Unless noted, all events are in the CL and MB buildings
Friday
May 28, 2010
14:00-19:00 (MB 12-101)
Executive Committee Meeting / Runion du Comit Excutif
Saturday May 29, 2010
8:45-11:30 (CL 217)
Hebrew Bible/Old Testament / Bible Hbraque/Ancien
Testament I
Chair / Prsident: Alexander Damm (University of Toronto)
8:45-9:15 Adam Brown (McMaster Divinity College)
Discovering David in Light of 1 Samuel 25: A Narrative Critical Reading of 1 Samuel 24-26
The objective of this paper
will be to demonstrate that 1 Sam 25 is an integral component of 1 Sam 24-26
and that it is an essential chapter in order to fully understand the narrators
characterization of David. This paper will be structured around three main
sections. The first will establish the literary coherence of 1 Sam 24-26. The
second will identify and assess Davids men (in 1 Sam 24/26) and Abigail (in 1
Sam 25) as Davids rhetorical alter-egos. The third will draw conclusions about
Davids character from these observations. The thesis to be defended is that in
1 Sam 24-26 David acts with both restraint and unrestraint and that these
seemingly opposite manifestations of character both stem from Davids political
brilliance and moral deficiency.
9:15-9:45 Daniel Miller (Bishops University)
False Prophets and Prophets of Falsehood: The Question of Cultic Legitimacy in Israelite Prophecy
In
Deut 18:22, Moses declares: If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD but
the thing does not take place or prove true, it is a word that the LORD has not
spoken—yet in 2 Kgs 22:20 the prophetess Huldah assures Josiah that his end will be peaceful and he
is later killed by Pharaoh Neco. Ostensibly, the
Lord GOD does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the
prophets (Am 3:7)—yet Elisha claims that the reasons for a womans
distress have been hidden from him by his god (2 Kgs
4:27). Elsewhere, we are told that the words of a false prophet can indeed
prove correct—but this is just a testing of faith by Yahweh (Deut
13:1–3). In this paper, it will be argued that there was deep uncertainty
in Israelite society regarding the cultic legitimacy of prophecy. Consequently,
prophets and their allies would have been compelled to find means to
substantiate prophetic bona fides, an undertaking not uncomplicated given a
lack of public consensus regarding what prophecy was.
9:45-10:00 Break
10:00-10:30 Marvin Lloyd Miller (University of Manchester)
Shaking out the Skirt: A Social Vision of Nehemiah Regarding Debt Slavery
The account from Nehemiah 5 is the most definitive
example of the result of expropriatory practices
within the province of Yehud. It is the aim of this
paper to view Nehemiah 5 in its wider literary and social contexts in order to
suggest possible cultural antecedents that can assist in understanding the
scope of debt slavery and the effects of the remission of debts. Since Israel
had no king, Nehemiah was called upon to act as Gods representative in hearing
the cries of the oppressed and bring justice to the disenfranchised.
10:30-11:00 Ken M. Penner (St. Francis Xavier University)
Although
Isaiah in the LXX and the MT differ considerably, the differences are due not
to the translator's Vorlage (which is close to
the MT) but rather to his translation style. Yet what that bersetzungsweise
is has been a question for debate in recent years. Arie
van der Kooij (following
Ziegler and Seeligmann) argues that the Greek
translator of Isaiah contemporized the book of Isaiah by finding fulfilment of its prophecies in his own day. However, Ron Troxel finds no basis for such Erfllungsinterpretation
and claims rather that the differences are due mainly to a "desire to
convey the sense of the book as clearly as possible in Greek." This paper
examines the differences between the Hebrew and the Greek in the first chapters
of Isaiah in order to find which theory best explains why the translator made
these changes.
11:00-11:30 Jonathan Vroom (University of Toronto)
Recasting Mishpatim: Legal Innovation in Leviticus
One of the issues that is
particularly important in discussions of inner-scriptural exegesis,
particularly in the field of biblical law, is the relationship that a text was
meant to have with its source. Were later texts intended to replace their
sources, or supplement them? While the bulk of this paper will examine one
instance of textual reuse in the Holiness Code (particularly the reuse of laws
from the Covenant Code in Lev 24:17-21), the larger issue that my paper will
address is the methodological complexity involved in determining motivations
for textual reuse. In the end I will argue that the H authors rhetorical
strategy relies on the continued preservation of their source, and therefore H
was meant to accompany CC.
9:00-11:30 (CL 215)
Second Temple Judaism
Chair / Prsident: Michele Murray (Bishops University)
9:00-9:30 Jonathan Bernier (McMaster University)
Sirachs Synagogue: Reconsidering the Institutional Forms of Pre-Maccabean Synagogues
Frequently do
scholars state that Sirach does not refer to synagogues. Less frequently, however, do they take into
account recent work which has examined more closely
the diversity of institutional forms among ancient synagogues (cf. the work of
Philip Harland, Lee Levine and Anders Runesson). The
word συναγωγή appears
10 times in Sirach, while the closely related term ἐκκλησία appears
13; of these 23 cumulative occurrences, at least 10 refer to a specific
institution. In addition, in 51:23 there is a reference to a οἶκος αιδείας, i.e. a house of instruction. This paper will ask To what
sort of institution(s) are these terms referring? Starting with Runessons distinction between public and association
synagogues, it will be argued that the terms συναγωγή and ἐκκλησία refer to the former while the οἶκος αιδείας refers to the latter. This
paper will also consider the possible implications of this argument for our
knowledge of synagogue origins and development.
9:30-10:00 Frank Clancy (Waterloo)
The Exile and Ben Sira
Ben
Sira is the earliest available witness to Biblical
stories, but, it also poses some difficult questions about the sources he
used. There are no references to
the Egyptian exile or the Exodus, and the Babylonian exile and the return. Possibly, Ben Sira
left these out for ideological reasons or because they were unimportant. However, it is also possible they did
not exist at that time.
Concentrating on chronology and ideology, I shall examine the Return
from Babylon" theme to see if there is evidence to support the
claim that these stories did not exist for Ben Sira.
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-10:45 Carmen Palmer (Emmanuel College)
Wisdom for the Righteous of the World: Wisdom
of Solomon as a Universal, Mosaic tr Law
While Second Temple biblical
and extra-biblical texts (both esteemed Palestinian and Diasporic)
often refer to Mosaic tr, tr, or nomos, the
question often remains as to whether these laws referenced actually denote
the tradition of the written Pentateuch. For example, the Jewish Hellenistic Greek text of the Wisdom of Solomon refers to a nomos, which in
this example is often deemed not to be written-Mosaic-Pentateuchal- tr, and is instead considered some form of Hellenistic
natural, or universal, law
(Winston). This paper
devises a three-part textual framework to apply to this particular nomos, and
concludes that in fact, Wis Sol references a
written-Mosaic-Pentateuchal- tr. To
further test this textual method, the paper concludes with the application of
this framework to two other Second Temple textual examples, namely Ben Sira 24s reference to Mosaic law, and also to the DSS
Community Rules (1QS 5 and 6) reference to reverting to the law of Moses.
