Authenticity and Divine Accommodation in a 19 Century Māori Context

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article requires revision regarding the following issues:

1. Indicate the geographical location to the reader at the beginning of the article. It appears only at the end of the text.

2. Confront the author's theological confessionality with anthropological and linguistic issues.

3. Use italics to highlight the words in the native language in order to facilitate reading.

4. The numbering of Bible verses is confused with the numbers of footer citations;

5. Greater problematization of the written sources used;

6. Translate the long quote on p age 10;

7. Improve the presentation of the biblical quote from Luke to a standard similar to the quote from the original manuscript.

Author Response

I have attached the reviewers notes to my journal submission and my point by point answers highlighted in red.

Thanks

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The author seeks to show how Maori myths may have aided in accepting the Gospel tradition of the virgin conception.  This is an interesting study.  A lot of detail is given to "background", much of which is not really relevant to the main aim of the article and could be shortened.  However, it has interest in its own right as part of the history of how the Maori became Christianized, and could be left for that reason.  However, I would have liked

a) a bit more discussion of the 13 principles of exegesis,

b) reference(s) on the principles of exegesis on p. 3--these are introduced without any reference,

c) some discussion of whether Whangataua can be shown explicitly to have applied the principles of exegesis--at the moment, this is only presented as a plausible possibility.  That may be all that one can do, but it would help if an explicit statement can be found or a parallel elsewhere in the Maori/missionary exchange.  Did no Maori convert ever mention seeing parallels between the Maori myths and the Gospel tradition?  It would help the argument if someone had done so.

P. 4, n. 11: this really belongs after the first sentence of the next paragraph; otherwise, one reads of the death of the sister without explanation, unless one has already read n. 11.  Many readers don't automatically look at the notes.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

One has the impression that the author is used to a more colloquial version of English, which heavily influences his/her style here.  I suggest that someone with a knowledge of a more formal style of English appropriate to a scholarly paper proofread and occasionally correct this.

P. 2, next to last paragraph, last sentence: "hover over or from within"??

P. 5, line 4 from top:  "onsold" is not a usage known to me.

P. 5, paragraph 4, line 1: "Philippians" is misspelt.

P. 7, middle of page:  "worth" should be "worthy".

P. 13, lines 6-7: "from whom many tribes are still able to claim genealogy from"??

Items in an unnecessary large bold font on pp. 5, 7, and 8.

Author Response

I have uploaded a word doc that shows my answers point by point to the reviewers comments.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf