Names of God Research Papers (original) (raw)

The problem of the different names of God in the book of Jonah is regularly discussed by researchers. There have been attempts to resolve this question through diachronic hypotheses (as part of literary criticism), as well as by... more

The problem of the different names of God in the book of Jonah is regularly discussed by researchers. There have been attempts to resolve this question through diachronic hypotheses (as part of literary criticism), as well as by synchronic hypotheses which attribute the choice of different names for God to semantic associations or to the structure of the story as a whole. This study offers an interpretation which considers the changes in the name for God as a function of the narrative. Thus, the very act of naming God comes from the story itself and through the interaction of its characters. The analysis offered here, after a brief study of each chapter of the book, shows that the double divine name ('YHWH God') is the term that brings out the positive or negative twists and turns in the narrative. In brief, Jonah makes his way through the story with different names for God, each indicating how God’s relation with others is positive or not.

This article proposes the following interpretation of Ex. 3,14: "God said to Moses: I shall be who shall (will) be. He said: Thus you say to the sons of Israel: I shall be in so far as he has sent me to you." In favor of this... more

This article proposes the following interpretation of Ex. 3,14: "God said to Moses: I shall be who shall (will) be. He said: Thus you say to the sons of Israel: I shall be in so far as he has sent me to you." In favor of this interpretation the author examines the context of Ex. 3,14, the story of Moses´ vocation, and the structure of the speech situation and the dynamics of the usage of the divine names in Ex. 3,1-4,12. In a final paragraph the universal significance of Moses´ vocation is outlined.

Commentary on the Book of Exodus with the text of new translation of St. Paul's Edition

The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning of humankind in relation to the rest of creation, while drawing from a variety of perspectives. There are a myriad of differing theories about the place and purpose of human beings,... more

The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning of humankind in relation to the rest of creation, while
drawing from a variety of perspectives. There are a myriad of differing theories about the place and purpose of human
beings, however there are two major approaches which are at the forefront of this discussion. The first is that the human
being is merely created in this world, subjugated to the laws of the universe, and is open to development but they are
mortal and limited with a determined life span. The alternative approach is that, as well as being a physical being,
humans are spiritual beings with a unique capacity to connect them with the Divine-Eternal Being – a unique quality
beyond the scope of nature, life, and intellect. The premise of this paper concludes that humanity’s ability to attain an
exalted status over the entirety of creation is not merely a result of their physical capacity, but their metaphysical
faculties has given them the potential to connect with the Divine-Eternal Being.

One of the most lasting questions since the birth of the Church has been, who is Jesus? In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Matt 16:15). Some have taken this passage of Scripture to mean that if you... more

One of the most lasting questions since the birth of the Church has been, who is Jesus? In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” (Matt 16:15). Some have taken this passage of Scripture to mean that if you know Jesus as the Son of God, you have salvation. If this is true then what about believers in the Old Testament? Did they too have faith in Jesus Christ? If not, what did they have to do or believe? If not Jesus Christ specifically how can salvation be possible? The debates surrounding this question rests on degrees of knowledge; from no knowledge is required, to all must be known in a particular articulation.

Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. By J. Gordon Melton, Editor, with James A. Beverley, Christopher Buck, and Constance A. Jones. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO,... more

Zwei bislang noch unveröffentlichte unvollständige Typoskripte Martin Bubers beschäftigen sich anhand von Ex 3,13f u.a. mit der Frage, ob Gott einen Namen haben kann, und was die jüdische Geistes- und die Religionsgeschichte zu dieser... more

Zwei bislang noch unveröffentlichte unvollständige Typoskripte Martin Bubers beschäftigen sich anhand von Ex 3,13f u.a. mit der Frage, ob Gott einen Namen haben kann, und was die jüdische Geistes- und die Religionsgeschichte zu dieser Stelle zu sagen haben. Der Aufsatz stellt die beiden Texte im Kontext von Bubers Äußerungen zum Gottesnamen vor. Es ergibt sich bereits aus der Analyse des Kontextes, dass Buber entgegen der geläufigen Forschungsmeinung durchaus an der Wahl des Personalpronomens zur Übersetzung des Gottesnamens in der gemeinsamen Bibelübersetzung mit Franz Rosenzweig beteiligt war. Auch die Typoskripte machen deutlich, dass sich Buber intensiver mit der Übersetzung des Gottesnamens beschäftigt hat, als dies seine publizierten Äußerungen dazu nahelegen.

