Mashup and Identity Studies

I’ve decided my approach to Paul and Christ-movement social identity may be described as mashup. I take data from two (or more) different sources and combine them into something new. Here is what is sounds like when Party Ben combines The Police and Snow Patrol.


So, I am wondering if mashup is the future of biblical studies? I’ve been amazed how much has been written in Pauline studies in the last few years and the field might benefit from a few DJs mixing things up resulting in densely complex and aesthetically pleasing scholarship. So, rather than using Tajfel and Turner’s social identity theory/self-categorization theory by itself, what if we combined it with Stryker and Burke’s identity theory. Or better yet, add some poststructuralist identities consideration into the mix. When we combine these resources with Paul’s fragmentary discourse what would result: fresh insights or scholarship that misses the mark? Maybe this would be like combining Beyonce with Andy Griffith but hey aren’t there single ladies in Mayberry?


If so, maybe using the image of music mashup is 'Just What I Needed' to trigger creative scholarly insights. What do you think?

Rodney Dangerfield and Writing a Review Article

I am getting ready to write a review article for a journal and I am wondering, 'What makes for a good review article'? I've published these in the past and I thought I'd ask, 'What do you hope to find when you start to read a review article'? One article I read called review articles the 'Rodney Dangerfield of [academic] writing'. Why is it that these essays get so little respect, when they often have quite useful information?

Dobri Atanassov Batovski notes that 'a review article is expected to provide a summary and/or a synthesis of the findings of selected research contributions being published by other authors. The main purpose of a review article is to examine the current state of the relevant publications on a given topic and to initiate a discussion about the research methodologies and the findings related to the said topic'. Is this a valid and achievable goal?

I realize that there are at least two types of review articles: (1) an essay that reviews multiple books in an extended manner and provides pan-book remarks. (2) an extended argument dealing with one book, e.g. an review that addresses individual essays in a compilation (a review article on a monograph would be included here). The one I am currently writing is on one book that is a compilation of essays by various NT scholars.

Those interested, can see a recent review article that I wrote that looked at three books on identity formation in the New Testament. It is entitled, 'Christian Identity - Created or Construed' Journal of Beliefs and Values (2009) 30.1: 71-77. So, what makes for a good review article?

Magnus Zetterholm and Approaches to Paul Initial Thoughts

Magnus Zetterholm, Associate Professor of New Testament Studies at Lund University provides an excellent overview to current Pauline studies in his new book, Approaches to Paul: a student’s guide to recent scholarship. This work offers a history of scholarship dealing with the Apostle Paul that focuses on many of the key issues within the field. For example, after a chapter that covers Sanders, Dunn, and Wright, he notes that ‘an increasing number of scholars are now addressing issues pertaining to Paul’s relation to Judaism from the basic assumption that Paul was as Torah-observant as any other Jew during the first century' (2009: 10). Zetterholm’s work summarizes key Pauline positions while allowing his view to slowly come into view in the final chapter. He fits into the category of scholars loosely referred to as ‘Beyond the New Perspective on Paul’. This group includes: William S. Campbell, Kathy Ehrensperger, Mark Nanos, Terence Donaldson, Lloyd Gaston, Peter Tomson, Stanley Stowers, Pamela Eisenbaum, and Caroline Johnson Hodge. This group does not argue for a binary relationship between Judaism and the early Christ-movement and argues that Paul continued to be within Judaism. Furthermore, Paul is understood to only be writing to gentiles and thus his rhetorical constructs are addressing gentile concerns and are not to be understood as offering instruction to Jews. Also, this group focuses on the Roman empire as Paul’s concern rather than seeing a preoccupation with Judaism (2009: 230). This group also calls into question Lutheran readings of Paul. Zetterholm ultimately suggests that ‘the truth about Paul…lurks somewhere within the radical new perspective’ (2009: 239); this last phrase is his description of the above mentioned scholars. Zetterholm also calls into question ‘the amalgamation of normative theology and historical scholarship’ (2009: 238). This is a highly contested position and he suggests that scholars such as Thielman, Das, Gathercole, and Westerholm seek to understand Paul in the context of ‘normative Protestant theology’ (2009: 192); which Zetterholm suggests is highly problematic (2009: 238). Interestingly, he also provides a summary of scholars that provide cross-disciplinary readings of Paul, these include: Jacob Taubes, Neil Elliott, Kathy Ehrensperger, Davina Lopez. I have reviewed most of these works over the past few months. This is an excellent resource for the person who is attempting to keep current or catch-up with Pauline studies. A work like this is by its nature selective; however, I would have liked to have seen some discussion concerning William S. Campbell's work on Paul.

