The Academic Programme

The President delivered her Presidential Address entitled ‘John Chrysostom and Christian Love Magic: A Spellbinding Moment in the History of Interpretation of 1 Cor 7.2–4’ at the first plenary session of the meeting. Main Papers were presented by Simon Butticaz (Switzerland), ‘De la parenté d'auteur(s) à la “mémoire générationelle” (P. Nora): l'oeuvre de Luc et les Lettres pastorales en relation’; Outi Lehtipuu (Finland), ‘Women as Bible Readers in Late Antiquity’; Christos Karakolis (Greece), ‘Blindness and Healing of the Johannine “Jews”: A Reader-Centred Approach’; Jean-Bosco Matand Bulembat (Congo), ‘Et la femme sera sauvée grâce à la progéniture? Approche contextuelle d'une relecture de Gn 2–3 en 1 Tm 2, 11–15’; Bernadette Brooten (USA), ‘Enslaved and Slaveholding Women in Early Christianity’; and Lutz Doering (Germany) ‘“Ihr habt gehört, dass zu den Alten gesagt wurde …”: Zu Form und Funktion der Antithesen der Bergpredigt’.

Twelve short papers were posted online and made available for participants to read in advance of the meeting. Four virtual sessions were offered to discuss each of the papers, which appeared in the programme as follows: Alicia Batten (Canada), ‘The Theatricality of James 2’; Lourdes García Ureña (Spain), ‘Χλωρός and its Meanings in the Book of Revelation: A Methodology for the Study of Colour Terms’; James A. Kelhoffer (Sweden), ‘ΜΕΤΑΝΟΕΩ and ΜΕΤΑΝΟΙΑ as a Change in Mindset in the Second Letter of Clement’; Boris Repschinski (Austria), ‘Matthew within Christianity’; Alexey Somov (Russia), ‘Matt 27.52–3 and the Legend about the Martyrdom of Daniel and his Three Companions in Eastern Orthodox Bible Interpretation’; Paul Anderson (USA), ‘John: The Mundane Gospel’; John Granger Cook (USA), ‘The Faith in Resurrection of Paul the Thaumaturge’; Francesco Bianchini (Italy), ‘The Crux Interpretum of 1 Cor 15.29: What Is at Stake and a Proposal’; Matthew Gordley (USA), ‘The Role of Hymnic and Epainetic Discourse in First Timothy’; Andrew M. Mbuvi (USA), ‘A Re-Reading of Luke 10.29–37 in Light of Historical Violence against Black Bodies: The Case of the Overlooked λῃσταί!’; Bart J. Koet (Netherlands), ‘Who Do You Have to Invite to the Table? A Dropsical Guest Certainly: About Luke 14.1–24 as a Literary Unit’; and Dennis MacDonald (USA), ‘Is it Possible to Reconstruct Q if Luke Knew Matthew as well as Mark? The Case for the Q+/Papias Solution to the Synoptic Problem’.

Sixteen of eighteen seminars met three times each during the virtual General Meeting, with the following topics and presenters:

1. 1. Constructions of the Histories of Early Christianity (conveners: Cilliers Breytenbach and Clare Rothschild): (a) (joint session with Social History and the New Testament): Hermut Löhr (Germany), ‘Der “Hirte des Hermas” und die stadtrömischen Christen’; respondent: Harry O. Maier (Canada); (b) John Kloppenborg (Canada), ‘Second Century Constructions of Christian History’; respondent: Joseph Verheyden (Belgium); (c) R. Matthew Calhoun (USA), ‘3 Corinthians’; respondent: Johan Thom (South Africa).

2. 2. Mapping ‘New Testament Studies’: History, Status and Prospects (conveners: Eve-Marie Becker, Michael Cover and Francis Watson) – did not convene this year.

3. 3. Inhalte und Probleme einer neutestamentlichen Theologie (conveners: Christof Landmesser and Mark Seifrid): Responses to and Review of Udo Schnelle, Die getrennten Wege von Römern, Juden, und Christen: Religionspolitik im 1. Jahrhundert n. Chr. (Mohr Siebeck: Tübingen, 2019): (a) Udo Schnelle (Germany), ‘Das frühe Christentum als eigenständige Bewegung’; (b) Edwin Broadhead (USA), ‘The Forming of the Ways on the Landscape of Antiquity’; (c) Benjamin Schliesser (Switzerland), ‘“Weder Jude noch Römer”: Innovation und Distinktion in der frühen Jesusbewegung’.

