Biblical Studies Research: Frequently Asked Questions

Common Search Queries for Biblical Studies Assignments

Here are suggested search queries for efficiently and effectively finding resources to assist you in answering these frequently asked questions from a variety of Biblical Studies courses.

NOTE 1:  "su:" is the metatag used in the Powell Library Discovery catalog commanding the search engine to look only in the Subject field of the bibliographic record. 

NOTE 2: "SU " is the metatag for the Subject field in EBSCO databases, i.e. ATLA Religion, Christian Periodical Index, etc.; there must be a space between the metatag and the keyword

NOTE 3: To access the Powell Library's databases, select "Find Databases" from the library web site <www.masters.edu/library>. Then from the "All Subjects" drop down menu, select "Biblical Studies".

NOTE 4: Watch these short video tutorials for more details:  Introduction to Discovery: Simple Search; Find Databases; Basic Research Skills; Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH).

ONLINE STUDENTS: Feel free to make use of the Powell Library's Book Scanning Service and/or Controlled Digital Lending Service

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION: 

• <su:theology (assurance OR perseverance)> The "OR" must be capitalized so the search engine recognizes it as a Boolean command; not as a keyword.  The parentheses commands the search engine to perform the OR operation first.

AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE:

• <"authority of scripture"> This will retrieve records that contain the phrase somewhere in the record.
• <su:bible inspiration> Retrieves works which discuss the Bible as a divinely inspired book. 
• <su:bible evidences> Retrieves works which attempt to establish the truth of statements in the Bible and to present the Bible as a book whose principles should be followed.  The subject heading Bible--evidences is used instead of Bible--authority.

CENTURIONS / PRAETORIAN GUARD

Use these search queries in the library catalog:

su:rome history military
su:soldiers rome
su:rome army
roman centurions
praetorian guard
su:praetorian guard
su:special forces rome history

To find articles, use these search queries in ATLA Religion, Christian Periodical Index, ProQuest Religion and New Testament abstracts databases:

rome history military
soldiers roman
roman army
roman centurions
praetorian
specials forces

Search other databases, like BAS Online, Cambridge Histories Online, Encyclopaedia Judaica, and ProQuest Dissertations with these search queries:

centurions
praetorian

CONQUEST OF ISRAEL (CANAAN):

Use these search queries in the library catalog:

• canaan israel conquest
• su:jews history 586 B.C.
• su:judges history biblical events
• su:joshua history biblical events
• "conquest of israel"
• "conquest of canaan" NOT kw:poe*
• su:conquest canaan NOT kw:poe*
• su:"violence in the bible" joshua
• su:"violence in the bible" judges
• su:genocide biblical teaching
• su:genocide biblical joshua

To find articles, use these search queries in ATLA Religion, Christian Periodical Index, ProQuest Religion and Old Testament abstracts databases:

• SU conquest and SU joshua 
• "conquest of canaan"
• "conquest of canaan" joshua
• genocide joshua
• genocide judges
• violence joshua
• violence judges

Search other Biblical Studies databases, like BAS Online, Cambridge Histories Online, Encyclopaedia Judaica, etc. with these search queries:

• conquest of canaan
• "conquest of canaan"
• "conquest of canaan" joshua
• genocide joshua
• genocide judges
• violence joshua
• violence judges

See also ProQuest Dissertations for theses and dissertations.

THE DATE OF THE EXODUS

• su:exodus, the  (for the historical event of the Exodus)
• su:pentateuch date (for the date of the book of Exodus)

DIVIDED KINGDOM / MONARCHY

Use these search queries in the library catalog:

• "divided kingdom" israel
• "divided monarchy" israel
• su:bible old testament history
• su:old testament biblical events
• su:jews history 953-586 B.C.
• su:kings history biblical events
• su:chronicles history biblical events

To find articles, use these search queries in ATLA Religion, Christian Periodical Index, ProQuest Religion and Old Testament abstracts databases:

• divided monarchy
• "divided monarchy" israel
• divided kingdom
• "divided kingdom" israel
• SU israel divided kingdom 

Search other Biblical Studies databases, like BAS Online, Cambridge Histories Online, Encyclopaedia Judaica, etc. with these search queries:

• divided monarchy
• "divided monarchy" israel
• divided kingdom
• "divided kingdom" israel

See also ProQuest Dissertations for theses and dissertations.

