TRS – Alvin Lo

Alvin Lo, Poetic analysis of Ephesian’s Trinitarian Poem

Short biography:

I am a second-year PhD student at McMaster Divinity College, specializing in New Testament studies. Originally from Hong Kong and formerly a civil engineer, I have been shaped by Baptist, Evangelical Free, and Reformed Presbyterian traditions. My lifelong interests span biblical studies, theology, philosophy, community, culture, technology, entertainment, and sports. Having studied and lived in Australia, Taiwan, the United States, and Canada, I seek to integrate these diverse experiences into my pursuit of New Testament scholarship and to engage an ever-changing world through a biblical worldview.

Abstract:

Ephesians 1 is a flamboyant paragraph that stands apart from conventional Pauline epistolary prologues, captivating lay readers while simultaneously provoking scholarly skepticism. Nevertheless, closer analysis reveals the limitations of traditional form-critical frameworks, whose reliance on presupposed epistolary conventions offers insufficient tools to account for the passage’s conspicuous artistic features. This study, therefore, returns to poetic theory to develop a linguistic-literary framework capable of engaging the passage through a systematic, word-based analysis. In particular, by integrating embedded genre theory, refined insights from poetic linguistics, and conventions of Greek lyric poetry, I argue that Ephesians 1:3–14 is best understood as a sophisticated poetic composition, meticulously crafted for liturgical performance and communal ritual practice.

About TRS

The MDC Theological Research Seminar (TRS) is a bimonthly gathering for all MDC students and faculty. TRS meets from 1:00 PM to 1:50 PM on alternating Wednesdays, and includes about thirty minutes for the paper presentation and twenty minutes for discussion.

All advanced degree students are invited to present a paper and share your research with your colleagues. TRS is an excellent opportunity to “test drive” a paper you will be presenting at an upcoming conference and receive helpful feedback on your current research projects. Thinking about submitting an article to a journal and want some interaction first? TRS will provide it. Just published an article or an essay and want to share it us? TRS is an excellent opportunity to broadcast it.

This year the organizing committee consists of Dr. Cynthia Westfall, Dr. Lee Beach, and Dr. John Isaak. To submit a paper, contact a member of the organizing committee.

Join the Livestream
Password: z00m (Note that the password has zeros rather than “o”)