Άρθρα βιβλικού ενδιαφέροντος στα τελευταία τεύχη του PRSt / Articles of biblical interest in the last issues of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 47/3 (2020)

Ivan Bankhead, "The Dual Impairments of the “Paralytic” of the Synoptic Gospels," 267–82

The “paralytic” who was lowered through a roof into Jesus’ presence is commonly seen as having been an adult, lame, and cognitively unimpaired. From a review of key contemporary medical writings and a critical and rational reading of the three Synoptic accounts of the incident, other NT narratives and two recent portrayals of the paralytic, this paper constructs a case for his having been envisioned originally as profoundly impaired mentally as well as physically. It shows how this reading can resolve several otherwise problematic issues within the accounts and concludes by suggesting that vicarious faith may prove efficacious for persons with profound intellectual disabilities today.

Rodney K. Duke, "The Idiom of 'Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth' in the Gospels: A Funerary Formula," 283–98

Τhis article examines the idiom of weeping and gnashing of teeth that occurs in Matthew and Luke. This idiom does not support a popular conclusion that the recipients of judgment existed in a continued state of anguish. After identifying some common presuppositions that readers often impose on the interpretation of this and other NT eschatological, judgment texts, the article turns to a fresh look at the idiom in context. I examine the two actions of weeping and gnashing of teeth as a single idiom, not separately. The idiom occurs in an independent clause with set formulaic wording. That formula does not express an action of those receiving judgment. They are dead. Drawing on Ugaritic parallels, the author concludes that idiom was likely a funerary expression in the mouth of mourners and functions in the Gospels as a literary motif for death.

Carey C. Newman, "Paul on God and Glory," 299–316

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Perspectives in Religious Studies 47/4 (2020)

Mark McEntire,  "Competing Visions of the Wilderness in Numbers 10–21," 367–83

Numbers 10–21 is a combination of three wilderness traditions that can be adequately separated by procedures common to the Neo-Documentary Hypothesis. The test of applying a source-critical evaluation is threefold here. First, do the three separate accounts each exhibit a high degree of narrative coherence? Second, can asking a question related to the larger biblical narrative yield a distinctive answer from each narrative? This question will be: How does the wilderness story understand the place to which the Israelites are travelling?  Finally, can the answers to this question shed light on how the accounts were used to create single narrative?

Nijay Gupta, "Reconstructing Junia’s Imprisonment: Examining a Neglected Pauline Comment in Romans 16:7," 385–97

The person called “Junia” in Romans 16:7 has been the subject of extensive research, discussion, and debate for several decades, but especially for the last twenty years. Most of that scholarship has focused on Junia’s sex and whether or not Paul was referring to Junia as an apostle. One of the unfortunate and unintended consequences of the narrow focus on Junia’s sex and apostleship is the academic neglect of Paul’s mention of Junia’s imprisonment 3 (συναιχμαλώτους μου). This article seeks to fill that lacuna by imagining or reconstructing the situation and circumstances of the incarceration of which Paul mentions. Very little Pauline scholarship has considered the circumstances of Paul’s prison companions. Even less has there been consideration of the challenges faced by women who were detained. In the hopes that such an imaginative exercise would contribute to a better understanding of the experience of women in early Christianity, we will consider several factors including: crimes leading to imprisonment, the conditions of imprisonment, the experience of women in particular in Roman confinement, and the (potential) survival and after effects of female prisoners.

Carey C. Newman, "Paul on Christ and Glory, " 399–413

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του Perspectives in Religious Studies / In the current issue of Perspectives in Religious Studies

 Perspectives in Religious Studies 47/2 (2020)

Mandy McMichael, "All Out of Tune: The Failures of The Psalmist to Keep the Peace," 161–73

An examination of The Psalmist, a hymnal published in 1843 and intended for the entire community of Baptists in America, illustrates a divide between Baptists North and South. Compiled by two northern ministers, Baron Stow and S. F. Smith, the original Psalmist omitted many hymns popular in the South, making it a less attractive option for the region. The omissions are understandable, since Baptists North and South espoused conflicting views about the composition and function of hymns and denominational structures. They preferred different liturgical contexts, read and interpreted scripture through different lenses, and held different theologies. For this reason, the original Psalmist received a Supplement. Still, it failed to unite Baptists North and South. Looking closely at the Psalmist and its subsequent Supplement illumines larger cultural and geographic divides by revealing as much about history as it does about musical tastes. Together, The Psalmist and its Supplement serve as excellent prisms for understanding what was at work in Baptist schism.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRS / In the current issue of PRS

Perspectives in Religious Studies 49:1 (2019)

Nicholas R. Werse, "The Literary Function of ψευδοπροφήτης in Jeremiah LXX," 3–17

The Jeremiah LXX selectively employs the term ψευδοπροφήτης in nine instances within the four conflict pericopes of Jer 33-36 (MT 26-29) and one oracle (6:13-15). Scholars struggle to explain the reason for this selective use in light of the vast number of instances in which the LXX presents a false prophet with the common term προφήτης. This article argues that by selectively employing ψευδοπροφήτης in these passages, the translator links the false prophets of the conflict pericopes (Jer 33-36 [MT 26-29]) with the condemnation of false prophets in Jer 6:13-15 for trivially responding to the destruction of the Lord’s people. This concern with the false prophets’ response unifies these five pericopes and distinguishes them from the broader condemnation of false prophets in Jeremiah LXX. This selective use of ψευδοπροφήτης fits within the broader theological concern of Jeremiah LXX over the destruction of Jerusalem.

