Senior Comprehensive Exam Study Guide

Senior Comprehensive Exam OT Study Guide – Revised Hebrew Canon

  • Threefold Division of Hebrew Scriptures
  • Individual books included in each section of the Hebrew Scriptures.
  • Five OT books known as the "antilegomena" ("spoken against"), that is books whose inclusion into the OT canon was disputed by certain Jews

Important OT Dates

  • 2000 BC: Date of Abraham
  • 1450 BC: Traditional date of Exodus
  • 1050 BC: Establishment of Davidic Kingdom
  • 722 BC: The fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians
  • 605 BC: Babylonian invasion of Judah; Daniel and friends taken captive
  • 597 BC: Babylonian Siege of Jerusalem; Ezekiel taken captive
  • 586 BC: Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem
  • 539 BC: Fall of Babylon to Media-Persia
  • 457 BC: Decree of Artaxerxes allowing Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem

Important Terms to Define

  • Targum: Oral translations/paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures into Aramaic.
  • Torah: Refers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Pentateuch or the Law. It is considered the most sacred part of the Hebrew Bible.
  • The Day of the Lord: A prophetic concept referring to a time of divine intervention and judgment in the Old Testament.
  • The Gilgamesh Epic: An ancient Mesopotamian epic poem that contains stories and themes similar to those found in the Old Testament, such as the flood narrative.
  • JEDP (Documentary Hypothesis): A theory suggesting that the Pentateuch was compiled from four independent sources (J, E, D, and P) written at different times.
  • Septuagint: The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, abbreviated as LXX. It was created in Alexandria, Egypt, during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.
  • A Prophet: Someone chosen by God to communicate His message to His people.
  • Merneptah's Stele: An ancient Egyptian inscription that contains the earliest known mention of Israel outside the Bible, dating back to the late 13th century BC.
  • Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele): A stone inscription written in the Moabite language that recounts King Mesha's rebellion against Israel in the 9th century BC. It provides historical information about the relationship between Israel and Moab.
  • The “Black Obelisk” of Shalmaneser III: An Assyrian artifact depicting Jehu, king of Israel, bowing before Shalmaneser III, providing extra-biblical evidence of the existence of Jehu.
  • The Shema: A Jewish prayer affirming the belief in one God, found in Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
  • The Jewish Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who are considered the founding fathers of the Jewish people.

Babylon and Judah

  • Three dates when Babylon invaded Judah: laying siege to Jerusalem, and the relationship to the captivity of Daniel, Ezekiel, and ministry of Jeremiah:
    • 605 BC
    • 597 BC
    • 586 BC
  • The relationship of the following Jewish Kings and the rise of Babylon:
    • Josiah
    • Jehoahaz
    • Jehoiakim
    • Jehoiachin
    • Zedekiah

The Prophets

  • Pre-exilic Prophets (prophesied before the exile)
    • To Israel: Jonah, Amos, and Hosea. (Elijah & Elisha are here, but no writings)
    • To Judah: Obadiah, Joel, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah
  • Exilic Prophets (prophesied during Babylonian exile): Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jeremiah
  • Post-exilic prophets (prophets who prophesied after the Babylonian captivity): Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
  • The chronological sequence of events/people in the OT.
  • A basic summary of each OT book.

Senior Comprehensive Exam NT Gospels Study Guide Revised

  • Important Gospel Dates

    • 5 BC - Birth of Jesus
    • 4 BC - Death of Herod the Great
    • 6 AD - Judah becomes a Roman Province
    • 31 AD - Crucifixion of Jesus

  • Important Terms and Individuals to Define

    • Christ
    • Messianic Secret
    • Samaritans
    • Synoptic Gospels
    • Markan Priority
    • Diaspora
    • Dead Sea Scrolls
    • Hellenization
    • A Publican
    • Zealots
    • Josephus
    • Caiaphas
    • Herod the Great
    • Herod Antipas
    • Pontius Pilate
    • John the Baptist
    • Identity of the 12 Disciples

  • Jewish Sects: Beliefs & Significance

    • The Essenes
    • The Sadducees
    • The Pharisees
    • Zealots

  • Ministry of Jesus

    • Length
    • Geographical Nature of
    • Nature of Sabbath miracles

  • The basic chronological sequence of events in the life of Jesus.

  • A basic summary of each Gospel, its message, unique stories, and particular audience.

