Yonatan Adler on The earliest evidence of Torah observance among ordinary Judeans

Deane Biblical Literature, Biblical Studies Topics, Historical Criticism, Law/Torah, Methods and Approaches in Biblical Studies, Torah, Video

Yonatan Adler spoke online at the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society on 19 January 2023.

“Throughout much of history, the Jewish way of life has been characterized by strict adherence to the practices and prohibitions legislated by the Torah: dietary laws, ritual purity, circumcision, Sabbath regulations, holidays, and more. But when did this unique way of life first emerge, and why at that specific time? In this lecture, Yonathan Adler explored how ancient texts can be used alongside archaeological discoveries to reveal the earliest evidence of Torah observance among ordinary Judeans. Animal bones, purification pools, chalk vessels and figural representations provide clues to the lived experience of these earliest observers. The presentation was framed around his recent book, The Origins of Judaism: An Archaeological-Historical Reappraisal (Yale University Press 2022),”

Yonatan Adler is Associate Professor at the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Ariel University, where he also heads the Institute of Archaeology. Recent excavations include the sites of ‘Einot Amitai and Reina in the Galilee. In 2018, he was appointed by the Minister of Culture to the Israeli Council for Archaeology.

Andrew Boakye on the New(ish) Perspective on Romans 5–8

Deane Biblical Studies Topics, Letters, Paul, Pauline, Romans, Soteriology (salvation) Andrew Boakye, New Perspective on Paul, Romans, University of Edinburgh

Dr Andrew Boakye (University of Manchester) discusses ‘A Justification of Life: Abraham, the Resurrection and a New(ish) Perspective on Romans 5–8’ at the Biblical Studies Seminar at the University of Edinburgh on October 8, 2020.

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The Social Worlds of Early Christians

Deane Ancient Mediterranean, Greek and Roman, Hellenistic and Roman Judea, Historical and Literary Contexts, Social Scientific Criticism, Video Angela Standhartinger, Brad King, Brent Landau, Clare K. Rothschild, David Balch, Douglas Boin, Emma Wasserman, Geoffrey Smith, Gregory E. Sterling, Jaimie Gunderson, Jennifer Knust, Jin Young Kim, John T. Fitzgerald, L. Michael White, Mary Jane Cuyler, Michele Salzman, Ross Kraemer, Social Worlds of Early Christians, Stanley Stowers, Symposium, Tony Keddie

Symposium website “The Social Worlds of Early Christians: A Symposium in Honor of L. Michael White” includes recorded presentations and live Zoom panel discussions (October 24, 2020, at 10:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm CST). Registration is free, but required (scroll down to the bottom of the page to sign up).

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Dark and Light: Wil Gafney on White Supremacy in Biblical Interpretation

Deane Anti-Semitism, Antisemitism, Biblical Literature, Ideological Criticisms, Liturgical and Poetic books, Methods and Approaches in Biblical Studies, Psalms of Solomon, Race Postcolonial, Race, Postcolonial Criticism, Reception History, Video White Supremacy, Wil Gafney

Professor Wil Gafney (Brite Divinity School) provides a short talk on light and darkness in the Bible, and its employment as a basis for White Supremacist interpretations of the Bible.

The Dead Sea Scrolls in Recent Scholarship: May 17-20, 2020

Deane Apocalyptic, Biblical Literature, Dead Sea Scrolls Apocalyptic texts, Dead Sea Scrolls Historical texts, Dead Sea Scrolls Legal texts, Dead Sea Scrolls Liturgical texts, Dead Sea Scrolls Wisdom texts, History and Stories, Liturgical and Poetic books, Torah, Video, Wisdom Alex Jassen, Alison Schofield, Andrew D. Gross, Ariel Feldman, Armin Lange, Bronson Brown-deVost, Cana Werman, Cecilia Wassén, Charlotte Hempel, Colette Loll, Daniel Machiela, Dead Sea Scrolls in Recent Scholarship, Dennis Mizzi, Eibert Tigchelaar, Eileen Schuller, Emanuel Tov, Emily Master, Erik Larson, Esther Chazon, Esther Eshel, George Brooke, Ilit Cohen-Ofri, James C. VanderKam, Joe Uziel, John Collins, Jonathan Ben-Dov, Joseph Angel, Lawrence H. Schiffman, Marcello Fidanzio, Maruf Dhali, Maxine Grossman, Michael Segal, Mladen Popović, Molly Zahn, Moshe Bernstein, Oren Ableman, Orit Rosengarten, Pnina Shor, Robert Cargill, Sidnie White Crawford