Tony W. Cartledge, "The Use, Misuse, and Abuse of Archaeology in the Media," 19–28

Media providers make use of archaeological finds for commercial, political, or religious purposes. Commercial users report or interpret finds in order to promote tourism at biblical/historical sites or to attract readers. These sometimes over-hype or misunderstand new finds but generally remain true to the archaeologists’ reports or interviews. Academic and some religious media tend to report stories responsibly. Unfortunately, many popular religion-based sites exaggerate and misuse archaeological finds, drawing unwarranted conclusions to promote Israeli nationalism and Zionist expansion into the West Bank, or to claim “proof” of biblical stories in support of fundamentalist Christian interpretations of scripture. This article reviews specific examples of such use in recent years and bemoans the rise of “fake news” in the reporting of archaeology.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / In the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 45:4 (2018)

Το τρέχον τεύχος είναι αφιερωμένο στη σχέση Χριστιανισμού και Στωικισμού. Κάποιες από τις μελέτες αφορούν την εποχή της Καινής Διαθήκης: 

Joshua W. Jipp, "Does Paul Translate the Gospel in Acts 17:22–31? A Critical Engagement with C. Kavin Rowe’s One True Life," 361–76 

In this essay I engage the important recent work of C. Kavin Rowe’s One True Life who argues that Christianity and Stoicism are “theologically incommensurate traditions” and that neither tradition can be translated into the other. I engage in a close reading of the Lukan Paul’s sermon at the Areopagus and argue that Rowe’s reading ultimately fails to convince as an explanation for the way in which Paul’s sermon functions as a piece of intercultural missionary communication. Drawing upon recent work in the study of missiology, particularly that of Kwame Bediako, I argue that missionary proclamation involves both convergence and conflict. Rowe is right to draw attention to the way in which Paul’s sermon functions as a critique of Greco-Roman polytheism. But he has not successfully accounted for the ways in which Paul’s speech draws upon some of the best features of Hellenistic philosophy, especially Stoic traditions, as a means of exalting the Christian movement as a superior philosophy.

Timothy A. Brookins, "Mode of Discourse and the “Material” Spirit in Paul and the Stoics," 377–88

Timothy Brookins evaluates Troels Engberg-Pedersen’s claim that the apostle Paul, like the Stoics, viewed the s/Spirit as a material entity. Assessing “mode” of discourse in Paul’s discussion of anthropological and s/Spirit language, Brookins suggests that Paul’s language of the s/Spirit functions within a substantially figurative/mythical/unreflective /unofficial mode, and therefore that his language of the s/Spirit was underdetermined and not definitely material in reference.

Joseph R. Dodson, "New Friends and Old Rivals in the Letters of Seneca and The Epistle of Diognetus," 389–405

In response to C. Kavin Rowe’s dismissal of comparing the rival thought worlds of Stoicism and Christianity based on the arguments of Wittgenstein and McIntyre, this article considers how rival traditions compared themselves with each other before Wittgenstein and McIntyre said they could not do so. It specifically examines the interaction between philosophical and religious rivalries as evidenced in Seneca’s Letters and in The Epistle to Diognetus with the hope of extrapolating implications from these ancient authors regarding how to be faithful in one true life while engaging—more or less—with other competing beliefs and opposing traditions.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRS / In the current issue of PRS

Perspectives in Religious Studies 45:3 (2018)

Mark Proctor, "“Were we infants among you?”—Punctuating 1 Thessalonians 2:7b Properly," 313–26

Depending on the variant reading one adopts, the text of 1 Thess 2:7b describes Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica as either gentle (ἤπιοι) or infantile (νήπιοι). While New Testament textual criticism has long recognized the latter reading’s superior text-critical pedigree, the persistence on the part of modern critical editions like the UBSGNT in punctuating v. 7b as a declarative statement has left many preferring its rival on the grounds that ἤπιοι alone makes sense in light of the surrounding context. This paper seeks to resolve the text-critical and interpretive issues surrounding 1 Thess 2:7b by reading it instead as a rhetorical question that expects a negative answer. Doing so both permits the well-attested lectio difficilior νήπιοι to remain in the letter’s text and allows Paul’s readers to regard the verse’s content as a perfectly natural lead-in to his claim in the next sentence: “Indeed, were we like infants among you? Just like a nurse tenderly cares for her own children, even so we who long for you thought it appropriate to share with you not only the good news about God, but even our very own souls; for you were beloved by us” (1 Thess 2:7b–8).

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / In the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 45:2 (2018)

M. Eugene Boring, "'Jesus’ Call to Decision Implies an Ecclesiology'—The Church in the Theology of the Apocalypse," 113-126

This essay explores Revelation's understanding of the church from three perspectives: (1) laterally—the church in its cultural setting; (2) chronologically—the church in its historical setting; (3) vertically—the church in its transcendent setting. Much like the church of twenty-first century America, the church of Revelation carried on its mission as part of a fragmented church in a pluralistic world. In this situation, it both looked back to its origins and history, and forward to future eschatological vindication. It frames its identity with insight drawn from Scripture, as interpreted in the previous generation of the church's life. Revelation calls the church to understand itself as more than a human institution, for it already participates in the transcendent world of God.

Richard B. Vinson, "The Sea of Glass, the Lake of Fire, and the Topography of Heaven in Revelation," 127–138

The paper investigates Revelation’s use of “sea,” its descriptions of God’s throne room, and its use of temporary and permanent means of punishment to try to answer the question of why there is a sea in heaven, and why it disappears at the end of the narrative. The paper suggest that the sea of glass and the lake of fire, both located in the throne room, are the same entity viewed from different perspectives, and that the author expected both to be destroyed along with the old heaven and earth.

Jerry L. Sumney, "The Role (or Lack thereof) of Christ in the Eschaton in Paul and Revelation," 139–151

This essay compares how the early church saw the role of the risen Christ in the Parousia. It compares a tradition Paul quotes in 1 Cor 15:24-28 with Paul’s own view and the book of Revelation, finding differing views about Christ’s role. Paul’s corrections and qualifications of the tradition he cites indicate that he gives Christ a less active role than the tradition he cites. Similarly, the central section of Revelation envisions a less active role for Christ than either its introductory letters to the seven churches and epilogue or the tradition Paul cites. Both Revelation and Paul have a more theocentric scenario than the tradition Paul cites. It is only in the pre-formed tradition Paul cites that Christ, rather than God, is the one who subdues the powers of evil.