10:45-11:15 Heather Macumber
(St. Michael's College)
Earthly Angels in the Prayer of Jacob and the Prayer of Joseph
In many Jewish texts, fluidity between the
boundaries of heaven and earth is evident. Humans are transported to the
heavenly realm and angels serve as messengers to earth. In the Prayer of
Jacob, this
blurring of boundaries is demonstrated as the petitioner is identified as an
earthly angel, one who has achieved immortality. Likewise, the Prayer of
Joseph also describes the elevated status of Jacob as an angel. This paper
seeks to identify the nature of an earthly angel and how these liturgical
texts relate to other angelomorphic traditions
found especially in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
11:15-11:30 Discussion
8:45-11:30 (CL 221)
Chair / Prsident: Edith M. Humphrey (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary)
8:45-9:15 Alain Gignac (Universit de Montral)
We know that everything that Law says. Intertextuality, Enunciation, and Characterization in Rom 3:9-20.
The interpretation of Rom 3:9-20 seems so clear (an indictment which
proves or simply illustrates the universality of sin) that there are only a
handful of papers dedicated to these verses (Hays 1980, Keck 1977, Moyise 1995). From a rhetorical perspective, it is an
argument based on the authority of Scripture in order to prove that all are
under Sins domination. Nonetheless, the mechanisms of this text are very
sophisticated. Beyond rhetorical analysis, my goal is to demonstrate the intertextual, narrative and enunciative
resources used in the text.
9:15-9:45 Mona Tokarek LaFosse (University of Toronto)
Age Hierarchy and Widows in 1 Timothy 5:3-16
Scholars
have long debated the historical situation that informed the extended
discussion of widows in 1 Timothy 5:3-16. A consideration of age hierarchy
among women in the ancient Mediterranean clarifies some of the enigmatic
statements in this text. This paper suggests that the author exalted the 60+
widows (5:9-10) as role models not in contrast to the younger widows (5:11),
but in contrast to a group of middle-aged women who were not behaving
properly. In the view of the author of 1 Timothy,
these middle-aged women were shirking their responsibilities as models,
teachers and patrons for the younger widows in the community, whose behaviour was out of control as a result (5:11-15).
9:45-10:15 Ryan S. Schellenberg (University of St. Michaels College)
The Rhetoric of Desperation: Boasting and Apostleship in 2 Corinthians
10–13
Second
Corinthians 10–13 has, since Windisch, been
regarded a Fools Speech (Narrenrede): Although Pauls boasting may seem excessive, it
comes from behind the mask of a fool, and thus can only be considered an ironic
parody. More recently, these chapters have been read as an exemplum of ancient
self-praise (periautologia):
Although Pauls boasting may strike a modern reader as unseemly,
it in fact accords with ancient prescriptions for boasting without causing
offense. Upon closer reading of the ancient texts to which 2 Cor 10–13 is ostensible comparable, it becomes clear
that neither proposal can be sustained. Moreover, both are historically
misleading, obscuring the precariousness of Pauls relationship with the
Corinthians by positing a dispassionate Paul who chooses among his rhetorical
options rather than a desperate Paul who clings to his self-declared identity
as apostolos
in the face of widespread rejection.
10:15-10:30 Break
11:00-11:30 Gary Yamasaki (Columbia Bible College)
Empathizing With a Villain: A Perspective-Critical Analysis of Sauls
Damascus Road Experience (Acts 9:1-9)
Given
Sauls introduction into the story line of the Book of Acts as a villainous
persecutor, it is only natural that the audience would delight in the trauma he
experiences as he is stopped dead in his tracks on the Damascus Road. Yet, a reading of this passage elicits
empathy for Saul in his trauma, and not delight. One explanation for this empathy could be that the audience
is aware that Saul goes on to be a hero, and thus, feels for him now as he goes
through this suffering. However, a
better explanation is supplied by a perspective-critical analysis, that is, a
study of the point-of-view dynamics of this passage. Such an analysis reveals that the way the narrator uses
point of view positions the audience to have a subjective experience of Saul. According to point-of-view theory, a
subjective experience of a character leads the audience to empathize with that
character, regardless of whether he or she has been characterized positively or
negatively earlier in the narrative.
Therefore, even though Saul has been characterized strictly as a villain
to this point in the narrative, the narrators point-of-view moves engender a
sense of empathy for him within the audience.
11:30-12:30 (MB 3-210)
Lunch for all Students and New Members / Casse-crote pour tudiants et membres nouveaux
12:30-14:00 (MB 3-210)
Special Session Organized by Students / Session spciale organise par les tudiants
Presiding: Sonya Kostamo (Student
Liaison, CSBS Executive)
Finding Your Own Voice: Insights
into the Transition from Student to Scholar
Successful graduate students immerse themselves
in the scholarship of others, but such immersion can sometimes overwhelm
or frustrate the unique voice of students in their own research and
writing. This years student session will discuss aspects of
professional development related to individuality and includes comments
from a panel of scholars regarding this transition from student to
author, teacher, and contributing member of the academic community. Come
with questions for the panel and gain helpful insights that will inspire you
as a student to cultivate your own voice as you work towards contributing
creative and original scholarship.
14:00-15:20 (MB
S2-330)
Student
Essay Prizes / Prix pour travaux dՎtudiant(e)s
Chair / Prsident: Francis Landy (University
of Alberta)
14:30-15:00 Jeremias Prize: James Magee (Vancouver School of Theology)
Jesus and Augustus – Divine Sons: Multivalent Lukan Sonship in the Light of Graeco-Roman Ruler Worship
In
the wake of a growing sensitivity to the affects of imperialism on colonized
indigenous populations, an understanding brought about by postcolonial
critique, the New Testament writings continue to be mined closely for their
relationships to empire. Against the backdrop of Graeco-Roman
ruler worship as it developed in the ancient Mediterranean east, this paper
will explore the various models of divine sonship
present in Luke and Acts, proposing that they were strategic appropriations of
the different ways in which Augustus was considered divine. It will
further be suggested, through the lens of James Scott's work on public and
hidden transcripts, that these appropriations were intended by Luke to extol
Jesus as a divine son over and against the Roman Emperor.
15:00-15:10 Questions
15:10-15:40 Founders Prize: Eric R. Montgomery (McMaster University)
Divine Knowledge as a Requisite for Communion with the Angels
This
paper examines the soteriological function of divine
knowledge in the Qumran community.