4. 4. The Johannine Writings (conveners: Jörg Frey, Christina Hoegen-Rohls and Catrin Williams): (a) Anni Hentschel (Germany), ‘Der Weinstock als Bild für die johanneische Gemeinde (Joh 15,1–17)’; respondent: Cosmin Pricop (Romania); (b) (joint session with Early Christian Ethics): Cornelis Bennema (UK), ‘A Framework for Constructing Johannine Ethics’; respondent: Veronika Burz-Tropper (Austria, guest); (c) Alicia D. Myers (USA), ‘I Call You “Friends” … but When? Interpreting Friendship in John 15.12–17 in Light of the Temporal Fluidity of the Farewell Discourse’; respondent: Kasper Bro Larsen (Denmark).

5. 5. The Development of Early Christian Ethics within its Jewish and Greco-Roman Contexts (conveners: Matthias Konradt and William Loader): (a) (joint session with Hebrews): William Loader (Australia), ‘Ethics in Hebrews’; respondent: James Thompson (USA); (b) (joint session with Johannine Writings): Cornelis Bennema (UK), ‘A Framework for Constructing Johannine Ethics’; respondent: Veronika Burz-Tropper (Austria, guest); (c) Matthias Konradt (Germany), ‘Following Jesus and Fulfilling the Law: Reflections on Ethics in Matthew’; respondent: Boris Repschinski (Austria).

6. 6. The Mission and Expansion of Earliest Christianity (conveners: Eugene Eung-Chun Park, Paul Trebilco and Gosnell Yorke): (a) Mitzi Smith (USA), ‘A Tale of Two Planters? Apollos, Paul and Corinth as Contested Missional Space’; respondent: Ronald Charles (Canada); (b) Christoph Stenschke (Germany, guest), ‘Paul's Ministry to Jews and Some Gentiles according to the Book of Acts’; respondent: Eugene Park (USA); (c) Paul Trebilco (New Zealand), ‘The Expansion of Early Christianity in Ephesus in the Second Century ce’; respondent: Gosnell Yorke (Zambia).

7. 7. Hebrews (conveners: Christian Eberhart and Wolfgang Kraus): (a) (joint session with Early Christian Ethics): William Loader (Australia), ‘Ethics in Hebrews’; respondent: James Thompson (USA); (b) Manuel Vogel (Germany), ‘“Lasst uns hinausgehen aus dem Lager” (Hebr. 13,13): Hellenistisch-jüdische Junkturen von Bildung und sozialer Exklusion im Spiegel des Hebräerbriefes’; (c) Wolfgang Kraus (Germany): ‘Zur Rede von Gott im Hebräerbrief’; respondent: Gert Steyn (South Africa).

8. 8. Social History and the New Testament (conveners: Hermut Löhr, Markus Öhler and Anders Runesson): (a) (joint session with Constructions of the Histories of Early Christianity): Hermut Löhr (Germany), ‘Der “Hirte des Hermas” und die stadtrömischen Christen’; respondent: Harry O. Maier (Canada); (b) no second session; (c) Jan Rüggemeier (Switzerland, guest), ‘Travelling with a Phoenician Merchant: Urban Encounters with Christ-followers in Rome’; respondent: Judith Lieu (UK).

9. 9. The Phenomenon of Pseudepigraphy (conveners: Christine Gerber and Adela Yarbro Collins): (a) Christine Gerber (Germany), ‘The Letter to the Ephesians’; respondent: Gregory E. Sterling (USA); (b) Jens Herzer (Germany), ‘The Pastoral Epistles’; respondent: Korinna Zamfir (Romania); (c) Gregory Given (USA, guest), ‘The Letters Attributed to Ignatius of Antioch’; respondent: Angela Standhartinger (Germany).

10. 10. Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles: Reassessment and Roads Forward (conveners: Simon Butticaz, Jens Schröter and Janet Spittler): (a) Cecilia Antonelli (Switzerland, guest), ‘Les multiples aventures de l'apôtre Barthélemy dans le monde chrétien ancien et les Actes et martyre de Barthélemy grecs et arméniens (BHG 226z)’; (b) Tobias Nicklas (Germany), ‘Unknown Pauline Traditions in Apostle Stories Related to Cyprus’; (c) Tony Burke (Canada), ‘Achieving Greatness: Re-Evaluating the “Later” Apocryphal Acts’.