David L. Barr, "Jezebel and the Teachings of Balaam: Anti-Pauline Rhetoric in the Apocalypse of John," 153–165

It is impossible to ignore Paul's influence in Roman Asia Minor; yet John did. Both addressed the issues connected with eating food that had been dedicated to another god, but John seems oblivious to Paul's practices. A literary and social examination of their approaches suggests that they differed on more than menus. Their differences in both lifestyle and worldview were rooted in their attitudes toward those outside. For John, the outside world was corrupt and must be avoided. He would build a wall between his community and those outside (the dogs and idolaters—22:15). For Paul, the outside world was his mission; he sought to claim it and transform it. He would build bridges. This fundamental distrust of the world resulted in (and was supported by) John’s vision, which saw the dramatic, violent, and utter destruction of the present world and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, a vision quite unlike Paul’s portrayal of the Parousia.

Tina Pippin, "Fire and Fury: Standing with John at the End of the World," 167–182

Prophecy belief holds to both the violent destruction of the earth in the apocalypse, and its subsequent pristine renewal in the New Jerusalem. Scholars of the Book of Revelation have traditionally read this end time text as a positive environmental statement of a God who recreates the world anew after its fiery ending. From Noah (flood) to John (fire), the earth is in the crosshairs of a wrathful deity. In this article I examine the phenomenon of biblical scholars to rehabilitate the environmental violence and destruction in Revelation. I argue that this vision of the future fuels the U.S. nuclear proliferation and policy, and is not a positive message in the context of caring for the environment in the future.

R. Scott Nash, "The Use of the Book of Revelation by Selected Muslim Apocalypticists," 183–198

The year 1987 witnessed an innovation in Muslim apocalyptic writing when Sa’id Ayyub departed from tradition and drew from Christian sources to produce his book Al-Masīh al-Dajjāl, the anti-christ. Numerous Arabic authors began to do the same. The present study examines how three such modern Muslim apocalypticists (Ayuub, Bashir Muhammad ˁAbdallah, and Safar al-Hawali) interpret the book of Revelation. These modern writers are first placed within a stream of Muslim apocalypticism that has its roots in the Qur’an. The study also follows the growth of Muslim apocalyptic in the hadith traditions and the development of apocalyptic end-time scenarios in the middle ages. The article also examines some of the cause for the modern surge in apocalyptic writings by Muslims.

Greg Carey, "What Counts as 'Resistance' in Revelation?" 199–212

Interpreters commonly identify Revelation as “resistance literature,” meaning that Revelation was written in part to undermine Roman hegemony. Yet we deploy the term “resistance” in diverse ways, often contradicting one another without acknowledging our implicit disagreements. This essay assesses diverse ways in which we might imagine resistance and proposes several ways in which Revelation does – and does not – embody resistance. The ancient Jewish and Christian literary apocalypses generally sympathize with violent revolt but hope instead for messianic and/or eschatological salvation. The term hypomonē figures prominently in Revelation, and we should read it in the context of martyria and nikē: the Lamb’s followers conquer the Beast through their persistent testimony. Revelation develops a multi-leveled critique of Rome: through diverse literary techniques it “unveils” the empire’s corruption, idolatry, cruelty, and exploitation, dehumanizing the empire and imagining its destruction. Revelation attributes true glory to the Lamb and the Bride, not the Beast and the Prostitute. Postcolonial critique enables our understanding that Revelation’s empire-critical literary devices do not escape Rome’s rhetoric of domination and destruction.

R. Alan Culpepper, "The Galilee Quest: The Historical Jesus and the Historical Galilee," 213–227

Scholarship on the historical Jesus and scholarship on Galilee in the first century have been moving on converging tracks for the last 35 to 40 years as historical Jesus studies have away moved from the criterion of dissimilarity and toward a new appreciation for the Jewishness of Jesus. At the same time, recent archaeological discoveries have changed our understanding of first-century Galilee. Mark Chancey revised our understanding of the Hellenization and Romanization of Galilee. Morton Hørning Jensen shed new light on the era of Herod Antipas in Galilee, and Mordechai Aviam documented a more nuanced view of life in the towns and villages of Galilee. The result is that the portraits of the historical Jesus advanced by John Dominic Crossan, Richard Horsley, and others must now be revised. After surveying current scholarship on first-century Galilee, this essay concludes with summaries of what seems to be settled, what is trending, and what is still open to debate.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / In the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 45:1 (2018)

William Briggs, "The Textualization of Prophecy: The Lachish Letters in Light of Evidence from Mari, Nineveh, and Literacy in Judah," 3–13

An investigation of the Lachish letters themselves in comparison with the biblical, Mariote, and Neo-Assyrian prophetic materials demonstrates three primary conclusions concerning the textualization of prophecy. First, state officials significantly concerned themselves with prophetic messages in each Mari, Assyria, and Israel/Judah. Second, there were multiple forms in which prophecy became textualized in ancient Israel/Judah, Third, the Lachish letters demonstrate that, in preexilic Israel/Judah, orality and literacy as they relate to prophecy operated side by side rather than in opposition to or replacement of one another.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / In the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 44:3 (2017)

Ronald F. Hock, "Reading the Beginning of Mark from the Perspective of Greco-Roman Education," 291–309

How would a well-educated Christian of the first century have read and assessed the beginning of the Gospel of Mark (1:1–15)? Answering this question reveals much that readers today would otherwise miss. An educated Christian at that time meant being rhetorically trained and so this reader would have used that training to read the gospel. He would have identified it as a narrative, indeed as a biographical narrative, as seen in the convention of naming the subject's father (1:1) and hometown (1:9). He would have looked to see if these verses displayed the qualities of a narrative, such as clarity, as seen in the use of the nominative case, unlabored diction, and starting at the beginning (1:1). He would have identified these verses as also a rhetorical introduction to the whole of Mark and hence would have read them to see if they fulfilled the functions of an introduction, such as gaining the reader's attention, as seen in its announcement of something momentous: the fulfillment of a long-awaited prophecy (1:2–3), the identification of Jesus as Son of God (1:11), and the imminence of the reign of God (1:15).

Charles W. Hedrick, "Is the Baptism of Jesus by John Historically Certain?" 311–322

Many recent publications regard the baptism of Jesus by John as historically certain, or virtually so. This essay argues that unless one assumes the existence of an incipient oral form of the synoptic master-narrative that included Mark 1:9 in some form, there is no certain evidence until the latter half of the first century that John baptized Jesus.