I contend that the Qumran covenanters believed that Gods gift of divine
knowledge allowed them to commune with the angels in joint worship of God. The
first section of my paper elucidates the nature of this divine knowledge. In
the second section I show that this knowledge is what made human communion with
the angels possible. In the third section I prove that divine knowledge had the
power to effect communion because it restores the human recipients to their
original, Adamic state.
15:40-15:50 Questions
15:30-17:00 (MB S2-330)
CSBS Annual
General Meeting / Assemble annuelle de la SCB
Presiding / Prsidence: Francis Landy (University of Alberta)
17:15-18:15 (MB S2-330)
Presidential Address / Confrence
du Prsident
Presiding / Prsidence: Margaret Y. MacDonald
(St. Francis Xavier University)
Francis Landy (University of Alberta)
"I and Eye in Isaiah or Gazing at the Invisible"
19:00-22:00 (Weinstein and Gavinos, 1434 Rue Cr.)
CSBS Annual Dinner / Banquet
annuel de la SCB
9:00-11:30 (CL 221)
Hebrew Bible/Old Testament / Bible Hbraque/Ancien
Testament II
Chair / Prsident: Erin Runions (Pomona College)
9:00-9:30 Shayna Sheinfeld (McGill University)
From Words to Actions: An analysis of 4 Ezra 9:26-10:58
In recent research on the fourth vision in 4 Ezra,
the character of mourning woman is thought to act as a physical being that
propagates the movement of roles within the story: Ezra replaces the role of
comforter that Uriel plays in visions 1-3, while
the woman moves into Ezras previous role. However, Ezra does not provide
comfort but instead berates the mourning woman, who refuses to be consoled. In
verse 10:25, she is transformed into the heavenly Zion and Ezras experience of
the physical sensations associated with this transformation is beyond anything
he has yet felt. Through literary
analysis this paper will show that there is not an exchange of roles, but that
the fourth vision is set up to move the text as a whole from dialogue to
apocalyptic revelation, with specific emphasis on the language and structure of
4 Ezra 9:26-10:58.
9:15-9:45 Suk Yee (Anna) Lee (McMaster Divinity College)
An Analysis of Intertextuality as a Methodology in the Discipline of Hebrew Bible Studies
There has been an explosion of interest in intertextuality in the last two decades. Critics have begun
to realize that a text is not an isolated object, but rather it is embedded in
a larger web of texts. However, the frequent use of the term with diverse definitions
is threatening to blunt its uniqueness. The major problem is that intertextuality has been developed as a theoretical rather
than a methodological term. The purpose of this paper is to contain intertextuality ideologically so that its literary notion
can be applied fruitfully as an exegetical methodology to the study of the
Hebrew Bible. Three interrelated hermeneutical assumptions will be proposed,
and they are: (1) The definition of a text; (2) The nature of textual
relationships; and (3) The agents of textual meaning.
9:45-10:00 Break
10:00-10:30 W. Derek Suderman (Conrad Grebel)
(Over) Hearing Jussives at Work
Psalms
scholarship has paid less attention to shifting address from one audience to
another than to formal elements. In one particularly striking example, Anneli Aejmelaeus identifies
traditional prayer with imperative address to God and explicitly eliminates
jussives from her discussion due to their inherent ambiguity. In contrast, this
paper will argue that it is this ambiguity that permits jussives to function
rhetorically within individual complaint psalms to address divine and human
audiences simultaneously. Rather than being sidelined, jussives should be
recognized as highly significant for their rhetorical function.
10:30-11:00 Nick Meyer (McMaster University)
What is Man? Creation and Anthropology in the Hebrew Bible to the Hodayot
A prominent form critical element of the Hodayot found among the Dead Sea Scrolls has been termed Doxologies of Lowliness, after the so-called Doxologies of Righteousness of the Hebrew Bible. These Qumran texts share with their biblical counterparts an emphasis on the righteousness of God, but along with amplifying the emphasis on human sinfulness they ground human lowliness and sin in humanitys very creatureliness rather than simply its behaviour. This paper will investigate select Hebrew Bible texts which combine the themes of creation and anthropology, including the P and J sources in the primordial history of Genesis, Psalms 8 and 139, and a selection of texts from the Book of Job, in order to compare their own formulations of the tension between human creatureliness and sinfulness and to uncover any tradition-historical connections which may illuminate the Doxologies of Lowliness.
11:00-11:30 Carla Sulzbach (McGill University)
Elijah at Horeb: the dark side of Moses on Sinai
The
Pentateuch contains the familiar account of Moses encounters with the Divine
on Sinai/Horeb. In I Kings, however, a much less known story is found about the
prophet Elijah who likewise had an intense spiritual experience at Horeb. This
story, which shows many similarities to the earlier narrative, appears to lampoon
that of Moses. This paper will explore those similarities and especially
emphasize the role dreams and visions play in the two stories. The notion that
both characters traverse otherworldly realities is something that is often
overlooked in studies that treat the two narratives together, thereby missing a
significant point that the stories seek to make. It is also argued that it is
primarily this element that accounts for the afterlife that the two characters
enjoy together in Second Temple period texts and beyond.
8:45-11:30 (CL 217)
New
Testament World
Chair / Prsident: David Hawkin (Memorial University)
8:45-9:15 John S. Kloppenborg (University of Toronto)
Explusions from Associations and the Aposynagogos of
John
The appearance of aposynagogos in John 9:22; 12:42; 16:2 has mainly
been discussed in relation to the alleged revision of the Birkat
ha-Minim either at Yavneh or sometime later. This
paper explores the practice of exclusion of members from associations of the
first and second centuries of the common era as a way to broaden the discussion
of what was at stake in the exclusions of which the fourth gospel seems to
speak.
9:15-9:45 Andr Gagn (Concordia University)
Polemicizing Against
Other Gnostics: Gnosis and Salvation in the Gospel
of Judas
Most scholars are
of the opinion that the Gospel of Judas
is a Sethian Gnostic text written against the
emerging Proto-Orthodox church and its traditional practices and beliefs. But
the debate on whether or not Judas Iscariot is characterized as Jesus favourite
disciple is still ongoing. In relation to this question of Judas role,
scholars have neglected to understand the value of gnosis as the means of attaining salvation in the Gospel of Judas. This paper explores the
idea that the Judas Gospel polemicizes not only
against Proto-Orthodox Christians, but also possibly against certain groups who
solely rely on gnosis for salvation.
9:45-10:15 Ian Brown (University of Regina)
The Literary Unity of the Gospel of Thomas
In
recent years the Gospel of Thomas has garnered a great deal of scholarly
attention, especially in its relation to Christian origins and the historical
Jesus. As a result two issues have dominated the scholarly imagination: the
question of Thomas date, and the question whether or not Thomas betrays a
literary relationship with the New Testament. At one time these questions were
of interest, but to continue to dwell on these issues is to ignore the many
other questions we could be asking about Thomas. In my paper I intend to
address one of these other questions: does Thomas show signs of literary
unification, and if so, in what ways? By asking these questions I hope to move
past the quagmire created by issues of date/(in)dependence and raise some
important issues that are seldom addressed.