This article discusses names for God in the corpus of Old English poetry. I begin by considering the problem of naming God, as defined by patristic authors and recognised by several Anglo-Saxon poets (Cynewulf and the author of the OE... more

This article discusses names for God in the corpus of Old English poetry. I begin by considering the problem of naming God, as defined by patristic authors and recognised by several Anglo-Saxon poets (Cynewulf and the author of the OE 'Exodus'). I then discuss the poetics of naming in OE, before considering analogues in Latin and Old Norse literature. Finally, I consider the problem of naming God from a Trinitarian perspective, looking at the ways in which OE poets distinguished (or seemingly failed to distinguish) between the members of the Trinity.

While the traditional vowels of YHWH are dummy vowels (as per almost universal consensus among Hebrew scholars), "Yehowah" has regained popularity in recent years as the alleged true pronunciation. The paper gives evidence against the... more

While the traditional vowels of YHWH are dummy vowels (as per almost universal consensus among Hebrew scholars), "Yehowah" has regained popularity in recent years as the alleged true pronunciation. The paper gives evidence against the erroneous notion.

The scribe of ‘Erfurt 7’, a thirteenth-century Torah scroll now kept in Berlin, initially left blank spaces for the divine appellations Elohim (אלהים) and YHWH Elohim (יהוה אלהים) which were filled in during a second stage of writing. The... more

The scribe of ‘Erfurt 7’, a thirteenth-century Torah scroll now kept in Berlin, initially left blank spaces for the divine appellations Elohim (אלהים) and YHWH Elohim (יהוה אלהים) which were filled in during a second stage of writing. The appearance of the ink employed to write the appellations was significantly darker than that of the surrounding ink. X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) has shown that the light and dark brown inks had similar elemental compositions, but contained different ratios of iron to potassium, which
could be explained by the use of different batches of ink. According to some medieval sources, the divine appellations were sometimes filled in during a second stage of writing in the presence of ten men from the Jewish community. In Erfurt 7, the two-stage procedure was only performed in the first 1.5 columns of the original sheets, suggesting it may have been part of a public ceremony inaugurating the writing of the divine names in the scroll. Erfurt 7 emerges from this study not only as a ritual object used for liturgy, but as a rallying point for the Jews of Erfurt to come together as a community to express their reverence for the written form of God’s name. The divine name YHWH (יהוה) was written in a smaller script than the surrounding text on three replacement sheets using the same two-stage procedure. The ink used on the replacement sheets contained zinc, which is characteristic of other Erfurt manuscripts as well. This suggests that Erfurt was the place where the scroll was used, cherished and eventually repaired.

The aim of this paper is to call attention to Ramon Llull’s Cent noms de Déu, or The One Hundred Names of God, and its unique place in the history of medieval Christian-Muslim polemics. Llull (1232-1315) was a writer, logician,... more

The aim of this paper is to call attention to Ramon Llull’s Cent noms de Déu, or The One Hundred Names of God, and its unique place in the history of medieval Christian-Muslim polemics. Llull (1232-1315) was a writer, logician, philosopher, theologian and mystic born in Mallorca shortly after it was conquered by Christians from the Muslims. Originally living the life of a troubadour, he experienced a religious conversion and committed himself, in turn, to convert the “infidels”. With his Cent noms de Déu, a versified book written under the influence of the Islamic tradition of the asmāʾ Allāh al-ḥusnā, Llull aimed to refute Muslim claims regarding the inimitability of the Qurʾān (iʿjāz al-Qurʾān) which is believed to prove the divine origin of Islam’s sacred book. In addition, Llull sought to introduce an Islamic ethos within Christianity by suggesting a similar use in Christian daily worship to that of the Qurʾān in Muslim life, making his Cent noms de Déu a unique book in medieval Christian-Muslim polemics. I also provide a new dating and reevaluation of Llull’s intentions in writing this book.