Carey C. Newman, "Narrative Apocalyptic in Ephesians," 323–337

Two, mutually exclusive ways to read Paul now dominate.  One school of thought construes Paul as a covenant theologian who is gripped by a singular narrative about the Israel and Jesus.  The other school of thought sees Paul as an apocalyptic theologian who focuses on God's dramatic intrusion into and disruption of  the cosmos in Jesus.  The former privileges continuity, while the latter emphasizes discontinuity.  This article uses Ephesians as a sounding board for how Paul was first received.  The article discovers the presence of both apocalyptic and narrative in Ephesians.  Both apocalyptic and narrative fund the theological, scriptural, symbolic, and rhetorical world of Ephesians.  But the article also retraces the ways that Ephesians consciously uses apocalyptic to interpret, reframe and restage covenant.  Ephesians does so, particularly, by employing non-Biblical cosmic myths about a primal, cosmic Anthropos.  Finally, the article explores how Ephesians can conjoin both narrative and apocalyptic in its theological enterprise.  Ephesians capitalizes on the implications inherent in the enchained symbols of cross and resurrection one narrative, one apocalyptic to describe God's purposes for Jesus, the Church, and the World.

Ross Harriman, "Ecclesiology Under Pressure: The Importance of Theological Solidarity Language in 1 Thessalonians," 339–352

A neglected element in ecclesiological analysis of 1 Thessalonians studied in this paper is the crucial link between ecclesiology and its theological roots. Paul forges this link through “theological solidarity language.” Theological solidarity language is language that solidifies bonds within the group and with God by rooting the communal identity in common beliefs in and relationships with this God. Paul uses this language to reaffirm and reemphasize communal identity and solidarity against communal conflict and suffering. The particular shapes this language takes in 1 Thessalonians include insider language and theological and pneumatological incorporation into union with God.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / In the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 43:4 (2016)

Joseph B. Tyson, "Acts and the Apostles: Issues of Leadership in the Second Century," 385-98

This article focuses attention on the meaning of apostleship in the Pauline letters and the Acts of the Apostles. In his letters Paul insists that he is an apostle, and he cites his witness of Jesus’s resurrection to confirm it. He acknowledges an unspecified number of other apostles, who have great authority. He also knows, however, of competing criteria for apostleship and, hence, rival groups of apostles. The author of Acts introduces two non-Pauline requirements: that the apostles must be twelve in number and that all apostles must have been associates of the historical Jesus. Writing in the early second century, the author of Acts recognized that the Pauline understanding of apostleship could no longer be maintained. The definition that Acts introduced provided a structure for Christian leadership, but the paradox remains that the apostleship of a primary character in the book was excluded by that very definition.

Nicholas J. Zola, "Evangelizing Tatian: The Diatessaron’s Place in the Emergence of the Fourfold Gospel Canon," 399-414

This essay explores the relationship between Tatian’s Diatessaron and the fourfold gospel canon. The core question is whether Tatian’s aim was to supplement the four Gospels or to supplant them. Some read Tatian as a harmonist, subservient to his sources. Francis Watson and others would read Tatian as an evangelist, who uses the same techniques as Luke or Matthew to rework his sources into a full-fledged gospel. I probe the initial merits of this argument by looking at the evidence of the time (how the state of the fourfold gospel canon may have influenced Tatian’s motivations) and the evidence of the text (what the surviving witnesses of the Diatessaron reveal of Tatian’s redactional hand). Identifying the Diatessaron’s genre is crucial for establishing whether its reconstruction can give us unadulterated access to second-century texts of the Gospels. I end by offering directions for future research on this essential question.

Denis Farkasfalvy, " Irenaeus’s First Reference to the Four Gospels and the Formation of the Fourfold Gospel Canon," 415-427

This article intends to show that Christianity’s four-gospel canon in its closed form owes its origin to a historic agreement between Polycarp of Smyrna and Pope Anicetus in Rome. After describing the Marcionite and Valentinian crisis reaching Rome, I line up evidences for a possibly contemporaneous presence of Marcion, Valentinus, Anicetus, and Justin Martyr, and even Tatian and Irenaeus as Polycarp arrives from Smyrna in 154. Examining four consecutive sentences on the canonical gospels in Irenaeus’s Adversus haereses 3.1.1, I show that these come from a Roman source verbatim preserved. Then I infer that they record the outcome of the meeting between Polycarp and Anicetus, failing to resolve the Quartodeciman problem but resulting in both leaders embracing their respective apostolic traditions about the gospels and their written records in contradiction to Marcion’s single-gospel proposal, Valentinus’s unlimited approval of many gospels, as well as the tendencies in Justin Martyr leading to Tatian’s Diatessaron, a single-gospel combined from the oldest extant gospels.

D. Jeffrey Bingham, "A Reading of Irenaeus in Response to Father Denis Farkasfalvy," 429-436

Father Denis Farkasfalvy’s claim that a portion of Haer. 3.1.1 derives from a non-Irenaean, Roman Christian source is based upon what he views as contextual discontinuity of the passage. This article responds to that claim by offering an alternative reading of the text, which ultimately does not require a non-Irenaean source. After briefly reviewing the history of the application of source criticism to Adversus haereses, the alternative reading is presented, which demonstrates that the purpose of the text is to validate the authority of the apostolic proclamation of the gospel, both in oral and written form. This alternative reading not only addresses the concerns raised by Farkasfalvy but also demonstrates how the passage fits within the logical continuity of the argument to which it contributes.

David E. Wilhite, "Marcionites in Africa: What Did Tertullian Know and When Did He Invent It?," 437-452

Tertullian wrote several treatises attacking Marcion, which has led many to assume that Marcionites resided in Tertullian’s Africa. Against this assumption, one finds other sources from Africa claiming that Marcionism cannot be found there, and upon a closer inspection of Tertullian’s works it is clear that he relies on literary sources for Marcion’s teachings, not first hand interactions with Marcionites. The many statements in Tertullian’s works that relay Marcion’s teachings turn out to be rhetorical devices. In particular, Tertullian accommodated the specific practices taught by Cicero and Quintillian wherein the rhetorician must “invent” the facts about one’s opponent. This is especially done with the device known as prosopopoiea, or speech in character, whereby the opponent’s side of the diatribe is invented. When Tertullian is read as inventing Marcionism in Africa, his works can be seen as attacking other (quasi-) “Marcionite” heresies, such as Valentinianism, which do seem to be a threat to Tertullian’s Carthaginian Christian community.