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:00 Christophe Rico (Ecole Biblique et Archologique Franaise, Jerusalem)
Speaking Koine Greek as a living language
Very few people in the world are able to read a book in Ancient Greek
without dictionary as one would read a text in French or Spanish. Many are
those who have spent long years learning ancient Greek with traditional methods
only to feel completely disappointed by the results of their study. We need to
explore new avenues in order to find an efficient way of learning ancient
Greek. Two conditions seem to be necessary in order to reach that goal:
choosing a single dialect and period of time among the different varieties of
ancient Greek and following a method which draws its inspiration from
techniques applied nowadays for teaching modern languages. This paper describes
a new textbook that has been published recently which is grounded on the so
called total physical response method and on a full immersion in Koine Greek.
11:00-11:30 Alexander Damm (University of Toronto)
Revelations Appeal to Rhetorical Form in the Judgement of Rome (Rev 18:1-24)
In recent years, scholarship
on the Book of Revelation has demonstrated the impact of Greco-Roman rhetorical
convention on the composition of visions. An important tradition whose
rhetorical form has missed such analysis, however, is Johns vision of the judgement of Rome (Rev 18:1-24). While commentaries point
to its dependency on genres that include Greek tragedy and Hebrew laments, the
vision has a striking if basic rhetorical form: a tripartite sequence of proofs
that begins with an appeal to character, proceeds to an appeal to logic, and
concludes with an appeal to emotions. Whichever genres have influenced Johns
composition, John has arranged his materials in a rhetorical manner. This paper
seeks to articulate a significant rhetorical influence upon Johns work, and so
to underscore the careful efforts that inform the composition of visions.
8:45-12:00 (CL
215)
The Book of
Chronicles and Early Second Temple Historiography (Session 1)
Chair / Prsident: Patricia Kirkpatrick
(McGill University)
8:45-9:15 Tyler F. Williams (The Kings University College)
Chronicles and Early Second Temple Historiography:
The last quarter-century has seen a remarkable
resurgence in scholarship on the book of Chronicles. Much of this research has
focused on the nature of the Book of Chronicles in the light of early Second
Temple Historiography. This paper will evaluate the state of Chronicles
research, with a particular focus on contributions from members of the Canadian
Society of Biblical Studies.
9:15-9:45 Peter Sabo (University of Alberta)
To be, or not to be (King Saul), that is the question: Conjuring up the
old problem of the Saul Narrative in Chronicles
If one assumes, as most do, that the Chronicler was
aware of the book of Samuel (or some version of it), then it is only natural to
ask why he chose to omit almost all the chapters of Samuel that deal with Saul.
Gary Knoppers notes that the question can be asked in
a different manner: Given that Chronicles focuses exclusively on the Davidic
monarchy centred in Jerusalem, why offer any
attention to Saul at all? Indeed, a survey of the major interpretive options on
the issue thus far is evidence that it is the question(s) and presupposition(s)
of the scholar which dictate what answer is provided. Scholarship should not
make the same mistake as Saul and conjure up a ghost who tells us only what we
already know. The present study presupposes that texts inform the reader, not
of the period(s) about which they are written about, but primarily of the
period(s) in which they were written. There is both a Saul Polemic and an
anti-Saul Polemic present in the text of Chronicles; these features work in
tension and in tandem with one another, as both would directly relate to the
present experience of readers in the community of Achaemenid
Yehud.
9:45-10:15 Mark J. Boda (McMaster
Divinity College)
Peering through the Cloud of
Incense: Davidic Dynasty and Community in the Chroniclers Perspective
The purpose of this paper is to describe the
multi-dimensional nature of the debate over the future of David and his dynasty
in Chronicles and then to propose a both-and rather than an either-or
solution. The goal is not to
convert various proposals to a lowest common denominator, nor to create a
dialectal synthesis, nor to create hermeneutical skepticism and discourage any
resolution. Rather it is to argue
that the various viewpoints noted throughout the recent history of interpreting
Chronicles are valid and have revealed important aspects of the Chroniclers
intention which reflect the worldview of the interpretive community represented
by the books of Chronicles.
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:00 Louis Jonker
(Stellenbosch University)
Of Jebus, Jerusalem and Benjamin: The
Chronicler's Sondergut in 1 Chronicles 21 against the
background of the late Persian Era in Yehud.
1 Chronicles 21 has been scrutinized by biblical
scholars for many reasons – one of which is the addition of verse 6 in
the census narrative, indicating that Joab did not
include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering. There is still no consensus among
scholars on why the Chronicler mentioned these exclusions. Particularly, the
exclusion of Benjamin generates different theories: some relate it to the fact
that the ark was in Jerusalem; others to the fact that the tabernacle was in
Gibeon; and still others to the fact that Joab was
actually accused of not completing the counting of the people. In my paper I
will investigate how this addition of the Chronicler relates to another piece
of Sondergut at the end of that chapter (21:28-22:1)
in which the place of temple-building is aetiologically
related to the threshing floor of Ornan, the Jebusite. The interrelationship of Jebus,
Jerusalem and Benjamin will be evaluated against the socio-political backdrop
of the late Persian period – particularly from the perspective of the
province Yehud. Recent work on the tribe of Benjamin
(such as, for example, the essay by Philip Davies, "The trouble with
Benjamin" [2007]) will be taken into account in this investigation.
11:00-11:30 Isaac Kalimi (East
Carolina University)
The Rise and Fall of King Solomon: Deuteronomistic versus Chronistic
History
Overall, Solomon is represented as a more earthly
and human figure in the book of Kings.
Solomon and his kingdom have a climax, but also failures and
downfall. He was granted wisdom
and wealth by the Lord. However,
the wisdom and the wealth did not remain for him at the end of his life. Strikingly, Solomon had many political
marriages to foreign women and became an apostate. In fact these also add to his earthy description. The portrait of Solomon in Chronicles,
however, is more idealistic than any other king in ancient Israel. He has been chosen by the Lord to be a king
and Temple builder. He kept
completely his fathers testament in both parts: building the Temple and
keeping Torah commandments.
Solomon was granted wisdom and wealth by God and these remained so all
his lifetime. He never acted
inappropriately in or out of his kingdom and also never transgressed. Solomon did not cause to the split of
the united kingdom of Israel and the fall of the empire. The difference
provides a clear perspective into the literary, theological, and pedagogical
goals of the Deuteronomistic and Chronistic
historians.
