ThM Papers by Taylor Tollison
This project investigates the Christology and ethics of the epistles of James and Jude. While man... more This project investigates the Christology and ethics of the epistles of James and Jude. While many scholars have recently focused on the presence and validity of an early, high Christology in the NT texts, little sustained attention has been given to the ethical context in which the appearances of these Christological assertions occur. For example, 1 Corinthians 8:5–6 and Philippians 2:6–11, two of the passages most commonly employed in demonstrating an early high Christology, occur in the midst of concrete ethical instructions. By exclusively emphasizing the theology of passages such as these, scholars risk abstracting the Christological claims from their ethical contexts. This procedural move appears to be a slippery slope that may result in a further separation between the already isolated fields of theology, ethics, and exegesis.
Furthermore, while most discussions of an early high Christology have focused on the Pauline literature, several of the “muted voices” of the Catholic Epistles (CE) have not been carefully analyzed for Christological purposes. This study addresses this apparent gap in scholarship by shedding light on two of the “muted voices” of the NT by highlighting their contributions to NT Christology and the correlative field of NT ethics. This thesis will seek to accomplish this task by resituating the Christological assertions of James and Jude within their original ethical contexts and investigating a field that, it appears, is still yet to be thoroughly explored. While these letters have not received much attention in the field of Christology in general, the relationship between their Christologies and their ethical appeals is even less explored. This void in scholarship is surprising given the apparent prevalence of both James and Jude in the early church. In addition, this analysis will also add to the wider conversation concerning theology, ethics, and exegesis.
This project will argue that James and Jude provide a unique, early, and Jewish-Christian perspective on the relationship between Christology and ethics. This thesis will contend that James and Jude built their ethical appeals on an assumed, apostolic theology generated by the resurrection, which included a high Christology and an expectant eschatology. As the watershed, foundational event in the early church, the resurrection prompted massive and widespread shifts in the apostles’ Christological comprehension, ethical construction, and exegetical methods. Rather than leaving James and Jude in the unintelligible backwaters of the NT, this thesis will show that these brothers of Jesus were not only aligned with the apostolic theology behind all of the NT documents but were also influential in its formation and application.
Bordering on the biographical, this paper investigates three critical stages of development in Bo... more Bordering on the biographical, this paper investigates three critical stages of development in Bonhoeffer’s turn from the “phraseological to the real” as it relates to his Christology and the correlative concreteness of his ethics in order to more adequately grasp the whole of his theology and to avoid the domestication of his thought for contemporary whims. It will be shown that his Christology and ethics find their primary point of contact in Bonhoeffer’s portrayal of the incarnation and what appears to be an ethically “lived Christology.” As this paper progresses, the tone will primarily be suggestive rather than conclusive. The aim is to ask questions that lead to further lines of investigation that open possibilities for continued personal research. Once a survey of the various influences and stages of development is complete, the paper will conclude by imagining where the trajectory of Bonhoeffer’s journey from the “phraseological to the real” may have led him if not for his untimely death.
This paper will discuss the ethical function of Gal. 3:10-14 in the context of the letter’s struc... more This paper will discuss the ethical function of Gal. 3:10-14 in the context of the letter’s structure and Paul’s overarching rhetorical aims as manifestly apparent in 5:13- 6:10. It will be argued that 3:10-14 occupies a crucial position in the overall structure and argument of the letter and that this passage reframes the law (3:10-13), repositions the believer in light of their new life in the Spirit (3:14), and reorients their approach to their ethical life (5:13-6:10). This paper will progress in three sections: first, Gal. 3:10-14 will be placed in its structural and rhetorical context to demonstrate the role that this passage plays in Paul’s argument. Secondly, this paper will offer an exegetical reading of this passage that will include a brief look at relevant reception history as well as a suggestion concerning the way in which the redemptive-historical context of 3:10-14 plays a crucial role in the ethical framework of the letter as a whole. Lastly, this paper will conclude by drawing ethical implications from Gal. 3:10-14 that impact not only our reading of Gal. 5:13-6:10 but will also contribute to the broader understanding of Pauline ethics in general. This thesis, I suspect, will offer a more holistic treatment of 3:10-14 that properly takes the rhetorical and ethical aims of the letter into account (5:13- 6:10) and reveals the place that the blessing of Abraham (the promised eschatological Spirit) plays in the Pauline ethical framework.