Edward McMahon, "The Contribution of the Second Century Seminar to the Study of the New Testament and Early Christianity," 453-459

Since its establishment by Outler and Farmer in 1968, the Second Century Seminar has served as a place in the Southwest for a discussion of the origins and development of Christianity in the late New Testament and apostolic periods. After describing its origins, the article describes the way the Seminar works with circulating institutional hosting, including dinner and local leadership from the schools and seminaries in a seminar format that values both solid presentations and responses and vigorous discussion among attending faculty and students. While noting significant attitudinal changes in the broader confessional and academic milieu (SBL) since 1968, the Seminar is shown to have been a catalyst for ecumenical publications and joint projects crossing confessional lines and old scholarly divisions. The International Bible Commentary (1986) was both a “Catholic and Ecumenical Commentary.” Joint projects have investigated the Gospels and their sources (Griesbach Hypothesis; the Gospel of Matthew) and more-broadly anti-Judaism and the Gospels. The Second Century Journal (ed. Ferguson, 1981–1992) promoted further the Seminar’s now third-generation study of second-century texts and contexts for the academy and churches.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / In the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 43:2 (2016)

Samuel E. Balentine, "The Future Beyond the End: Lessons from History by Herodotus and Daniel," 145–159 

This article examines the role of time in the “histories” of Herodotus and Daniel. Both use historiography as a way of understanding the roles of human agency, divine agency, and chance, but whereas Herodotus demythologizes history, Daniel theologizes it. Daniel’s teleological closure, particularly the varying calculations of the “time of end,” presuppose and require the very moralizing of history that Herodotus resists. When Daniel reasons about End-time, we may imagine him doing so with what Wallace Stevens calls the “later reason” that has been brutalized by reality. 

Mark E. Biddle, "Sinners Only? Amos 9:8–10 and the Problem of Targeted Justice in Amos,"161–175

Rudolf Smend has depicted Amos’s message as a categorical rejection of Israel. Amos 9:8–10, with its notion of discriminating judgment, stands out against the backdrop of the apparent pessimism of the overall book. This article assesses whether it represents a foreign insertion into the Amos tradition or, in contrast, whether it develops possibilities latent in earlier Amos materials. Close readings of several passages reveal that all specify decimation and exile for the ruling elite, its city, and its official sanctuary, but do not foresee the absolute end of the North.  Themes throughout the book more than hint that Amos’s objective was regime change.

Mark J. Boda, "Priestly Expansions within Haggai–Malachi and the Twelve," 177–185 

Focusing on distinctions between the presentation of priestly figures in Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, this article identifies a redactional agenda that champions a shift from the particular and singular focus on the high priest within the Zadokite tradition to a more general and plural focus on priests related to the Levi tradition. Parallel to this priestly shift is a royal shift that eventually leads to the disappearance of Davidic royal leadership. The move from the singular to the plural reflects increasing concern over priestly leadership by the prophetic group responsible for Haggai–Malachi, especially with the lack of Davidic royal leadership. 

Trent C. Butler, "God and Dysfunctional Families: A Social and Theological Study of the Book of Hosea," 187–202

Combining Paul Redditt’s love for the Book of the Twelve and his concern for social conditions in the ancient world, this article takes clinical observations about the elements characterizing a dysfunctional family and compares the portrait that the biblical record paints of the prophet Hosea and his family. When the prophet’s family proves to embody dysfunctional relationships, the article probes further to explore the role played by religion, particularly worship of Yahweh, in molding Hosea’s family into such a troubled social group.

Deirdre Dempsey and Sharon Pace, "A Comparison of Darius, Pharaoh, and Associates," 203–214

Scholars frequently remark on the similarities between Joseph and Daniel. Few, however, compare Pharaoh to Darius. Comparison shows that Darius (Dan 6) is portrayed in a particularly derisive way in order to provide a lesson in what can go wrong when a foreign power is in control of Jewish destiny. The message for a post-exilic Jewish community is clear: a foreign power could produce a leader like Joseph’s Pharaoh, capable of controlling the malevolent impulses of his subjects. Just as likely, however, external authority can be weak and ineffective, leaving those reliant on a sovereign’s authority at the mercy of ill-intentioned, jealous officials.

James D. Nogalski, "Changing Perspectives in Isaiah 40–55," 215–225

Isaiah 40–55 consists of two main parts (chs. 40–48 and 49–55). Scholars have long noted formal differences between the two, but seldom explore the literary ramifications. These chapters differ in their primary addressees, the perspective from which they envision the impending journey, and the ways in which they reflect different geographical contexts. Cumulatively, these shifting perspectives force the careful reader to assume changes in both space and time when reading these chapters. The rhetoric of chs. 40–48 largely seeks to persuade those living in Babylon to see YHWH at work in liberating the community to return to the land. By contrast, the rhetorical persuasion in chs. 49–55 purposefully encourages the personified city of Jerusalem to recognize and accept those returning as her own children.

Kandy Queen-Sutherland, "Ruth, Qoheleth, and Esther: Counter Voices from the Megilloth," 227–242

Ruth and Esther are bookends for the Megilloth, the five festival scrolls in the Writings of the Hebrew Bible. Qoheleth stands in the middle of the collection with Song of Songs and Lamentations on either side. Perspectives on human action, chance, and providence fall along gendered lines. Qoheleth is a male voice frustrated by the lack of control and futility of human action. Chance events are negative, and God is incomprehensible. Ruth and Esther speak from the underside of life where God is distant (Ruth) or absent (Esther). There are no expectations of female control, but chance is positive and female action is effective. Qoheleth counters traditional wisdom. Ruth and Esther counter Qoheleth.