11:30-12:00 John Wright (Point Loma Nazarene University)
Divine Retribution in Herodotus and the Chronicler
The Chronicler's historiography was written in the
time of the great flowering of Hellenistic historiography. While recent scholarship by Gary Knoppers has established ties to the Greek genealogists,
this paper will seek to pursue commonalities and differences between the Greek
and Judean historiography by examining descriptions of divine retribution in
Chronicles and Herodotus. Both
insist that certain actions will receive retribution from God (the gods)even
while explaining these actions in strictly human terms; while Herodotus has a
notion of the capriciousness of the gods and the fates, the moral/theological
retribution is more consistent within Chronicles.
12:00-13:30 (Pino, 1471 Crescent St.)
Women
Scholars Lunch / Casse-crote pour les femmes savants
13:30-17:45 (CL
215)
The Book of
Chronicles and Early Second Temple Historiography (Session 2)
Chair / Prsident: Tyler F. Williams (The
Kings University College)
13:30-14:00 Gary N. Knoppers (The
Pennsylvania State University)
Yhwh will raise up for you a prophet like me:
Prophecy and Prophetic Succession in Chronicles
In my essay, I would like to comment on the
prophetic phenomenon in Chronicles with a special view to the distribution of
prophets throughout the course of the monarchy. My paper will argue the
presentation of Chronicles has been profoundly influenced by the tradition
reflected in Deut 18:15-22 dealing with the prophetic office. The influence is
fourfold: 1) prophecy as a largely independent institution ordained by Yhwh; 2) what prophecy is; 3) what prophecy is not; and 4)
a succession of prophets actualizing the promise that Yhwh
would raise up prophets like Moses to follow him. To be sure, Chronicles
neither directly quotes the officeholder legislation of Deuteronomy nor speaks
directly of a prophetic succession. I shall argue, however, that the work
assumes the fundamental aspects of the Deuteronomic
presentation and presents Israelite history as repeatedly instantiating the
fulfillment of the divine pledge. Beginning with a sketch of the prophetic
office and prophetic succession in Deuteronomy, my essay will discuss Chronistic prophecy and its indebtedness to the portrayal
in Deuteronomy. Given the diversity of prophets and prophetic figures appearing
in Chronicles, it will be important to pay some attention to the different
titles given to prophetic figures and the distinction between regular prophets,
individuals whose occupation it is to prophesy, and non-professional prophets,
pro tem figures from other walks of life who are led to prophesy in a
particular setting. Having distinguished between regular prophets and temporary
prophets, I shall explore how the prophetic succession operates within
different periods of the monarchy.
14:00-14:30 Keith Bodner (Atlantic
Baptist University)
Capital Punishment: The Configuration of Ahaziah's
Last Hours in 2 Chronicles 22
Even though his royal tenure lasts but a single
year, the ill-fated career of Ahaziah receives
considerable attention in both the Deuteronomistic
History (2 Kings 8-9) and the Chronicler's narrative (2 Chr
22). Yet numerous commentators have observed a series of substantial variations
in the portraits of Ahaziah in these two accounts,
especially with respect to his royal execution at the hands of Jehu son of Nimshi. For instance, a century ago in their ICC volume,
Curtis and Madsen remarked that Ahaziah's death in
Chronicles is a "totally different representation" from the version
recounted in 2 Kings 9. This position has been affirmed by a host of subsequent
scholars, to the point that R. B. Dillard referred to the two versions of Ahaziah's demise as presenting "formidable difficulties,"
and posing "one of the most difficult historical problems in the OT."
In this paper I compare the relevant texts of Kings and Chronicles and proffer
a new position: rather than a historical problem, this text provides an ideal
point of entry for appreciating the literary world of the Chronicler. While the
biblical narratives do recognize the use of omens manipulated by specialist
ephod-wearing priests for the purpose of predicting the outcome of an impending
battle, Dtr seems to denigrate the use of divination
and give to the prophet the function of predicting future events. This has to
do, not only with warnings about the consequences of disobedience to the divine
will, but also concerning the more long-term destiny of royal dynasties and the
fate of the nations of Israel and Judah. This is reflected in the so-called
theology of the Dtr history, as spelled out by von Rad, as well as in certain reactions to Dtr
in later additions to the history (e.g. the David Saga). The paper will take up
a number of examples to illustrate these features. What I hope will become
clear are the great differences in the understanding of prophecy as prediction
within biblical historiography.
14:30-15:00 Paul Evans (McMaster University)
To Besiege or Not to Besiege: The Chroniclers Presentation of the Invasion of Sennacherib
This
paper will undertake a close reading of 2 Chronicles 32 to determine what
events are narrated by the Chronicler and to examine his method in reworking 2
Kings 18-19. Contrary to his Vorlage, in 2 Chronicles
32 Sennacherib does not conquer Judahs fortified cities (2 Chr
32:1), and no Assyrian army accompanies the Assyrian messengers (2 Chr 32:9). Furthermore, there is no siege of Jerusalem.
Though 2 Chr 32:10 appears to refer explicitly
to a siege, there is some debate whether to translate the siege (e.g.,
Selman, Japhet) or the fortress (e.g., Williamson,
Meyers) of Jerusalem. This study argues for the translation siege of
Jerusalem but since the statement is only found in the mouth of the Assyrian
emissary and contradicts the narrators direct statements, his statement is
unreliable. The Chronicler clearly downplays the Assyrian threat,
however, in doing so he was following the lead of his Vorlage.
References in 2 Kgs 19:8-9 to Sennacheribs
abandonment of the fortified cities of Lachish and Libnah
may have suggested to the Chronicler they were not conquered. The heavy
force of 2 Kgs 18:17 may have been understood by the
Chronicler as a small military force (cf. 2 Kgs 6:14)
accompanying the Assyrian messengers which subsequently left with them (2 Kgs 19:8). Finally, the lack of a siege of
Jerusalem followed the lead of his Vorlage which
does not narrate such a siege. What is more, the prophetic word of Isaiah
(2 Kings 19:32) denied the possibility of such a siege making the choice to
have Sennacherib not besiege immutable.
15:00-15:15 Break
15:15-15:45 Mark Leuchter (Temple
University Department of Religion)
Implicit and Explicit
Rhetoric in 2 Chronicles 35-36
As most commentators have
noted, the closing chapters of Chronicles diverge significantly from the
alleged source materia in the book of Kings,
presenting historical events, characterizing individual personalities, and
alluding to liturgical and legal traditions without parallel in the Hebrew
Bible. Though some scholars have
concluded that this speaks to a diversity of oral and now-lost literary
sources, the present study will suggest that the Chronicler has here deployed a
careful rhetorical strategy regarding the multiplicity of authoritative but
conflicting literary and ideological traditions he inherited. The Chronicler engages in this
enterprise at a critical moment in his narrative to make a point regarding the
place of these religious traditions in his own socio-political climate.
