The Academic Programme

The President delivered his Presidential Address with the title ‘The Chronology of the Ascension Stories in Luke and Acts’ at the opening plenary session of the Society.

Main Papers in plenary sessions were read by Prof. Christine Gerber (Hamburg, Germany): ‘Die alte Braut und Christi Leib. Zum ekklesiologischen Entwurf des Epheserbriefs’; Dom Benoit Standaert (Bruges, Belgium): ‘L’édition de l'évangile selon Jean et son enjeu interecclésial'; Prof. Karen L. King (Harvard, USA): ‘Differences that Make a Difference: Rethinking “The Varieties of Early Christianity”’; and Prof. Ismo Dunderberg (Helsinki, Finland): ‘Gnostic Morality Revisited: Moral Progress in Early Christian Stories of the Soul’.

Fifteen short papers were given in three sessions of five simultaneous papers each: (1) Helen Bond, ‘Dating the Death of Jesus: Memory and the Religious Imagination’; Alan C. Mitchell, ‘Otherwordly Priesthood and the Heavenly Sanctuary in Hebrews’; Adele Reinhartz, ‘The Gospel of John and the Parting of the Ways’; Peter-Ben Smit, ‘Masculinity Studies—A New Perspective for New Testament Anthropology?’; Michel Quesnel, ‘La bénédiction de l’épître aux Éphésiens (Ep 1:3–14)'; (2) Michael W. Holmes, ‘From “Original Text” to “Initial Text”: The Traditional Goal of New Testament Textual Criticism in Contemporary Discussion’; Stephen J. Hultgren, ‘Orality, Social Memory, and the Creation of Extended Narrative Structures in the Synoptic Tradition’; Clare Rothschild, ‘Paul's Trip to Classical Athens in Acts 17:16–34’; Bart J. Koet, ‘Isaiah 60:17 as a Key to Understanding the Two-Fold Ministry of episkopoi and diakonoi according to 1 Clem 42:5’; Todd D. Still, ‘(Im)Perfection: Reading Philippians 3:5–6 in Light of Seven’; (3) Paul Anderson, ‘Bultmann, Barrett, and Brown: Johannine Paradigms and their Perdurance’; Kathy Ehrensperger, ‘The Pauline genos Discourse’; David Parker, ‘Textual Research: Its Contributions to New Testament Scholarship in the Past Fifty Years—and in the Next Fifty’; Michael Wojciechowski, ‘Teachings of Jesus and Popular Hellenistic Stories’; Gudrun Holtz, ‘Röm 14:14 im Horizont pharisäisch-tannaitischen Denkens’.

Sixteen seminars with the following subjects, conveners, and presenters were held on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday:

1. (1) Christliche Literatur des späten ersten Jahrhunderts und des zweiten Jahrhunderts / Christian Literature of the Late First Century and the Second Century (F. Prostmeier, W. Pratscher, J. Kelhoffer). a. Katharina Luchner, ‘Wie soll man die griechischen Briefsammlungen unter dem Namen berühmter Männer lesen? Überlegungen zu Gattungsbegriff und intendiertem Publikum’; b. Judith Lieu, ‘Marcion in his Second Century Context’; c. James Kelhoffer, ‘Reciprocity as Salvation: Christ as Salvific Patron according to the Second Letter of Clement’;

2. (2) The Dead Sea Scrolls in Relation to Early Judaism and Early Christianity (J. J. Collins, J. Frey). a. Jan Dochhorn, ‘Welche Rolle spielte Dan 12:1 bei der Entwicklung der Satanologie im Judentum und Christentum?’ (Respondent: John J. Collins); b. Christian Grappe, ‘Éclairage sur le baptême et la tentation de Jésus et sa victoire sur Satan à partir des manuscrits de la mer Morte (Light from the Dead Sea Scrolls on Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation and his Victory over Satan)' (Respondent: Albert Hogeterp); c. Craig A. Evans, ‘Jesus, Satan, and Holy War in the Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls’ (Respondent: Jörg Frey);