Caodaism is a new religion from Vietnam which began in late 1925 and spread rapidly across the French colony of Indochina. With a broad syncretic aim, the new faith sought to revivify Vietnamese religious traditions whilst also... more

Caodaism is a new religion from Vietnam which began in late 1925 and spread rapidly across the French colony of Indochina. With a broad syncretic aim, the new faith sought to revivify Vietnamese religious traditions whilst also incorporating religious, literary, and spiritist influences from France. Like Catholicism, Caodaism kept a strong focus on its monotheistic nature and today Caodaists are eager to label their religion a monotheism. It will be argued here, however, that the syncretic nature of this new faith complicates this claim to a significant degree. To make this argument, we will consider here the nature of God in Caodaism through two central texts from two important stages in the life of the religion. The first is the canonized Compilation of Divine Messages which collects a range of spirit messages from God and some other divine voices. These were received in the opening years of the faith. The second is a collection of sermons from 1948/9 which take Caodaist believers on a tour of heaven and which is entitled The Divine Path to Eternal Life. It will be shown that in the first text, God speaks in the mode of a fully omnipotent and omniscient supreme being. In the second text, however, we are given a view of paradise that is much more akin to the court of a Jade Emperor within an East-Asian milieu. In these realms, the personalities of other beings and redemptive mechanisms claim much of our attention and seem to be a competing center of power to that of God. Furthermore, God’s consort, the Divine Mother, takes on a range of sacred creative prerogatives that do something similar. And cadres of celestial administrators; buddhas, immortals, and saints, also help with the operation of a cosmos which spins on with guidance from its own laws. These laws form sacred mechanisms such as cycles of reincarnation and judgement. These operate not in the purview of God, but as part of the very nature of the cosmos itself. In this context, the dualistic, polytheistic and even automatic nature of Caodaism’s cosmos will be considered for the way in which they complicate this religion’s monotheistic claims. To conclude, this article seeks to demonstrate the precise relevance of the term ‘monotheism’ for this religion.

The silver inscribed amulet (PEF 2049) in the collections of the Palestine Exploration Fund was found in a tomb of the Graeco-Roman period during the excavations of the British expedition to Samaria directed by J. W. Crowfoot from... more

The silver inscribed amulet (PEF 2049) in the collections of the Palestine Exploration Fund was found in a tomb of the Graeco-Roman period during the excavations of the British expedition to Samaria directed by J. W. Crowfoot from 1931–35. The silver was tightly rolled up inside a cylindrical copper case and was recognized when the copper had fallen away. Comparative study of the associated finds, notably glass and lamps, suggests a date in the 4th or perhaps 5th century AD. The method of unrolling the silver sheet and its conservation is described. A copy and a transliteration of the text, which was directed at the healing of the owner, is given, with discussion of its religious setting and philological commentary.

Names (Rabbinic Judaism), in Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2022), XX:681-85.

In her well-known review of The Star of Redemption, poet, cultural critic, and philosopher Margarete Susman characterizes Rosenzweig’s project as theology that has “gone beyond the zenith of atheism” and articulates her view of this... more

In her well-known review of The Star of Redemption, poet, cultural critic, and philosopher Margarete Susman characterizes Rosenzweig’s project as theology that has “gone beyond the zenith of atheism” and articulates her view of this unique piece of work as the crowning achievement of the philosophical project of that time. But Susman’s assessment also addresses another issue of great significance: the fact that the atheism addressed by Rosenzweig’s book is the atheism of Goethe, and that the redemption that lies beyond this atheism becomes clear and gains voice only in light of the words of Mephistopheles in Goethe’s Faust, as we will see below. Susman’s assessment is consistent with Rosenzweig’s letter to Ehrenburg and identifies contending with atheism as a fundamental element of understanding The Star of Redemption. This article seeks a better understanding of Rosenzweig’s book based on Susman’s work. It also offers greater insight into Goethe’s significant role in the book and, in doing so, provides readers with a unique key for navigating the book that can also help understand the change in conception proposed by Rosenzweig in his Freies Jüdisches Lehrhaus (Free Jewish House of Learning). In this context, the word “free” has meaning on more than one level and can be understood as applying to both the House of Learning as an independent institution and to the freedom of human consciousness. This article is based largely on Susman’s review article on The Star of Redemption and her essay marking the celebratory publication of another installment of Rosenzweig and Buber’s German translation of the Bible. Here, however, I also seek to understand the deeper meaning of the claim regarding atheism’s role on the path to monotheism using the terms of Rosenzweig himself, as well as the language and thinking of Emmanuel Levinas.

