#CFP Science and Religion: Doing Science in Conservative Religious Settings since 1945

May 29, 2021 By James F. McGrath

This call for papers came to my attention: The workshop will take place on 21 and 22 July 2022 at the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne and will be organized by the Gerda Henkel research group “Religion und Moderne in den USA: Psychologie und Lebenswissenschaften an evangelikalen Colleges seit der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts” (Stefanie Coché, JLU Gießen, Stephan Monissen, JLU Gießen and Sophia Egbert, a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne). While most experts agree that „there... Read more

Evil Rooted in Christianity

May 26, 2021 By James F. McGrath

Let me first say that I thought today I might be letting readers know that my blogging over the summer might be more sporadic than usual. I haven’t always managed to blog once a day every day lately, but the interludes in that pattern have been rare and brief. But something came to my attention that led to me deciding that today I must say something, that I cannot be silent. I might be from tomorrow, not for the whole summer,... Read more

Virtual Sacred Masterworks, Jesus Rocks, Build Yourself An Ark, and Other Biblical Music

May 25, 2021 By James F. McGrath

If anyone is counting, this is apparently post #12,700 on my blog. Just thought I would mention that! Now on with today’s blog post… The wonderful Indianapolis Symphonic Choir will be streaming a series of sacred choral works. Here’s the announcement: Virtual Sacred Masterworks is a brand new digital concert release featuring 11 pre-recorded songs from members of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir! This intimate digital concert experience presents 10 performances by small ensembles of singers and culminates with the debut of our... Read more

What Jesus Learned from Women: An American Baptist Conversation

May 24, 2021 By James F. McGrath

Here is the recording of the event: Some of the questions included: 1. In the introduction, you address the concerns that many probably have regarding whether Jesus needed to learn anything, especially from women. How might you encourage those folks (who would likely dismiss your book altogether, based either on the title or the premise) to even consider learning about the historical and cultural setting for Jesus? How might this understanding further inform their understanding of his divine nature? 2.... Read more

Gamifying Class Discussion

May 22, 2021 By James F. McGrath

This summer I had been planning to try to accomplish something I have long wanted to: creating an app-based version of Canon: The Card Game. I always thought it would be a nice and indeed a natural next step with the game. The pandemic made me sense the lack of a digital version painfully, as the pandemic meant it was impossible to use the game in class multiple players touching the same cards would undermine social distancing). I had a... Read more

Academics and the Israel-Palestine Conflict

May 21, 2021 By James F. McGrath

I had Israel/Palestine on my mind even before the recent re-escalation of violence between Israel and Gaza. I have a sabbatical coming up the academic year after next and would seriously love to spend the full year devoted to writing my book on John the Baptist. One place I would love to spend at least some of that time is the Jordan river valley and other locations where John is said to have been active. Surprisingly few books have been... Read more

#CFP Call for Proposals: Edited volume on Star Trek and Star Wars

May 20, 2021 By James F. McGrath

Call for Proposals: Edited volume on Star Trek and Star Wars deadline for submissions: August 2, 2021 full name / name of organization: Emily Strand and Amy H. Sturgis for Vernon Press contact email: drahsturgis@gmail.com Call for Abstracts Edited volume on Star Trek and Star Wars Edited by Emily Strand, MA and Amy H. Sturgis, PhD Vernon Press The generations-spanning, multimedia franchises Star Trek and Star Wars will form the focus for this edited collection of scholarly essays. As venerable and evolving repositories of science fiction and... Read more

Chris Tilling, Paul’s Divine Christology

May 19, 2021 By James F. McGrath

I am long overdue to blog about Chris Tilling’s important study, Paul’s Divine Christology, published first by Mohr-Siebeck in 2012 and then in paperback in 2015 by Eerdmans. A (slightly) revised version of Tilling’s doctoral thesis, it has many of the characteristics first monographs are prone to have, mine included. I am certain that I interacted with scholars whom I did not yet know personally in ways that I would temper significantly at least as far as my mode of expression... Read more

Reminder: What Jesus Learned from Women Conversation!

May 18, 2021 By James F. McGrath

This is a reminder about the upcoming conversation about What Jesus Learned from Women. You can register for the webinar with Q&A via Facebook or Eventbrite. It will feature me together with three American Baptist ministers: the interim pastor of Crooked Creek Baptist Church (as well as long-time member of both the church and of my Sunday school class, Rev. Dr. Don Scott; another longtime member of both church and Sunday school class, Rev. Joy Amick; and our (retiring) area minister... Read more

Workshop: Jewish Authors and Power in the Greco-Roman Period

May 16, 2021 By James F. McGrath

Dear colleagues, We would like to invite you to an online workshop entitled: Jewish Authors and Power in the Graeco-Roman Period The workshop will take place via zoom on June 3rd- 4th 2021 14:00-18:00 CET The workshop is organized by the Institut für Judaistik, Universität Bern in collaboration with CoE Ancient Near Eastern Empires, University of Helsinki. Questions regarding power and power relations have been a prominent topic in the study of the Greco-Roman period and especially regarding the complicated... Read more