References:

Zetterholm, Magnus. Approaches to Paul: A Student's Guide to Recent Scholarship. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2009.

Zetterholm, Magnus. The Messiah: In Early Judaism and Christianity. Philadelphia, Pa: Fortress, 2007.

Zetterholm, Magnus. The Formation of Christianity in Antioch A Social-Scientific Approach to the Separation between Judaism and Christianity. London: Routledge, 2003.

Baptism, Rites, and 'in Christ' Identity

I am putting the finishing touches on my SBL paper, Baths, Baptism, and Patronage and I thought I would post some of my reflections on Richard DeMaris' The New Testament in its Ritual World, first chapter. So, here they are. DeMaris rightly notes that scholars should question the ‘taken-for-granted status of baptism’ within the early Christ-movement (15). He also recognizes that ‘baptism’, in 1 Cor 1.10-13, is ‘the cause of controversy’ and ‘not a basis for solving’ the problem (16). Furthermore, ‘Paul implies that the conflicting loyalties that threaten group unity stem in part from who baptized whom’ (16). So, ‘Paul’s forgetfulness…betrays’ his ‘uneasiness about his involvement in baptism and his unhappiness that the rite has contributed to divisiveness among the Corinthian house churches and within them’ (16).

DeMaris calls into question the idea that baptism was a rite of initiation or a rite of passage and rather suggests that it should be understood as a boundary-crossing event with a primary focus on ritual and crisis rather than the ‘derivative status’ which focuses on ‘faith, sacred symbol, and sacred story’ to ‘inform or dictate what ritual is about’ (this is also a critique of Horrell (1996: 80)) (20, 22).

DeMaris points out that rites are public experiences and ‘not simply two-party transactions, between buyer and seller, between baptizer and baptizand’; rather they affect ‘existing social relations’ (24). He suggests that baptism ‘which brought new members into the group, was in effect a mechanism for crossing the domestic threshold and establishing kinship bonds’ (25). DeMaris suggests that ‘in the first-century Mediterranean world…family identity outweighed individual identity’ (25). However, DeMaris emphasizes the need to cut existing social ties but I would suggest that these existing ties remain expect in those places where they conflict with identity in Christ (e.g. idolatry and immorality).

DeMaris is correct to note that rites can generate conflict as easily as they can reduce it (27). So, baptism may actually be contributing to difficulties in interpreting the social implications of the gospel. DeMaris describes four aspects of rites that suggest that they contribute to ‘social crises’ and conflict (33). First, rites can misfire and produce ‘unintended consequences’ (27). I would suggest an unintended consequence in Corinth related to the patronage associations with Roman bathing practices (the argument of my SBL paper). Second, rites reinforce ‘social hierarchies’ (29). A trip to the bath likewise reinforced social hierarchies (just like the locker room did in Jr. High School, but I digress). Likewise, the asymmetrical relationship between the baptizer and the baptizand could have contributed to power issues within the Christ-movement. Third, rites present an ‘idealized situation’ that is not commensurate with reality (30). I would suggest that if language such as 1 Cor 12.13 was employed during the baptism, confusion could have arisen with regard to the continuing significance of ethnic identity and status categories in Christ. Fourth, ‘context is crucial for determining a rite’s effects’ (32). The social setting influences the effectiveness of a rite, especially in the context of its impact on existing social identities (e.g. baptism and circumcision and/or Eucharistic and dietary practices). If, central to Paul’s mission is the continuation of previous social identities in Christ (1 Cor 7.19) then, one should expect to see confusion, debate, and disagreement over how these identities continue in various social settings.

DeMaris also appears to disagree with me with regard to the continuing significance of previous social identities in Christ. For example, he writes ‘In the case of baptism, it would have concretized, enacted, and finalized the departure of individuals from their former social identity and their entry into a new identity’(31). Furthermore, ‘If baptism made the transition from old to new possible, the reality of living simultaneously in both persisted. The tension between ideal and real undoubtedly posed problems for members of the early church’ (31).

DeMaris notes with regard to 1 Cor 10.1-5 that ‘Paul stresses the clean break and new allegiance that ritual signals in his retelling of the Israelites’ Exodus and Wilderness experience – a thinly veiled reference to baptism and eucharist (10.1-5)’ (31). Though, he is correct to note that Paul is concerned about their inconsistency between lived and ideal experience. I would suggest that DeMaris overstates the discontinuity between Israel’s experience and that of those in Christ, in that he overlooks the comparative nature of Paul’s rhetoric in favor of a contrastive reading of the text (cf. 2 Cor 3 where Paul presents a similar argument). The implication of DeMaris’ approach is that ethnic identities and other existing identity position are irrelevant ‘in Christ’ rather than seeing the issue the way these continue ‘in Christ’, which would be an equally ‘messy’ scenario (31).

Well, so what do you think about DeMaris' work on the ritual aspects of baptism?

Whilst working on this, I came by a guitar solo that I couldn't pass up...passing on (thanks Greg Amburgy for the 'heads up'). Enjoy...

Tweeting, PowerPoint, and Knowing Your Audience

I've noticed a new trend in class. Tweeting about the professor's lecture effectiveness (i.e. all my student's say mine are great!). This is one of the reasons why I encourage my students to follow me, so I can review these later. I came by an article recently that suggested that it is important to know your audience and remember they might be tweeting while you present (not to mention the importance of updating your lame PowerPoints). So, this is a new way to heckle the professor without her or him knowing it. For me, the bigger challenge here is how to make your classes more technologically aware. I recently received a message from my daughter who was in her class at CU, the message was a question from her professor that encouraged the class to tweet, instant message, or text people they knew and ask them a question concerning meaning making and hermeneutics. Her class received almost 200 responses throughout the class period. Heather Buckley concludes, 'Presenters beware – twittering will be around for some time, if you have a large audience be sure you know them well and give them what they want. Even if you know all this and are a great presenter following your audience reaction on twitter can only be a good thing, feedback is a good thing and now it is happening real time' .

So, what do you think about tweeting while in a lecture? Or better, what would tweeting while in church offer pastors looking for feedback? On a related note, has anyone started using Twitter lists effectively? If so, point out some good examples. How could Twitter lists be used in Biblical Studies?

Faculty Openings in New Testament

I know many of you may be looking for teaching positions and this is the prime time of the year to make those important contacts. I thought I'd include a number of the openings that I came by from the various job sites. Feel free to add more that you know of that are related to New Testament studies. For the record, I'm happy with my teaching position and I am not looking to move (just in case my boss reads this).

New Testament Faculty Openings

Westminster Theological Seminary

http://www.wts.edu/faculty/job_openings.html

This is a full-time, tenure-track position, effective July 1, 2010. The initial appointment is for three years. Responsibilities include teaching both M.Div. and M.A.R. courses and graduate-level (Th.M., Ph.D.) courses, mostly on the Philadelphia campus (14-16 semester hours per academic year). Applicants should have or be near to completing an earned doctorate in New Testament studies or a related discipline, and show strong evidence of potential for scholarly writing and effective teaching. Membership in a Reformed or Presbyterian denomination is required, and ordination or candidacy for ordination is highly desirable. The candidate's personal commitment to the Westminster Standards and to the Seminary's core values, as set out in its Mission Statement (http://www.wts.edu/about/beliefs/mission.html) is required. Salary will be commensurate with rank.

Applicants should send a copy of their curriculum vitae, including names of two references, to Dr. Carl R. Trueman, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Westminster Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 27009, Philadelphia, PA 19118. We request that applications be submitted, if possible, by November 1, 2009.



Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

Robert E. Cooley Chair in Early Christianity
The Charlotte campus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary invites nominations and applications for the newly endowed Robert E. Cooley Chair in Early Christianity. This senior faculty position requires teaching competence and a publishing record in Early Christianity and either New Testament or Theology. Ph.D. or equivalent required along with a clear commitment to the Church and adherence to the GCTS Statement of Faith. Please send an electronic cover letter and CV to the Provost's Office, c/o mriso@gcts.edu.



Spring Arbor University

Bible Ministry Faculty Position

Spring Arbor University is a four year, Christian liberal arts school affiliated with the Free Methodist Church. This community of learners celebrates the heritage of an evangelical Wesleyan tradition. Hiring practices are non-denominational and there is an institutional commitment to a policy of equal employment opportunity.