Senior Comprehensive Exam NT Acts & Epistles Study Guide Revised

  • Important Dates

    • 31 AD - Crucifixion of Jesus
    • ca. 34 AD - Conversion of Saul/Paul
    • 50 AD - Jerusalem Council on Circumcision
    • 48-66 AD - Extent of Paul's Letter-Writing Activity
    • ca. 100 AD - Death of Apostle John

  • Important Terms to Define

    • Pauline Epistles
    • General/Catholic Epistles
    • Justification by Faith
    • Apocalypticism
    • Premillennialism
    • Postmillennialism
    • Amillennialism

  • Important Individuals to Know

    • Peter
    • James
    • John
    • Paul
    • Barnabas
    • John Mark
    • Timothy
    • Silas
    • Titus
    • Luke

  • Pauline Epistles

    • Authorship Issues
    • Structure of Epistles
    • Basic Message of Each Epistle
    • Unique Characteristics of Each

  • General Epistles

    • Authorship
    • Basic Message of Each Epistle

  • Revelation

    • Authorship
    • Location where written
    • 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Angel's Message
    • Basic Message
    • Historicism
    • Preterism
    • Idealism
    • Futurism
    • Diaspora
    • Parousia
    • Epaphras
    • Epaphroditus
    • Philemon
    • Onesimus
    • Demas
    • Cornelius
    • Herod Agrippa
    • Festus
    • Nero
    • Domitian
    • 1st Written Epistle
    • Last Written Epistle
    • Prison Epistles
    • Pastoral Epistles
    • Journeys in Acts and Epistles Written

Senior Comprehensive Exam Church History Study Guide Revised

  • Important Dates

    • 50 - Jerusalem Council
    • 323 - Formation of NT Canon
    • 325 - Council of Nicea
    • 451 - Council of Chalcedon
    • 1517 - Luther's 95 Theses/Reformation

  • Important Terms to Define

    • Apostolic Fathers
    • Church Fathers
    • Docetism
    • Ebionism
    • Gnosticism
    • Marcion/Marcionism
    • Montanism
    • Dynamic Monarchianism
    • Modalist Monarchianism
    • Arianism

  • Important Individuals/Concepts to Know

    • The Apostolic Fathers
    • Clement of Rome and Apostolic Succession
    • Ignatius and the Monarchical Episcopate
    • Shepherd of Hermas and Human Merits
    • Polycarp: Opposition to Docetism
    • Epistle of Barnabas and Allegorical Interpretation
    • Didache and Sprinkling

  • Church Fathers (Ante-Nicene)

    • Justin Martyr and Sunday Worship
    • Irenaeus and Heresy
    • Clement of Alexandria
    • Tertullian and Defection to Montanism
    • Origen and Textual Criticism
    • Cyprian and the Church
    • Didache
    • Apostolic Succession
    • Muratorian Canon
    • Edict of Milan
    • Council of Nicea
    • Council of Chalcedon
    • Original Sin
    • Pelagianism
    • Predestination
    • Calvinism
    • Arminianism
    • Prevenient Grace

  • Church Fathers (Nicene & Post-Nicene)

    • Athanasius and Christology
    • The Cappadocian Fathers and Trinity
    • Augustine and Salvation
    • Jerome and the Vulgate
    • Eusebius and Church History
    • Nestorius, Nestorianism and Christology
    • Arius and Christology
    • Pelagius and Salvation
    • Anthony and Monasticism
    • Martin Luther and the Reformation
    • Zwingli and the Reformation
    • John Calvin and Calvinism
    • Ignatius Loyola and the Jesuits
    • John Wesley and Methodism
    • Thomas Aquinas, Scholasticism, Theology
    • Anabaptists

  • Topics:

    • Threefold Defense Against Heretics in the 3rd Century: Rule of Faith, Canon, Apostolic Succession
    • Sunday Worship (Origin and Evidence of): Anti-Judaism; Justin Martyr and Sunday Worship

Senior Comprehensive Exam SDA History Study Guide Revised

  • Important SDA Dates

    • 1844 - Great Disappointment
    • 1755 - Lisbon Earthquake
    • 1780 - Dark Day
    • 1833 - Falling of Stars
    • 1827 - 1915 - Life of EGW

  • Significance Events/Terms

    • 1844 Great Disappointment
    • 1888 General Conference
    • 1901 General Conference
    • 1980 General Conference
    • 2015 General Conference
    • 1919 Bible Conference

  • Important Individuals to Know

    • William Miller
    • Joshua V. Himes
    • Samuel Snow
    • Hiram Edson
    • Rachel Oakes-Preston
    • Joseph Bates
    • Ellen G. White
    • James White
    • Uriah Smith
    • J. N. Andrews
    • L.R. Conradi
    • Questions on Doctrines
    • Adventist Landmarks
    • Pillars of Present Truth
    • Perfectionistic Element in Adventism
    • Adventist Church Policy/Structure
    • Adventist Publishing Houses
    • Adventist Missions: GO, AFM
    • D. M. Canright
    • A. T. Jones
    • E. J. Waggoner
    • John Harvey Kellogg
    • W.W. Prescott
    • Willie White
    • A.G. Daniels
    • Desmond Ford
    • Walter Rea
    • Ted Wilson

  • Topics:

    • Relationship between EGW Writings and Bible
    • Adventist Sanctuary/Judgment doctrine - Key Biblical Foundations/Hermeneutics
    • Basic sequence of major books written by EGW (not compilations)
    • Adventist History by Decades:
      • EGW First Vision
      • Sabbath Conferences
      • Health Reform
      • SDA Name Chosen
      • SDA Church Officially Organized
      • EGW Ministry in Europe
      • EGW Ministry in Australia
      • Walla Walla College/University Founded
      • Desmond Ford Controversy

