I have been wondering, ever since watching the first edits of The Passion, how I knew Mary (Penelope Wilton). Today I realized that she is Harriet Jones in Doctor Who (series 1, "World War Three" and "Aliens of London"; and the 2005 Christmas special, "Christmas Invasion"). Regular readers will know that my love of Doctor Who is one of the things that brightens my life, and I am delighted to discover several more links between the cast of the two programmes, one I have worked on and one I am a great fan of. Tom Ellis plays Philip and was Tom Milligan in the last episode of Doctor Who series 3 ("Last of the Time Lords"). Dean Lennox Kelly, who plays James, was Shakespeare in "The Shakespeare Code", the second episode in the third series of Doctor Who. Jamie Sives, John, was Captain Reynolds in "Tooth and Claw", the second episode of series 2 of Doctor Who. Daniel Evans, Matthew, was Danny Llewellyn in "The Christmas Invasion". Vinette Robinson, Mina, was Abi Lerner in third series episode "42".
That's a long list; and I've not even begun on Torchwood. To think that I could have met Doctor Who actors at the première too! (Did I mention that I met Robert Powell?)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Frank Deasy on Start the Week
One of my favourite podcasts is Start the Week, Andrew Marr's regular Radio 4 Monday morning programme. It's great to discover this week that Frank Deasy is one of the guests, talking about The Passion. You can listen live on the web, or download the podcast -- go to the Start the Week website. The material specifically about The Passion begins at about 24:30.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
BBC Passion Trailer on-line
The first trailer for The Passion (42 seconds) is now available on the BBC Passion website:
The Passion
The Passion
Travel Diary, Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale airport, Sunday, 9.56am.: I've spent a couple of days on my first Biblical Archaeology Society study weekend. The location was the Hampton Inn in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was a pleasant place to stay, though not close to the sea, and a little bit out on its own with only a handful of eating places in walking distance. But the service was excellent, and pretty friendly. The hotel had a pool, but sadly it was not quite warm enough to use it; and when it was warm enough, it was very windy. I did manage to get down to the sea at the end of the study weekend, though, when one of the participants kindly drove us down to the sea front for a walk and dinner at a German pub where I enjoyed a Wurstplatter (but does all American Sauerkraut taste so strongly of vinegar?).
The study side of the weekend was very enjoyable. Anne Killebrew was talking about various archaeological topics, always with interesting pictures, great anecdotes and a sense of what makes archaeology so fascinating. I learnt a great deal from her four lectures and they appeared to be very popular with the audience, who asked many interesting questions.
My own contribution was a series that I entitled "Monarch or Messiah? The King of Jewish Expectation and the Christ of the New Testament". I dealt with the Old Testament evidence in the first lecture, looking at the development of hope for the restoration of the Davidic monarchy in the post-exilic period. In the second I looked at other Second Temple Jewish literature, focusing specially on Psalms of Solomon, but looking also at the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Similitudes of Enoch and 4 Ezra. For Saturday's lectures, I took Paul in the morning and the Gospels in the afternoon, looking at the way in which the New Testament texts develop the concepts of King and Messiah found in the Second Temple Jewish texts. I had interested, intelligent and engaging responses throughout, and found it an enjoyable forum to share ideas in.
At the halfway point, on the Friday evening, there is a dinner followed by a Q&A session for the two lecturers, and again there were many intelligent and interesting questions. Steve Feldman organized and chaired the whole affair and did a fine job. This was a rewarding experience. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to develop a line of thought across four lectures in a tight time frame, something that one rarely gets the opportunity to do.
The study side of the weekend was very enjoyable. Anne Killebrew was talking about various archaeological topics, always with interesting pictures, great anecdotes and a sense of what makes archaeology so fascinating. I learnt a great deal from her four lectures and they appeared to be very popular with the audience, who asked many interesting questions.
My own contribution was a series that I entitled "Monarch or Messiah? The King of Jewish Expectation and the Christ of the New Testament". I dealt with the Old Testament evidence in the first lecture, looking at the development of hope for the restoration of the Davidic monarchy in the post-exilic period. In the second I looked at other Second Temple Jewish literature, focusing specially on Psalms of Solomon, but looking also at the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Similitudes of Enoch and 4 Ezra. For Saturday's lectures, I took Paul in the morning and the Gospels in the afternoon, looking at the way in which the New Testament texts develop the concepts of King and Messiah found in the Second Temple Jewish texts. I had interested, intelligent and engaging responses throughout, and found it an enjoyable forum to share ideas in.
At the halfway point, on the Friday evening, there is a dinner followed by a Q&A session for the two lecturers, and again there were many intelligent and interesting questions. Steve Feldman organized and chaired the whole affair and did a fine job. This was a rewarding experience. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to develop a line of thought across four lectures in a tight time frame, something that one rarely gets the opportunity to do.
Friday, March 07, 2008
BBC Passion airtimes update
The Passion Episode Guide has been updated again, with an adjustment of Episode 3 to Good Friday, and times confirmed for the first three episodes:
Episode 1: Sunday 16 March, 8pm--9pm, BBC1
Episode 2: Monday 17 March, 8.30pm--9pm, BBC1
Episode 3: Friday 21 March, 9.00pm--9.30pm, BBC1
Episode 4: Sunday 23 March, TBA (60 minutes), BBC1
Episode 1: Sunday 16 March, 8pm--9pm, BBC1
Episode 2: Monday 17 March, 8.30pm--9pm, BBC1
Episode 3: Friday 21 March, 9.00pm--9.30pm, BBC1
Episode 4: Sunday 23 March, TBA (60 minutes), BBC1
Thursday, March 06, 2008
BBC Passion Screen dates
There are details of the screen dates for The Passion over on its website now -- see Episode Guide:
Episode 1: Sunday 16 March, 8pm-9pm, BBC1
Episode 2: Monday 17 March, 8.30pm-9pm, BBC1
Episode 3: Saturday 22 March, TBA, BBC1
Episode 4: Sunday 23 March, TBA, BBC1
The times of each episode are not yet announced on the site, but a glance at the Radio Times gives the timings for the first two episodes, and I have added those above.
Episode 1: Sunday 16 March, 8pm-9pm, BBC1
Episode 2: Monday 17 March, 8.30pm-9pm, BBC1
Episode 3: Saturday 22 March, TBA, BBC1
Episode 4: Sunday 23 March, TBA, BBC1
The times of each episode are not yet announced on the site, but a glance at the Radio Times gives the timings for the first two episodes, and I have added those above.
On the road again
I set off for Fort Lauderdale later today where I am giving four lectures on the topic "Monarch or Messiah: the King of Jewish Expectation and the Christ of the New Testament". Anne Kilbrew is the other speaker and is talking about "Insights Into the Bible from Archaeology". (Fort Lauderdale Study Program). Since it's a work related trip, I hope to do a travel diary over the next few days. I had thought that this would prove impossible because my blogging machine conked out yesterday and has gone off to Atlanta to be fixed. But Duke found me a loan machine so I am back to trying to catch up again. If you are waiting for an email, my apologies. I have about ten thousand to get through.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Times article on The Passion
Tomorrow's Times has a great write-up of The Passion by Garry Jenkins. I met Jenkins last night; he was actually over in Morocco for some of the filming and he has provided a pretty full account:
The BBC's bold new interpretation of The Passion
Jesus is a salt-of-the-earth northerner, Mary Magdalene is not a prostitute – oh, and we got the crucifixion all wrong. Welcome to the BBC’s new interpretation of the Passion
Garry Jenkins
And I get a mention too.
The BBC's bold new interpretation of The Passion
Jesus is a salt-of-the-earth northerner, Mary Magdalene is not a prostitute – oh, and we got the crucifixion all wrong. Welcome to the BBC’s new interpretation of the Passion
Garry Jenkins
And I get a mention too.
Passion Première: Travel Diary VI
Charlotte, NC, 5.13pm: Back in the USA. It's the first time I have arrived since our Green Cards arrived and it was a lot of fun joining the US Citizens / Permanent Resident Aliens line and, for the first time, not having my retina scanned and fingerprints taken.
Perhaps not surprisingly, I overslept this morning. I didn't go to bed until late because I was buzzing so much from the evening's events. Nevertheless, I still made it easily to Gatwick, but not with enough time to spare to put another entry in the travel diary. The flight was a whopping 9 hours, which gave plenty of time for sleeping, reading The Guardian and Doctor Who magazine, and watching the kind of crappy films that one only ever watches on flights, this time the second half of Licence to Wed, which I had begun on the way over, Nanny Diaries and Mr Woodcock, all three pretty terrible.
Now I'm back in the same spot in Charlotte, again drinking Sam Adams, where I was 48 hours ago. I think it was a bit barmy to fly over specially for this event, but I am delighted that I did it. I am unlikely ever to have another opportunity like this, and I am really thrilled to have been able to enjoy it while it lasted. I am actually very proud of my involvement with The Passion. It is a superb drama and I hope that it will be talked about for years to come. And it is a rare thing in an academic's life to have the kind of luck I have had in being invited onto this production, and I am pretty sure I will look back on it in years to come as a fantastic opportunity.
Perhaps not surprisingly, I overslept this morning. I didn't go to bed until late because I was buzzing so much from the evening's events. Nevertheless, I still made it easily to Gatwick, but not with enough time to spare to put another entry in the travel diary. The flight was a whopping 9 hours, which gave plenty of time for sleeping, reading The Guardian and Doctor Who magazine, and watching the kind of crappy films that one only ever watches on flights, this time the second half of Licence to Wed, which I had begun on the way over, Nanny Diaries and Mr Woodcock, all three pretty terrible.
Now I'm back in the same spot in Charlotte, again drinking Sam Adams, where I was 48 hours ago. I think it was a bit barmy to fly over specially for this event, but I am delighted that I did it. I am unlikely ever to have another opportunity like this, and I am really thrilled to have been able to enjoy it while it lasted. I am actually very proud of my involvement with The Passion. It is a superb drama and I hope that it will be talked about for years to come. And it is a rare thing in an academic's life to have the kind of luck I have had in being invited onto this production, and I am pretty sure I will look back on it in years to come as a fantastic opportunity.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Passion Première: Travel Diary V
A hotel in London, 2:18am: I am back from the Passion Première and had a wonderful evening. Before I say anything else, let's just get one thing out of the way: I met Robert Powell! In fact I didn't just meet Robert Powell, but I had a reasonably lengthy and enjoyable conversation with him. I had seen him arrive early in the evening, and saw him having his photograph taken with Joseph Mawle, who plays Jesus in The Passion, and I resisted the temptation to run up to him and say Hi. Happily, later in the evening opportunity presented itself for me to say hello, as I slided steadily towards him alongside Matt Page of the Bible Films blog, who was as keen as I was to meet him.
