Early Christian Judaism

Sat Nov 23
9:00 - 11:30 AM
Indigo 204B (Second Level) - Hilton Bayfront

For 2024, the theme of this section is "Jubilee(s)." The session includes papers that explore the concept of the Jubilee (or the book of Jubilees) and its influence and impact on earliest Christianity. Papers focus on issues related to liberation, debt forgiveness, redemption from captivity/enslavement, Sabbath, and eschatological restoration, including how they shaped early Christian teaching.

Doug Hoffer, University of Chicago
What Has Sinai to Do with Mamre? Connecting the Covenants with Jubilees and Paul (20 min)

Jennifer Guo, University of Notre Dame, Respondent (5 min)

Discussion (5 min)

Kyle Sherling, Rice University
Renewing the Luminaries: Deforming and Reestablishing Cosmic Order in Jubilees and Paul (20 min)

David Burnett, University of Edinburgh, Respondent (5 min)

Discussion (5 min)

Raymond Morehouse, Inherit the Earth Outreach
The End of Sacrifices: Catastrophic Covenant Infidelity and the Efficacy of the Cult (20 min)

Jason A. Staples, NC State University, Respondent (5 min)

Discussion (5 min)

Paul T. Sloan, Houston Christian University
Turn the Other Cheek: Forgiving Debts in Jesus' Eschatological Nomism (20 min)

Jonathan T. Pennington, Southern Seminary, Respondent (5 min)
Discussion (5 min)

4:00 to 6:00 pm
11/18/2023
Conference Room 1

For 2023 the theme will be “Purity and Holiness.” Papers will explore how these traditional concepts are represented and reshaped in various ways in the New Testament and early Christian texts. For more information, contact Jason Staples ([email protected]).

Jason Staples, North Carolina State University, Presiding

Thomas Dixon, Campbell University
Purifying Judgment: Comparing Restorative Ritual Punishment in Matthew and Paul (20 min)

Thomas Kazen, University College Stockholm, Respondent (10 min)

Mark Baker, The Risen Institute
A New Kind of Sacred Space: Deuteronomy 32:5 as the Backstory of Philippians 2:14–18 (20 min)

B. J. Oropeza, Azusa Pacific University, Respondent (10 min)

Logan Williams, University of Exeter and Paul T. Sloan, Houston Christian University
Neither Sabbath nor Kashrut, but a Demonic Third Thing: Pagan Holidays and Food Sacrificed to Idols in Romans 14:1–23 (20 min)

Joshua Jipp, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Respondent (10 min)

Early Christian Judaism

3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
11/19/2022
Plaza Court 3 (Plaza Tower - Concourse Level) - Sheraton Downtown (SD)

For 2022, the theme of our session will be “The Family of God.” For more information, contact Jason Staples ([email protected]).

Jason Staples, North Carolina State University, Presiding

Gregory Lamb, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Purity and Physiognomy: Jesus’s Reimagination of Physiognomic Concerns in Luke (20 min)

Isaac Soon, Crandall University, Respondent (10 min)

Discussion (10 min)

Lionel Windsor, Moore Theological College
“As Many as Will Conform to This Rule” (Gal 6:16): Who? What Rule? And Why? (20 min)

Jason Staples, North Carolina State University, Respondent (10 min)

Discussion (10 min)

Discussion (10 min)

11/19/2021
3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Room: Conference Room 11 - Marriott Rivercenter

Theme: Heresy, Orthodoxy, and the Forming of the Ways

This group examines the diverse ways in which Jews embraced Jesus from the lifetime of Jesus until the rise of Islam. We will distribute the papers in advance to our group email list. To be added to the list, sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/5b4dfc49a2f4/early-christian-judaism. For more information, see https://www.ibr-bbr.org/annual-meeting/research-groups. 2021

Suzanne Nicholson, Asbury University, Presiding

Timothy A. Gabrielson, Sterling College
Canonization and the Forming of the Ways in 1–2 Clement: Hints of Core and Peripheral Canonical Works via the Citation Formulae? (20 min)

Jeremiah Bailey, Baylor University, Respondent (10 min)

Discussion (10 min)

David B. Sloan, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
The "Parting of the Ways" in Light of Patristic Use of the Gospel According to the Hebrews (20 min)

Jason A. Staples, North Carolina State University, Respondent (10 min)

Discussion (10 min)

Benjamin E. Castaneda, University of St. Andrews
Boundary Construction in Barnabas: Rereading an Adversus Judaeos Text (20 min)

Jason Staples, North Carolina State University, Respondent (10 min)

Discussion (10 min)

Our 2019 theme is “The New Testament within Judaism.” We will distribute the papers in advance to our group email list. To be added to the list, click here. During our meeting each presenter will summarize his/her paper in fifteen minutes to allow fifteen minutes for discussion. Attendees are encouraged to read the papers in advance, though drop-ins are welcome.

• Benjamin Snyder, Asbury Theological Seminary, Presiding
• David Smith, Duke Divinity School
  The Jewishness of Luke: Reconsidering Luke-Acts in the ‘Parting of the Ways’ (30 min)
• Kelly D. Liebengood, LeTourneau University
  Reconsidering the Ethnic Identity of 1 Peter’s ‘Elect Sojourners’ (30 min)
• Hannah K. Harrington, Patten University
  The Metaphor of Body=Sanctuary in Second Temple Judaism (30 min)
• Carl E. Pace, Ohio Wesleyan University and David B. Sloan, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
  The Jewishness of Early Christian Trinitarianism (30 min)

Our 2018 theme is "Gospels and the Partings of the Ways." We will discuss four papers touching on the Historical Jesus and the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John in their relation to Judaism. Copies of the four papers will be sent in advance to those on the group email list.

• Benjamin J. Snyder, Asbury Theological Seminary, Presiding

• Michael F. Bird, Ridley College
  The Historical Jesus and the Parting of the Ways Revisited (30 min)

• John VanMaaren, McMaster University
  No Early Parting of the Ways: The Gospel of Mark within the Boundaries of Jewishness (30 min)

• Wally V. Cirafesi, University of Oslo
  Jewishness as Genealogy in the Fourth Gospel: Situating John's loudaioi within Debates over Ancestry and Merit in Ancient Judaism (30 min)

• Gregory S. Thellman, Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, Croatia
  Two Competing Visions of Restoration: Matthew 28:18-20 and 2 Chronicles 36:23 (30 min)

• David B. Sloan, John Carroll University, Presiding

• David S. Ritsema, B. H. Carroll Theological Institute
  The Divine Messiah: Does John's Portrait of a Son of God, Messiah in John 20:30-31 Draw on a Jewish Messianic Expectation of a Supernatural Figure? (35 min)

• Michael P. Theophilos, Australian Catholic University
  Jewish-Christian Relations Prior to 70 C.E. in Light of the Coins of the First Jewish War (35 min)

• Break (5 min)

• Jack Gibson, Grace Brethren High School
  James and the Decline of Jewish Christianity (35 min)

• Discussion (10 min)

Nov. 17, 3:30–5:30pm     Dartmouth (Third Level) – Boston Marriott Copley Place (MCP)