11. 11. Papyrology, Epigraphy and the New Testament (conveners: Peter Arzt-Grabner and James R. Harrison): (a) (joint session with Reading Paul's Letters in Context): James R. Harrison (Australia), ‘Romans 1.2–4 and Imperial “Adoption” Ideology: Paul's Alternative Narrative to Julio-Claudian Sonship and Apotheosis’; (b) Julien M. Ogereau (Austria, guest), ‘The ἐκκλησία Θɛσσαλονικέων as ἱɛρὰ ἐκκλησία: New Insights from Old Stones’; respondent: Richard S. Ascough (Canada); (c) Michael P. Theophilos (Australia), ‘The Infancy Narrative of Matthew in Light of Astrological Papyri and Ostraca’; respondent: Giovanni Bazzana (USA).

12. 12. Reading Paul's Letters in Context: Theological and Social-Scientific Approaches (conveners: William S. Campbell and Judith Gundry): (a) (joint session with Papyrology, Epigraphy and the New Testament): James R. Harrison (Australia), ‘Romans 1.2–4 and Roman Imperial “Adoption” Ideology: Paul's Alternative Narrative to Julio-Claudian Sonship and Apotheosis’; (b) William S. Campbell (UK), ‘The Measure of Strength in Romans 14.1–15.13: Paul's Redefinition’; (c) Karin Zetterholm (Sweden), ‘“The Paul within Judaism” Perspective and Reception History: Pauline Ideas in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies’.

13. 13. New Testament Textual Criticism (conveners: Claire Clivaz, Hugh Houghton and Tommy Wasserman): (a) Thomas O'Loughlin (UK), ‘Insular Traditions of Exegesis and Paratext’; respondent: Paul Foster (UK); (b) Anna Persig (Belgium, guest), ‘Arduum ut quae in alia lingua bene dicta sunt, eundem decorem in translatione conseruent: The Language of the Latin Translations of the Catholic Epistles’; respondent: Thomas Johann Bauer (Germany); (c) Annette Weissenrieder (Germany), ‘Codex Vercellensis: A New Edition Project in Light of Spectral Imaging’; respondent: Hugh Houghton (UK).

14. 14. Memory, Narrative and Christology in the Synoptic Gospels (conveners: Samuel Byrskog, David du Toit and Stephen Hultgren): (a) Stephen Hultgren (Australia), ‘Narrative Frames and the Integration of Social Memory: Jesus’ Authority in Matthew, Mark and Q’; (b) Verena Schulz (Netherlands, guest), ‘Forms of Forgetting in Roman Literature’; (c) Edwin Broadhead (USA), ‘Narrative and Neurology: Soundings in the Gospels’.

15. 15. Philo and Early Christianity (conveners: Per Jarle Bekken and Gregory E. Sterling): (a) Sigurd Grindheim (Norway): ‘Significant, but not Decisive: Philo's Influence on Hebrews’; respondent: Lukas Bormann (Germany); (b) Arco den Heijer (Netherlands, guest): ‘Frankness in the Agora and before the King: Performing Parrhesia in Philo and the Book of Acts’; respondent: Gregory E. Sterling (USA); (c) Gregory E. Sterling: ‘Ancient Wisdom and Theology: Philo, Ammonius and Plutarch’; respondent: Michael Cover (USA).

16. 16. Acta Politica: The Book of Acts and the Political Culture of the Roman Empire (conveners: Knut Backhaus, Carl Holladay and Daniel Marguerat) – did not convene this year.

17. 17. Resurrection: New Methods and Approaches (conveners: Shelly Matthews and Daniel Smith): (a) Karen L. King (USA), ‘Resurrection or Ascent: The Gospel of Mary Reads the Gospel of John’; respondent: Tat-siong Benny Liew (USA); (b) Judith Hartenstein (Germany), ‘The Fourth Gospel as a Turning Point in the Literary Development of Texts on Mary Magdalene, Resurrection, Ascent and Apostolic Authority’; respondent: Nicola Denzey Lewis (USA); (c) Taylor Petrey (USA, guest), ‘Marcion and the Resurrection’; respondent: Stephanie Cobb (USA).