But with that excitement out of the way, let me rewind a little. I arrived early at the Apollo West End, where the première was to take place, and Matt Page and I filled the time with a pint and some chat. On arrival, I was ushered into a side room where Frank Deasy, the writer of The Passion, was being interviewed. We had often talked on the phone and by email, but this was the first time we had met in person. I did two short interviews in the same room, the first with Christian Premier Radio and the second with Christian Today. I just had time to grab a glass of wine before the screening began, and a chance to meet Nigel Stafford-Clark, the producer, and Michael Offer, the director, also for the first time. And on my way down the stairs, I recognised Joseph Mawle (Jesus) and introduced myself to him and gushed about how good he was in the role. (I did a lot of gushing tonight). I sat with Michael Wakelin, the head of religion and ethics at the BBC, and a fellow advisor on the programme. Jane Tranter, head of drama at the BBC, introduced the screening and read a long list of thank-yous.
Watching the first episode in its final form on the big screen was a wonderful experience. I have seen it many times in earlier edits, but seeing the final version, and on the big screen, was very powerful. The most striking thing to me was the "Coming Soon . . ." trailer at the end, which gathered together some of the most remarkable moments from the forthcoming episodes. And I would be dishonest if I did not confess to some pleasure in seeing my name on the credits after it.
After the screening of the first episode, there was a Q&A session with, left to right, Joseph Mawle (Jesus), Frank Deasy (writer), Jane Tranter (head of drama, chairing), Nigel Stafford-Clark (producer), me, and Michael Offer (director). There were several interesting questions from the audience. Did the spectre of Mel Gibson's film loom large? (No, not really). Had Joseph Mawle had any reservations about playing Jesus (No, not really; yes, there was a huge responsibility, but also he is a "working actor", delighted to get the role). Another question agreed with the others that it was a stunning, compelling piece but added that she was unhappy with one of the lines spoken by Mary; a later questioner echoed the concerns, but I reassured both that I did not think there was any reason to be worried about the theology of the piece, either here or elsewhere.
At the reception afterwards, I met several old friends and lots of new ones, enjoyed a glass of wine (or two) and lots of canopes. The buzz was pretty positive. Almost everyone I talked to had found the first episode compelling drama and they were keen for more.
Oh, and did I mention that I met Robert Powell?
But with that excitement out of the way, let me rewind a little. I arrived early at the Apollo West End, where the première was to take place, and Matt Page and I filled the time with a pint and some chat. On arrival, I was ushered into a side room where Frank Deasy, the writer of The Passion, was being interviewed. We had often talked on the phone and by email, but this was the first time we had met in person. I did two short interviews in the same room, the first with Christian Premier Radio and the second with Christian Today. I just had time to grab a glass of wine before the screening began, and a chance to meet Nigel Stafford-Clark, the producer, and Michael Offer, the director, also for the first time. And on my way down the stairs, I recognised Joseph Mawle (Jesus) and introduced myself to him and gushed about how good he was in the role. (I did a lot of gushing tonight). I sat with Michael Wakelin, the head of religion and ethics at the BBC, and a fellow advisor on the programme. Jane Tranter, head of drama at the BBC, introduced the screening and read a long list of thank-yous.
Watching the first episode in its final form on the big screen was a wonderful experience. I have seen it many times in earlier edits, but seeing the final version, and on the big screen, was very powerful. The most striking thing to me was the "Coming Soon . . ." trailer at the end, which gathered together some of the most remarkable moments from the forthcoming episodes. And I would be dishonest if I did not confess to some pleasure in seeing my name on the credits after it.
After the screening of the first episode, there was a Q&A session with, left to right, Joseph Mawle (Jesus), Frank Deasy (writer), Jane Tranter (head of drama, chairing), Nigel Stafford-Clark (producer), me, and Michael Offer (director). There were several interesting questions from the audience. Did the spectre of Mel Gibson's film loom large? (No, not really). Had Joseph Mawle had any reservations about playing Jesus (No, not really; yes, there was a huge responsibility, but also he is a "working actor", delighted to get the role). Another question agreed with the others that it was a stunning, compelling piece but added that she was unhappy with one of the lines spoken by Mary; a later questioner echoed the concerns, but I reassured both that I did not think there was any reason to be worried about the theology of the piece, either here or elsewhere.
At the reception afterwards, I met several old friends and lots of new ones, enjoyed a glass of wine (or two) and lots of canopes. The buzz was pretty positive. Almost everyone I talked to had found the first episode compelling drama and they were keen for more.
Oh, and did I mention that I met Robert Powell?
Passion Première: Travel Diary IV
A hotel in London, 5.29pm: I had an excellent lunch on Millbank with two old friends, one of them Q; a little bit of walking and several phone calls. Checked into my hotel; heading out again shortly to the Apollo West End for the première. I hope to get a chance later to report on how things go.
The Passion Website launches
The website for The Passion is now online. It features pictures from the production, video interviews with the producer Nigel Stafford-Clark and writer Frank Deasy and several of the cast, an episode guide and more. Here is the link:BBC: The Passion
The articles section includes one I have written on The Passion and Its Historical Context. More content will be added soon.
Passion Première: Travel Diary III
Starbucks, Victoria Street, 9.55am. Great flight. Read a couple of articles, watched a moderately funny episode of Everybody Loves Raymond and a terrible film (Heartbreak Kid) and slept very deeply. The plane landed early and it is lovely to be back in England, even if for only 24 hours. I smile all the way through Gatwick airport; hearing so many English accents makes me realize how accustomed I am to living in America. Occasionally I get looks from people who wonder why I seem so happy. The first advertisement I see is for Mother's Day and I have a double take when I see "Mum" instead of "Mom". I pick up a Guardian from the first WH Smith's I pass and the latest Doctor Who Magazine, with Freema Agyeman on the cover, from the larger one at Victoria Station. That will be my treat for the flight home.
While on the train to Victoria, I had a surprise phone call from Q. It turns out that he is in London today and we are going to meet up, along with another old friend I had already planned to meet at the House of Commons. This is already shaping up into an excellent day.
While on the train to Victoria, I had a surprise phone call from Q. It turns out that he is in London today and we are going to meet up, along with another old friend I had already planned to meet at the House of Commons. This is already shaping up into an excellent day.
Passion Première: Travel Diary III
Starbucks, Victoria Street, 9.55am. Great flight. Read a couple of articles, watched a moderately funny episode of Everybody Loves Raymond and a terrible film (Heartbreak Kid) and slept very deeply. The plane landed early and it is lovely to be back in England, even if for only 24 hours. I smile all the way through Gatwick airport; hearing so many English accents makes me realize how accustomed I am to living in America. Occasionally I get looks from people who wonder why I seem so happy. The first advertisement I see is for Mother's Day and I have a double take when I see "Mum" instead of "Mom". I pick up a Guardian from the first WH Smith's I pass and the latest Doctor Who Magazine, with Freema Agyeman on the cover, from the larger one at Victoria Station. That will be my treat for the flight home.
While on the train to Victoria, I had a surprise phone call from Q. It turns out that he is in London today and we are going to meet up, along with another old friend I had already planned to meet at the House of Commons. This is already shaping up into an excellent day.
I will be in the same clothes for a little longer, but look forward to checking into my hotel later so that I can shower and clean my teeth.
While on the train to Victoria, I had a surprise phone call from Q. It turns out that he is in London today and we are going to meet up, along with another old friend I had already planned to meet at the House of Commons. This is already shaping up into an excellent day.
I will be in the same clothes for a little longer, but look forward to checking into my hotel later so that I can shower and clean my teeth.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Passion Première: Travel Diary II
I've arrived in Charlotte and am enjoying a Sam Adams and some crisps overlooking the concourse. I have a longish wait here but it is large airport and I may even be able to find somewhere to plug in my blogging machine, which is almost out of power. I am happy with the wait; when booking the flights I didn't want to risk missing the flight to London; it's that flight or nothing. I slept very deeply on the flight, and am looking forward to more of the same in a bit.
I may blog later, if I get time, about a couple of the developing media stories about The Passion because I am getting an interesting insight into the way that journalists sometimes go looking for a story.
I may blog later, if I get time, about a couple of the developing media stories about The Passion because I am getting an interesting insight into the way that journalists sometimes go looking for a story.
Passion Première: Travel Diary I
It's time for another of my travel diaries. The occasion this time is the premiere of The Passion, the BBC / HBO co-production which will air in the UK on BBC 1 in Holy Week, for which I have been historical consultant. I have never done anything quite so bizarre as travelling to England for only 24 hours. I leave today, arrive in the morning and depart again on Friday morning. But I doubt that I will ever have an occasion like this again, an invitation not only to be at the premiere of a TV mini-series but also to have some involvement in it. At first I laughed off the idea that I might fly over specially, but then the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I could actually pull it off, not least because of when it fell, on a Thursday in a semester when my teaching is all on Mondays and Wednesdays.
So here I am, sitting at Raleigh-Durham International airport on the first leg of my journey. I have already had a beer and a burger in the sports bar and have watched a bit of a BBC4 documentary about Margaret Thatcher on my laptop. I'll be changing at Charlotte, arriving at London Gatwick in the morning. I have the blogging machine with me, as well as a pile of articles to read, lots of podcasts to catch up on and lots of sleep time. As I have said before on such occasions, I am one of those lucky people who really enjoys flying. I find the idea of sitting down doing nothing for hours on end, with food and drink provided, with reading, viewing and listening to do, very attractive; and I find it easy to sleep on flights (and anywhere else, for that matter).
There is one downside, other than the obvious one of being away from the family for a couple of days, and that is that I get to miss most of Dale Allison's tenure as this year's Clark Lecturer at Duke. Before setting off for the airport, I was able to get to the first of his lectures today, on the Historical Jesus and the Theological Jesus. Most of my Historical Jesus class and Kavin Rowe's Introduction to the New Testament class came along too, and the Goodson Chapel was the only place big enough to hold us all. It was an excellent and entertaining lecture, but I don't have the energy to try to summarize it all here. He gives the second lecture in the series tomorrow, and talks tonight to the New Testament colloquium about the "harrowing of hell".
So here I am, sitting at Raleigh-Durham International airport on the first leg of my journey. I have already had a beer and a burger in the sports bar and have watched a bit of a BBC4 documentary about Margaret Thatcher on my laptop. I'll be changing at Charlotte, arriving at London Gatwick in the morning. I have the blogging machine with me, as well as a pile of articles to read, lots of podcasts to catch up on and lots of sleep time. As I have said before on such occasions, I am one of those lucky people who really enjoys flying. I find the idea of sitting down doing nothing for hours on end, with food and drink provided, with reading, viewing and listening to do, very attractive; and I find it easy to sleep on flights (and anywhere else, for that matter).
There is one downside, other than the obvious one of being away from the family for a couple of days, and that is that I get to miss most of Dale Allison's tenure as this year's Clark Lecturer at Duke. Before setting off for the airport, I was able to get to the first of his lectures today, on the Historical Jesus and the Theological Jesus. Most of my Historical Jesus class and Kavin Rowe's Introduction to the New Testament class came along too, and the Goodson Chapel was the only place big enough to hold us all. It was an excellent and entertaining lecture, but I don't have the energy to try to summarize it all here. He gives the second lecture in the series tomorrow, and talks tonight to the New Testament colloquium about the "harrowing of hell".
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Biblical Studies Bulletins 45 and 46
There are two new Biblical Studies Bulletins online at Ridley Hall, Cambridge:
BSB 45 (September 2007)
BSB 46 (December 2007)
As usual there is lots of material of interest. BSB 45 includes a review of last year's British New Testament Conference, particularly welcome for those of us who can't make it any more.