3. (3) The Greek of the New Testament (C. C. Caragounis, J. W. Voelz). a. Albert Hogeterp, ‘Semitized Greek in Luke's Narrative Discourse: The Case of Luke 7:18–35’ (Respondent: Tord Fornberg); b. Jarl H. Ulrichsen, ‘Zum Gebrauch der Temporalkonjunktion ἕως im Neuen Testament’; c. Jean-Claude Loba-Mkole, ‘New Testament Greek and Translation Problems’ (Respondent: Fika J. van Rensburg);

4. (4) Inhalte und Probleme einer neutestamentlichen Theologie (C. Landmesser, M. Seifrid). a. Hans Kvalbein, ‘Eschatology and Ethics in Matthew’; b. Samuel Vollenweider, ‘Ethics and Eschatology in Paul’; c. Michael Labahn, ‘Eschatologie und Ethik in den johanneischen Schriften’;

5. (5) The Johannine Writings (M. M. Thompson, R. Zimmermann). a. Margarete Gruber, ‘Österliche Erzählstrategie und Hermeneutik im Johannesevangelium. Intertextualität und Intratextualität in Joh 6:1–71’; b. Ruben Zimmermann, ‘Ranking the Ethics of John’; c. Troels Engberg-Pedersen, ‘Pistis and Pneuma: The Role of Pneuma in Johannine Epistemology of Faith (John 7–8)’;

6. (6) The Jewish World in New Testament Times (S. Freyne, J. W. van Henten, W. Horbury). a. Andrew Overman, ‘The Growth of the Imperial Cult in Galilee during the New Testament Period’ (Respondent: Sean Freyne); b. William Horbury, ‘Ancient Jewish Conceptions of Empire’; c. Paul Spilsbury, ‘Anti-Judaism and Empire: Josephus on Haman and Esther’ (Respondent: Jan Willem van Henten);

7. (7) Pauline Theology in Galatians and Romans (B. R. Gaventa, J. M. G. Barclay, M. C. de Boer). a. Michael Winger, ‘What's Law? What's Spirit? How the Terms Work and Relate in Galatians and Romans’; b. Lukas Bormann, ‘ἴδε ἐγὼ Παῦλος λέγω ὑμῖν (Gal 5:2): Das “Ich” des Paulus in Gal und Röm. Autobiographie und Identitätspolitik’; c. N. T. Wright, ‘Paul and the Patriarch: The Role(s) of Abraham in Galatians and Romans’;

8. (8) The Acts of the Apostles and Ancient Historiography (K. Backhaus, J. Schröter, G. Sterling). a. Christoph Markschies, ‘Eusebius liest die Apostelgeschichte: Zur Stellung der Apostelgeschichte in der frühchristlichen Geschichtsschreibung’; b. Arie W. Zwiep, ‘Intratextual Narrative Mimesis in the Acts of the Apostles: Structure and Rhetoric’; c. Daniel Marguerat, ‘Paul as New Socrates in Acts’ (Respondent: Michael Wolter);

9. (9) Christian Apocryphal Literature (T. Nicklas, C. M. Tuckett, J. Verheyden). a. Annette Merz, ‘Acta Pauli: Die Taufe der Artimilla als Mysterieninitiation’; b. Harald Buchinger, ‘Liturgical Traditions in Christian Apocrypha’; c. Keith Elliott, ‘The Gospel of the Birth of Mary: Issues and Problems’;

10. (10) New Testament Ethics (F. W. Horn, D. Horrell, E. Baasland). a. Judith Hartenstein, ‘Sexuelle Askese im Kontext von Genderfragen. Der 1. Korintherbrief und weitere frühchristliche Schriften’ (Respondent: F. W. Horn); b. David Horrell, ‘The New Testament and the Environment. A Test-Case for Hermeneutics’ (Respondent: Harry Maier); c. Jeremy Punt, ‘Paul in Postcolonial Perspective’ (Respondent: Halvor Moxnes)

11. (11) Social History and the New Testament (H. Löhr, M. Öhler, A. Runesson). a. Willy Clarysse, ‘The Jewish Tax in Ancient Egypt’ (Respondent: Markus Öhler); b. Philip Harland, ‘Associations and the Economics of Group-Life’ (Respondent: Dietrich-Alex Koch); c. Roland Deines, ‘God or Mammon: The Danger of Wealth in the Jesus Tradition and in the Epistle of James’ (Respondent: Matthias Konradt);

12. (12) Jewish Theologies and the New Testament (J. Herzer, G. Oegema). a. Ulrike Mittmann, ‘“Babylon” in Early Jewish Literature’; b. Folker Siegert, ‘Der alte Mann und der junge Mann in Dan 7:13. Quellenkritik des christlichen Ditheismus’; c. James McLaren, ‘Assessing the Place of Eschatological Hope in the World View of Josephus’;

13. (13) Reconsidering Literarkritik of the Pauline Letters and its Impact on their Interpretation (E.-M. Becker, R. Bieringer). a. Gregory Tatum, ‘The Indispensable Role of Literarkritik in Constructing a Modern Vita Pauli’; b. Jennifer Ebbeler, ‘The Lost Letters in the Correspondence of Augustine and Pelagius’; c. Hans Dieter Betz, ‘Literary Criticism in Philippians: The Debate about the Letter's History, Composition, and Theology’;

14. (14) Matthew in Context: an Exploration of Matthew in Relation to the Judaism and Christianity of its Time (M. Konradt, W. Kraus, W. Loader). a. M. Konradt, ‘Überlegungen zur Matthäischen Stellung zum Markusevangelium’ (Respondent: Martin Vahrenhorst); b. Jonathan Draper, ‘…in the Light of Matthew's Soteriology and Eschatology’ (Respondent: Edwin Broadhead); c. William Loader, ‘…in the Light of Matthew 1–4’ (Respondent: Moises Mayordomo);

15. (15) Papyrology, Epigraphy and the New Testament (P. Arzt-Grabner, J. S. Kloppenborg). a. Richard S. Ascough, ‘Early Christian Recruitment and Associations’ (Respondent: John S. Kloppenborg); b. Katelijn Vandorpe, ‘The Relevance of the Study of the Papyri to the Study of the New Testament’ (Respondent: Peter Arzt-Grabner); c. Christina M. Kreinecker, ‘The Garden of Gethsemane Narratives in the Light of Documentary Papyri’;

16. (16) Reading Paul's Letters in Context: Theological and Social-Scientific Approaches (W. Campbell, M. Bachmann). a. Discussion of Ekkehard and Wolfgang Stegemann's paper, ‘Die Kollekte für Jerusalem’ (Respondent: Michael Bachmann); b. Judith Gundry, ‘Inner Aloofness or not “Having it all”—Paul's ὡς μή- in 1 Corinthians 7:29b–31a, and Christians’ Aloofness from the World' (Respondent: Margaret Macdonald); Daniel Patte, ‘Playing Scriptural Criticism on Romans in Multiple Keys’ (Respondent: Kathy Ehrensperger).

The Business Meeting

At the Business Meeting of the Society, members formally elected Professor Christopher Tuckett (Oxford, United Kingdom) to the post of President at the 68^th General Meeting in Perth, Australia in 2013 (until which time he assumes the office of President-Elect). The Committee intimated the nomination of Professor Udo Schnelle (Halle, Germany) to the post of President at the 69^th General Meeting in Szeged, Hungary in 2014. As nominee, he becomes Deputy President-Elect until the 2013 General Meeting in Perth, when his nomination will be voted on by the Society. Professors Margaret MacDonald (Canada) and Michael Wolter (Germany) retired from the Committee at the conclusion of the General Meeting in Leuven. Professors Clare Rothschild (United States) and Jens Schröter (Germany) were elected to replace them and will serve on the Committee for a period of three years.

The Society received the Treasurer's Report and formally accepted the statement of accounts as presented by the Treasurer, Dr Helen Bond (United Kingdom).

The Assistant Secretary for International Initiatives, Professor Bernard C. Lategan (South Africa), reported on the work of the various liaison committees (of which there are now four: the Eastern European Liaison Committee, the African Liaison Committee, the Asian/Pacific Liaison Committee, and the Latin America Liaison Committee), and the SNTS Electronic Library.