15:45-16:15 Ehud Ben Zvi (University
of Alberta)
Exile in Chronicles
This paper examines the concept of Exile in
Chronicles. It explores the ways
in which Exile in Chronicles resembles and deviates from the manner it is
construed in prophetic literature and other historiographical
works that existed in Judah during the late Persian/early Hellenistic period.
In particular, the paper draws attention to the different challenge that the
calamity of 586 BCE represented within the ideology of the Book of Chronicles
and to the impact that the concept of Exile reflected and evoked by Chronicles
had on reconfigurations of memories of the past and to some extent, hopes for
the future within the relevant community of literati.
16:15-16:45 Sonya Kostamo (University
of Alberta)
Historiography in Lament: A Case Study of Isaiah 63:7-64:11[12]
The composition of Isaiah 56-66, or so-called
Trito-Isaiah, may be dated to the late-Persian/Early Hellenistic Period
making this portion of the book of Isaiah relevant to the study of
Chronicles. While Isaiah 56-66
lacks any explicit mention of historical events, the communal lament in Isa
63:7-64:11[12] may offer insight into another post-exilic interpretation of
Israels past. This paper will examine the perspectives on the past found in
Isa 63:7-64:11[12] with special attention given to figures elevated in the
lament, namely Moses and Abraham.
Finally, the paper will briefly compare the results of the analysis with
references to the same figures in Chronicles to see if there is any overlap in
the historiographical discourse evidenced in these
two texts.
16:45-17:15 James Bowick (McMaster
Divinity College)
Hearing Darius in Ezra: A Bakhtinian Analysis
of the Voice of Darius in Ezra 6.
There is no doubt that Ezra-Nehemiah is basically a
pro-Persian book, and that Cyrus and Darius are shown playing very positive
roles. The letter of Darius in Ezra 6, echoing the early edict of Cyrus, is
pivotal in bringing completion to the rebuilding of the temple after the exile.
This study will examine how this letter functions within the book using the Bakhtinian concepts of chronotope
and double voicing. Ezra makes
excellent use of the intersection between narrative and chronological time at
the nexus of Ezra 5-6 to nuance the character of Darius that arises from a
straight reading of the chapter. Arrangement of the materials in a manner that
is at odds with the chronology creates a dialogue that is
trans-generational. This, combined
with careful double voicing of the letter itself, nuances our hearing of the
letter. While Darius is given
special status among the Persian kings, the writer also takes care to limit his
authority and role. First, Darius
graces to the Yehudites are not borne of his own
intention, but are subservient to the will of Cyrus. Further, the writer takes
great pains constantly to trace the impetus to rebuild, and to complete the
temple not back to Darius, but to Yahweh himself, mediated not directly through
the king, but through prophetic agents.
In the end, it is not Darius who, as king, initiates and rebuilds the
temple, nor is it Cyrus. The true
king of Israel is Yahweh.
17:15-17:45 Christine
Mitchell (St. Andrews College)
Reflections on the Book of Chronicles and Early Second Temple Historiography
13:30-16:15 (CL 217)
Lament
Chair / Prsident: Andrew Wilson (Mount Allison University)
13:30-14:00 Andrew Wilson (Mount Allison University)
Famous Last Words: The Intersections of Forgiveness and Lament atop Golgotha.
Is
forgiveness integral to lamentation? This paper follows the tradition of
the seven last words of Christ on the cross, with attention given more
specifically those that evoke lament (references to Psalm 22 and Psalm 69) and
those that invoke forgiveness (namely, Lukes account). Of
particular importance will be Derridas development of the notion of
forgiveness, a concept which forms part of his so-called ethical turn.
Is lament an attempt to voice the unforgiveable? Does forgiveness gesture
towards the same point of impasse that lament
marks? Ultimately, this paper raises theological questions relating to
incarnation, the im/possibility of divine-human
encounter and the locations spanned by the inter-textual cross.
14:00-14:30 Fiona C. Black (Mount Allison University)
When Babylon is Not Babylon:
Psalm 137 and the Caribbean Hermeneutical Space
This paper considers the multi-positionality of
lament discourse via a reading of Psalm 137, "By the Rivers of
Babylon." The psalm's play with ideas of place and space suggests a useful
heuristic for thinking about the ways that lamentation intersects with
different, often conflicting, interests, particularly those of insiders
(exiled) and outsiders (enemies). Discussion will be framed against Caribbean
hermeneutics and the experiences of present-day insiders and outsiders, that
is, exiles and immigrants. The psalm serves here both to explore the contours
of the Caribbean immigrant experience and some of the benefits and failings of
Caribbean hermeneutics.
14:30-14:45 Break
14:45-15:15 Robert Culley (McGill University)
The Language of the Complaints of the Individual
The
term language covers much ground but does indicate my general approach and
starting point. The concern of
this paper lies in the existence of recurrent language in the complaints, or,
as I call it, traditional language. This language creates a certain sense of
familiarity, stability, and consistency, yet the poems display a remarkable
range of variation and do not simply follow a standard pattern. In addition, the
complaints present a number of rapid shifts, jarring transitions, and apparent
contradictions. The complexity produced will be explored briefly using some
texts like Psalms 35, 71, and 86.
15:15-15:45 Erin Runions (Pomona College)
Torture by the Book: Psalm 137 after Abu Ghraib
This
paper explores the work of lament in the context of war. It starts from the
little remarked report that the song Rivers of Babylon, by Boney M, was
repeated at high volumes at Abu Ghraib in the attempt
to break prisoners. Between WW II and the events of Abu Ghraib,
scholars have often read this psalm in the context of the Holocaust, to try to
understand the violent ending of Psalm 137 as an understandable response to
acute oppression. The implications of that interpretation and the violence that
it might inadvertently have facilitated in the Iraq war are considered, before
looking at how the language of the Psalm might contribute to, and also resist,
such violence.
15:45-16:15 Bill Morrow (Queens University)
Lament and Human Rights: The Crisis of Agency
In
the concluding chapter of my book, Protest Against God (Sheffield
Phoenix, 2006), I suggested an analogy between the discourses of biblical
lament and human rights. This association rested on the observation that, as
with the arguing with God tradition, contemporary human rights thinking is
based on concepts of entitlement, grievance, and trial. In this paper, I intend
to reframe these insights by integrating them with contemporary discussions
about agency, particularly in post-colonial studies. Reference will be made to
Truth and Reconciliation Canadas approach to survivors of the Indian
residential school system as a case in point.
8:30-11:45 (CL 215)
Chair / Prsident: Margaret Y. MacDonald (St. Francis Xavier University)
Each panelist will speak approximately 15 minutes, followed by a full discussion. There will be a break 10:15-10:30.
