The History of God's Names in the Bible
From Elohim to Abba: A Historical, Linguistic, and Christological Investigation
Course Instructors
To Be Announced
Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies
Details
This seminar provides a forensic, historical, and linguistic investigation into the evolution of divine nomenclature in the biblical text. We move from the Bronze Age 'El' to the nationalistic 'Yahweh' of the iron age, concluding with the Christological 'Father.' The course investigates the "Alienation Hypothesis": Did Jesus restore a universal, pre-redactional truth that was suppressed by post-exilic religious authorities?
Course Curriculum
Understanding $Elohim$ as a plural of intensity representing a "Universal Scientist" or "Cosmic Order" rather than a tribal deity.
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The transition from the Canaanite 'El' to the Hebrew 'Elohim.'
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Youtube Video
08:20:00
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What You Will Learn
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Philological Mastery: Distinguish between $Elohim$, $YHWH$, and $Pater$ in original contexts.
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Redactional Analysis: Identify the 5th-century BCE motives of the Ezra group in merging divine attributes.
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Cross-Cultural Synthesis:: Map the influence of Persian (Zoroastrian) dualism and Mesopotamian science on Jewish theology.
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Christological Critique:: Evaluate Jesus’ rejection of Temple hierarchies and his use of "Abba" as a corrective to nationalistic Yahwism.
FAQs
Graduate students, theology scholars, clergy, and advanced learners with interest in biblical history and linguistics.
Is prior knowledge of Hebrew or Greek required?
Malayalam or English (SBL academic style).
Yes. All lectures, readings, and Socratic seminars are conducted online
A 20-page research-based synthesis paper defending a theological or historical thesis.
What is in this course?
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Duration : 42 Days
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Class Start Date : 2026-01-31
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Critical Training : Advanced biblical and theological analysis
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Bilingual Study : Malayalam & English