FALL OF JERUSALEM

Use these search queries in the library catalog:

• "fall of jerusalem" "babylonian empire"
• "fall of jerusalem"
• "babylonian captivity"
• "destruction of jerusalem"
• su:jerusalem in the bible
• su:jerusalem history to 1500
• su:jerusalem history to 586 b.c.
• su:temple of jerusalem

See also these resources:

• Dictionary of Judaism in the Biblical Period 296.0901 D561n
• The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism 296.09 Ee72c
• Encyclopaedia of Judaism 296 En19n
• Great Events of Biblical Times 220.95 G798d
• The Cambridge History of Judaism v. 1 (ebook)

Find Articles - go to Find Databases on the library web site to access these databases: ATLA Religion, Christian Periodical Index, ProQuest Religion and Old Testament abstracts . Use thsse search queries:

• "fall of jerusalem"
• "babylonian captivity" israel
• "destruction of jerusalem"

Search other related databases, like BAS Online (select "Explore the Library" for each new search), Cambridge Histories Online, Encyclopaedia Judaica (select "Search Within" (on the right) for each new search), etc. with these search queries:

• "destruction of jerusalem"
• "babylonian captivity"
• "fall of jerusalem"
• jerusalem bronze age

Find Theses & Dissertations:

• Search the TREN database, select eDOCS, use the search term: babylonian
• ProQuest Dissertations

INERRANCY (of scripture) -- see AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE

INFALLIBILITY (of scripture) -- see AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE

JEPHTHAH'S VOW

Use these search queries in the Discovery catalog:

• jephthah vow
• judges 11:31"
• su:judges xi
• su:judges commentaries
• su:judges criticism

To find articles, search ATLA Religion, Christian Periodical Index, ProQuest Religion and Old Testament Abstracts with these search queries:

• jephthah vow
• “judges 11”
• SU jephthah’s daughter

For theses & dissertations:

• search the TREN database with this search term: jephthah
• search ProQuest Dissertations with these keywords: jephthah vow, "jephthah's daughter", "jephthah's vow", "judges 11:31", "judges 11".

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR SALVATION

Use these search queries in the library catalog:

• essential AND su:salvation
• su:salvation biblical teaching
• su:salvation
• su:salvation christianity
• su:salvation christianity doctrines

To find articles, use these search queries in ATLA Religion, Christian Periodical Index & ProQuest Religion databases:

• SU salvation biblical teaching
• SU salvation christianity doctrines
• SU righteousness
• "sola fide"

PENANCE cf. REPENTANCE

To find information on penance and repentance use these search queries in the Discovery catalog:

• su:penance
• su:penance christianity
• su:repentance
• su:repentace biblical
• su:repentance christianity

Also search ATLA Religion PLUS, Christian Periodical Index and ProQuest Religion for articles using these keyword search terms:

• penance repentance
• penance
• repentance

Search TREN for "penance" and then again for "repentance"

See also these reference articles:

Last updated April 2025.

The use of the subject terms "christianity" and "biblical" can be added to any subject or keyword to find the Christian or Biblical view of that topic. Like this:

su:lgbtq christianity
su:lgbtq biblical
su:global warming biblical
su:global warming christianity
su:christianity AND kw:tattoo*
su:bibl* AND kw:tattoo*

Copy and paste the following search queries into the Discovery search box on the Powell Library Web site along with any other topical keyword to find resources on topics relating to Biblical or Christian Counseling.

su:counseling christianity
su:counseling biblical
su:"pastoral counseling"  (use quotation marks for phrases)
su:"pastoral care"
su:"peer counseling in the church"

> To find case studies on any topic, add these keywords / phrases to your search:

> The metadata code "su:" is a command instructing the Discovery search engine to look only in the Subject field of each record in the catalog.

ONLINE STUDENTS: Feel free to make use of the Powell Library's Book Scanning Service and/or Controlled Digital Lending Service

Last updated January 2024.