In reading Mark 15:1-16:8, many interpreters have seen Jesus as the supreme example of disciplesh... more In reading Mark 15:1-16:8, many interpreters have seen Jesus as the supreme example of discipleship, or viewed his death as our exemplar for ethics, but have missed the epideictic rhetoric at play and as a result, have misread Mark's use of minor characters as the true exemplars of virtue in his narrative. In my proposal, I am intending to offer a reading of the last two chapters of Mark’s gospel that pays careful attention to Mark’s developing theological narrative as well as the literary features he is utilizing to tell his story in a way that celebrates specific ethics/virtues through epideictic rhetoric.
For various reasons (terse language, questions of genre, position in the canon, etc.) it has been... more For various reasons (terse language, questions of genre, position in the canon, etc.) it has been questioned whether or not the epistle of James contains “any theology at all” (Chester). Many exegetes misread or distort James by assuming that its paraenetic form is unable to contain theology (Dibelius); or they unsuccessfully search for Pauline theology (Luther); or they even go so far as to question its Christian character (e.g., Massebieau and Spitta claim 1:1 and 2:1 are interpolations; c.f. Dunn). These factors not only leave James unread on its own terms (Baker), but they commonly leave James out of any conversation about Christology. In contrast, this paper will demonstrate the presence of an early, high Christology (albeit “compact” see Blomberg, or “implicit” see Bauckham) that is so firmly accepted and presupposed by James and his diasporic audience, that it need not be elaborated upon (Witherington). Rather, without qualification, the author is able to build an entire hortative pericope on the basis of what is assumed to be a shared Christological conviction. In order to demonstrate the presence of this high Christology, this paper will first survey the current field of NT Christology (e.g., Hurtado, Cullman, Bousset, Fletcher-Louis, Dunn, etc.) and then set Richard Bauckham’s, “divine identity Christology” within this broader context. Next, we will look at the aspects of the epistle in current scholarship on James (authorship, date, etc.) that are most relevant to providing evidence for an early high Christology. Though the focus of the paper will be an exegetical analysis of James 2:1, commonly seen as the key Christological verse in the epistle, other pertinent verses (e.g., 1:1; 4:11-12; 5:7-10, etc.) related to the Christology of James will also be discussed in order to gain insight into the broader theology of the letter. In the end, the following question will be considered: does Bauckham’s conceptual tool of “divine identity Christology” offer us an adequate understanding of the Christology presented/assumed in James 2:1? Or do the other Christological approaches surveyed make better sense of this verse? Is it required that these Christological approaches operate in isolation from one another? Or may they harmonize with one another in any way?
The epistle of James reminds us of this truth in a number of places (1:19; 26; 3:1-12) leading Wi... more The epistle of James reminds us of this truth in a number of places (1:19; 26; 3:1-12) leading William Baker to claim that “James has made control of speech the premier ethical and spiritual task of man.” Bauckham, however, in view of the wider context of the letter, says that Baker is “wrong to place control of the tongue before solidarity with the poor” yet he does maintain that it “is at least equal in importance.” An exploration of broad claims such as these, seeing as they involve analysis of the entire letter, is beyond the scope of this current project. This paper will only examine what is commonly seen as the key text in James related to speech-ethics: James 3:1-12. After briefly discussing relevant background issues, I will offer a translation of the passage, a verse-by-verse commentary, and a conclusion which draws out modern applications.