NYU has made available full recordings from the Dead Sea Scrolls in Recent Scholarship: A Public Conference, which took place virtually on May 17-20, 2020.

 

DAY 1: Sunday, May 17

Plenary Session

Chair and Opening Remarks – Alex Jassen, New York University

Welcome- Emily Master, Friends of the Israel Antiquities Authority & Joe Uziel, Curator and Head of the Dead Sea Scrolls Unit

Contributions of the Israel Antiquities Authority to the Preservation and Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls – Pnina Shor, Israel Antiquities Authority

Where are We in the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls? – Lawrence H. Schiffman, New York University

Chair: Eileen Schuller, McMaster University

Before the Canon – The Role of Extra-biblical Literature in Second Temple Judaism – Armin Lange, University of Vienna

Scribes as Authors in the Dead Sea Scrolls – Molly Zahn, University of Kansas

DAY 2: Monday, May 18

Archaeology, Realia and Science

Chair: Dennis Mizzi, University of Malta

New Archaeological Investigations of Qumran Cave 3Q – Marcello Fidanzio, Faculty of Theology, Lugano

Inkwells residues as a Pre-screening Tool for Characterizing DSS Ink – Ilit Cohen-Ofri, Israel Antiquities Authority

Trade and Manufacture at Qumran, with Special Attention to the Inscriptions – Sidnie White Crawford, University of Nebraska

Mimetic Performance in Ancient Judaism

Chair:  Alison Schofield, University of Denver

Mimetic and Literary Performance in Ancient Judaism – Hindy Najman, Oxford University

Mimetic and Scribal Performance in Ancient Judaism – Eibert Tigchelaar, KU Leuven

Interpreting Dead Sea Scrolls Texts

Chair: Lawrence H. Schiffman, New York University

Jubilees and the Visions of Amram – James C. VanderKam, University of Notre Dame

Deciphering Fragments: Tefillin or an Amulet? – Ariel Feldman, Brite Divinity School

Reimagining Israel: The Aramaic Dead Sea Scrolls and Judaism in the Hellenistic Period – Daniel Machiela, McMaster University

Digital Exploration of the Dead Sea Scrolls with Scripta Qumranica Electronica – Bronson Brown-deVost, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

DAY 3: Tuesday, May 19

Science, Technology and the Scrolls

Chair: Robert Cargill, University of Iowa

Researching the DSS with Imaging Technologies – Orit Rosengarten, Israel Antiquities Authority

Modern Forgeries: The Scientific Analysis of Dead Sea Scroll Fragments in the Museum of the Bible Collection – Colette Loll, Art Fraud Insights, LLC

The Hands that Wrote the Bible. Digital Palaeography of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Identifying and Dating Manuscripts – Mladen Popović and Maruf Dhali, University of Groningen

Ideology and Theology

Chair: Erik Larson, Florida International University

Virtue Signaling in the Dead Sea Scrolls – Charlotte Hempel, University of Birmingham

Metaphysics of Financial Relations in Qumran Wisdom – Jonathan Ben-Dov, Haifa University

Patterns of Prayer in the Dead Sea Scrolls – George Brooke, University of Manchester

Qumran and the Sect

Chair: Moshe Bernstein, Yeshiva University

Women in the Sectarian Texts from Qumran – Esther Chazon, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Reconstructing the Life and Message of Jesus – Cecilia Wassén, Uppsala University