Aaron Schart, "The Concluding Sections of the Writings of the Book of the Twelve Prophets: A Form- and Redaction-Critical Study," 243–256

The first part of this article tries to differentiate between six types of closures of the individual writings contained in the Book of the Twelve. On the level of the final text different types of closure follow after one another within the same writing. This is so because the ending sections were reworked by different redactors. In the second part, the article asks whether it is possible to use the form-critical findings as additional evidence for the redaction-critical hypotheses of a two-prophets scroll (comprising former versions of Hosea and Amos) and of a so-called “D-corpus” (Hosea, Amos, Micah, Zephaniah).

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / In the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 43:1 (2016)

Eric J. Gilchrest, "New Testament Apocalypticism and a Theology of the Cross: Answering Dystopianism," 41–52 

This essay explores the dystopian realities expressed in the Christian Scriptures and beyond.  In order to provide an “answer” for dystopia, it walks through dystopianism as played out in the Hebrew Bible, apocalyptic Judaism, and the apocalypticism of the New Testament.  Throughout the essay, dystopianism is defined in two ways: the removal of Israel from the land (exile) and the removal of God from the land (divine abandonment).  After recognizing the importance of God-forsakenness during the moment of Jesus’s crucifixion, the essay turns to Luther’s theology of the cross as a way forward for thinking about dystopianism both in the Bible and beyond.    

Melissa A. Jackson, "The Hebrew Bible’s Prophets Answer Dystopia," 53–71

In “answering dystopia,” the Hebrew Bible’s prophets present a number of responses. Bringing together prophetic literature and dystopian imaginings reveals their shared foundational elements: (1) a concern for society’s future that is rooted in the present, (2) a role as social critic, exposing current failings and projecting a “then” resulting from “now,” and (3) a temporality that is layered, engaging in more than one context. From these shared elements, the prophets “answer” dystopia via three dualities: (1) a dual vision of the future, an outlook that holds in tension both destruction and restoration, (2) a dual agency of humanity and God, both parties sharing “responsibility” for the future, and (3) a dual fidelity to God and to one another, a commitment enacted in everyday living. Three implications nuance this prophetic “answer” to dystopia: opting for a both/and tension over either/or, understanding the future as potential rather than fixed, and emphasizing community over individualism.

Στα δύο τελευταία τεύχη τους PRSt / In the two recent issues of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 42:3 (2015)

Eric A. Seibert, "Preaching from Violent Biblical Texts: Helpful Strategies for Addressing Violence in the Old Testament," 247–257

Many pastors and priests are uncomfortable preaching from violent Old Testament texts. Therefore, they routinely ignore them. Yet it is imperative for the clergy not only to preach from these texts, but to do so in an ethically responsible manner. This is particularly true when preaching from passages containing “virtuous” violence, where violence is portrayed positively, as something acceptable and even praiseworthy. This article discusses a number of practical strategies designed to help preachers deal more responsibly and effectively with these challenging biblical passages in their sermons. These strategies enable preachers to be honest about the problems these texts raise, and to critique the violence in them, while still preaching from these texts in ways that are positive and constructive.

Hector Avalos, "Circumcision as a Slave Mark," 259–274

Circumcision may be one of the most widespread forms of violence on the globe. Although the reasons for circumcision are variegated, the form best known in Abrahamic traditions probably originated in the violent institution of slavery. A master tested the loyalty of slaves by requiring them to perform an action to which one is normally adverse. Circumcision, which involves the painful removal of the foreskin of the penis, would have been a very effective test of loyalty and marker of ownership. If slaves performed that procedure, a master could be assured of absolute obedience. Children were circumcised because they were considered part of the property of the divine master, Yahweh.

Kathryn M. Lopez, "Telling and Retelling the Story of Dinah: Violent Storytelling as Social Formation," 275–282

Rewritten Torah flourished in the Second Temple period, but many details changed in the retelling. Certain stories, such as Dinah’s rape and the subsequent slaughter of the men of Shechem in Genesis 34, almost reverse themselves in the retelling. Levi shifts from the villain who placed the family of Jacob in danger to the hero whose commitment to the purity of God’s people is exemplified by his violent action against the Shechemites. This reversal is particularly apparent in those retellings that are associated with the Levi-Priestly tradition. This article explores how a story of such violence became the basis for the elevation of Levi in Second Temple period writings and operated to form the social identity of the group that stands behind the Levi-Priestly tradition.

Amanda C. Miller, "Wrestling with Rome: Imperial Violence and Its Legacy in the Synoptic Gospels," 283–294

This essay offers a foundation from which the church of the twenty-first century might construct a theology of evangelism and mission that returns it to the ancient perspective of the earliest Christians and that moves it beyond the dichotomy between evangelism and social ministry that characterized much of Christian mission in the twentieth century. This theological understanding was first articulated in 1904 by Walter Rauschenbusch and achieved its most recent expression in the document Evangelii Gaudium, written by Pope Francis I in 2013. Properly understood, it offers a holistic approach to mission that transforms not only individuals, but also the communities to which they belong.

Greg Carey, "Revelation’s Violence Problem: Mapping Essential Questions," 295–306

The book of Revelation frequently deploys language and imagery related to violence and destruction, often attributed to God and the Lamb. This theological and ethical problem preoccupies scholarly and popular interpreters alike, but few pause to articulate its various literary and theological dimensions. Readers of Revelation must navigate the questions of whether its violence is justifiable, whether Revelation attributes violence to God and to the Lamb, whether Revelation’s rhetoric solicits a desire for violence, whether the book realistically reflects its violent historical context, and whether texts can “do violence” through rhetoric and symbolism. In the end, this essay proposes that Revelation celebrates and endorses violence even as it calls its audience to abstain from violent action. Revelation models for its readers how the longing for justice often mingles with a desire for vindication and revenge.

Karen L. King, "Engaging Diverse Early Christian Responses to Violence in Persecution," 307–317

The response of early Christians to persecution under Rome is often represented in contemporary church histories as a heroic story in which martyrs willingly confess Christ and face torture and death. The evidence, however, shows that Christians struggled to understand what was happening and what they should do. In so doing, they raise foundational theological questions about the nature of God and the meaning of suffering. This essay examines three works recently discovered in Egypt which offer new perspectives and which argue variously for non-violence, pacifism, and/or withdrawal: The Testimony of Truth, The Letter of Peter to Philip, and The (First) Apocalypse of James.

