What were the Jewish and Greco-Roman views of fatherhood that informed two aspects of Paul’s relationship as "father"—hierarchy/authority and affection—towards his "children" in 1 Thessalonians? Paul had a relationship of hierarchy similar to that of the paterfamilias (head of the household) in society who assumed the responsibility for socializing his children into the community.

Is the parable in Luke 15:11-32 primarily about a son or a family? This article chooses to approach the parable from the perspective of the father and not the son. It calls attention to the generous actions of the father in the parable. This parable is then placed against the background of the larger understanding of the excessive goodness of God, as expressed in the Gospel.

Adoption as sons is an important motif and theme in the letters of Paul (Romans 8:15, 23, Romans 9:4, Galatians 4:5, and Ephesians 1:5). In this article Burke wants to explore the relationship between the Holy Spirit and adoption in Romans 8. The relevance and importance of adoption for the Christian life are also indicated.