Welcome to the Biblical Studies Carnival for November 2022. November was a slower month for BiblioBlogs, podcasts and the like. Perhaps many of the professor types were busy grading papers (a highly unlikely possibility) or getting ready for SBL in Denver (or more likely, attended craft beer receptions at SBL). Then Thanksgiving happens and everyone goes comatose for a week.
Speaking of SBL, I enjoyed my week in Denver. I was in for the long haul, first attending the ETS meetings, the IBR on Friday and SBL through Monday. I attended dozens of papers, many enjoyable and a few, well, less so. The rule seems to be, if there are five papers in a session, one going to bring you down. I bought a few books (ok, a lot of books), met with some old friends, and ate out way too much (turns out I really like Vampire Tacos). I always enjoy seeing Tutku Tours people.
What is the current state of the Biblical Studies Carnival in 2023? Jim West will finish out the year with his annual Top Ten round up (he loves top ten lists). But after January 1, I have no volunteers for 2023. Maybe it is time for you to contact me at plong42@gmail.com and host a carnival. Veterans or rookies, we need people to host. Do it early and get your preferred month.
What Biblical Studies Carnival would be complete without memes?
Old Testament and Archaeology
Ken Schenck surveys Interpretations of Genesis 1.
Peter Goeman says Goliath was a Nephilim of the Anakim.
Grant Van Leuven reflects on Psalm 128: The Lord Blesses Those Who Fear Him.
At Torah.com, Jack Sasson asks What Really Happened in the Garden of Eden?
Hezekiah’s Name Found! Maybe. Luke Chandler posted a few comments on a Possible Monumental Inscription with Hezekiah’s Name; Christopher Rollston posted some “brief methodological musings” about reading of the fragment. Here is the a news story on the fragment from October 26.
Luke also posted a report on the Discovery of First Known Sentence in Canaanite Language at Lachish.
If you read one story about Canaanite words on a lice comb, let it be this one.
Rare coin from Hanukkah story villain era found in theft suspect’s home. News story, but a fun read.
Bob MacDonald (who did the Biblical Studies Carnival #199) interacts with Daniel Crowther on two systems of te’amim (cantillation marks).
The Hebrew Language Detective discusses the difference between chesed and chasid, and throws hasida (stork) into the mix as well.
William Ross discusses a New Article Surveying Septuagint Research.
Drew Longacre lists Four Ways Scholars Date Early Hebrew Bible Manuscripts.
James McGrath posted a summary of his Mandaean Illustrated Scroll Talk and Exhibit at the Visiting Scholars Center at Oxford University’s Weston Library. Some great photos of Mandean manuscripts via Digital Bodleian. See also his post from June on the Mandeans and John the Baptist.
Me and James McGrath in the SBL Book Room
New Testament
Ian Paul gets an early start on ruining Christmas with your seasonal reminder: Jesus was not born in a stable! Never fear, he also asks “Can all ages have confidence in the Christmas Story?” Spoiler: Mrs. Reasonable wins the day.
Marg Mowczko on “Covering” or “Testicle” in 1 Corinthians 11:15? In the context of hair-length for women and head coverings in 1 Corinthians 11, Marg discusses two articles by Troy W. Martin, “Paul’s Argument from Nature for the Veil in 1 Corinthians 11:13–15: A Testicle Instead of a Head Covering,” JBL 123.1 (2004); 75-84 (PDF) and Martin, “Περιβόλαιον as ‘Testicle’ in 1 Corinthians 11:15: A Response to Mark Goodacre,” JBL 132.2 (2013): 453–465. (PDF). Part two of this excellent article is still “coming soon.”
Should you want to be ‘left behind’ in Matthew 24? Ian Paul answers: yes, yes you do. And he is right. Also, Ian Paul wins November’s most prolific blogger award (if we had one). His post, What does ‘faith’ and ‘faithfulness’ mean in the gospel of Luke? is excellent.