The paper evaluates the previous explanations for the origin and meaning of (El) Šadday with regard to their etymological and religio-historical plausibility. Only the derivation of Šadday from the Egyptian deity Shed remains convincing... more

The paper evaluates the previous explanations for the origin and meaning of (El) Šadday with regard to their etymological and religio-historical plausibility. Only the derivation of Šadday from the Egyptian deity Shed remains convincing under both criteria, and thus deserves a closer look. An analysis of biblical and extra-biblical sources from Palestine shows that the motifs associated with Šadday are comparable to those of Shed and, moreover, that these motifs are iconographically represented in Palestine. For these reasons, this paper argues that (El) Šadday takes its origin from Shed and that the biblical use of this name can be better understood in this context.

AN EXAMINATION (IN RUSSIAN) OF THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE NAME OF GOD, WHETHER IT IS GOD HIMSELF OR NOT

This essay gives the interpretation of the answer that God gives to Moses when he asks about His name. The complete answer will be only in Jesus' lips, but here we find some very interesting annotations in the triple answer of YHWH to... more

This essay gives the interpretation of the answer that God gives to Moses when he asks about His name. The complete answer will be only in Jesus' lips, but here we find some very interesting annotations in the triple answer of YHWH to Moses.

“La pronuncia del Nome” di Nehemia Gordon e Francesco Arduini. Ringrazio per l’autorizzazione.

American Art, History & Symbology Researcher Jeff Friday has compiled the world's most extensive list of Art work with the Greek Names of God. Many Latin references too as the descendant images of the Greco-Hebrew Iconography. Place... more

Devotion to the Names of God and the theological debates deriving therefrom are pivotal in both Christian and Islamic thought and practice. Ramon Llull's Hundred Names of God may be considered to act as a bridge between the two... more

Devotion to the Names of God and the theological debates deriving therefrom are pivotal in both Christian and Islamic thought and practice. Ramon Llull's Hundred Names of God may be considered to act as a bridge between the two monotheisms. In this paper we shall focus upon some of the specific questions in whose regard both Christian and Islamic theologians have expounded on the basis of their analysis of the Divine Names, which Names find echoes in Ramon Llull's oeuvre.

This work is intended to examine the use and interpretation of Byzantine hymnographic texts of Hieroschemamonk Anthony Bulatovich, who was the leader of the Athonite Onomatodoxists during the 1910s, written during his defence of the... more