We are seeking qualified applicants for our full-time tenure track Bible Ministry in our Department of Theology. A Ph.D. in Old Testament, New Testament, or Ministry with an emphasis on scriptural studies is required. The candidate should have successful teaching experience at the university level, have a deep grounding in Wesleyan theology, church pastoral experience, and be able to articulate a Christian philosophy of faith and learning. All faculty members in the Department of Theology must be in agreement with the Articles of Religion of the Free Methodist Church (see http://www.freemethodistchurch.org)

Complete the SAU faculty application which can be found at (http://www.arbor.edu/edu_departmentDetail.aspx?id=43506). Please send along with the completed application a vitae, and a letter of interest describing your commitment to evangelical Christian higher education to:

Academic Affairs,
Spring Arbor University
106 E. Main St.
Spring Arbor, MI 49283-9799
1.800.968.9103 ext. 1356 or tmathews@arbor.edu


Valdosta State University

Assistant Professor of Religious Studies

Philosophy/Religious Studies: Valdosta State University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position: Assistant Professor in Philosophy and Religious Studies, beginning August 1, 2010. Teaching load involves 8 courses per year (four per semester). Doctorate in Religious Studies must be in hand by June 1, 2010. A strong commitment to undergraduate interdisciplinary teaching is required. A major portion of the teaching load will be lower division including World Religions. The areas of desired teaching competence include: New Testament, History of Christianity, Women's/Gender Studies, Judaism and Hebrew Bible. Preference will be given to additional competence in Islamic Studies and some area of Philosophy. The successful candidate will value teaching, research and service. We encourage applications from women and minorities. Send complete dossier, including letter of application, faculty application form (found at http://www.valdosta.edu/academic/documents/Faculty_Employment_APP.pdf), at least three letters of recommendation, unofficial graduate transcripts, a writing sample, and evidence of teaching effectiveness to: Dr. Fred Downing, Chair, Search Committee, Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies, Valdosta State University, 1500 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia 31698-0050 (fldowning@valdosta.edu). Review of applications will begin November 15 and continue until position is filled. VSU is an equal opportunity educational institution.


Trinity Theological College

Lecturer in New Testament

Trinity Theological College, Perth, Western Australia, seeks to appoint a Lecturer in New Testament from either July 2010 or January 2011. Trinity Theological College is a ministry within the evangelical Reformed tradition that aims to equip men and women for effective Christian service. As part of its commitment to this mission, the College wishes to appoint a person to teach in the area of New Testament. The successful candidate will possess (or be close to obtaining) a relevant post-graduate research degree, have experience in Christian leadership, possess strong interpersonal and communications skills and a proven record of teaching to large and small groups. Closing Date for applications: 30 November 2009. For further details of the position go to http://www.ttc.wa.edu.au/employment.shtml or write to: The Principal, Trinity Theological College, PO Box 115 LEEDERVILLE WA 6902. Email: principal@ttc.wa.edu.au.

Seattle Pacific University

Instructor in Biblical Studies

Anticipated opening in one-year, renewable contract position in Biblical Studies, beginning September 1, 2010. Seattle Pacific University serves more than 3,800 undergraduate and graduate students in both liberal arts and professional studies. The University is committed to building an excellent and diverse teaching faculty. Women and ethnic minorities are especially encouraged to apply. QUALIFICATIONS: The candidate should have a Ph.D. or Th.D. in Biblical Studies. ABD may be considered. Preferred candidates will demonstrate exemplary classroom instruction, and be committed to student mentoring and theological formation in a Christian liberal arts setting. A strong record or promise of published research is desirable. The candidate must be committed to the Christian mission of SPU, as expressed in the University’s statement of faith (see: http://www.spu.edu/info/statement-of-faith.asp). RESPONSIBILITIES: Nine-month load of 35 quarter credits. The instructor’s annual teaching load will consist primarily of undergraduate University Foundations courses: several sections of UFDN 2000/3001 and a couple of sections of UFDN 1000. (For descriptions of these courses, see http://www.spu.edu/depts/theology/undergrad/foundations.asp) The candidate will be expected to participate actively in the life of the School of Theology and the University. COMPENSATION: Salary and rank commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include health, dental, disability, and life insurance as well as retirement programs. A moving allowance is provided. APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications will be accepted until November 15, 2009. Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. We will be meeting with candidates at the SBL annual meeting in New Orleans. Documents required of all applicants include the following: • SPU Employment Application: http://www.spu.edu/depts/oaa/documents/faculty-recruitment/ApplicationFaculty_1106.pdf • SPU Application Insert for Faculty: http://www.spu.edu/depts/oaa/documents/faculty-recruitment/facultyinsert_app.pdf • C.V. • 1-2 page Christian faith statement referencing SPU’s official Statement of Faith • Two letters of reference Pertinent supporting documents might include the following: • A sample syllabus for an undergraduate course candidate has taught recently • Documentation of teaching effectiveness (student evaluations, lesson plans, etc.) • A copy of a recent publication from a peer-reviewed journal CONTACT: Dr. Douglas M. Strong Dean, School of Theology Seattle Pacific University 3307 Third Ave West, Ste. 204 Seattle, WA 98119 Tel: (206) 281-2342 / Fax: (206) 281-2771 / Email: theology@spu.edu