Cecilia Wassen (Uppsala University)
Children in the Dead Sea Scrolls
The Qumran movement was a highly stratified and exclusive sect. One branch appears to have been celibate, whereas another
perhaps larger one consisted of families. What was the status of children in
this sect? To what extent did they participate in communal activities? When and
how did the transition from child to adult take place? These are the main
questions I will address in my paper. Although the information on children in
the sectarian texts is limited, I will examine a few key passages that provide
some clues concerning these topics. To begin with, the enigmatic passage 1QSa I
4-9 provides instruction on different stages in life, including the education
of children. The Damascus Document (CD XIII 18-19/4Q266 9 iii 6-9)
mentions the instruction of children by the Examiner. Furthermore, the
exclusion of children from the meetings of the congregation in D (4Q266 8 i 6–9) and from the war camp in the War Scroll (1QM
VII 3–6) are
informative with regards to the status of children in the community. Finally, I
will discuss the regulations in D (CD XV 5-15) concerning the entrance rituals
for the young people from within the movement whereby they became full members.
Adele Reinhartz (University of Ottawa)
Children and Childhood in the works of Josephus
This
paper will survey Josephuss comments on children and childhood. While these topics are not central to
his own concerns, Josephus does not hesitate to express his views on a range of
issues such as proper relationships between parents and children and household
management. Josephuss remarks on these and other aspects of family life will
be discussed in the context of Josephuss own apologetic interests in treatises
such as Against Apion and in comparison with
Roman law, for example, on the role of the paterfamilias.
Mary Rose DAngelo (Notre Dame)
Children, Sexuality, and Slavery
The
views of ancient Jewish and early Christian authors on sexual practices address
a context in which the status of children and the realities of slavery play a
major role. This presentation will seek to contextualize fears of same-sex
context and of womens sexuality in the treatment of children in a society in
which Jews and Christians experienced or were threatened by slavery and its
power over the body.
Janet Tulloch (Carleton University)
Children in religious ritual - the visual/material evidence
In
Roman and Early Christian Art children appear on diverse ritual objects such as
votives, funerary monuments, and goods found in graves. They also appear in a
variety of ritual scenes, from playing musical instruments while the emperor
sacrifices to participating in familial cult practices. This paper will present
visual examples of three types of scenes from the first and early second
century which show children participating in or performing ritual: sacrifice,
meals, and ritual procession. In presenting this material, I discuss three
possible functions of the imagery: 1. Religious identity formation of children;
2. Transmission of correct ritual practice to the next generation; and 3.
Visual communication of inclusiveness to viewers.
Margaret Y. MacDonald (St. Francis Xavier University)
Reading
the New Testament Household Codes with a focus on Children
In
scholarship on the New Testament household codes by far the greatest attention
has been paid to marriage and the slave-master relationship. Children and their relationship with
parents have been virtually neglected.
But new studies on the lives of children in the Roman world call for a
reassessment of the implications of this ethical discourse. Moreover, methodological insights
emerging from the interdisciplinary field of Childhood Studies suggest
analytical approaches that can lead to a new appreciation of the significance
of this material. A focus on
children highlights the need to read the exhortations concerning the three
pairs of relationships as deeply interconnected, rather than as isolated
teachings directed to specific household groups.
Carolyn Osiek (Brite Divinity School, Retired)
The Education of Girls in Christian Ascetic Traditions
There
is a surprising silence about any kind of education of children by Christian
families until quite late, and information about the education of girls is even
scarcer. Margaret MacDonald and I in A
Womans Place: House Churches in Earliest Christianity tried to mine
whatever information would be forthcoming. Here I will follow some of the
elusive strands from ascetic writers of the third and fourth centuries that
suggest the beginnings of a full educational program for girls that would
certainly have applied only in selective situations, but that may have its
origins much earlier.
11:45 -12:30 (CL 215)
Discussion for new CSBS Seminar
Chair / Prsident: Steven Muir (Concordia University College of Alberta)
CSBS has had several seminars on themes specific enough to generate
focused discussion, yet broad enough to attract a variety of scholars and
topics. Recent seminars were Religious Rivalries, and Travel and Religion
in the Ancient World. At this meeting we will consider possible topics
and who would help direct this venture.
9 :30-11:45
(CL 217)
Patterns in
Biblical Scholarship/Methods of Interpretation
Chair / Prsident: TBA
9:00-9:30 Gerbern S. Oegema (McGill University)
The Study of Early Judaism in Canada
This paper deals with the study of early Judaism in
Canada, which began at McMaster University. It will both look at the origin of
the crucial group of scholars gathered there for the study of early Judaism
from the mid-1960s onward, and then how the McMaster doctorate program
influenced a large number of Canadian scholars from coast to coast. As there
wasnt anything remotely comparable elsewhere in Canada in the 60s and 70s,
there were individual scholars interested in early Judaism. The major SSHRC
project on Normative Self-Definition in Early Christianity and Judaism
developed at McMaster attracted many leading scholars for stays of various
lengths. A crucial feature of the McMaster program in its early years was
its creation of a single, unified area called 'Judaism and early Christianity.'
Many of those conditions changed as the core faculty moved away and they were
replaced by a new group with somewhat different perspectives, and the
department reshaped itself accordingly. But the McMaster approach had established
itself within the CSBS, and a number of special seminars emerged over the
years, leading to significant publications. The second half of the paper will
specifically deal with some of these publications of Canada based scholars
since the 1960s and then ask whether there are any common themes, objectives
and perspectives, that would make the study of Early Judaism in Canada
different form that in other countries, and thus could be called the Canadian
approach.
9:30-10:00 Christiana de Groot (Calvin College)
Grace Aquilar: an advocate for Jewish Women
Grace
Aquilars interpretation of Pentateuchal
laws in her three volume work, The Women
of Israel (1845), is unique in nineteenth-century England. She exegeted laws that concern wives, daughters, mothers and
maid servants so that Jewish women would better understand and embrace their
heritage. She wrote explicitly as a member of the Jewish minority living in a
Christian nation which discriminated against Jews, and through her interpretive
work sought to empower Jewish women. In addition, through her biblical studies
she strove for reform within her own patriarchal community, advocating for
religious education for Jewish girls.
10:00-10:30 Marion Ann Taylor (Wycliffe College, University of Toronto)
Wrestling with the Enigmas of Jael (Judges
4:17-23, 5:24-31)
The
story of Jael's murder of Sisera
has provoked great controversy throughout history. This paper will examine
nineteenth-century interpretations of Jael, focusing
especially on the writings of women who left behind the traditional figural
readings of Jael as a type of the Church and even the
Virgin Mary who ushered in redemption triumphing over sin and the devil.
Instead, using a literal-historical approach to the text, they wrestled with
the social, cultural and moral issues arising out of Jael's
actions toward Sisera and her subsequent blessing by
Deborah. The authors considered include Sarah Trimmer, Elizabeth Whately, Eliza Smith, Clara Balfour and Harriet Beecher
Stowe.