BSB 45 (September 2007)
BSB 46 (December 2007)
As usual there is lots of material of interest. BSB 45 includes a review of last year's British New Testament Conference, particularly welcome for those of us who can't make it any more.
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Passion Press Pack
The BBC Press Office has today released its press pack for the forthcoming drama The Passion. It features interviews with producer Nigel Stafford-Clark, writer Frank Deasy, director Michael Offer and production designer Simon Elliott, several of the cast and me:
The Passion Press Pack
According to the press pack, the website will launch on Thursday.
The Passion Press Pack
According to the press pack, the website will launch on Thursday.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Dale Allison at Duke
Duke Divinity School has an annual lecture series on the New Testament in honour of Kenneth W. Clark. This year, the honoured guest is Dale Allison:
--
Kenneth W. Clark Lectures
2008
(By the way, I didn't add that "so-called" in the bibliography!). I am happy to say that we have been able to rearrange my Historical Jesus class on Wednesday, which normally meets a little later, so that we can attend Prof. Allison's first lecture on the Wednesday. Alas, I will miss the second because I will be in London, but this looks like it will be an excellent lecture series and I encourage everyone who can to come along.
--
Kenneth W. Clark Lectures
2008
Established in 1984, the Kenneth Willis Clark Lectureship Fund honors the life and work of Reverend Professor Kenneth Willis Clark, a Divinity School faculty member for 36 years. Each year this fund enables the Divinity School to offer a distinguished program with special emphasis on New Testament studies and textual criticism.--
The Historical Jesus and the Theological Jesus
Dr. Dale C. Allison Jr., the 2008 Clark lecturer, is professor of New Testament exegesis and early Christianity at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania.
February 27-28 , 2008
Duke Divinity School
Schedule
Dr. Allison
Wednesday, Feb. 27 from 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Lecture: The Historical Jesus and the Theological Jesus
Goodson Chapel, Duke Divinity School
Thursday, Feb. 28 from 12:20 – 1:20 p.m.
Lecture: The Historical Jesus and the Theological Jesus
Goodson Chapel, Duke Divinity School
These are free public lectures.
No pre-registration is necessary.
Biography
Dale C. Allison Jr.’s areas of expertise include Second Temple Judaism. He is also the author of books on early Christian eschatology, the Gospel of Matthew, the so-called
Sayings Source of Q, the historical Jesus, and the Testament of Abraham.
(By the way, I didn't add that "so-called" in the bibliography!). I am happy to say that we have been able to rearrange my Historical Jesus class on Wednesday, which normally meets a little later, so that we can attend Prof. Allison's first lecture on the Wednesday. Alas, I will miss the second because I will be in London, but this looks like it will be an excellent lecture series and I encourage everyone who can to come along.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Ehrman excerpt in OUP Blog
The OUP blog today has an excerpt from Bart Ehrman's Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene.
Jim West's blog: transmission cut
There is a great moment in The Truman Show when the transmission of the reality show is cut because they have lost its star, Truman, who has escaped without their realizing it. While the production people are panicking, and a temporary "technical fault" screen is broadcast, the director Christof reassures them that the ratings for the show have never been so high. I was reminded of this scene over the last twenty-four hours as it became clear that Jim West's blog was no more. Never before have so many people written about his blog and rallied in support, offering sympathy for his becoming victim of hackers, and encouraging him to go on. I'd like to add my support too, and encourage him to resume blogging lest the hackers in question feel that they have won. And if the archive has gone, well that's a bummer, but it's not the end of the world. Perhaps I might remind Jim that at the end of his Biblical Theology Blog in January 2006, he himself deleted his entire archive before beginning to blog again under a new name. So how about a new incarnation? I'd encourage Jim just to think of this one as a reboot, a chance for a little reflection and a fresh start. And as for the rest of us: it's a useful reminder to back up our blogs!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Latest from the SBL Review of Biblical Literature under the NT heading. One of these, The Messiah in the Old and New Testaments, was mentioned earlier this week by Mike Bird on Euangelion, and I am tempted to comment on it here (Charlesworth's review, not Bird's), but I'll see if I have a moment. One other note (added Friday, 12.40pm): the review of A Feminist Companion to the New Testament Apocrypha is listed as by "James Elliott" but this should be J. K. Elliott (Keith Elliott).
Brian J. Abasciano
Paul's Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9.1-9: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5248
Reviewed by Thomas Gillespie
François Bovon
Luc le théologien
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6379
Reviewed by Claire Clivaz
Luke Timothy Johnson
Hebrews: A Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5445
Reviewed by Wolfgang Kraus
Melody Knowles, Esther Menn, John Pawlikowski, and Timothy Sandoval, eds.
Contesting Texts: Jews and Christians in Conversation about the Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5843
Reviewed by Ithamar Gruenwald
Amy-Jill Levine, ed., with Maria Mayo Robbins
A Feminist Companion to the New Testament Apocrypha
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5408
Reviewed by James Elliott
Edmondo F. Lupieri; Maria Poggi Johnson and Adam Kamesar, trans.
A Commentary on the Apocalypse of John
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5885
Reviewed by Tobias Nicklas
George W. E. Nickelsburg
Resurrection, Immortality, and Eternal Life in Intertestamental Judaism and Early Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5904
Reviewed by Tony Costa
Stanley E. Porter, ed.
The Messiah in the Old and New Testaments
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5947
Reviewed by Michael F. Bird
Reviewed by James Hamilton Charlesworth
Brian J. Abasciano
Paul's Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9.1-9: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Thomas Gillespie
François Bovon
Luc le théologien
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Claire Clivaz
Luke Timothy Johnson
Hebrews: A Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Wolfgang Kraus
Melody Knowles, Esther Menn, John Pawlikowski, and Timothy Sandoval, eds.
Contesting Texts: Jews and Christians in Conversation about the Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Ithamar Gruenwald
Amy-Jill Levine, ed., with Maria Mayo Robbins
A Feminist Companion to the New Testament Apocrypha
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by James Elliott
Edmondo F. Lupieri; Maria Poggi Johnson and Adam Kamesar, trans.
A Commentary on the Apocalypse of John
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Tobias Nicklas
George W. E. Nickelsburg
Resurrection, Immortality, and Eternal Life in Intertestamental Judaism and Early Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Tony Costa
Stanley E. Porter, ed.
The Messiah in the Old and New Testaments
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Michael F. Bird
Reviewed by James Hamilton Charlesworth
Charlesworth on the Talpiot Tomb Symposium
James Charlesworth has a strongly worded statement on the recent Jerusalem Symposium that focused on the Talpiot Tomb. It's on the latest SBL Forum, which also features a letter from James Tabor on the topic:
Rebutting Sensational Claims Concerning a Symposium in Jerusalem
J. H. Charlesworth
Rebutting Sensational Claims Concerning a Symposium in Jerusalem
J. H. Charlesworth
A carefully planned and highly successful symposium in Jerusalem—on Jewish views of the afterlife and burial practices near Jerusalem before the destruction of the area by Roman armies in 70 CE—has been high-jacked by two disturbing and unexpected developments . . .
Declaring Blog-Reading Bankruptcy
I recently caught mention of the idea of declaring email bankruptcy on AKMA's Random Thoughts. The idea comes from Lawrence Lessig, and a little googling shows it to be a popular idea. Many, including AKMA, post links to a blog post on the topic at 43 Folders. I am so extraordinarily behind in my emailing at the moment, that this is something of an attractive thought. But the problem is that by doing so, I would be effectively rejecting many of the most interesting, longer term, less urgent emails, the kind that require slightly longer replies. The tyranny of the urgent is particularly pressing for university lecturers and professors, especially where one has students with deadlines. At Duke, our undergraduates are very bright, highly motivated and most ambitious, but such things just add to their levels of anxiety and stress, and they are emailing me like crazy this week. I naturally prioritise talking to my students, and other things are going by the wayside. I was already rather behind, but this has thrown me way off.
I wouldn't, I couldn't declare email bankruptcy, though. If people have taken the time to email me personally, they deserve a reply. (Well, some don't on account of their rudeness and presumption, but they are in the minority). And I enjoy correspondence. It's just that I now feel like it is all I do in every spare moment. I can't imagine how I ever used to be able to keep up with academic e-lists, much less contribute to them. Others presumably feel the same way since many of the e-lists continue to die their very slow death. But if not email bankruptcy, what about blogging bankruptcy? Being underneath the email mountain prevents me from getting to the Blog Reader, and waiding through the (academic) blogroll when one has been away for days simply prolongs the opportunity to post oneself even longer. So I am declaring blog-reading bankruptcy today, something that is very easy to accomplish; I click on my Blog Reader's header (I use Google Reader), and "Mark all as read", and several thousand blog posts happily vanish, the vast majority of them never to be seen again by me.
There comes a slight feeling of guilt with this declaration, however. Why should I expect anyone to read my posts when I have just sent theirs off into oblivion? Well, if this post is one of those that vanishes from readers while others, like me, are declaring blog-reading bankruptcy, then I am delighted to be sharing the experience with you. And no doubt the best blog posts will still somehow rise to the surface in the coming months as people continue to discuss them and link to them.
So, here's starting fresh and looking forward to a clean blog-roll, and rebooting my blog. Incidentally, I had always assumed that the term "blog-roll" had the same ring to all ears, reminding one of "bog-roll", and so a little disparaging in the association it conjurs up, but it occurred to me while writing this post that "bog-roll" is British slang and that I have not heard anyone use the expression here in the US.
I wouldn't, I couldn't declare email bankruptcy, though. If people have taken the time to email me personally, they deserve a reply. (Well, some don't on account of their rudeness and presumption, but they are in the minority). And I enjoy correspondence. It's just that I now feel like it is all I do in every spare moment. I can't imagine how I ever used to be able to keep up with academic e-lists, much less contribute to them. Others presumably feel the same way since many of the e-lists continue to die their very slow death. But if not email bankruptcy, what about blogging bankruptcy? Being underneath the email mountain prevents me from getting to the Blog Reader, and waiding through the (academic) blogroll when one has been away for days simply prolongs the opportunity to post oneself even longer. So I am declaring blog-reading bankruptcy today, something that is very easy to accomplish; I click on my Blog Reader's header (I use Google Reader), and "Mark all as read", and several thousand blog posts happily vanish, the vast majority of them never to be seen again by me.
There comes a slight feeling of guilt with this declaration, however. Why should I expect anyone to read my posts when I have just sent theirs off into oblivion? Well, if this post is one of those that vanishes from readers while others, like me, are declaring blog-reading bankruptcy, then I am delighted to be sharing the experience with you. And no doubt the best blog posts will still somehow rise to the surface in the coming months as people continue to discuss them and link to them.
