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1. Purpose: This is a private debate forum designed for only two participants to engage in focused, methodical exegesis of a designated passage, adhering in good faith to standards of academic rigor.
2. Invitation-Only: Each debate will involve only two agreed debaters (plus a designated moderator, if requested). Nobody else may post in this forum. Any posts that do not originate from the debaters or moderator will be summarily deleted.
3. Scope of Debate: All posts must pertain directly to the agreed text and its interpretation. Side issues, other texts, or unrelated topics may be noted but not explored; such matters may be engaged elsewhere in a thread appropriate to the topic.
4. Deadlines: Each participant has 72 hours (3 days) from the time they are notified to submit their next post. Requests for extensions must be made before the deadline.
5. Structured Format:
7. Moderator Authority: If a moderator is appointed, he or she may enforce deadlines, remind participants of rules, and, in extreme cases, pause or terminate the debate for repeated rule violations.
8. Debate Format:
2. Invitation-Only: Each debate will involve only two agreed debaters (plus a designated moderator, if requested). Nobody else may post in this forum. Any posts that do not originate from the debaters or moderator will be summarily deleted.
3. Scope of Debate: All posts must pertain directly to the agreed text and its interpretation. Side issues, other texts, or unrelated topics may be noted but not explored; such matters may be engaged elsewhere in a thread appropriate to the topic.
4. Deadlines: Each participant has 72 hours (3 days) from the time they are notified to submit their next post. Requests for extensions must be made before the deadline.
5. Structured Format:
- Begin with the specified biblical text in block-quote, using original language and/or translation.
- State your thesis or sub-point succinctly.
- Provide argumentation and evidence (lexical, grammatical, historical, etc.).
- Conclude with a brief summary of your rationale.
7. Moderator Authority: If a moderator is appointed, he or she may enforce deadlines, remind participants of rules, and, in extreme cases, pause or terminate the debate for repeated rule violations.
8. Debate Format:
- Round Structure
- Opening Statement (500–700 words): Participant A must present the agreed text in block-quote (original language and/or translation), state a clear thesis, marshal primary arguments (lexical, grammatical, historical), and conclude succinctly. Posts must consist of clearly separated paragraphs, each focusing on one piece of evidence (e.g., "The aorist participle δικαιοῦσα in Romans 3:28 …").
- First Rebuttal (300–500 words): Participant B addresses each point in order, citing counter-evidence or alternative readings, and may refine their own thesis as needed.
- Second Rebuttal/Reply (300–500 words): Participant A responds to the critiques of Participant B, clarifies misunderstandings, and offers any final adjustments to argument.
- Closing Summary (200–300 words): Both parties will present a closing argument, which may include a summary of remaining points of agreement and outstanding questions.
- Opening Statement (500–700 words): Participant A must present the agreed text in block-quote (original language and/or translation), state a clear thesis, marshal primary arguments (lexical, grammatical, historical), and conclude succinctly. Posts must consist of clearly separated paragraphs, each focusing on one piece of evidence (e.g., "The aorist participle δικαιοῦσα in Romans 3:28 …").
- Timeline for Each Submission
- Submit response within 72 hours of being notified to respond.
- Requests for a one-time extension (up to 24 hours) must be posted before the original deadline.
- Submit response within 72 hours of being notified to respond.
- Word Counts and Edits
- Adhere to the prescribed word-count limit. A moderator may trim or ask for edits if posts are significantly over or under.
- Minor editorial adjustments (formatting, typos) may be made by the moderator to ensure clarity, but substantive content remains the author's.
- Adhere to the prescribed word-count limit. A moderator may trim or ask for edits if posts are significantly over or under.
- Hermeneutical Standards
- Grammatical–Historical Method: Interpret each verse according to its original grammar, syntax, and historical‐cultural setting.
- Contextual Consistency: Read each text within its immediate and surrounding literary context (paragraph, chapter, book) and canonical scripture as a whole.
- Original‐Language Sensitivity: Whenever possible, analyze key words or constructions in Hebrew or Greek, and cite lexicons or grammars if used.
- Genre Awareness: Respect the genre (narrative, poetry, epistle, apocalyptic, etc.) and adjust interpretive expectations accordingly.
- Grammatical–Historical Method: Interpret each verse according to its original grammar, syntax, and historical‐cultural setting.
- Here are some standard reference works you may cite when analyzing the original languages:
- Hebrew Lexicons
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (BDB).
- Koehler & Baumgartner, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT).
- Holladay, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament.
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (BDB).
- Hebrew Grammars
- Joüon & Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew.
- Waltke & O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax.
- van der Merwe et al., A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar.
- Joüon & Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew.
- Greek Lexicons
- Bauer & Arndt & Gingrich & Danker, A Greek–English Lexicon (BDAG).
- Louw & Nida, Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains.
- Moulton & Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament.
- Bauer & Arndt & Gingrich & Danker, A Greek–English Lexicon (BDAG).
- Greek Grammars
- Blass & Debrunner & Funk, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDF)
- Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament.
- Mounce, The Morphology of Biblical Greek.
- Blass & Debrunner & Funk, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDF)
- Hebrew Lexicons
- Each of these works is widely used in evangelical and academic settings. Participants should reference the exact entry (e.g. "BDAG s.v. δικαιόω 1a") or section (e.g. "Wallace §28.3 on the aorist participle") when marshaling lexical or syntactical evidence.