18. 18. Reading Galatians in New Perspectives: Methods and Approaches (conveners: Martin Meiser, Dieter Sänger and Korinna Zamfir): (a) Peter Oakes (UK), ‘Understanding Galatians in Light of Early House Church Social Structure’; (b) Günter Röhser (Germany), ‘Gerechtwerden des Menschen (im Galaterbrief) als prozessuale Vorstellung’; respondent: Francesco Bianchini (Italy); (c) Stefan Schreiber (Germany), ‘Politische Sprache, Motive und Kritik im Galaterbrief: Eine Spurensuche’.

The Business Meetings

At the two Business Meetings of the Society, members formally elected Prof. John M. G. Barclay (UK) to the post of President for the 76th General Meeting in Leuven, Belgium in 2022 (until which time he assumes the office of President-Elect). Looking one year ahead (as necessary given the cancellation of the Rome meeting for 2020 and hence no presidential nomination placed in that year), the Committee intimated the nomination of Prof. Joseph Verheyden (Belgium) to the post of President at the 77th General Meeting in Rome, Italy in 2023. He is Presidential Nominee until the 2022 General Meeting in Leuven, when his nomination will be put to the vote by the Society.

Profs. Knut Backhaus (Germany) and Gosnell Yorke (Zambia) retired from the Committee at the conclusion of the General Meeting. They were thanked for their valuable contributions. Profs. Bernardo Estrada (Columbia) and Moisés Mayordomo (Switzerland) were elected as replacements and will serve on the Committee for a period of three years.

The Treasurer, Prof. Paul Foster (UK), summarised his circulated report and the statement of accounts for the year ending on 31 May 2021.

The Assistant Secretary for International Initiatives, Prof. William Loader, summarised his circulated report. In addition, he invited colleagues to consider a variety of ways to convey the international character of the Society, including sponsoring, mentoring and giving assistance. He also welcomed any questions via email.

The Editor of New Testament Studies, Prof. Simon Gathercole (UK), reported that 132 articles had been submitted to the Journal over the past year, twenty-five of which had been accepted for publication. Profs. Matthew Novenson (UK), Mikeal Parsons (USA), Catrin Williams (UK), Arie Zwiep (Netherlands) and David Lincicum (USA) were due to retire from the Board at the end of 2021. To replace these members, the Editorial Board presented to the Society, pending appointment by the Press, the following members to serve in their place, for the period January 2022 – December 2024: Profs. Brittany Wilson (USA), Andreas Dettwiler (Switzerland), Lisa Bowens (USA), Teresa Morgan (UK), Eve-Marie Becker (Germany), James Kelhoffer (Sweden), Matthijs den Dulk (Netherlands) and Michael Theophilos (Australia).

The Editor of the Monograph Series, Prof. Edward Adams (UK), reported that two monographs had been published since the previous General Meeting and that one was currently in production.

The Society received with regret news of the deaths of the following members: Johann Christoph Burchard (Germany; December 2020); John Davies (UK; April 2021); Christoph Demke (Germany; July 2021); John (‘Jack’) Elliott (USA; December 2020); Claus Hunno-Hunzinger (Germany; January 2021); Robert Jewett (USA; December 2020); Richard Longenecker (Canada; June 2021); Gerd Lüdemann (Germany; May 2021); Edgar McKnight (USA; December 2020); Otto Merk (Germany; Life Member; January 2021); Robert Meye (USA; August 2020); Jan du Rand (South Africa; March 2021); Franz Zeilinger (Austria; February 2021). Members observed a minute's silence in memory of these scholars.

Nineteen New Testament scholars were elected to the Society: Jeffrey W. Aernie (Australia); Jeremy Wade Barrier (USA); Charles A. Bobertz (USA); Lisa Bowens (USA); Gay L. Byron (USA); Benjamin Dunning (USA); Douglas Estes (USA); Mark R. C. Grundeken (Germany); G. Anthony (‘Tony’) Keddie (Canada); Daniel Lanzinger (Germany); Kar Yong Lim (Malaysia); Yii-Jan Lin (USA); Jonathan Linebaugh (UK); Valérie Nicolet (France); David Pastorelli (France); Benjamin E. Reynolds (Canada); Christian Schramm (Germany); Luigi Walt (Germany); Brittany E. Wilson (USA). After these new members were elected, Assistant Secretary Kreinecker encouraged members of the Society to start thinking already about nominations for next year (2022) and to contact her with any questions about that process.