So, here's starting fresh and looking forward to a clean blog-roll, and rebooting my blog. Incidentally, I had always assumed that the term "blog-roll" had the same ring to all ears, reminding one of "bog-roll", and so a little disparaging in the association it conjurs up, but it occurred to me while writing this post that "bog-roll" is British slang and that I have not heard anyone use the expression here in the US.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Review of Biblical Literature Latest
Latest from the SBL Review of Biblical Literature under the New Testament and related headings:
Stanisław Bazyliński
A Guide to Biblical Research: Introductory Notes
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5286
Reviewed by Jeremy Punt
Douglas A. Campbell
The Quest for Paul's Gospel: A Suggested Strategy
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=4794
Reviewed by Matt Jackson-McCabe
Gordon D. Fee
Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5820
Reviewed by Don Garlington
Reviewed by Matthew Montonini
Anthony Grafton and Megan Williams
Christianity and the Transformation of the Book: Origen, Eusebius, and the Library of Caesarea
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5556
Reviewed by Claudio Zamagni
Pieter W. van der Horst
Jews and Christians in Their Graeco-Roman Context: Selected Essays on Early Judaism, Samaritanism, Hellenism, and Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6056
Reviewed by Christoph Stenschke
There is a typo on p. 6 of the review of Campbell, "But even if “we” should approach the question of eschatological realities with humility, does that meant that Paul did?"
Stanisław Bazyliński
A Guide to Biblical Research: Introductory Notes
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Jeremy Punt
Douglas A. Campbell
The Quest for Paul's Gospel: A Suggested Strategy
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Matt Jackson-McCabe
Gordon D. Fee
Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Don Garlington
Reviewed by Matthew Montonini
Anthony Grafton and Megan Williams
Christianity and the Transformation of the Book: Origen, Eusebius, and the Library of Caesarea
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Claudio Zamagni
Pieter W. van der Horst
Jews and Christians in Their Graeco-Roman Context: Selected Essays on Early Judaism, Samaritanism, Hellenism, and Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Christoph Stenschke
There is a typo on p. 6 of the review of Campbell, "But even if “we” should approach the question of eschatological realities with humility, does that meant that Paul did?"
Saturday, February 02, 2008
E. P. Sanders to give Franke Lecture at Yale
If you are anywhere near Yale, this will be well worth taking the time to get to:
“Law vs. Religion” Topic of Lecture at Yale’s Whitney Humanities Center
“Law vs. Religion” Topic of Lecture at Yale’s Whitney Humanities Center
New Haven, Conn. — E.P. Sanders, Arts and Sciences Professor of Religion Emeritus at Duke University, will launch the 2008 Franke Lecture series on “Religion and Law in Historical Perspective” with a talk at 5 p.m. on February 6 at the Whitney Humanities Center Auditorium, 53 Wall Street.
Titled “Does Law Debase the Human-Divine Relationship? The Christian Charge Against Judaism,” the talk is free and open to the public . . . .
. . . . The Franke Lectures are made possible by the generosity of Richard and Barbara Franke, and are intended to present important topics in the humanities to a wide and general audience. The 2008 series explores the historical relation between religion and law in Jewish, Christian and contemporary legal thought, and is organized in conjunction with the undergraduate seminar taught by Christine Hayes, professor of Religious Studies in Classical Judaica at Yale.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Where to study Theology in the UK
Jim West links to an interesting article in today's Independent on Theology in the UK. It is aimed at sixth-formers (the British equivalent of junior / senior high) who might be considering where to study Theology and is part of The Independent's Getting Into University Guide:
Theology
Tim Walker
It's a useful piece, but I think it is a bit over-ambitious, attempting to summarizing the top qualities of too many places, and inevitably showing stronger knowledge of some departments than of others. Lancaster and Sheffield are mentioned repeatedly, and rightly so because they are fine insitutions, but others are rather cursorily passed over. It's good to see my former institution, Birmingham, getting a few mentions, but it's perverse not to say anything special about Oxford (or even Cambridge for that matter) other than to list them where they have to.
Update (Saturday 2 February): it seems that this Independent article is seriously oudated, and the new date on the article is misleading. Nathan MacDonals helpfully emails (excerpted):
Theology
Tim Walker
It's a useful piece, but I think it is a bit over-ambitious, attempting to summarizing the top qualities of too many places, and inevitably showing stronger knowledge of some departments than of others. Lancaster and Sheffield are mentioned repeatedly, and rightly so because they are fine insitutions, but others are rather cursorily passed over. It's good to see my former institution, Birmingham, getting a few mentions, but it's perverse not to say anything special about Oxford (or even Cambridge for that matter) other than to list them where they have to.
Update (Saturday 2 February): it seems that this Independent article is seriously oudated, and the new date on the article is misleading. Nathan MacDonals helpfully emails (excerpted):
A close analysis of the article shows it to be a slightly dated composition. The future tense in "Lancaster will also be offering a new BA course for 2004" suggests the article was composed in 2003. The five centres at Sheffield no longer correspond to the centres that are on their website, and the asking grades are also out of date (many, e.g. Durham and Manchester) are now considerably higher. In addition the 'where's best for teaching' that is deemed fascinating by Jim West relies on QAA and TQA data, which could go back up to 6-7 years before the article. Robert Segal has been in Aberdeen (not Lancaster) since 2006, and David Clines is Emeritus, so I hopeI should have realized. Another clue is that the article sings the praises of Hugh McLeod who moved from the Theology department to the History department while I was still there. All in all, the article is of even more limited usefulness than I'd first realized.
no young readers of the Independent expect to receive too much tuition from him.
No doubt it will have some value for those outside the UK. Though they might also want to note that Westcott is no longer at Cambridge and Robertson Smith has been removed from his chair at Aberdeen.
Biblical Studies Carnival XXVI
As several others have already mentioned, Kevin Edgecomb has done an excellent (and very thorough) job on the latest Biblical Studies Carnival over on his Biblicalia blog:
Biblical Studies Carnival XXVI
It includes a strongly-worded round up of links on the Talpiot Tomb Story, which re-emerged this month, and on which I hope to post today.
Biblical Studies Carnival XXVI
It includes a strongly-worded round up of links on the Talpiot Tomb Story, which re-emerged this month, and on which I hope to post today.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Divided by a common history
I am gathering together some extra bibliography at the moment to lend a hand to students on my Historical Jesus class, some of whom are writing about particular Historical Jesus scholars, and I read a highly complimentary review of Sanders by Fredriksen, which begins with this quotable passage:
Americans and the British, the old joke goes, are divided by a common language. Jews and Christians —alas, no joke —are divided by a common history. I refer not to the history of contempt, coercion and abuse that has characterized prevailing Christian attitudes toward and treatment of Jews and Judaism from the second century through (at least) the twentieth. That shameful story is well known. I have in mind, rather, the history of late Second Temple Judaism in Roman Judea, and more specifically the history of the mission and message of Jesus of Nazareth. That is the history that continues to divide Christians and Jews. But, no less, it is a history that binds them, because they share it. And when it is better understood, I am convinced, it is a history that can also unite them.Paula Fredriksen, Review of E. P. Sanders, The Historical Figure of Jesus in Review & Expositor 103/1 (Winter 2006): 234-236 (234).
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Simcha Jacobovici Responds to His Critics
Last week I posted here a statement signed by several participants at a recent conference in Jerusalem on the Talpiot Tomb, The Talpiot Tomb Controversy Revisited, a statement that also appeared on our Department of Religion blog here at Duke. Simcha Jacobovici has now issued a statement in which he responds to his critics, posted on the Biblical Archaeology Review website:
Simcha Jacobovici Responds to His Critics
Regular readers here may have noticed that I have refrained from posting on the recent news stories, perhaps surprising in the light of my extensive blogging on the controversy last March and April (gathered under the label Talpiot Tomb). The reason for this is twofold. First, I have little fresh to say about the subject at this point, and I was not present in Jerusalem for the conference, and second, my desk has been overflowing with work over the last couple of weeks and my time has been limited. However, I would like to publish a round-up blog of some of the recent developments in due course, and I would like to revisit some of the questions I raised last March and April.
Simcha Jacobovici Responds to His Critics
Regular readers here may have noticed that I have refrained from posting on the recent news stories, perhaps surprising in the light of my extensive blogging on the controversy last March and April (gathered under the label Talpiot Tomb). The reason for this is twofold. First, I have little fresh to say about the subject at this point, and I was not present in Jerusalem for the conference, and second, my desk has been overflowing with work over the last couple of weeks and my time has been limited. However, I would like to publish a round-up blog of some of the recent developments in due course, and I would like to revisit some of the questions I raised last March and April.
Oxford Synoptic Conference, April 2008
I have previously posted on the forthcoming Oxford Synoptic Problem conference and I have received this message today from Andrew Gregory:
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Some places are still available at the Oxford Conference on the Synoptic Problem, which will take place at Lincoln College, Oxford, 7-10 April 2008. Since participants are required to pay at the time of booking, anyone who wishes to attend should contact Dr Andrew Gregory (andrew.gregory@theology.ox.ac.uk) before submitting a booking form and payment.
More information about the conference is available here:
Oxford Conference in the Synoptic Problem (MS Word)
--
--
Some places are still available at the Oxford Conference on the Synoptic Problem, which will take place at Lincoln College, Oxford, 7-10 April 2008. Since participants are required to pay at the time of booking, anyone who wishes to attend should contact Dr Andrew Gregory (andrew.gregory@theology.ox.ac.uk) before submitting a booking form and payment.
