Date of Award
2008
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Divinity College
Supervisor
Stanley E. Porter
Language
English
Abstract
There have been a number of attempts to evaluate Paul's letters with a variety of methodological approaches. This work attempts to view Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians in a new light by first applying epistolary theory to determine its letter divisions and is followed by an application of a linguistic theory to determine if the original unit divisions are supported by discourse analysis as well as provide a bottom-up interpretation to the letter, which is lacking in epistolary theory. My linguistic model is based on Halliday's systemic-functional linguistic model of language. Having been slightly adapted to evaluate a dead, non-English language, this model evaluates the hierarchy and co-text of language, followed by a tripartite field-tenor-mode register model and a discussion regarding the nature and implicature of cohesion and prominence in a text.
Recommended Citation
Adams, Sean A., "A Fresh Look at First Thessalonians: The Amalgamation of Discourse Analysis and Epistolary Theory to Evaluate the Pauline Letter" (2008). Open Access Dissertations and Theses. Paper 5318.
http://digitalcommons.mcmaster.ca/opendissertations/5318
McMaster University Library