7/23/2019 Christological Name Theology in Three Second Century Communities

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ABSTRACT

CHRISTOLOGICAL NAME THEOLOGY IN THREE SECOND CENTURY COMMUNITIES

Michael D. Harris, B.A., M.A.

Marquette University, 2013

This dissertation seeks to consider the possible backgrounds for second century Christianname theology, the distinct regional applications of “ Name” theology to Christology, and also to

compare Rome, Syria, and Alexandria to one another and reveal how that application was

different in each of the three regions. In order to understand the backgrounds for this theological

idea, the first three chapters investigate the variety of theological uses of the word “name” in theHebrew Bible, in other Jewish literature, and in the New Testament. The three communities are

represented by 1 Clement and Shepherd of Hermas from Rome, Ascension of Isaiah and Odes of

Solomon from Antiochian Syria, and Gospel of Truth and Excerpta ex Theodoto at Alexandria.

All the second century Christian texts considered in this study make use of earlier Jewish ideasabout the name of God or special names given by God. All of them adapt that theological term to

their own immediate concerns; however, this study discovers some common traits among all of

them. The name is given soteriological importance in each text. That salvation is determined insome way by possession of the name by the believer. Finally, in different ways each text places

importance on the way the name interacts with creation. These common points serve as a basis

for comparison of all the material undertaken in this study.