More information about the conference is available here:
Oxford Conference in the Synoptic Problem (MS Word)
--
Monday, January 28, 2008
Groningen Qumran Institute Symposium 2008
This is in from Mladen Popović:
--
Honoring Professor Florentino García Martínez’s great achievements for the Groningen Qumran Institute and Dead Sea Scrolls studies and initiating a new series of biennial conferences, the Qumran Institute announces
The Authoritativeness of Scriptures in Ancient Judaism:
The Contribution of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature
A Symposium at the Groningen Qumran Institute, 28–29 April 2008
Organization: Mladen Popović (m.popovic@rug.nl)
Program
Monday, 28 April 2008
9.15-9.30 Opening
9.30-10.15 Ed Noort (University of Groningen): The Need of Authority: From Joshua the Successor to the Joshua Apocryphon
10.15-11.00 Julio Trebolle Barrera (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain): Authoritative Scripture as Reflected in the Textual Transmission of the Biblical Books
11.00-11.30 Break
11.30-12.15 Arie van der Kooij (University of Leiden): Authoritative Scriptures and Scribal Culture
12.15-13.00 Émile Puech (École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem, Israel): Quelques observations sur le canon des Écrits
13.15-14.15 Lunch
14.30-15.15 George van Kooten (University of Groningen): The Authority of David and Christ’s Davidic Lineage in Paul (Romans 1.3, 4.6, 11.9)
15.15-16.00 Tobias Nicklas (Universität Regensburg, Germany): “The words of the book of this prophecy” (Rev 22.19): Playing with Authority in the Book of Revelation
16.00-16.30 Break
16.30-17.15 Michael Knibb (King’s College, London, UK): “The Mosaic Torah is Conspicuously Absent in the Early Enochic Literature”: Reflections on the Status of 1 Enoch
17.15-18.00 Hindy Najman (University of Toronto, Canada): Exile, Exemplarity and Revelation in 4 Ezra
18.00-19.00 George Brooke (University of Manchester, UK): The Apocalyptic Community and Rewriting Scripture
19.30 Dinner
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
9.15-10.00 Jacques van Ruiten (University of Groningen): Rewritten Bible and the Authoritativeness of Scriptures
10.00-10.45 Emanuel Tov (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel): From 4QReworked Pentateuch to 4QPentateuch
10.45-11.15 Break
11.15-12.00 Mladen Popović (Qumran Institute, University of Groningen): Ezekiel and Pseudo-Ezekiel in the Dead Sea Scrolls
12.00-12.45 Eibert Tigchelaar (Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA): Aramaic Texts from Qumran and the Authoritativeness of Hebrew Scripture
13.00-14.00 Lunch
14.15-15.00 Charlotte Hempel (University of Birmingham, UK): Pluralism and Authoritativeness: The Case of the S Tradition
15.00-15.45 John Collins (Yale University, New Haven, USA): Prophecy and the Authority of History in the Pesharim
15.45-16.30 Jan Bremmer (University of Groningen): How Holy are Holy Books? A Comparison of Greece, Rome, Early Judaism and Early Christianity
16.30-17.00 Break
17.00-18.15 Keynote address: Florentino García Martínez (University of Groningen/Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium): Rethinking the Bible: Sixty Years of Dead Sea Scrolls Research and Beyond
18.15 Reception
19.30 Dinner
--
--
Honoring Professor Florentino García Martínez’s great achievements for the Groningen Qumran Institute and Dead Sea Scrolls studies and initiating a new series of biennial conferences, the Qumran Institute announces
The Authoritativeness of Scriptures in Ancient Judaism:
The Contribution of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature
A Symposium at the Groningen Qumran Institute, 28–29 April 2008
Organization: Mladen Popović (m.popovic@rug.nl)
Program
Monday, 28 April 2008
9.15-9.30 Opening
9.30-10.15 Ed Noort (University of Groningen): The Need of Authority: From Joshua the Successor to the Joshua Apocryphon
10.15-11.00 Julio Trebolle Barrera (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain): Authoritative Scripture as Reflected in the Textual Transmission of the Biblical Books
11.00-11.30 Break
11.30-12.15 Arie van der Kooij (University of Leiden): Authoritative Scriptures and Scribal Culture
12.15-13.00 Émile Puech (École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem, Israel): Quelques observations sur le canon des Écrits
13.15-14.15 Lunch
14.30-15.15 George van Kooten (University of Groningen): The Authority of David and Christ’s Davidic Lineage in Paul (Romans 1.3, 4.6, 11.9)
15.15-16.00 Tobias Nicklas (Universität Regensburg, Germany): “The words of the book of this prophecy” (Rev 22.19): Playing with Authority in the Book of Revelation
16.00-16.30 Break
16.30-17.15 Michael Knibb (King’s College, London, UK): “The Mosaic Torah is Conspicuously Absent in the Early Enochic Literature”: Reflections on the Status of 1 Enoch
17.15-18.00 Hindy Najman (University of Toronto, Canada): Exile, Exemplarity and Revelation in 4 Ezra
18.00-19.00 George Brooke (University of Manchester, UK): The Apocalyptic Community and Rewriting Scripture
19.30 Dinner
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
9.15-10.00 Jacques van Ruiten (University of Groningen): Rewritten Bible and the Authoritativeness of Scriptures
10.00-10.45 Emanuel Tov (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel): From 4QReworked Pentateuch to 4QPentateuch
10.45-11.15 Break
11.15-12.00 Mladen Popović (Qumran Institute, University of Groningen): Ezekiel and Pseudo-Ezekiel in the Dead Sea Scrolls
12.00-12.45 Eibert Tigchelaar (Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA): Aramaic Texts from Qumran and the Authoritativeness of Hebrew Scripture
13.00-14.00 Lunch
14.15-15.00 Charlotte Hempel (University of Birmingham, UK): Pluralism and Authoritativeness: The Case of the S Tradition
15.00-15.45 John Collins (Yale University, New Haven, USA): Prophecy and the Authority of History in the Pesharim
15.45-16.30 Jan Bremmer (University of Groningen): How Holy are Holy Books? A Comparison of Greece, Rome, Early Judaism and Early Christianity
16.30-17.00 Break
17.00-18.15 Keynote address: Florentino García Martínez (University of Groningen/Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium): Rethinking the Bible: Sixty Years of Dead Sea Scrolls Research and Beyond
18.15 Reception
19.30 Dinner
--
BBC Passion Latest
Over on Bible Films, Matt Page is still on top of things when it comes to The Passion, the BBC / HBO co-production to air this coming Easter. As regular readers will know, I have been a consultant on the series. I have watched the whole series in several different edits now and am really delighted with the production. Matt now reports that the Churches Media Council has a dedicated section of its website on the production and that the official première is taking place on the 28th February in London. Wish I could be there.
Update (2 February): I am happy to say that I think I now have everything in place so that I can, after all, be at the première!
Update (2 February): I am happy to say that I think I now have everything in place so that I can, after all, be at the première!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Review of Biblical Literature Latest
This is a catch-up Review of Biblical Literature post, incorporating the last two updates, all those under the New Testament and related heading. I am particularly pleased to see strong reviews for a couple of books in the Library of New Testament Studies series:
John M. G. Barclay, trans.
Flavius Josephus: Against Apion
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5844
Reviewed by René Bloch
Jeannine K. Brown
Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5915
Reviewed by Tony Costa
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5948
Reviewed by Peter Phillips
Thomas R. Hatina, ed.
Biblical Interpretation in Early Christian Gospels: Vol. 1: The Gospel of Mark
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5480
Reviewed by David du Toit
Christine Helmer, ed.
The Multivalence of Biblical Texts and Theological Meanings
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5580
Reviewed by Christoph Stenschke
Dan Jaffé
Le Talmud et les origines juives du christianisme: Jésus, Paul et les judéo-chrétiens dans la littérature talmudique
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6057
Reviewed by Bogdan G. Bucur
Robert Tannehill
The Shape of Luke's Story: Essays on Luke-Acts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5723
Reviewed by Robert F. O'Toole
Stephen Voorwinde
Jesus' Emotions in the Fourth Gospel: Human or Divine?
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5120
Reviewed by William R. G. Loader
Young S. Chae
Jesus as the Eschatological Davidic Shepherd: Studies in the Old Testament, Second Temple Judaism, and in the Gospel of Matthew
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5605
Reviewed by Daniel M. Gurtner
Craig Cooper, ed.
Politics of Orality: (Orality and Literacy in Ancient Greece, Vol. 6)
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5821
Reviewed by Jonathan A. Draper
John Paul Heil
Ephesians: Empowerment to Walk in Love for the Unity of All in Christ
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5930
Reviewed by Gosnell L. Yorke
George H. van Kooten, ed.
The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5697
Reviewed by Sabrina Inowlocki
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
Jesus and Paul: Parallel Lives
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5975
Reviewed by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J.
Grant R. Osborne
The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5731
Reviewed by Oda Wischmeyer
Rosemary Radford Ruether, ed.
Feminist Theologies: Legacy and Prospect
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5858
Reviewed by Mary L. Coloe
Megan Hale Williams
The Monk and the Book: Jerome and the Making of Christian Scholarship
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5676
Reviewed by Jonathan Yates
John M. G. Barclay, trans.
Flavius Josephus: Against Apion
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by René Bloch
Jeannine K. Brown
Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Tony Costa
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Peter Phillips
Thomas R. Hatina, ed.
Biblical Interpretation in Early Christian Gospels: Vol. 1: The Gospel of Mark
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by David du Toit
Christine Helmer, ed.
The Multivalence of Biblical Texts and Theological Meanings
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Christoph Stenschke
Dan Jaffé
Le Talmud et les origines juives du christianisme: Jésus, Paul et les judéo-chrétiens dans la littérature talmudique
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Bogdan G. Bucur
Robert Tannehill
The Shape of Luke's Story: Essays on Luke-Acts
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Robert F. O'Toole
Stephen Voorwinde
Jesus' Emotions in the Fourth Gospel: Human or Divine?
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by William R. G. Loader
Young S. Chae
Jesus as the Eschatological Davidic Shepherd: Studies in the Old Testament, Second Temple Judaism, and in the Gospel of Matthew
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Daniel M. Gurtner
Craig Cooper, ed.
Politics of Orality: (Orality and Literacy in Ancient Greece, Vol. 6)
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Jonathan A. Draper
John Paul Heil
Ephesians: Empowerment to Walk in Love for the Unity of All in Christ
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Gosnell L. Yorke
George H. van Kooten, ed.
The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Sabrina Inowlocki
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
Jesus and Paul: Parallel Lives
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J.
Grant R. Osborne
The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Oda Wischmeyer
Rosemary Radford Ruether, ed.
Feminist Theologies: Legacy and Prospect
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Mary L. Coloe
Megan Hale Williams
The Monk and the Book: Jerome and the Making of Christian Scholarship
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Jonathan Yates
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Alexandrian Personae Conference
Thanks to Ben White for sending this over:
Alexandrian Personae:
Scholarly Culture and Religious Traditions in Ancient Alexandria (1st ct. BCE - 3rd ct. CE)
February 23-24, 2008
The conference is hosted by the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in collaboration with the Department of Theology at the University of Göttingen, and details are at the link above.
Alexandrian Personae:
Scholarly Culture and Religious Traditions in Ancient Alexandria (1st ct. BCE - 3rd ct. CE)
February 23-24, 2008
The conference is hosted by the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in collaboration with the Department of Theology at the University of Göttingen, and details are at the link above.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The Talpiot Tomb Controversy Revisited
The folllowing statement, which also appears on the Duke University Religion Department Blog, is posted here at the request of my colleague Professor Eric Meyers, and Professor Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the list of signatories. Note: slightly revised on 24 January 2008:
--
The Talpiot Tomb Controversy Revisited
A firestorm has broken out in Jerusalem following the conclusion of the “Third Princeton Theological Seminary Symposium on Jewish Views of the Afterlife and Burial Practices in Second Temple Judaism: Evaluating the Talpiot Tomb in Context.” Most negative assessments of archaeologists and other scientists and scholars who attended have been excluded from the final press reports. Instead the media have presented the views of Simcha Jacobovici, who produced the controversial film and book “The Lost Tomb of Jesus” with Hollywood director James Cameron, and who claims that his identification has been vindicated by the conference papers. Nothing further from the truth can be deduced from the discussion and presentations that took place on January 13-17, 2008.
A statistical analysis of the names engraved on the ossuaries leaves no doubt that the probability of the Talpiot tomb belonging to Jesus’ family is virtually nil if the Mariamene named on one of the ossuaries is not Mary Magdalene. Even the reading of the inscribed name as “Mariamene” was contested by epigraphers at the conference. Furthermore, Mary Magdalene is not referred to by the Greek name Mariamene in any literary sources before the late second-third century AD. An expert panel of scholars on the subject of Mary in the early church dismissed out of hand the suggestion that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus, and no traditions refer to a son of Jesus named Judah (another individual named on an ossuary from the Talpiot tomb). Moreover, the DNA evidence from the tomb, which has been used to suggest that Jesus had a wife, was dismissed by the Hebrew University team that devised such procedures and has conducted such research all over the world. The ossuary inscribed with the name “Jesus son of Joseph” is paralleled by a find from another Jerusalem tomb, and at least one speaker said the reading of the name “Jesus” on the Talpiot tomb ossuary is uncertain. Testimony from archaeologists who were involved in the excavation of the Talpiot tomb leaves no doubt that the “missing” tenth ossuary was plain and uninscribed, eliminating any possibility that it is the so-called “James ossuary.”
