-descriptive hieratic metaphors in Romans 15:16?”
comments.
In this essay we will begin by identifying the major presuppositions in 1 Thessalonians whether stated or unstated.9 These premises are case specific to Pauline Christianity and the Christian social locations in which he worked. We then will determine how these premises are fleshed out in the arguments, for the most part, through specific instances or examples or, in the vocabulary of Aristotle, paradigms (paradeigma). Finally we will
address the rhetorical characteristics of exhortation and paraenesis.
focused on the meaning of Psallo in the NT and classical Greek literature because he was certain that by the first century CE the word Psallo, though
frequent in the Septuagint (LXX) with both instrumental and noninstrumental
connotations, had become exclusively equivalent to singing without instrumentation.
In this article, I explore Kurfees's avoidance of a text from Clement of
Alexandria; he sought to circumvent Clement rather than engage him. In this book he steered clear of engaging the church fathers and quickly sought to neutralize evidence from Clement of Alexandria as well as from Ambrose ofMilan. lndeed, as I argue here, Kurfees feared what he found in Clement's text.