Perspectives in Religious Studies 42:4 (2015)

John C. Peckham, "Theopathic or Anthropopathic? A Suggested Approach to Imagery of Divine Emotion in the Hebrew Bible," 341–355

This article critically examines the view that figurative anatomical expressions of divine emotion should be dismissed as non-descriptive of God and suggests an alternative approach. First, since all available language is human language, the dismissal of figurative language for this reason is self-defeating. Second, the interpreter should not presume what God is like independent of the biblical data. Third, attention to the idiomatic usage of figurative anatomical expressions demonstrates that such idioms are not dependent upon the anatomical referent. Therefore, the interpreter should maintain the well-known meaning of an idiom as an analogical reference to God’s emotions (theopathism).

Rebecca W. Poe Hays, "Divine Extortion and Mashal as a Polysemic Pivot: The Strategy of Complaint in Joel 2:12–17," 357–370

Joel 2:12–17 unfolds a desperate argument beginning with repentance but reinforcing this incentive by combining a description of YHWH’s character with the nations’ imagined derision. The persuasive force resides in a pivot device playing upon the two mashal roots (“be like” and “rule”). The threat is not merely that Judah will suffer mockery but that the nations will equate Judah’s situation with YHWH’s status and character. Strategically, the Joel 2:12–17 complaint utilizes extortion wherein the priests present YHWH with a threat to his character, which mashal’s polysemy enhances, as a means of incentivizing YHWH to reverse Judah’s fortunes.

David Lertis Matson, " 'Eating and Drinking Whatever They Provide' (Luke 10:5–7): Luke’s Household Mission of the Seventy(-Two) in Light of the Philip Esler/E. P. Sanders Debate," 371–389

Scholars have long noted the prominence of table fellowship in the writings of Luke. But as the Christian mission gradually expands to include Gentiles, exactly what kind of table fellowship does Luke envision taking place? In mixed eucharistic settings, do Jews eat separately from Gentiles, bring their own food, or share in common provisions with Gentiles? Against the backdrop of an intense debate in New Testament scholarship, particularly between Philip F. Esler and E. P. Sanders, this article develops a distinctively Lukan model based on the indiscriminate household mission of the Seventy(-two) that supports Esler’s definition of table fellowship as personalized eating rather than the parallel eating model assumed by Sanders. That Luke uses food to symbolize the breaking down of barriers between people groups, however, is not without its problems in this postcolonial age.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 42:1 (2015)

Jin H. Han, "The Role of “an Audience" in Isaac’s Blessing in Genesis 27," 5-10

Isaac’s blessing of Jacob in Gen 27 is narrated as life-changing, and every character in the account recognizes its impact. A close examination, however, reveals that it would fail the felicity test. For example, due to failing eyesight, Isaac could not tell whom he was blessing. Moreover, he was tricked into granting everything to a mistaken recipient. Within the narrative confines, the mise-en-scène that produces a dark comedy features an audience made up of Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau, who relentlessly shore up the event as an irrevocable performative speech act. Battle lines are drawn over the role of the audience.

Matthias Hopf, "Being in between: Canticles as a “Chimera" between Written and Oral Styles of Speech," 11-27

The Song of Songs seems to stand in between the written and the spoken word. On one hand, we find forms of phrasing that have been identified as features of oral language, such as a large variety in the verbal grammar (especially the tendency to avoid consecutive forms and to use various other verbal forms instead) and diverse peculiar ways of phrasing. On the other hand, the Song can hardly be called colloquial in style, but is quite literate (cf. e.g. its poetic elaborateness and lexical richness). Consequentially, we assume that the authors/composers tried to imitate day-to-day speech in order to create a written text in the guise of spoken language.

Sherri Brown, "What’s in an Ending? John 21 and the Performative Force of an Epilogue," 29-42

This paper explores John 21 as a storyteller performs it as an epilogue. A Gospel telling that has beautifully faded to black is picked up again, and a performance critical approach helps to explain this final chapter’s existence as well as how it was intended to be received by audiences. The relationship engendered by Jesus in John 1-20 leaves its community with two commands: to love and to believe. However completely these truths are revealed, living through them as a community can become problematic when members struggle with whom and what to love and to believe. In John 21, the storyteller actualizes the new covenant commands into their lived experience through the performance of this epilogue composed for them.

Lee A. Johnson, "Performance in Corinth: Envisioning Paul's Successful 'Letter of Tears'," 43-59

Despite the claim by most scholars of ancient epistles that a letter-writer was at a distinct disadvantage by relying upon a written word rather than a personal visit, this essay argues that Paul’s success in Corinth was directly tied to his epistolary relationship with the Corinthians. Employing performance criticism, my work focuses upon the undervalued role of Titus in Paul’s letter campaign in Corinth. I show that Titus was involved at all stages in the letter-writing process-from composition to performance of the letter for the Corinthians-and that his ability to present and defend Paul’s message was instrumental in Paul’s success.

Joanna Dewey, "Performance Criticism in Teaching the Gospel of Mark," 61-72

In this article, I argue for the use of performing in class for students to understand performance criticism and deepen their knowledge of a text. Part I addresses pedagogical hurdles for students to perform and discusses differences between narrative and performance criticism, using Holly Hearon's work. Part II suggests that by recognizing the centrality of performance in the ancient world, we must also recognize the fluidity of texts: they were not fixed as we imagine them to have been, but were continually adapted to different situations and audiences. Part III, the bulk of the article, describes how I use performance in teaching Mark. Finally, Part IV briefly explores multimedia presentations using Richard Swanson's work.

Philip Ruge-Jones, "Taking Luke’s Gospel to Heart: Creating a Community of Mercy and Compassion through Biblical Storytelling," 73-88

The process of internalizing and performing biblical texts is essential in performance criticism. This spiritual discipline provides for the religious and ethical formation of both individuals and communities. This article maps out the struggle to take the Gospel of Luke to heart in a concrete community. It demonstrates how this process shapes the character of those who participate in it and equips them to live out Luke’s vision of compassionate mercy in the world. Through this ongoing engagement, the story becomes an expansive dwelling place that houses stories of faith communities from across the globe and throughout time.