Philip Jenkins wonders if Jesus was a Carpenter. This is a great post demonstrating a method for doing word studies with resources found on the web.
Nadya Williams asks, Did Lydia Play a Role in Planting the Bithynian Church? The article is based on Williams’s forthcoming work, Cultural Christians in the Early Church.
B. Brandon Scott, “Basileia: Kingdom of God or Empire of God?” Where, What, When? Can one saying answer all three questions about the kingdom (or empire) of God? Scott also had an article on Why the Gospel of Luke Framed Mary Magdalene at the end of October I am including here.
At Scribes of the Kingdom, Καταπέτασμα discusses Preterism under judgement in “The temple at time’s end: An insufficient apocalypse.”
David Turner compares biblical anchors to the Edmund Fitzgerald…dang. Now that song going to run through my head for the next week.
Matters of Interpretation studies and then reflects on Luke 1:8-20.
B. J. Oropeza on Junia: A Woman Apostle (Romans 16:7).
What does submission “in everything” mean? Marg Mowczko says “Too many Christians, however, have applied “in everything” in Ephesians 5:24 in an oppressive and domineering manner that does not fit with Paul’s tone throughout Ephesians 5 and does not foster genuine unity in marriage.”
James Tabor suggests Paul Does Not Believe in the Preexistence of Jesus with a link to a poscast on Philippians 2:5-10.
Brent Nongbri posted on the First Fragments at the Chester Beatty, an exhibit at the Chester Beatty library in Dublin.
Theology
Claude Mariottini, Why Am I a Christian? (part 1 and part 2)
David Swartz on Ron Sider and the Fate of the Evangelical Left. Required reading for those who forgot there is an Evangelical Left. Read this interview with Isaac Sharp on The Other Evangelicals. Or read this from Roger Olson, “Would Jesus Be an “American Nationalist?”
Speaking of Roger Olson, he also reported on a Forgotten Chapter and Theory in Creation Theology, ideal time theory promoted by scientist and amateur theologian Philip Henry Gosse (1810-1888) in his book Omphalos.
Jacob Randolph, Gender, the Great Tradition, and Evangelical Memory.
Beth Allison Barr updates her reflections on Complementarian Theology and Sexual Abuse.
Ted Peters asks, “Did I lose my Self to Determinism?” The answer makes use of neuroscientists and neurophilosophers.
Elli Elliott asks, “Is the King James Version the One True Word of God?” (Spoiler: no)
Book Reviews (and previews)
Five Views on the Testament Canon (Kregel 2022; reviewed by Brent Niedergall)
John Barton, The Word: On the Translation of the Bible (previewed by Jim West)
John Dyer, People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture (OUP, previewed by Peter Gurry)
Jeffrey W. Barbeau and Emily Hunter McGowin, eds. God and Wonder: A New Book on Theology, Imagination, and the Arts (Cascade, previewed by Nijay K. Gupta)
Todd M. Hickey, James G. Keenan, Edgar J. Goodspeed: America’s first papyrologist. Berkeley: California Classical Studies, 2021 (reviewed by Mills McArthur)
Susan Ackerman, Gods, Goddesses, and the Women Who Serve Them (Eerdmans, reviewed by Phillip Long)
Carol A. Newsom. The Spirit within Me: Self and Agency in Ancient Israel and Second Temple Judaism. Yale University Press, 2021 (reviewed by Rebecca Harris)
Sara Parks, Shayna Sheinfeld, and Meredith J.C. Warren. Jewish and Christian Women in the Ancient Mediterranean. New York: Routledge, 2022 (reviewed by Alexiana Fry)
Sue Edwards and Kelley Mathews, 40 Questions Women in Ministry (Kregel, reviewed by Phillip Long
David M. Moffitt, Rethinking the Atonement: New Perspectives on Jesus’s Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, (Baker Academic; previewed by Brian Small)
That is it for Biblical Studies Carnival #201. Now it is on to the end of the semester, grading papers and finishing manuscripts I promised several months ago.
Super, as always!