The identification of the Talpiot tomb as the tomb of Jesus’ family flies in the face of the accounts of Paul and the canonical Gospel, which are the earliest traditions describing Jesus’ death and burial. According to these accounts Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb of a prominent follower named Joseph of Arimathea. Since at least the early fourth century Christians have venerated the site of Jesus’ burial at the spot marked by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In contrast, not a single tradition, Christian or otherwise, preserves any reference to or recollection of a family tomb of Jesus anywhere in Jerusalem.
The smoking gun at the conference was the surprise appearance of Ruth Gat, the widow of the archaeologist who excavated the tomb in 1980 and has since passed away. Mrs. Gat announced that her husband had known about the identification all along but was afraid to tell anyone because of the possibility of an anti-Semitic reaction. However, Joseph Gat lacked the expertise to read the inscriptions. Jacobovici now says that Mrs. Gat’s statement has vindicated his claims about the tomb.
To conclude, we wish to protest the misrepresentation of the conference proceedings in the media, and make it clear that the majority of scholars in attendance – including all of the archaeologists and epigraphers who presented papers relating to the tomb - either reject the identification of the Talpiot tomb as belonging to Jesus’ family or find this claim highly speculative.
Signed,
Professor Mordechai Aviam, University of Rochester
Professor Ann Graham Brock, Iliff School of Theology, University of Denver
Professor F.W. Dobbs-Allsopp, Princeton Theological Seminary
Professor C.D. Elledge, Gustavus Adolphus College
Professor Shimon Gibson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Professor Rachel Hachlili, University of Haifa
Professor Amos Kloner, Bar-Ilan University
Professor Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Professor Lee McDonald, Arcadia Seminary
Professor Eric M. Meyers, Duke University
Professor Stephen Pfann, University of the Holy Land
Professor Jonathan Price, Tel Aviv University
Professor Christopher Rollston, Emmanuel School of Religion
Professor Alan F. Segal, Barnard College, Columbia University
Professor Choon-Leong Seow, Princeton Theological Seminary
Mr. Joe Zias, Science and Antiquity Group, Jerusalem
Dr. Boaz Zissu, Bar-Ilan University
--
The Talpiot Tomb Controversy Revisited
A firestorm has broken out in Jerusalem following the conclusion of the “Third Princeton Theological Seminary Symposium on Jewish Views of the Afterlife and Burial Practices in Second Temple Judaism: Evaluating the Talpiot Tomb in Context.” Most negative assessments of archaeologists and other scientists and scholars who attended have been excluded from the final press reports. Instead the media have presented the views of Simcha Jacobovici, who produced the controversial film and book “The Lost Tomb of Jesus” with Hollywood director James Cameron, and who claims that his identification has been vindicated by the conference papers. Nothing further from the truth can be deduced from the discussion and presentations that took place on January 13-17, 2008.
A statistical analysis of the names engraved on the ossuaries leaves no doubt that the probability of the Talpiot tomb belonging to Jesus’ family is virtually nil if the Mariamene named on one of the ossuaries is not Mary Magdalene. Even the reading of the inscribed name as “Mariamene” was contested by epigraphers at the conference. Furthermore, Mary Magdalene is not referred to by the Greek name Mariamene in any literary sources before the late second-third century AD. An expert panel of scholars on the subject of Mary in the early church dismissed out of hand the suggestion that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus, and no traditions refer to a son of Jesus named Judah (another individual named on an ossuary from the Talpiot tomb). Moreover, the DNA evidence from the tomb, which has been used to suggest that Jesus had a wife, was dismissed by the Hebrew University team that devised such procedures and has conducted such research all over the world. The ossuary inscribed with the name “Jesus son of Joseph” is paralleled by a find from another Jerusalem tomb, and at least one speaker said the reading of the name “Jesus” on the Talpiot tomb ossuary is uncertain. Testimony from archaeologists who were involved in the excavation of the Talpiot tomb leaves no doubt that the “missing” tenth ossuary was plain and uninscribed, eliminating any possibility that it is the so-called “James ossuary.”
The identification of the Talpiot tomb as the tomb of Jesus’ family flies in the face of the accounts of Paul and the canonical Gospel, which are the earliest traditions describing Jesus’ death and burial. According to these accounts Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb of a prominent follower named Joseph of Arimathea. Since at least the early fourth century Christians have venerated the site of Jesus’ burial at the spot marked by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In contrast, not a single tradition, Christian or otherwise, preserves any reference to or recollection of a family tomb of Jesus anywhere in Jerusalem.
The smoking gun at the conference was the surprise appearance of Ruth Gat, the widow of the archaeologist who excavated the tomb in 1980 and has since passed away. Mrs. Gat announced that her husband had known about the identification all along but was afraid to tell anyone because of the possibility of an anti-Semitic reaction. However, Joseph Gat lacked the expertise to read the inscriptions. Jacobovici now says that Mrs. Gat’s statement has vindicated his claims about the tomb.
To conclude, we wish to protest the misrepresentation of the conference proceedings in the media, and make it clear that the majority of scholars in attendance – including all of the archaeologists and epigraphers who presented papers relating to the tomb - either reject the identification of the Talpiot tomb as belonging to Jesus’ family or find this claim highly speculative.
Signed,
Professor Mordechai Aviam, University of Rochester
Professor Ann Graham Brock, Iliff School of Theology, University of Denver
Professor F.W. Dobbs-Allsopp, Princeton Theological Seminary
Professor C.D. Elledge, Gustavus Adolphus College
Professor Shimon Gibson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Professor Rachel Hachlili, University of Haifa
Professor Amos Kloner, Bar-Ilan University
Professor Jodi Magness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Professor Lee McDonald, Arcadia Seminary
Professor Eric M. Meyers, Duke University
Professor Stephen Pfann, University of the Holy Land
Professor Jonathan Price, Tel Aviv University
Professor Christopher Rollston, Emmanuel School of Religion
Professor Alan F. Segal, Barnard College, Columbia University
Professor Choon-Leong Seow, Princeton Theological Seminary
Mr. Joe Zias, Science and Antiquity Group, Jerusalem
Dr. Boaz Zissu, Bar-Ilan University
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Harvard Theological Review latest
The latest Harvard Theological Review is available. There are a couple of NT related articles listed below:
Harvard Theological Review
Volume 101 - Issue 01 - January 2008
Gift-Giving and Friendship: Seneca and Paul in Romans 1–8 on the Logic of God's Χάριs and Its Human Response
Troels Engberg-Pedersen
Harvard Theological Review, Volume 101, Issue 01, January 2008, pp 15 - 44
doi: 10.1017/S0017816008001715 Published online by Cambridge University Press 14 Jan 2008
[ abstract ]
Introducing an Arabic Commentary on the Apocalypse: Ibn Kātib Qaysar on Revelation
Stephen J. Davis
Harvard Theological Review, Volume 101, Issue 01, January 2008, pp 77 - 96
doi: 10.1017/S0017816008001739 Published online by Cambridge University Press 14 Jan 2008
[ abstract ]
Harvard Theological Review
Volume 101 - Issue 01 - January 2008
Gift-Giving and Friendship: Seneca and Paul in Romans 1–8 on the Logic of God's Χάριs and Its Human Response
Troels Engberg-Pedersen
Harvard Theological Review, Volume 101, Issue 01, January 2008, pp 15 - 44
doi: 10.1017/S0017816008001715 Published online by Cambridge University Press 14 Jan 2008
[ abstract ]
Introducing an Arabic Commentary on the Apocalypse: Ibn Kātib Qaysar on Revelation
Stephen J. Davis
Harvard Theological Review, Volume 101, Issue 01, January 2008, pp 77 - 96
doi: 10.1017/S0017816008001739 Published online by Cambridge University Press 14 Jan 2008
[ abstract ]
Monday, January 14, 2008
Happy Birthday, Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer was born on this day in 1875 and as good planning (or luck?) would have it, today we are looking at his Quest of the Historical Jesus in my Historical Jesus class at Duke. I am planning to show the students a couple of videos to celebrate the day:
First, a short one minute celebration of Schweitzer's life on History.com.
Second, a remarkable French piece featuring a fairly lengthy interview with Schweitzer (in French) from dailymotion.com: Video Docteur Albert Schweitzer, apparently from 1961.
Third, a clip of Eddie Albert meeting Albert Schweitzer, from American television in the 1950s, on Youtube (Schweitzer piece lasts about a minute and begins at about 1:17):
And finally, there is a clip of Schweitzer receiving his honorary degree at Cambridge in 1955 from British Pathe News; you can download this in reasonable quality for free onto your computer, or you can pay for a high resolution version.
First, a short one minute celebration of Schweitzer's life on History.com.
Second, a remarkable French piece featuring a fairly lengthy interview with Schweitzer (in French) from dailymotion.com: Video Docteur Albert Schweitzer, apparently from 1961.
Third, a clip of Eddie Albert meeting Albert Schweitzer, from American television in the 1950s, on Youtube (Schweitzer piece lasts about a minute and begins at about 1:17):
And finally, there is a clip of Schweitzer receiving his honorary degree at Cambridge in 1955 from British Pathe News; you can download this in reasonable quality for free onto your computer, or you can pay for a high resolution version.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Fort Lauderdale Study Program: Anne Killebrew and me
The following has just been announced by the Biblical Archaeology Society:
Insights into the Bible from Archaeology
and
Monarch or Messiah?
The King of Jewish Expectation and the Christ of the New Testament
with Ann E. Killebrew and Mark Goodacre
Learn from two great lecturers as they bring the ancient world to life!
Hampton Inn Downtown/City Center
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
March 7-8, 2008
Insights into the Bible from Archaeology
and
Monarch or Messiah?
The King of Jewish Expectation and the Christ of the New Testament
with Ann E. Killebrew and Mark Goodacre
Learn from two great lecturers as they bring the ancient world to life!
Hampton Inn Downtown/City Center
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
March 7-8, 2008
In recent years the rapid pace of archaeological discoveries has vastly improved our appreciation of the Bible and the world in which both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are set. Hear firsthand about many of these key discoveries from an archaeologist who has been closely involved in those discoveries. Supplement those lectures with talks by a leading New Testament scholar on a concept crucial to understanding both Judaism and Christianity—the meaning of “Messiah.”Full details are available on the web, or you can download the brochure (PDF).
Interpretation Latest Issue
There is a new issue of Interpretation available, and some of the content is available free on the web:
Interpretation Volume 62 Number 1, October 2008
The free material includes a book review by Mark Allan Powell of Amy-Jill Levine, The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006)
Interpretation Volume 62 Number 1, October 2008
The free material includes a book review by Mark Allan Powell of Amy-Jill Levine, The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006)
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Review of Biblical Literature Latest
Latest from the SBL Review of Biblical Literature under the NT and related heading:
Christian Blumenthal
"Es wird aber kommen der Tag des Herrn" : Eine textkritische Studie zu 2Petr 3,10
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5974
Reviewed by Jörg Frey
Catharine Edwards and Greg Woolf, eds.