Δυο άρθρα βιβλικού ενδιαφέροντος στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRS / Two articles of biblical interest in the current issue of PRS

Perspectives in Religious Studies 41:3 (2014)

Steve Walton, "Calling the Church Names: Learning about Christian Identity from Acts," 223–241

The ecclesiology of Acts has long been a matter of debate. This article studies the six main names used by the Jesus-believers for their community(ies): “the brothers and sisters,” “the disciples,” “assembly,” “the believers,” “the way,” and “the holy ones.” The picture which emerges is of a community which sees itself as strongly in continuity with Israel, but Israel restored in the manner envisaged by the prophets, not least as in Isaiah 40 and Daniel 7. The titles present the communities as founded on faith in Jesus, and following Jesus’ way—and all this as the restored and renewed Israel.

David J. Downs, "Pauline Ecclesiology," 243–255

Given that the Pauline letters bear constant and impassioned witness to the apostle Paul’s establishment and continued formation of Christ-believing assemblies and (in the case of 1–2 Timothy, Titus, and perhaps Philemon) the leaders responsible for their care, it would not be much of an overstatement to call Paul the “father of ecclesiology.” This essay offers a broad overview of Pauline ecclesiology by examining ecclesiological language and imagery in Paul’s letters and the organization and practices of the Pauline churches.

Ένα άρθρο βιβλικού ενδιαφέροντος στο τρέχον τεύχος του PRSt / A new article of biblical interest in the current issue of PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies 41:1 (2014)

Mitchell G. Reddish, "Hearing the Apocalypse in Pergamum," 3-12

This essay explores the question, "How might the Apocalypse of John have been received and understood by John's audiences in the first century?" The article examines three aspects of the book-its setting (with special focus on Pergamum), its author (who was a Christian prophet in western Asia Minor), and the mode of reception of the work (an oral performance in the context of worship where it was recited/performed, possibly by another prophet). Through oral performance, the presenter made Jesus present among the audience, creating a setting in which the message of the Apocalypse could not be easily ignored.

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του Perspectives in Religious Studies / In the current issue of Perspectives in Religious Studies

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του περιοδικού Perspectives in Religious Studies 40:1 (2013) δημοσιεύονται τα εξής άρθρα βιβλικού ενδιαφέροντος:

• Thomas B. Slater, "Apocalypticism and eschatology : a study of Mark 13:3-37", 7-18
• Greg Carey, "Apocalyptic discourse as constructive theology", 19-34
• Jerry L. Sumney, "In Christ there is a new creation : apocalypticism in Paul", 35-48
• David L. Barr, "John is not Daniel : the ahistorical apocalypticism of the apocalypse", 49-63
• Mitchell G. Reddish, "Followers of the lamb : role models in the book of Revelation", 67-79

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του περιοδικού Perspectives in religious studies / In the current issue of Perspectives in religious studies

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του περιοδικού Perspectives in religious studies 38:1 (2011) δημοσιεύονται μεταξύ άλλων και τα εξής άρθρα βιβλικού ενδιαφέροντος:

• David P. Melvin, "The Gilgamesh traditions and the pre-history of Genesis 6:1-4", 23-32
• Steven R. Harmon, "Qualitative catholicity in the Ignatian correspondence - and the New Testament : the fallacies of a restorationist hermeneutic", 33-45

Στο τρέχον τεύχος του Perspectives in religious studies / In the current issue of Perspectives in religious studies

Το θέμα του τρέχοντος τεύχους του περιοδικού Perspectives in Religious Studies 37:4 (2010) είναι "Η Καινή Διαθήκη και τα κείμενα της Νεκράς Θαλάσσης":

• Lidija Novakovic, "The Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament : editorial introduction", 365-370
• Casey D. Elledge, "'From the beginning it was not so ...' : Jesus, divorce, and remarriage in light of the Dead Sea Scrolls", 371-389
• Henry W. Rietz, "Interpreting traditions : the Qumran community and the Gospels", 391-406
• Nicholas J. Zola, "'The one who eats my bread has lifted his heel against me' : Psalm 41:10 in 1 QHa 13.25-26 and John 13:18", 407-419
• Claußen, Carsten, "John, Qumran, and the question of sectarianism", 421-440
• John B. Miller, "Exploring the function of symbolic dream-visions in the literature of Antiquity, with another look at 1QapGen 19 and Acts 10", 441-455
• Eric F. Mason, "Hebrews and the Dead Sea Scrolls : some points of comparison", 457-479

Στο νέο τεύχος του Perspectives in Religious Studies / In the current issue of Perspectives in Religious Studies

Στο νέο τεύχος του Perspectives in Religious Studies 37:2 (2010) δημοσιεύονται μεταξύ άλλων και τα εξής άρθρα βιβλικού ενδιαφέροντος:

• Charles H. Talbert, "The Fourth Gospel's soteriology between new birth and resurrection", 133-145
• Glenn R. Greene, "God's Lamb : divine provision for sin", 147-164
• Richard A. Culpepper, "Peter as exemplary disciple in John 21:15-19", 165-178
• Peter R. Jones, "A presiding metaphor of First John : menein en", 179-193

Το νέο τεύχος του Perspectives in Religious Studies / The current issue of Perspectives in religious studies

Το τρέχον τεύχος του Perspectives in Religious Studies 37:1 (2010) είναι αφιερωμένο στην προς Εβραίους επιστολή:

• Eric F. Mason, "Emerging voices on the Epistle to the Hebrews", 3-6
  
• Eric F. Mason, "The epistle (not necessarily) to the "Hebrews" : a call to renunciation of Judaism or encouragement to Christian commitment?", 7-20
  
• Bryan J. Whitfield, "The three Joshuas of Hebrews 3 and 4", 21-35
  
• Amy L. Peeler, "The ethos of God in Hebrews", 37-51
  
• Brian C. Small, "The use of rhetorical topoi in the characterization of Jesus in the Book of Hebrews", 53-69
  
• David M. Moffitt, "Unveiling Jesus' flesh : a fresh assessment of the relationship between the veil and Jesus' flesh in Hebrews 10:20", 71-84
  
• Mark A. Jennings, "The veil and the high priestly robes of the incarnation : understanding the context of Heb 10:20", 85-97