Johnsson Dissertation Finally Published

William Johnsson's important 1973 dissertation, "Defilement and Purgation in the Book of Hebrews" was never published, that is, until now:

William G. Johnsson. Defilement and Purgation in the Book of Hebrews. Fontes Press.

Abstract:
"At the epicenter of the book of Hebrews stands a prolonged exposition of the Israelite cult. While many studies have focused on the theology of the cult, Johnsson uses a structuralist and religio-historical approach to analyze Hebrews as a religious document that shares anthropological parallels with other major religious groups and their documents.

Johnsson's initial survey of scholarship on the cult in Hebrews lays the foundation for analyzing the key terms of 'defilement,' 'purgation,' and 'blood,' which stand at the heart of the cultic argumentation of Hebrews. These terms and their associated ideas are analyzed closely in their contexts within Hebrews 9-10, which reveals significant theological implications for the human condition as laid out in the rest of the discourse."

I did some of the editorial work on one of the chapters (and it was a ton of work), so I am glad to see it finally in print.