Genealogy, Circumcision and Conversion in Early Judaism and Christianity by Matthew Thiessen Department of Religion Duke University Date:_____________________

Genealogy, Circumcision and Conversion in Early Judaism and Christianity

YHWH’s statement to Moses, אהיה אשר אהיה , has been much discussed by biblical
scholars and theologians. For much of the last century this discussion related to matters of
etymology or history of religion, or the precise grammar of the text. However, recently
there has been renewed interest in understanding the statement in its present context as part
of the book of Exodus, and in particular its role in the call of Moses. My thesis seeks to
deepen understanding of the implications of this statement through a close reading of the
dialogues between Moses and YHWH.
My close reading of individual dialogues involves three steps: first investigation of the way
in which the narrator portrays the actions of the characters, then the manner in which the
narrator portrays individual speech of the characters and finally the way in which an
analysis of the dialogues utilising principles from the socio-linguistic field of Conversation
Analysis adds to an understanding of the characters.
Through this close reading I show that the phrase אהיה אשר אהיה is best understood as
linking the meaning of the name YHWH to the verb “to be” and in particular God’s promise
to “be with” Moses in 3:12. The phrase affirms both YHWH’s presence with Moses and his
freedom to be present in the manner he chooses and the implications of this affirmation of
presence and freedom are worked out more fully in the narrative of Exodus.
In the thesis my reading of the dialogues in Exodus 3-4 shows that YHWH transforms
Moses into the means by which YHWH delivers his people from Egypt and also by which
YHWH is present with his people. My examination of the dialogues in Exodus 5-7
demonstrates that YHWH’s plans are accomplished by his speech which re-designates and
reshapes those with and about whom he is speaking. My analysis of Exodus 19-24 finds
that the dialogues demonstrate YHWH’s freedom to be present as he chooses to different
people at different points. Exodus 32:7-33:11 gives further meaning and significance to
the divine name in terms of YHWH’s withdrawal in response to the idolatry of the people.
From the final section of dialogue, Exodus 33:12-34:35, I show that the intercession of
Moses is critical to the demonstration of YHWH’s mercy and compassion. My analysis of
each of these dialogues demonstrates that a key means by which YHWH is present to his
people is in and through Moses.

/pdf/revealing-the-name-an-investigation-of-the-divine-character-4dvteyyjo3.pdf

Revealing the name : an investigation of the divine character through a conversation analysis of the dialogues between God and Moses in the Book of Exodus

/pdf/a-study-on-the-influence-of-philosophical-presuppositions-5gu1zjjn39.pdf

A Study on the Influence of Philosophical Presuppositions Relating to the Notion of the God-Human Relation upon the Interpretation of Exodus

concepts such as personal values or identity are limited. Self-reporting reflects who they say they are or what they say they do as a form of ‘public speech’, not what they actually do or who they actually are. Since a researcher is responsible to represent accurately what a participant says, I strove to ensure that my interpretations remained true to the participant’s intentions. Lastly, using research literature written almost exclusively in the English language also limits this study. Context of the Study The questionnaire surveyed respondents from sixty-four countries, some of whom remained in the U.S. after completing their studies. The interview respondents were located in Eastern Europe—Poland, Hungary, Albania, Romania—and South/Southeast Asia—India, Singapore, and China (Hong Kong)—with two exceptions: Italy and Spain. All of the interviewees were return migrants to their country of origin upon completion of studies. Even within the two regional groupings of formerly communist Europe and South/Southeast Asia, individual experiences varied widely. For example, even though both countries were communist, the experiences and identity construction for someone who identifies as an evangelical in Hungary is strikingly different from their counterpart in Poland. Space does not permit a thorough 9 Courtney Bender et al., Religion on the Edge: De-Centering and Re-Centering the Sociology of Religion, Kindle ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012), 298.

Religious identity and cultural negotiation : toward a Christian theology of identity in migration

Ethical oaths for bankers, economists and managers are increasingly seen as successful instruments to ensure more responsible behaviour. In this article, we reflect on the nature of ethical oaths. Based on John Austin's speech act theory and the work of Emmanuel Levinas, we introduce a performative concept of ethical oaths that is characterised by (1) the existential self-performative of the one I want to be, which is (2) demanded by the public context. Because ethical oaths are (3) structurally threatened by the possibility of infelicity or failure, we stress (4) the behavioural aspect of ethical oaths in economics and business. We conclude that a performative concept of ethical oaths can contribute to more ethical behaviour in economics and business, because the performative involves action and behaviour. At the same time, it becomes clear that a radical new perspective on the nature, function and limitation of oaths is needed.

The power of Speech Acts: Reflections on a Performative Concept of Ethicat Oaths in Economics and Business

Using key features of Ricoeur's narrative theory, this creative Asian re-reading of Moses' reverse migration in Exodus 4:18-26 charts the way for a multi-dimensional OT hermeneutic which explores the theme of identity formation in light of the liminal experience of migration.

Arthena E. Gorospe

Papers

Narrative and Identity: An Ethical Reading of Exodus 4