Hebrews and the Pauline Tradition

  Conveners: Bryan Dyer, Madison N. Pierce  •    Email conveners

For much of Christian history the Epistle to the Hebrews was understood as a Pauline letter. Today the overwhelming scholarly consensus is that Paul is not the author of Hebrews. Still the connection to Paul is difficult for Hebrews to shake. Even if Paul did not write Hebrews, there is some connection—even if just merited by the epistle’s canonical placement immediately after Paul’s letters—that is significant. Surprisingly, in recent decades little scholarly attention has been devoted to investigating this connection.
This research group explores the relationship between Hebrews and the Pauline tradition. While Hebrews must be able to speak on its own terms, historical and canonical imperatives call for it to be read alongside Paul’s letters.
For 2021, we invite papers that engage with specific texts or themes in Hebrews and Paul. This may include a direct comparison of two texts or an examination of how the two authors appeal to other texts and traditions (e.g., early Jewish literature). Please email the convenors to propose a paper or for more details.