The Editor of New Testament Studies, Professor John Barclay (United Kingdom), reported that 110 articles had been submitted to the journal over the past year. Twenty-one were accepted for publication. These figures were considered an index of the very high quality threshold. The queue for publication remains quite short (6–9 months). Professors D. Allison (USA), D. Balch (USA), C. Karakolis (Greece), M. Konradt (Germany), L. McDonald (USA), H. Moxnes (Norway), and D. Sim (Australia) retired from the Editorial Board at the end of 2012. Dr J. Carleton-Paget (United Kingdom) and Professors J. Chapa (Spain); T. Nicklas (Germany); K. Rowe (USA); B. Standaert (Belgium), and A. Yarbro Collins (USA) replaced them as of 1 January 2013 for a term of three years.

Dr John Court gave his last report as the Editor of the Monograph Series after ten years of service. He reported that four monographs had been published since the 2011 General Meeting; four are currently in production or under contract; six manuscripts are currently under review. Subject to final ratification by CUP, Professor Paul Trebilco (New Zealand) was appointed the new editor of the Monograph Series for a five year term from 1 January 2013.

The Society received with regret news of the deaths of the following members: Professors C. K. (Kingsley) Barrett (President in 1971), Frederick Danker, Peter Dschulnigg, Josef Ernst, Thomas W. Gillespie, A. F. J. Klijn, Bernard Mayer, Engelbert Neuhäusler, Rudolf Pesch, Walter Radl, Eckard Rau, Ryszard Rubinkiewicz, Joost Smit Sibinga, and Nigel Watson. Members in attendance in Leuven observed a minute's silence in memory of these scholars. The following members resigned their membership of the Society: Robin Barbour, C. E. B. Cranfield, Gerhard Dautzenberg, Christian Dietzfelbinger, H. W. Hollander, Edwin Judge, Peter Pilhofer, and Wilhelm Wilkens.

The following New Testament scholars were elected to the Society: Dr José Aguilar (Adjunct Professor New Testament, St Joseph's Seminary and Fordham University, USA); Dr Giovanni Bazzana (Assistant Professor of New Testament, Harvard Divinity School, MA, USA); Dr John Byron (Associate Professor of New Testament, Ashland Theological Seminary, OH, USA); Dr Roy Ciampa (Professor of New Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, MA, USA); Dr Wilfried Eisele (Professor, University of Münster, Germany); Dr Matthew Gordley (Associate Dean of Academics, Regent University School of Divinity, VA, USA); Dr Michael Gorman (Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology, St Mary's Seminary & University, MD, USA); Dr James Harrison (Head of the School of Theology, Wesley Institute, Sydney, Australia); Dr René Krüger (Prof für NT an der Facultad de ISEDET, Buenos Aires, Argentina); Dr Shelly Matthews (Associate Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, Brite Divinity School, TX, USA); Dr David Neville (Senior Lecturer in New Testament Studies, St Mark's National Theological Centre, Barton, Canberra, Australia); Dr George Parsenios (Associate Professor of New Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ, USA); Dr Volker Rabens (Research Scholar, New Testament, University of Bochum, Germany); Dr Daniel Smith (Associate Professor of New Testament Language and Literature and the Clark and Mary Wright Chair of New Testament Theology, Huron University College, London, Ontario, Canada); Dr Hans-Ulrich Weidemann (Professor of New Testament, University of Siegen, Germany); Dr Larry Welborn (Professor New Testament and Early Christian Literature, Fordham University, NY, USA); Dr Peter Williams (Warden, Tyndale House, Cambridge, UK).

Social Events

Social events at the General Meeting included a recital by Annelies Dille (mezzo-soprano) in the Church of St Peter, a dinner at the Faculty Club hosted by the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, and a dinner hosted by Peeters Publishers in the Jubilee Room of University Hall. Optional excursions on the Saturday took participants west to Bruges, east to Tongeren, ‘Landcommanderij Alden Biesen’, and the towns of Borgloon and Zoutleeuw, or south to the ancient Cistercian Abbey of Villers-la-Ville, the Benedictine Abbey of Maredsous, and the towns of Dinant and Louvain-la-Neuve. The local organizing committee consisted of Professors J. Verheyden (Chair), Reimund Bieringer, and Gilbert Van Belle.

Future General Meetings

The Society will hold its annual General Meeting in Perth, Australia in 2013, in Szeged, Hungary in 2014, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 2015, and in Montreal, Canada in 2016.

30.11.2012