Ashland Theological Seminary

New Testament Studies

Ashland Theological Seminary seeks to make a tenure-track appointment in New Testament Studies (rank and salary commensurate with experience), duties to commence in September 2010. The successful candidate will have a completed Ph.D., evidence of excellence in teaching, a proven commitment to research and scholarship, and a strong commitment to preparing students for Christian leadership. The area of specialization is open, but we are especially interested in candidates with expertise in the area of Gospels and/or women in antiquity. Candidates should be well-versed in and supportive of both traditional and more contemporary approaches to biblical interpretation. Candidates are encouraged to visit our website to learn more about the institution, its mission, and its programs and faculty. Review of applications will begin November 1, 2009 and continue until the position is filled. Preliminary interviews will be held at the SBL Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Send letter of application (with a statement of teaching and research interests), C.V., and three letters of recommendation to Dr. John Shultz, Ashland Theological Seminary, 910 Center Street, Ashland OH, 44805. Women and ethnic minorities are especially encouraged to apply.

Seattle University

Assistant Professor in NT and Christian Origins

Seattle University Department of Theology & Religious Studies invites applicants for an anticipated Assistant Professor, tenure-track position in New Testament & Christian Origins. The expected start date is September 2010. Ph.D. required. Primary teaching responsibilities will be undergraduate courses, such as the Gospel of Jesus Christ, John, Paul, Synoptic Gospels, Women and the New Testament, and Apocalyptic Literature, as well as occasional “special topics” offerings. Opportunities for graduate level teaching. A grounding in Catholic biblical scholarship and evidence of teaching and scholarly excellence are required. We are particularly interested in applicants with expertise in liberation, feminist, African-American, Latino/a, Asian, or ecological hermeneutics. Please send letter of application, curriculum vitae, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation to: Dr. Jeanette Rodriguez, Search Committee Chair, Department of Theology & Religious Studies, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, P. O. Box 222000, Seattle, WA 98122-1090. Email: jrodrigu@seattleu.edu. For full consideration all materials should be submitted by October 15, 2009. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Preliminary interviews will be held at the 2009 SBL Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Seattle University, founded in 1891, continues a more than four hundred and fifty year tradition of Jesuit Catholic higher education. The University’s Jesuit Catholic ideals underscore its commitment to the centrality of teaching, learning and scholarship, of values-based education grounded in the Jesuit and Catholic traditions of service and social justice, of lifelong learning, and of educating the whole person. Located in the heart of dynamic Seattle, the University enrolls approximately 7,200 undergraduate and graduate students in eight colleges and schools. Students enjoy a university ethos characterized by small classes, individualized faculty attention, a strong sense of community, a commitment to diversity, and an outstanding faculty. Seattle University is an equal opportunity employer. http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/theology/.

Ph.D. Research and the Beginning Scholar

I've been thinking about the last four years of my Ph.D. experience and wondering if it was worth it and what a humanities Ph.D. actually accomplishes. I came by an interesting article on the future of Ph.D. programs in Harvard Magazine. One section was quite telling: 'That it takes longer to get a Ph.D. in the humanities than it does in the social or natural sciences (although those fields also have longer times-to-degree than they once did) seems anomalous, since normally a dissertation in the humanities does not require extensive archival, field, or laboratory work. William Bowen and Neil Rudenstine, in their landmark study In Pursuit of the Ph.D., suggested that one reason for this might be that the paradigms for scholarship in the humanities have become less clear. People are uncertain just what research in the humanities is supposed to constitute, and graduate students therefore spend an inordinate amount of time trying to come up with a novel theoretical twist on canonical texts or an unusual contextualization. Inquiry in the humanities has become quite eclectic without becoming contentious. This makes it a challenge for entering scholars to know where to make their mark.'

I remember having a discussion with a colleague concerning the way we subject canonical texts to various interpretive grids and wondering if it actually results in any new knowledge? Well, how should we think about the task of research and the search for 'a novel theoretical twist'? More importantly, how can 'entering scholars' figure out 'where they can make their mark'? Any thoughts or words of wisdom for beginning scholars?