During the First Business Meeting, President Kloppenborg introduced a proposal for Associate Membership that had been circulated in advance and invited discussion regarding the same. Members who spoke expressed both concerns about and support for the proposal. A friendly amendment to the proposal was made to clarify that, as with full members, nominees for Associate Membership were not to attend the General Meeting at which they are being nominated. At the conclusion of the discussion, members were invited to keep pondering the proposal during the course of the meeting and were instructed regarding the upcoming vote at the beginning of the Second Business Meeting. The typical SNTS pattern and protocol for ballot voting was to be followed: anonymously cast votes (with the options of yes, no and abstaining), counted by stewards, with a simple majority prevailing.

At the outset of the Second Business Meeting, President Mitchell reminded members of the history and development of the proposal under consideration and underscored the Society's commitment to diversity. Indeed, the Society and its leadership would work towards diversity with respect to gender, nationality and age regardless of the outcome of the vote on this single initiative. Furthermore, President Mitchell reminded members of the particulars of the proposal on which the membership would be voting. She then offered detailed voting instructions in MS Teams, reassuring members regarding the anonymity and validity of their vote. She then indicated that she would announce the results of the vote at the end of the Second Business Meeting. Members were then given adequate time to cast an anonymous vote, which was tabulated and reported by meeting stewards.

Near the conclusion of the Second Business Meeting, President Mitchell announced the results of the vote on Associate Membership. The results were as follows: YES: 88 (72.13%); NO: 28 (22.95%); ABSTAIN: 6 (4.92%). The total number of votes cast was 122, including 4 votes that were sent directly to the Committee. On the basis of the result, the Society will proceed to make a change to its constitution by introducing a new category of membership. The President reminded members that Associate Membership was to be seen as an experiment and would be reviewed after five years to determine whether the programme was proving to be beneficial both to the Society and to associate members.

President Mitchell also thanked all the Officers and Committee members of the Society for their outstanding work over the last two years, culminating in a successful virtual meeting. She especially wished, on behalf of all of the members of the Society, to thank Prof. John Kloppenborg for his keen leadership and generosity, in agreeing to serve two years as President, in light of the Rome 2020 meeting cancellation. Additionally, she recognised Prof. Verheyden and the entire Leuven team with thanks for their superb arrangements of the 2021 virtual meeting. In view of the Society's announced plan to meet in Leuven in person from Monday, 25 July to Thursday, 28 July 2022 (with planed excursions on Friday, 29 July), she offered verbal thanks, and deferred the usual bestowal of gifts upon the Local Organising Committee until the Society gathers in person, at which time they shall be recognised for their extraordinary hospitality and service.

Social Events

Digital access to the ‘Leuven Chansonnier’, a ‘musical treasure-trove of fifteenth-century French chansons’, together with a documentary on the manuscript and a recording of a performance of its music, was made available throughout the virtual conference to registered participants.

Additional Meetings

Through the initiative of the President, Prof. Margaret M. Mitchell, a welcome session was held for new members elected by the Society at the General Meeting in Marburg in 2019 and during the online Business Meeting in 2020. After a short welcome by President Mitchell, the Past President, President-Elect, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary for International Initiatives also welcomed new members. These words of welcome were followed by individual introductions of new members who were able to attend this collegial online exchange.

Additionally, as in recent years, female delegates convened in a special session during the course of the General Meeting. This year's gathering was organised and led by Profs. Judith Lieu (Cambridge) and Christina M. Kreinecker (Leuven).

Future General Meetings

The Society intends to hold its annual General Meeting in Leuven, Belgium in 2022, in Rome, Italy in 2023, in Melbourne, Australia in 2024, in Vancouver, Canada in 2025 and in Regensburg, Germany in 2026.

New SNTS Website

Following the General Meeting, the Secretary announced to the Society by email the launch of a new website (https://snts.online), noting that the former website would no longer be operative. In making this announcement, the Secretary thanked Mr Nathan Patzke for helping to design and to host the website on the Society's behalf.

In addition to societal news and updates, by selecting the ‘Additional Documents’ link one can find valuable materials regarding the Society, including an overview of SNTS Meetings, a survey of Members’ service and contributions to SNTS, and downloadable files for Bulletins 1–3 and NTS 1–67. On behalf of the Society, the Secretary expressed profound appreciation to Prof. Joseph Verheyden (Belgium) and his collaborators for making these documents readily available. SNTS is most grateful for their monumental efforts and this considerable gift.