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-11:15 Heidi Epstein (St. Thomas More College)
SOS--The Sequel: The Musical Plight of a Shtetl-Bound Shulammite in Waszinskis Dybbuk
S.
Anskys play The
Dybbuk, and Waszinskis
film adaptation thereof have been described as Jewish versions of Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, or Tristan
and Isolde.
Given that a musical rendition of the Song of Songs figures prominently
in both play and film, why does Khonen and Leahs
unconsummated, albeit lethal, game of lovers hide-and-seek not prompt
comparisons with the Songs tale of love?
Readers utopic pigeonholing of the biblical
love story may explain this myopia.
But Fiona Blacks positing of grotesque bodies in the Song (The Artifice of Love, 2008) and their
evocation of loves darker dynamics (eg. death of the
self ... the quest for possession, envy, perhaps even repulsion. [p. 236])
provides a heuristic that allows 1) a new, intertextual
reading of the films Hasidic grotesque elements (cf. J. Hoberman,
Bridge of Light, 1991), especially the demonic
possession of Leah by Khonen; 2) the construction of
untapped structural homologies between the film and the biblical text; 3) a
resistant reading of the films romantically lyrical Shir hashirim as disintegrative lamentation
rather than a burning desire for unification (cf. Konigsberg).
11:15-11:45 Nathan Dueck (University of Calgary)
A diet of paradox: The
Psalmists Role in Leonard Cohens Beautiful
Losers
In
many psalms, King David strives to make beauty of his failures before God. In Beautiful Losers, Leonard Cohen attempts
to make his losers appear beautiful through several allusions to King David.
The psalmist – Cohens name for David – is a role that several
characters try to play at different times in the novel. For example: an unnamed
historian pleads for a maiden to warm his bed, just as David had Abishag the Shunammite (1 Kings
1.2); and, a political radical, named F., writes songs about the uprising to
come, just as David sang to Saul about the kingdom to come (Psalm 22.29). Cohen
defies his readers to connect these canonical references just below the level
of narrative, as evidence, perhaps, of a Cohen
who has pored over the Law of Moses. This paper will look into the ironic
inversion of two biblical topoi in Beautiful
Losers: Cohen praises the spiritual transcendence of suffering instead of
salvation, and worships disconnection rather than unity between believers.
9:00-11:15 (CL 221)
New Testament II
Chair / Prsident: Kimberly Stratton (Carleton University)
9:00-9:30 Esther Kobel (University of Basel, Switzerland)
Identity Formation in Johannine
Meal Accounts
The Johannine
Jesus offers earthly as well as heavenly food and drink to a diverse range of
people. Analysis of the receivers and addressees of earthly and metaphorical
nourishment throughout the Gospels meal scenes reveals the meal scenes as
crucial settings. This paper traces the highly dynamic development of the group
of people gathering for meals within the overall narrative of the Fourth
Gospel. It will discuss how the meal scenes and attached discourses about food
and drink function in the formation of identity of those gathering for meals on
the Gospels narrative level.
9:30-10:00 Steven Richard Scott (University of Ottawa)
Probability and Chiastic Analysis
The study of proposed larger chiastic structures faces
the criticism that the proposed chiasm could be due either to chance and/or the
imagination of the scholar proposing the chiasm. This paper will look at how
probability can solve this problem. First probability theory will be discussed,
and then how it could be applied to chiastic studies. A large section of the
Gospel of Mark has been divided into its smaller and larger natural units, and
then the parallels between any one unit and all the other units is enumerated.
The parallelism in possible chiastic patterns in this section of Mark is then analyzed using
probability theory.
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-10:45 Stephen Ney (University of British Columbia)
Colonial Annunciation: Luke 1:35 Arrives in Africa
This paper takes the angels annunciatory
words to Mary in Luke 1:35 – that holy thing which shall be born of thee
shall be called the son of God – as a cross-section of the history of
the Bibles movement across linguistic, colonial, and religious boundaries.
After a preliminary survey of this short texts transmission from Lukes Greek
to Augustines Latin (in his Enchiridion) to King Jamess English, this
paper focuses on the obstacles encountered and the cultural work performed when
in 1844 Samuel Ajayi Crowther
chose this passage, in his own translation, for the first sermon and one of the
first written phrases in his mother tongue, Yoruba. Drawing on my own work on
African literary responses to the Victorian missionary movement, I demonstrate
how the translators perception of his or her antagonist religions (in Crowthers case, Islam and African animism) colours the translation.
10:45-11:15 Keir Hammer (Edmonton)
The Silent Narrator: Examining the Narrative Voice of 1 Peter
Discussions
regarding the authorship of 1 Peter revolve primarily around the use of the
apostle Peters name in the opening of this letter. To date, no study has focussed on
the narrative voice that shaped this first-century document. Interestingly, especially in comparison
with the letters of Paul, this letter offers very little of the authorial,
Petrine voice, and presents, instead, a voice that is unique among the NT
epistles. This paper will move
beyond the questions of authorship in order to explore the distinctive details
of 1 Peters narrative voice.
19:30-21:00 (MB
1-210)
CTS/CSSR Joint
Lecture (hosted by CTS)
Justo L. Gonzlez
Beyond Christendom: New Maps
The nineteenth and
twentieth centuries have brought momentous changes to the map of Christianity,
so that it is no longer possible to speak of Christendom in either geographical
or theological terms. How is not only the present reality, but also on the way
we look at the entire history of Christianity, reflected in the interpretation
of Christianity's canonical texts? What does the incarnation of Christianity in
a wide variety of often conflicting contexts imply for its unity?
Bio: Dr. Justo L. Gonzlez, a native of Cuba, is a retired professor of
historical theology. After completing his PhD in historical theology at Yale
University in 1961, he taught at the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico for
eight years, followed by eight years on the faculty of Candler School of
Theology. For the last thirty years he has focused on developing programs for
the theological education of Hispanics, resulting in the founding of the Asociacin par la Educacin Teolgica Hispana (AETH), the
Hispanic Summer Program (HSP), and the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI).
Jointly, these programs seek to strengthen Latino/a leadership at all levels of
education and training. An ordained United Methodist minister, he has also
published over one hundred books, mostly in the field of history, but also on
various books of Scripture and on theology. His books have been translated into
eight languages. The best known are The Story of Christianity (2 vols.)
and A History of Christian Thought (3 vols.). His next forthcoming book
in English is a Commentary on Luke, for the series Belief: A Theological
Commentary on the Bible to be published by Westminster Press in the summer of
2010. Besides his PhD degree from Yale, he has received four honorary
doctorates.
Joint CSBS/CSSR/CTS/CSPS reception (hosted by CTS)
21:00-23:00 (MB 1-210)