Heather Theissen posted the 203rd Biblical Studies Carnival at Matters of Interpretation. Other than the most terrifying carnival pictures ever, Heather’s carnival is fantastic. In addition to the usual categories, she included “Text Criticism, History of Reception,” “Archeology – Antiquities – History” and “Popular Culture.” If you scroll all the way to the bottom, she explains the carnival pictures as “Busó Festivities at Mohács: masked end-of-winter carnival custom.” Think of it as the Groundhog’s Day in Hungary. Biblical Studies Carnivals are always educational.
Next time someone says academic blogging is dead, point them to Heather’s Biblical Studies Carnival. Make sure you put Heather’s blog on your regular reading list.
Here is what is happening with future carnivals: Ben the Amateur Exegete (@amateurexegete) hosts in February 2023 (Due March 1). So now is the time for you to volunteer to host a carnival in 2023. If you have questions, contact me at plong42@gmail.com and I’ll answer as best I can. Veterans or rookies, we need people to host. Volunteer early and get your preferred month.
Jim West did The End of the Year Biblioblogger Extravaganza: Collecting the Best Posts of 2022 (AKA carnival #202). Think of this as a “carnival of carnivals.” Jim picks three or four top posts for each month. As most people know, Jim loves end of the year top ten lists. He also includes notices of several scholars who passed away in 2022. Jim linked to Biblical Studies Carnival #57, for November 2010 as “the best carnival ever” (although he did think it was “22 years ago”). After posting his carnival, Jim spent the rest of the day blasting Zwingli facts out to the Zwingli-ignorant masses in honor of Zwingli’s birthday on January 1.
Here is what is happening with future carnivals? First time host Heather Thiessen will host Carnival #203 for January 2022 (Due February 1) at Matters of Interpretation. Ben the Amateur Exegete (@amateurexegete) hosts in February 2023 (Due March 1). So now is the time for you to volunteer to host a carnival in 2023. If you have questions, contact me at plong42@gmail.com and I’ll answer as bets I can. Veterans or rookies, we need people to host. Volunteer early and get your preferred month.
What’s happening with Reading Acts? This year is my fourteenth year writing at ReadingActs. The first post was on September 1, 2008, “Why Acts?” Some time in the early spring I will pass five million hits…not bad after averaging 19 a month in my first full year. In 2022, I had just under 900,000 hits, averaging just under 2500 per day. I made 135 posts in 2022, a total of 125.8K words! According to WordPress, 15% of views come on Sunday morning at 11AM, so I know what you are all doing during the sermon.
I plan on returning to Matthew in a week or two in order to finish that series, probably finishing up some time around Easter. I have a plan to do a series of posts on non-canonical Gospels in the early spring (in response to requests from several readers).
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?
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
This month the Biblical Studies Carnival hits a milestone, Jim West hosts the 200th Carnival. These Biblical Studies carnivals had changed and mutated so many times the resemble some apocalyptic beast, the the goal remains the same. Jim describes his Carnival as “divided into sections so that you can quickly locate your field of interest and then move on to the other parts. Links are ‘curated’ (people love that word these days don’t they. Even sandwiches are curated now…) with appropriate (and sometimes inappropriate) commentary by your host.” As always Jim invites constructive criticism and comments and he promises to treat each with the tender compassion he is well-known for.
I hate to be too negative about this, but it has become increasingly difficult to get hosts for the carnivals. Jim West can I can keep doing them forever, but I am not sure if there is a great deal of interest from others to volunteer. (Some of you have faithfully volunteered many times and I really do appreciate it). Bloggers come and go, and sadly most of them have gone. At least the traditional blogger. Over the years blogs have given way to twitter-threads, podcasts or YouTube videos, even (God help us all) TikTok. Notice the trend is away from reading content and toward hearing (or seeing) the content. I do not listen to many podcasts mostly because I cannot listen and work at the same time, and I really don’t exercise so I am not going to listen while I “work out” (whatever that means).
So it is time for people who do listen to academic podcasts to step up and include them as part of a Biblical Studies Carnival. Let us all know who we should be listening to, maybe even (God help us), what TikTok biblical studies are worth our time. If you have thought about hosting, now is the time! “And who knows but that you have come to your social media position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, The Message, probably)
Contact me via email, plong42@gmail.com or DM on twitter (plong42) to discuss hosting a summer Biblical Studies carnival. If you are a new BiblioBlogger, this is a good way to get your blog some recognition. And, to quote Jim West, ” if you do one, it makes it unlikely that I will!”
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about hosting a Carnival this summer (or fall). Check out the Biblical Studies Carnival Master List at the top of this page to visit past carnivals.
Ben the Amateur Exegete posted the Biblical Studies Carnival for August 2022. He sticks to two broad categories, Hebrew Bible/ANE/LXX and New Testament/Early Christianity to make a really nice list of links to top academic posts this month. One of the things I like about the Carnivals is the host curates the posts to their own interests, this month just happens to coincide with my personal interests so I think it is great. Ben introduces his Carnival this way: “The end of summer means that students are heading back to classes and so teachers/professors are in teaching mode.” This is true, August is a flurry of activity for me, getting syllabi prepped and remembering I have to get up in the morning now for classes.
Brian Small added a brief Hebrews Highlights for August 2022. Check out Brian’s blog, he has focused on Hebrews for years and some great resources for studying Hebrews.
I still need a volunteer for September 2022 (Due October 1), November 2022 (Due December 1), and December 2022 (Due January 1). Jim West has October. Or, if you are into long term planning, any month in 2023.
If you have thought about hosting, now is the time to step up and contact me via email, plong42@gmail.com or DM on twitter (plong42) to discuss hosting a summer Biblical Studies carnival. If you are a new BiblioBlogger, this is a good way to get your blog some recognition. And, to quote Jim West, “They are fun to do!”
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about hosting a Carnival this summer (or fall). Check out the Biblical Studies Carnival Master List at the top of this page to visit past carnivals.
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 
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