Day 2 of Eastern Great Lakes SBL (and my paper)

We had a half-day yesterday which was mostly just one long session of papers.  My paper was on how Romans 1:18-32 is often connected to other parts of the letter looking forward (ch 2, chs 6-8, ch 12, ch 15), but there are enough verbal and thematic links to 1:8-15 that we should not ignore how Paul sets himself up as the faithful worshipper over and against the wicked idolaters.  I argue that this is meant to set himself as a model and also to defend himself against a few potential criticisms (like why he has not visited earlier).  There was plenty of time for questions and folks seemed to be happy with the argument.

Vernon Robbins gave a paper arguing against people like Francis Watson when it comes to narrative dynamics in Paul’s letters.  Robbins thinks we can trace Christian story-lines even as early as 1 Thessalonians.  While we don’t have stories about (what Robbins calls) “Hebrew Bible people,” there are story-lines about what happened to Christ and then what is happening to the apostles and followers of Jesus.  Robbins, of course, used his model of rheterolects which I find confusing, so that threw me off a bit, but his enthusiasm and smiley face keep me interested.

One thing we can come away with from some of the papers is that narrative and rhetorical criticism are not fads- they are here to stay and I can’t imagine that scholars had much to talk about before these methods were used!  I always tell my students – give Matthew or Mark or Paul a brain.  As you read them, think to yourself – ‘What was he trying to communicate?’  How does he accomplish his communicative goals?  People like me and Vernon and most of the other papers try to work out some of these questions in specific ways.

Anyway, 2 conferences down (Midwest SBL, EGL SBL) and one to go- see you all in Wheaton!