Rome the Cosmopolis
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=3221
Reviewed by Jonathan L. Reed
Mark W. Hamilton, Thomas H. Olbricht, and Jeffrey Peterson, eds.
Renewing Tradition: Studies in Texts and Contexts in Honor of James W. Thompson
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5715
Reviewed by Korinna Zamfir
Ulrich Luz; Helmut Koester, ed.; James Crouch, trans.
Matthew 1-7: A Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5787
Reviewed by David Sim
Reviewed by Charles L. Quarles
Christian Blumenthal
"Es wird aber kommen der Tag des Herrn" : Eine textkritische Studie zu 2Petr 3,10
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Jörg Frey
Catharine Edwards and Greg Woolf, eds.
Rome the Cosmopolis
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Jonathan L. Reed
Mark W. Hamilton, Thomas H. Olbricht, and Jeffrey Peterson, eds.
Renewing Tradition: Studies in Texts and Contexts in Honor of James W. Thompson
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Korinna Zamfir
Ulrich Luz; Helmut Koester, ed.; James Crouch, trans.
Matthew 1-7: A Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by David Sim
Reviewed by Charles L. Quarles
Monday, January 07, 2008
Homepage update
I have completed a full update to my homepage and tried to correct broken links, add new ones, update all the information and so on. These pages just help me to keep track of things like publications, media work and so on. It turns out that it is a year since I last updated everything, so this is not before time.
Who Wrote the Bible? on Youtube
I've been updating my homepage over the last day or so, spurred on by having to complete my annual report at Duke. While updating the links on my Media Consultancy page, I came across something of possible interest. Back on Christmas Day 2004, Channel 4 broadcast a programme presented by Robert Beckford and entitled Who Wrote the Bible? I featured in one part of the programme, discussing the Gospels, and I recently came across it on Youtube. It's about eight minutes or so long and features the two of us walking around Rome discussing Mark, Matthew, Luke and John in turn:
LNTS volumes on Google Books
I noticed this morning that Google Book Search (formerly Google Books and before that Google Print) has added lots of Library of New Testament Studies (Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series) volumes. This is the series I have been editing for the last four years, which is published by T and T Clark, and which has a legacy going back to the late 1980s when it was established by Sheffield Academic Press. Although, as usual, the amount one can read is limited, it's very useful to have these volumes available for searching. In fact, I was pleased to be able to search my own first book on there this morning. I should add that it is not easy to search for the series en masse because Google Book Search will simply pull out bibliographical references to the series if one tries to search for it, but searching on an individual book title basis seems to work well.
Latest Novum Testamentum
The latest Novum Testamentum is now available to subscribers and subscribing institutions:
Novum Testamentum 50/1 (2008)
The Marcionite Gospel and the Synoptic Problem: A New Suggestion
pp. 1-27(27)
Author: Klinghardt, Matthias
Sinai Ar. N.F. Parchment 8 and 28: Its Contribution to Textual Criticism of the Gospel of Luke
pp. 28-57(30)
Author: Kachouh, Hikmat
Verbal Aspect in the Apocalypse of John: An Analysis of Revelation 5
pp. 58-77(20)
Author: Mathewson, David
P. Bodmer II (P66): Three Fragments Identified. A Correction
pp. 78-80(3)
Authors: Head, Peter M.; Wheeler, Dale M.; Willker, Wieland
Book Reviews
The Formation of the Early Church
pp. 81-85(5)
Author: Stenschke, Christoph
Kontexte des Johannesevangeliums: Das vierte Evangelium in religions- und traditionsgeschichtlicher Perspektive
pp. 86-91(6)
Author: Stenschke, Christoph
In the Beginning: Bibles before the Year 1000: The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies on an American Treasure Trove: In a Monastery Library: Preserving Codex Sinaiticus and the Greek Written Heritage
pp. 92-96(5)
Author: Elliott, J.K.
Book Notes
pp. 97-100(4)
Author: Elliott, J.K.
Books Received
pp. 101-103(3)
Novum Testamentum 50/1 (2008)
The Marcionite Gospel and the Synoptic Problem: A New Suggestion
pp. 1-27(27)
Author: Klinghardt, Matthias
Sinai Ar. N.F. Parchment 8 and 28: Its Contribution to Textual Criticism of the Gospel of Luke
pp. 28-57(30)
Author: Kachouh, Hikmat
Verbal Aspect in the Apocalypse of John: An Analysis of Revelation 5
pp. 58-77(20)
Author: Mathewson, David
P. Bodmer II (P66): Three Fragments Identified. A Correction
pp. 78-80(3)
Authors: Head, Peter M.; Wheeler, Dale M.; Willker, Wieland
Book Reviews
The Formation of the Early Church
pp. 81-85(5)
Author: Stenschke, Christoph
Kontexte des Johannesevangeliums: Das vierte Evangelium in religions- und traditionsgeschichtlicher Perspektive
pp. 86-91(6)
Author: Stenschke, Christoph
In the Beginning: Bibles before the Year 1000: The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies on an American Treasure Trove: In a Monastery Library: Preserving Codex Sinaiticus and the Greek Written Heritage
pp. 92-96(5)
Author: Elliott, J.K.
Book Notes
pp. 97-100(4)
Author: Elliott, J.K.
Books Received
pp. 101-103(3)
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Fourth Annual Ralphies
I am late on it this year, but here are my 2007 Ralphies. Previous Ralphies are at these links: 2004, 2005, 2006. For newcomers, the Ralphies are "the little bit of annual indulgence among bibliobloggers to go outside of Biblical Studies and blog their "best ofs" of the year." This year, it seems like it is only the old guard who are indulging, Ed Cook, the originator, on Ralph the Sacred River, and Jim Davila on Paleojudaica. Perhaps this is a sign that bibliobloggers are now much more inclined than they used to be to post on material of personal rather than professional interest, and so the annual self-indulgence is not so appealing. If you ate Christmas dinners all year, would lunch on 25 December be such a treat? I must admit that the creation of my own personal blog earlier this year makes the annual self-indulgence feel a little less special than it used to, not least since I gush about Doctor Who all I want now on that blog. Nevertheless, the Ralphies are a tradition, and it's one I will still have fun honouring.
Song of the year: I was going to say Silversun Pickups, Lazy Eye, which I first caught on Jools Holland earlier this year. But a glance at Wikipedia shows that it was released in 2006, so I will instead vote for Arctic Monkeys, Fluorescent Adolescent:
Album of the year: well, there was a new album from the Fall this year, so of course it is my album of the year, Reformation Post TLC. I was tempted to name Von Sudenfed, Tromatic Reflexxions.
Gig of the year: we only went to two this year, Hannah Montana in Greensboro and They Might be Giants in Durham. Both were great fun. And yes, They Might be Giants did include in their set one of Jim Davila's favourites of the year, The Mesopotamians (and they were selling t-shirts of the same).
Film of the year: I can think of a lot of stinkers I've seen this year. Nothing bowled me over. I quite liked Ratatouille. I still haven't seen Bourne Ultimatum. I don't think we've been to the cinema or watched enough DVDs in 2007. Must put that right next year. I am definitely not watching enough films.
TV Programme of the Year: Spooks. Only joking. Doctor Who, of course. Series 3 was not as consistently strong as Series 2, but several individual episodes were the strongest ever, especially Human Nature and Family of Blood, which I discussed here (Doctor Who, Human Nature and Kenosis) and received a comment from the writer, Paul Cornell, and Blink. The series also featured the best ever moment in Doctor Who, in the episode Utopia (hilariously enjoyed by these two).
I suppose TV really is an area I invest time in. So I don't have anything to say about fictional books, but I have enjoyed a lot of television. Honourable mentions go to Life on Mars, Series 2, which was wonderful, Spooks Series 6, Sarah Jane Adventures, Series 1, Whistleblowers, Series 1. I have enjoyed loads of good BBC4 and Channel 4 documentaries too, too numerous to mention, though Secret Life of the Motorway was a particularly memorable highlight. There have been some good American TV series too. The best newcomer is definitely Chuck, already renewed for 2008. And Viola and I both like the new Bionic Woman in spite of the fact that no one else seems to. We quite enjoy but mainly endure Heroes.
Radio Program of the Year: Jon Ronson on, Series 3, some of which is still available for download. Honourable mentions: I'm Sorry I haven't a clue, still going after 35 years and still hilarious; Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, which finally dragged me over to listening to Radio 2 for the first time. And just about everything I get the chance to listen on Radio 4. What would life be without it?
Podcast of the year: the Daily Mayo, my happy companion every day on the way back from work. This year has seen something of a podcast surge from the BBC and British expats like me who commute to work are utterly spoilt for choice (BBC Podcast Directory).
Sporting Event of the Year: I'll have to pass on this one; not a great year for English cricket or English football. The cricket World Cup was something of a shambles.
Song of the year: I was going to say Silversun Pickups, Lazy Eye, which I first caught on Jools Holland earlier this year. But a glance at Wikipedia shows that it was released in 2006, so I will instead vote for Arctic Monkeys, Fluorescent Adolescent:
Album of the year: well, there was a new album from the Fall this year, so of course it is my album of the year, Reformation Post TLC. I was tempted to name Von Sudenfed, Tromatic Reflexxions.
Gig of the year: we only went to two this year, Hannah Montana in Greensboro and They Might be Giants in Durham. Both were great fun. And yes, They Might be Giants did include in their set one of Jim Davila's favourites of the year, The Mesopotamians (and they were selling t-shirts of the same).
Film of the year: I can think of a lot of stinkers I've seen this year. Nothing bowled me over. I quite liked Ratatouille. I still haven't seen Bourne Ultimatum. I don't think we've been to the cinema or watched enough DVDs in 2007. Must put that right next year. I am definitely not watching enough films.
TV Programme of the Year: Spooks. Only joking. Doctor Who, of course. Series 3 was not as consistently strong as Series 2, but several individual episodes were the strongest ever, especially Human Nature and Family of Blood, which I discussed here (Doctor Who, Human Nature and Kenosis) and received a comment from the writer, Paul Cornell, and Blink. The series also featured the best ever moment in Doctor Who, in the episode Utopia (hilariously enjoyed by these two).
I suppose TV really is an area I invest time in. So I don't have anything to say about fictional books, but I have enjoyed a lot of television. Honourable mentions go to Life on Mars, Series 2, which was wonderful, Spooks Series 6, Sarah Jane Adventures, Series 1, Whistleblowers, Series 1. I have enjoyed loads of good BBC4 and Channel 4 documentaries too, too numerous to mention, though Secret Life of the Motorway was a particularly memorable highlight. There have been some good American TV series too. The best newcomer is definitely Chuck, already renewed for 2008. And Viola and I both like the new Bionic Woman in spite of the fact that no one else seems to. We quite enjoy but mainly endure Heroes.