Why NOT the Essenes: How to Talk about the Dead Sea Sectarians – Maxine Grossman, University of Maryland

The Sectarian Movement and Qumran – John Collins, Yale University

DAY 4: Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Hebrew Bible and it Interpretation

Chair: Cana Werman, Ben-Gurion University

The Many Faces of the Bible in the Dead Sea Scrolls – Emanuel Tov, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

“2300 Evenings and Mornings” (Dan 8:13-14) Recalculated according to the Damascus Document – Michael Segal, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Perfect Marriage in the Genesis Apocryphon – Esther Eshel, Bar-Ilan University

Cave 11 and the Temple Scroll

Chair:  Joseph Angel, Yeshiva University

Treasures from a Small Box: Recently Discovered Fragments from Cave 11 – Oren Ableman, Israel Antiquities Authority

The Hydra-headed Mysteries of the Temple Scroll – Andrew D. Gross, Catholic University of America

The Utopian Temple Plan of the Temple Scroll – Lawrence H. Schiffman, New York University

Law and Liturgy

Chair: Jonathan Ben-Dov, Haifa University

What Was Given on Mt. Sinai? – Cana Werman, Ben-Gurion University

The Early Study of Jewish Law in the Damascus Document – Alex Jassen, New York University

Close of Conference

Paul and the Construction of the European Self: Fatima Tofighi vs. James Crossley

Deane Biblical Literature, Ideological Criticisms, Letters, Methods and Approaches in Biblical Studies, Pauline, Race, Postcolonial Criticism, Video European Self, Fatima Tofighi

On August 4, 2020, Dr Fatima Tofighi (University of Religions, Qom) and Prof James Crossley discussed “Paul and the Construction of the European Self”.

The discussion is the 13th in the Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible’s 2020 Online Discussion Series.

The Difference Gender Makes: Sarah Rollens and Candida Moss vs Chris Keith

Deane Feminist, Gender, Queer Criticisms, Universities / Academia Candida Moss, Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible, gender, Sarah Rollens

On July 20, 2020, Dr Sarah Rollens (Rhodes College) and Prof Candida Moss discussed “The Difference Gender Makes in Scholarship, Publication, and Promotion”.

The discussion is the 12th in the Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible’s 2020 Online Discussion Series.

Are the Jews Cast Out of the Covenant in the Gospel of John? Adele Reinhartz vs. Chris Keith and James Crossley

Deane Biblical Literature, Gospels, John, Video Adele Reinhartz, aposynagogos, Cast out of the Synagogue, J. Louis Martyn, parting of the ways

On July 6, 2020, Professors Chris Keith and James Crossley had a Zoom discussion with Professor Adele Reinhartz (University of Ottawa). The subject of discussion is the Gospel of John and the Johannine community, also the subject of her most recent book, Cast Out of the Covenant: Jews and Anti-Judaism in the Gospel of John (2018).

The discussion is the tenth in the Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible’s 2020 Online Discussion Series.

 

Christ’s Associations: John Kloppenborg vs. Chris Keith

Deane Ancient Mediterranean, Biblical Studies Topics, Christian Origins, Historical and Literary Contexts, Methods and Approaches in Biblical Studies, Social Scientific Criticism Christ's Associations, John Kloppenborg

On May 19, 2020, Professors John Kloppenborg and Chris Keith had a Zoom discussion on Kloppenborg’s recent book, Christ’s Associations (Yale UP, Nov 2019).

The discussion is the sixth in the Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible’s 2020 Online Discussion Series.

The American Bible: Jason Von Ehrenkrook vs. Prof James Crossley

Deane Politics, Reception History American Bible, CSSSB Online Discussion Series, FDR, LBJ, Trump

The seventh of the 2020 CSSSB Online Discussion Series was held on Monday, June 1, at 7pm BST (2pm EST/11am PST). Assistant Prof Jason Von Ehrenkrook and CSSSB’s Prof James Crossley discuss the shape-shifting use of the ‘Bible’ in American politics, especially in the era from FDR to LBJ, with a few comments on Trump too.