An Evaluative System and A Suggested Approach to Biblical Theology
An Investigation of the use of Redemptive Historical Summaries in the Formation of the Theology a... more An Investigation of the use of Redemptive Historical Summaries in the Formation of the Theology and Identity of the People of God
Published Articles by Taylor Tollison
Presbyterion 49/1: 90–103, 2023
Reintegrating Theology and Ethics
Teaching Theology and Religion, 2023
This paper sets forth a proposal for an ecological pedagogy of embeddedness informed by place-bas... more This paper sets forth a proposal for an ecological pedagogy of embeddedness informed by place-based, challenge-based, and competency-based methodologies. While some theological institutions have begun implementing principles from competency-based models, theological educators have not adequately explored the resources within place-based and challenge-based systems. This paper will contribute to the literature on theological education in three distinct ways: first, this proposal will perform the oft-overlooked task of bringing these three pedagogical models into conversation with one another; second, this proposal will aim the outcomes and effects of the three pedagogical models toward the flourishing of the communities in which institutions are embedded; and third, this proposal will break new ground in its application of these three pedagogical systems to the context of a theological seminary.
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ThM Papers by Taylor Tollison
Furthermore, while most discussions of an early high Christology have focused on the Pauline literature, several of the “muted voices” of the Catholic Epistles (CE) have not been carefully analyzed for Christological purposes. This study addresses this apparent gap in scholarship by shedding light on two of the “muted voices” of the NT by highlighting their contributions to NT Christology and the correlative field of NT ethics. This thesis will seek to accomplish this task by resituating the Christological assertions of James and Jude within their original ethical contexts and investigating a field that, it appears, is still yet to be thoroughly explored. While these letters have not received much attention in the field of Christology in general, the relationship between their Christologies and their ethical appeals is even less explored. This void in scholarship is surprising given the apparent prevalence of both James and Jude in the early church. In addition, this analysis will also add to the wider conversation concerning theology, ethics, and exegesis.
This project will argue that James and Jude provide a unique, early, and Jewish-Christian perspective on the relationship between Christology and ethics. This thesis will contend that James and Jude built their ethical appeals on an assumed, apostolic theology generated by the resurrection, which included a high Christology and an expectant eschatology. As the watershed, foundational event in the early church, the resurrection prompted massive and widespread shifts in the apostles’ Christological comprehension, ethical construction, and exegetical methods. Rather than leaving James and Jude in the unintelligible backwaters of the NT, this thesis will show that these brothers of Jesus were not only aligned with the apostolic theology behind all of the NT documents but were also influential in its formation and application.
Published Articles by Taylor Tollison
Furthermore, while most discussions of an early high Christology have focused on the Pauline literature, several of the “muted voices” of the Catholic Epistles (CE) have not been carefully analyzed for Christological purposes. This study addresses this apparent gap in scholarship by shedding light on two of the “muted voices” of the NT by highlighting their contributions to NT Christology and the correlative field of NT ethics. This thesis will seek to accomplish this task by resituating the Christological assertions of James and Jude within their original ethical contexts and investigating a field that, it appears, is still yet to be thoroughly explored. While these letters have not received much attention in the field of Christology in general, the relationship between their Christologies and their ethical appeals is even less explored. This void in scholarship is surprising given the apparent prevalence of both James and Jude in the early church. In addition, this analysis will also add to the wider conversation concerning theology, ethics, and exegesis.
This project will argue that James and Jude provide a unique, early, and Jewish-Christian perspective on the relationship between Christology and ethics. This thesis will contend that James and Jude built their ethical appeals on an assumed, apostolic theology generated by the resurrection, which included a high Christology and an expectant eschatology. As the watershed, foundational event in the early church, the resurrection prompted massive and widespread shifts in the apostles’ Christological comprehension, ethical construction, and exegetical methods. Rather than leaving James and Jude in the unintelligible backwaters of the NT, this thesis will show that these brothers of Jesus were not only aligned with the apostolic theology behind all of the NT documents but were also influential in its formation and application.