Radio Program of the Year: Jon Ronson on, Series 3, some of which is still available for download. Honourable mentions: I'm Sorry I haven't a clue, still going after 35 years and still hilarious; Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, which finally dragged me over to listening to Radio 2 for the first time. And just about everything I get the chance to listen on Radio 4. What would life be without it?
Podcast of the year: the Daily Mayo, my happy companion every day on the way back from work. This year has seen something of a podcast surge from the BBC and British expats like me who commute to work are utterly spoilt for choice (BBC Podcast Directory).
Sporting Event of the Year: I'll have to pass on this one; not a great year for English cricket or English football. The cricket World Cup was something of a shambles.
Mark Chancey back in the news
Mark Chancey is back in the Dallas news today:
Professor has faith in religious tolerance
Methodist's lecture series to explain New Testament to Jewish audience
By MARY JACOBS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
Professor has faith in religious tolerance
Methodist's lecture series to explain New Testament to Jewish audience
By MARY JACOBS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
Typically, Mark Chancey's role is helping Christian audiences better understand Judaism. But for four Tuesdays in January, the SMU associate professor will be doing the opposite: explaining the New Testament to a primarily Jewish audience.
Dr. Chancey is the featured speaker for Temple Emanu-El's annual adult education course, this year titled "The New Testament: First Century Jews, First Century Christians." The course begins Tuesday . . .
. . . . "Much of the New Testament is Jewish literature," he said. "Christianity didn't become a new religion until early Christians began reinterpreting ideas that were originally Jewish.
"But we're starting off with Jewish ideas – a messiah, the temple, sacrifice and law. Even though Christian tradition ultimately went its separate way, the beginnings are Jewish."
Friday, January 04, 2008
Review of Biblical Literature Latest
I am gradually working through the email backlog and have reached Boxing Day, when someone at SBL headquarters was not taking the day off and sent out a list of the latest reviews to be added to the Review of Biblical Literature. Of particular interest, under these NT related titles, is Christopher Tuckett's excellent review of Bauckham (though it contains a typo that needs fixing, "Two main chapters deal with more generally with what Bauckham . . ."):
Paul N. Anderson
The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus: Modern Foundations Reconsidered
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5879
Reviewed by Edward W. Klink III
Richard Bauckham
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5650
Reviewed by Christopher Tuckett
Lukas Bormann
Bibelkunde: Altes und Neues Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5458
Reviewed by Markus Oehler
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5948
Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt
Barbara Fuß
Neutestamentliches Griechisch: Ein Lernbuch zu Wortschatz und Formenlehre
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5797
Reviewed by G. J. (Gerhard) Swart
David E. Garland and Diana R. Garland
Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5838
Reviewed by Jason B. Hood
Andrew Lincoln
Hebrews: A Guide
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5732
Reviewed by Martin Karrer
John L. Meech
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5725
Reviewed by Mark Reasoner
Jens-W. Taeger; Dietrich-Alex Koch and David Bienert, eds
Johanneische Perspektiven: Aufsätze zur Johannesapokalypse und zum johanneischen Kreis 1984-2003
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5604
Reviewed by Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza
Paul N. Anderson
The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus: Modern Foundations Reconsidered
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Edward W. Klink III
Richard Bauckham
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Christopher Tuckett
Lukas Bormann
Bibelkunde: Altes und Neues Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Markus Oehler
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt
Barbara Fuß
Neutestamentliches Griechisch: Ein Lernbuch zu Wortschatz und Formenlehre
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by G. J. (Gerhard) Swart
David E. Garland and Diana R. Garland
Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Jason B. Hood
Andrew Lincoln
Hebrews: A Guide
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Martin Karrer
John L. Meech
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Mark Reasoner
Jens-W. Taeger; Dietrich-Alex Koch and David Bienert, eds
Johanneische Perspektiven: Aufsätze zur Johannesapokalypse und zum johanneischen Kreis 1984-2003
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza
More 2007 Retrospects
Over on The Forbidden Gospels Blog, April DeConick has a helpful and very interesting Forbidden Gospels 2007 Retrospect. The blog is almost a year old and it's been a big hitter; I look forward to more of the same in 2008.
Bibliobloggers offering their Ralphies have been very thin on the ground this year. So far the only ones I have spotted have been Ed Cook, the originator, on Ralph the Sacred River, and Jim Davila on Paleojudaica. I am a bit late with mine this year, having been away over Christmas.
Bibliobloggers offering their Ralphies have been very thin on the ground this year. So far the only ones I have spotted have been Ed Cook, the originator, on Ralph the Sacred River, and Jim Davila on Paleojudaica. I am a bit late with mine this year, having been away over Christmas.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism Latest
As Ricoblog has already noted, more articles have been posted at the Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism, Volume 4 (2007):
4.3 John C. Poirier, The Linguistic Situation in Jewish Palestine in Late Antiquity
4.4 Julie Ann Smith, ‘What Now Lies Before Their Eyes’: The Foundations of Early Pilgrim Visuality in the Holy Land
4.5 David E. Malick, The Contribution of Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis to an Understanding of Women in the Book of Acts
4.6 Justin M. Smith, Genre, Sub-Genre and Questions of Audience: A Proposed Typology for Greco-Roman Biography
4.3 John C. Poirier, The Linguistic Situation in Jewish Palestine in Late Antiquity
4.4 Julie Ann Smith, ‘What Now Lies Before Their Eyes’: The Foundations of Early Pilgrim Visuality in the Holy Land
4.5 David E. Malick, The Contribution of Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis to an Understanding of Women in the Book of Acts
4.6 Justin M. Smith, Genre, Sub-Genre and Questions of Audience: A Proposed Typology for Greco-Roman Biography
Metacatholic's Blogging Year
Speaking of Metacatholic (see previous post), Doug Chaplin has a great post giving "Some bits and pieces by way of a reflection on the last year", and I don't just mention it because he mentions one of my threads (on Mark-Q Overlaps):
2007 -- a backward glance at a blogacious year
If only I could get around to doing something as useful as that kind of year in review. I'd like to see it catching on.
2007 -- a backward glance at a blogacious year
If only I could get around to doing something as useful as that kind of year in review. I'd like to see it catching on.
Biblioblogger of the month
for January 2008 is Christian Brady, and not before time. It's an enjoyable interview and I am sure Chris will not be one of those mentioned by Doug Chaplin, where the interview is the final act of a previously happy blogging career.
Bible Films Blog 2007 round-up
Matt Page has a great round up of the year at his Bible Films Blog. Perhaps more of us should consider an annual individual blog summary like this. Here's Matt's useful round-up:
Bible Films Blog Review of 2007
He ends with the note that "2008 looks likely to be equally busy with a host of films in production, the pick of which looks likely to be the BBC's The Passion in partnership with HBO." I am quite excited about the latter and will, of course, be commenting on it regularly here. I have seen the first four episodes in early edits so far and am very impressed indeed. There will be an announcement soon on the new title for the mini-series, which is now in place. The working title of The Passion has been dropped.
Bible Films Blog Review of 2007
He ends with the note that "2008 looks likely to be equally busy with a host of films in production, the pick of which looks likely to be the BBC's The Passion in partnership with HBO." I am quite excited about the latter and will, of course, be commenting on it regularly here. I have seen the first four episodes in early edits so far and am very impressed indeed. There will be an announcement soon on the new title for the mini-series, which is now in place. The working title of The Passion has been dropped.
Biblical Studies Carnival XXV
Many thanks to Chris Brady at Targuman for the latest roundup of biblioblog highlights:
Biblical Studies Carnival XXV
I continue to be impressed by the excellent work that the carnival editors do each month. While on the topic, I want to add that I think we should not be dismayed if, in 2008, we find that it becomes impossible to sustain the carnivals every month in the way that they have been sustained over the last couple of years. The biblioblogging community is growing all the time, and the business of summarising a month's posts is a tough one and it relies on the editor doing a lot of work, and many making contributions. If we do miss the odd month, as we did recently, I don't think we should worry. We are never going to be completely comprehensive, and if the carnivals have to become a little more occasional, and if there is a rise in ad hoc informal carnivals, then that's fine. I used to have a "Featured Links" section on the New Testament Gateway, and at first I sustained it every month for several years. But as time went on, it became impossible to keep up that level of posting and eventually it became an occasional feature. So I just want to say that it will be fantastic if the carnivals can sustain the current quality and quantity, but let's not be too concerned if we have to go a little more ad hoc and occasional in the long run.
Biblical Studies Carnival XXV
I continue to be impressed by the excellent work that the carnival editors do each month. While on the topic, I want to add that I think we should not be dismayed if, in 2008, we find that it becomes impossible to sustain the carnivals every month in the way that they have been sustained over the last couple of years. The biblioblogging community is growing all the time, and the business of summarising a month's posts is a tough one and it relies on the editor doing a lot of work, and many making contributions. If we do miss the odd month, as we did recently, I don't think we should worry. We are never going to be completely comprehensive, and if the carnivals have to become a little more occasional, and if there is a rise in ad hoc informal carnivals, then that's fine. I used to have a "Featured Links" section on the New Testament Gateway, and at first I sustained it every month for several years. But as time went on, it became impossible to keep up that level of posting and eventually it became an occasional feature. So I just want to say that it will be fantastic if the carnivals can sustain the current quality and quantity, but let's not be too concerned if we have to go a little more ad hoc and occasional in the long run.
Review of Biblical Literature Latest
Happy New Year from the NTGateway Weblog. I am just back from a most enjoyable if very tiring trip to England over the Christmas period, and I am looking forward to getting back to blogging again in this fifth year of the blog. To start things off, a bread-and-butter post with the latest from the SBL Review of Biblical Literature under the New Testament and related heading:
Greg Carey
Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5659
Reviewed by Lorenzo DiTommaso
A. Andrew Das
Solving the Romans Debate
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5772
Reviewed by David J. Downs
Martin Hengel; Claus-Jürgen Thornton, ed.
Studien zur Christologie: Kleine Schriften IV
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5799
Reviewed by Lidija Novakovic
Larry W. Hurtado, ed.
The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5716
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.
Victor Matthews
Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5735
Reviewed by Aaron Koller
Santiago Guijarro Oporto
Jesús y sus primeros discípulos
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5851
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis
Guy Waters
The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5789
Reviewed by Kenneth D. Litwak
Karen Strand Winslow
Early Jewish and Christian Memories of Moses' Wives: Exogamist Marriage and Ethnic Identity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5726
Reviewed by Amelia Devin Freedman
Greg Carey
Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Lorenzo DiTommaso
A. Andrew Das
Solving the Romans Debate
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by David J. Downs
Martin Hengel; Claus-Jürgen Thornton, ed.
Studien zur Christologie: Kleine Schriften IV
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Lidija Novakovic
Larry W. Hurtado, ed.
The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.
Victor Matthews
Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Aaron Koller
Santiago Guijarro Oporto
Jesús y sus primeros discípulos
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis
Guy Waters
The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Kenneth D. Litwak
Karen Strand Winslow
Early Jewish and Christian Memories of Moses' Wives: Exogamist Marriage and Ethnic Identity
http://www.bookreviews.org
Reviewed by Amelia Devin Freedman
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