This work is intended to examine the use and interpretation of Byzantine hymnographic texts of Hieroschemamonk Anthony Bulatovich, who was the leader of the Athonite Onomatodoxists during the 1910s, written during his defence of the Palamite doctrine on divine energy. Source research and analysis, philosophical hermeneutics and comparative textological research are the methods employed in this work. Sources on the subject include works by Anthony Bulatovich, Gregory of Nazianzus, Cyril of Alexandria, Dionysius the Areopagite, and Gregory Palamas. In his dispute about the name of God, Bulatovich paid much attention to the theme of divine energies. The doctrine on energy of God, developed by the Church Fathers and especially Gregory Palamas, was important for Bulatovich since he considered divine revelation to be an uncreated energy of God. He believed the name of God to be an example of such a revelation and therefore, being by essence energy of God, he argued that God's name is God. Onomatodoxy skeptics claimed, in contrast to Palamas, that divine energy cannot be viewed as God. Bulatovich aimed to prove the opposite and, not having at his disposal many patristic writings, he looked for confirmation of Palamite teachings on divine energy in biblical and hymnographic texts. An analysis of hymnographic quotes used by Bulatovich shows he understood their theological meaning correctly and derived ideas developed by Church Fathers from hymnography. Byzantine hymnography served Bulatovich as the main source of the Orthodox Church’s dogmatics. --- Published in: Vestnik Volgogradskogo osudarstvennogo
universiteta. Seriya 4, Istoriya. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [Science Journal of Volgograd State University. History. Area Studies. International Relations], 2018, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 60-70 (in Russian). ---------------------- В споре о почитании имени Божия лидер афонских имяславцев иеросхимонах Антоний (Булатович) уделил много внимания теме божественных энергий. Учение об энергии Божией, разработанное отцами православной Церкви и более всего св. Григорием Паламой, было важно для Булатовича, поскольку он подчеркивал, что божественное Откровение является божественной энергией, а имя Божие есть частный случай этого Откровения. Таким образом если энергия Божия есть сам Бог, то можно называть Богом и Его богооткровенные имена. Противники имяславие утверждали, в противоположность св. Григорию, что энергию Божию нельзя называть Богом и что имяславцы неправильно понимают церковное учение об энергии Божией. Булатович стремился доказать обратное и, поскольку в его распоряжении не было ни сочинений самого Паламы, ни значительной части тех святоотеческих сочинений, которыми пользовался св. Григорий, о. Антоний искал подтверждение паламитскому учению об энергии Божией в библейских и гимнографических текстах. Анализ гимнографических цитат, использованных о. Антонием в полемике, показывает, что он верно понял их богословский смысл и почерпнул из церковного богослужения идеи, разработанные в византийской патристической традиции и выраженные у таких отцов Церкви как Григорий Богослов, Кирилл Александрийский, Дионисий Ареопагит и Григорий Палама: учение о различии сущности и энергии в Боге, о нетварности божественных энергий, о единстве воли и действия Лиц Св. Троицы, о действии Бога на тварь через энергии, о возможности для человека причаститься божественному свету-энергии. Таким образом, византийская гимнография послужила для Булатовича источником догматического учения Православной Церкви.

This paper was given as part of a panel discussion revisiting the Tracy/Lindbeck debate of the 1980's. The other panelists were Shaun Brown (Wycliffe College), Murray Johnston (Regis College), Gill Goulding (Regis College), and John... more

This paper was given as part of a panel discussion revisiting the Tracy/Lindbeck debate of the 1980's. The other panelists were Shaun Brown (Wycliffe College), Murray Johnston (Regis College), Gill Goulding (Regis College), and John Berkman (Regis College).

When God says He will "heal our land" in 2 Chronicles 7:14, could it be that the "land" He wants to heal is the "fallow ground" of our HEARTS as spoken of in Hosea 10:12? Is it fair to even ASK God to heal our nation's actual land and all... more

When God says He will "heal our land" in 2 Chronicles 7:14, could it be that the "land" He wants to heal is the "fallow ground" of our HEARTS as spoken of in Hosea 10:12? Is it fair to even ASK God to heal our nation's actual land and all it encompasses while we persist in shutting Him out of all other aspects of our lives and concerns?

A short essay on the topic of "Tzelem Elokim."

I Cent noms de Déu di Ramon Llull sono stati letti, a causa del suo prologo, quasi esclusivamente come un'opera apologetica contro l'Islam. In questo studio si dimostra come questa suggestione islamica sia solo una fonte parziale... more

I Cent noms de Déu di Ramon Llull sono stati letti, a causa del suo prologo, quasi esclusivamente come un'opera apologetica contro l'Islam. In questo studio si dimostra come questa suggestione islamica sia solo una fonte parziale di questo poema, la cui direzione è prettamente cristiana e legata a tradizioni religiose ben radicate in Europa. Ramon Llull's Hundred Names of God has been interpreted, due to its prologue, almost exclusively as an apologetic work against Islam. In this paper, we will demonstrate that this Islamic suggestion has to be considered only as a partial source of this poem, which is aimed mainly to a Christian public and is founded in religious traditions deep-routed in Europe.