Senior Comprehensive Exam Theology Study Guide Revised

  • Important Theological Terms

    • Realized Eschatology
    • Liberation Theology
    • Reformed Theology
    • Systematic Theology
    • Predestination
    • Double Predestination
    • Natural Law
    • Ecclesiology
    • Pantheism
    • Ebionitism
    • Docetism
    • Gnosticism
    • Deism
    • Arianism
    • Metaphysical dualism
    • Utilitarianism
    • Millennium
    • Pre-millennialism (Adventist)
    • Soteriology
    • Christology
    • Pneumatology
    • Eschatology
    • Omnipresence of God
    • Omniscience of God
    • Omnipotence of God
    • Immanence of God
    • Transcendence of God
    • Immutability of God
    • Divine Providence
    • Transubstantiation
    • Ex Nihilo
    • Special Revelation
    • General Revelation
    • The Remnant
    • The Trinity
    • Council of Nicaea
    • Original Sin
    • The Immaculate Conception
    • The Virgin Birth
    • Total Depravity
    • Ne0-Orthodoxy
    • Fundamentalism
    • Biblical Inerrancy
    • Canon
    • Verbal Inspiration
    • Dynamic Inspiration
    • Infallibility

  • Individuals -Theologically Significance/Works

    • Plato
    • Martin Luther
    • Athanasius
    • John Calvin
    • Jerome
    • Karl Barth
    • Augustine
    • H. Richard Niebuhr
    • Pelagius
    • Hans Kung
    • Anselm
    • Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    • Thomas Aquinas
    • John Huss

  • Arguments for God's Existence

    • Teleological Arguments
    • Cosmological Arguments

  • Atonement Theories

    • Penal Substitution
    • Moral Influence
    • Ransom
    • Governmental
    • Richard Rice

Senior Comprehensive Exam World Religions Study Guide Revised

  • Class Notes to Consult

    • RELH 303 - World Religions
    • RELT 456, 457 - Systematic Theology I, II

  • World Religions Focus on an awareness of basic beliefs, and chronological sequence of the great religions of the world

    • Buddhism
      • Mahayana
      • Vajrayana
      • Theravada
    • Hinduism
      • Brahman
      • Aryan Society
    • Islam
      • Sunnis
      • Shiites
      • Sufis
    • Judaism
      • Reformed
      • Orthodox
      • Conservative
    • Confucianism
    • Shintoism
    • Taoism
    • Jainism
    • Zoroastrianism
    • Bahai
    • Sikhism
    • African Religions
    • Native American Religions
    • Christianity
      • Roman Catholicism
      • Eastern Orthodoxy
      • Protestantism
      • Christian "Sects"
        • Jehovah Witnesses
        • Christian Scientists
        • Latter-day Saints
        • Unitarians

  • Important Terms to Define by Religion

    • Buddhism
      • Buddha
      • Siddharta Gautama
      • Theravda
      • Vajrayana
      • Bodhisattva
      • Nirvana
      • Mahayana
    • Hinduism
      • Krishna
      • Kabir
      • Mahatma Gandhi
      • Brahman
      • Bhagavad Gita
      • Upanishads
      • Caste System
      • Karma
      • Brahma
      • Vishnu
      • Shiva
    • Islam
      • Muhammad
      • Muslim
      • Qur’an
      • Five Pillars
      • Hijra
      • Kaaba
      • Caliph
    • Judaism
      • Mishnah
      • Talmud
      • Hanukkah
      • Passover
      • Purim
      • Orthodox
      • Reformed
      • Hasidim
      • Zionism
    • Confucianism
      • Confucius
      • The Analects
      • Li and jen
      • The I Ching
    • Shintoism
      • Bushido
      • Kamidana
    • Taoism
      • Lao Tzu
      • Tao-te-Ching
      • Tao
    • Jainism
      • Mahavira
      • Ahimsa
    • Zoroastrianism
      • Avesta
      • The Gathas
      • Towers of Silence
      • Dakhma
      • Parsees
    • Bahai
      • The Bab
      • Bahaullah
    • Sikhism
      • Guru Nanak
      • Guru Granth Sahib
      • Guru Har Gobind
      • Guru Arjan Dev
      • Khalsa
    • African Religions
      • Original Monotheism
    • Native American Religions
      • Animism
      • Divination Magic
      • Taboo
      • Totems
    • Christianity
      • Roman Catholicism
        • Transubstantiation
        • Indulgences
        • Mass
        • Eucharist
        • Counter Reformation
      • Eastern Orthodoxy
        • The Great Schism
      • Protestantism
      • Latter-day Saints
        • Joseph Smith
        • Book of Mormon
        • Doctrine and Covenants
    • Misc Terms
      • Ecumenism