Hurtado Reviews Ehrman's Latest, How Jesus Became God

I just saw that Larry Hurtado has a good-length initial review of Bart Ehrman's new book, How Jesus Became God, on his blog here.  He says he will have a fuller review in Christian Century.  I haven't read Ehrman's newest, but the review seemed fairly balanced.

Religion Courses this Fall at Illinois College

I recently posted information about my fall courses at my new institution, Illinois College, but thought I should inform people also of those taught by my new religion colleagues: Caryn Riswold and Paul Spalding.

So, in addition to my three courses:

Rel 111: Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
Rel 189: Abrahamic Faiths
Rel 335: Sexuality in the Bible

Caryn Riswold will be offering:

Rel 104: Questions of Christianity
Rel 260: Religion and Literature
Rel 371: Women, Race, and Theology

While Paul Spalding will be offering:

Rel 130 QF: LC Quest of Forever: Religions
Rel 188: Religious Traditions of South and East Asia
Rel 322: China: History and Religion

So if you are a student enrolling in Illinois College next fall, keep some of these courses in mind!

WWUD? What Would Ulysses Do?

I must have passed this passage by before, but today it jumped out at me: according to Hippolytus Ulysses (a.k.a. Odysseus), the trickster par excellence (though Jacob gives him a run for his money) is a model for the Christian resisting the temptation of the siren call of heresy.  He writes (using the most available, ANF translation):

The pupils of these men, when they perceive the doctrines of the heretics to be like unto the ocean when tossed into waves by violence of the winds, ought to sail past in quest of the tranquil haven.  For a sea of this description is both infested with wild beasts and difficult of navigation, like, as we may say, the Sicilian (Sea), in which the legend reports were Cyclops, and Charybdis, and Scylla, and the rock of the Sirens.  Now, the poets of the Greeks allege that Ulysses sailed through (this channel), adroitly using (to his own purpose) the terribleness of these strange monsters.  For the savage cruelty (in the aspect) of these towards those who were sailing through was remarkable. The Sirens, however, singing sweetly and harmoniously, beguiled the voyagers, luring, by reason of their melodious voice, those who heard it, to steer their vessels towards (the promontory).  The (poets) report that Ulysses, on ascertaining this, smeared with wax the ears of his companions, and, lashing himself to the mast, sailed, free of danger, past the Sirens, hearing their chant distinctly.  And my advice to my readers is to adopt a similar expedient, viz., either on account of their infirmity to smear their ears with wax, and sail (straight on) through the tenets of the heretics, not even listening to (doctrines) that are easily capable of enticing them into pleasure, like the luscious lay of the Sirens, or, by binding one's self to the Cross of Christ, (and) hearkening with fidelity (to His words), not to be distracted, inasmuch as he has reposed his trust to Him who ere this he has been firmly knit, and (I admonish that man) to continue steadfastly (in this faith). (Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies 7.1)

Firstly, I typically find these old translations (such as the ANF series) to be rather stilted and wooden.  But this passage has some striking phrases with a poet's ear (note several alliterations) and a storyteller's drama (as in the choice of quite striking, enticing verbs). 

Despite it partly being a purplish passage, its metaphor is striking: it takes the story of Ulysses and transforms it into one of Christian emulation.  While the crafty Ithacan may be a hero in the Odyssey, by the time one reaches Roman writings - such as the Aeneid, here in evidence since it is then that the Sicilian connection to his wanderings is made - his wanderings are truly errant as his distinctive trait of cunning becomes is devalued into a flaw. 

Yet his seamen become regular Christians, whether beginners, catechumens, or something else (not uneducated, to be sure, since they would not be reading the tract) - they should, in fact, not even read this work to be tempted by siren call of heresy.  While Ulysses represents an advanced or strong Christian, and the mast becomes the cross through which he can discern the song's melodies and harmonies distinctly without being tempted by them.

My Fall Courses at Illinois College

For any students of Illinois College who happen upon this website, especially those unsure about what to take next fall, I thought I would post my courses in the Department of Philosophy and Religion.  I will be teaching:

Rel 111: Old Testament / Hebrew Bible - RG:

Registrar's Description: The Old Testament (or Hebrew Bible) records the stories, history, and wisdom of Ancient Israel; this collection of documents is one of the foundations of Western civilization. This course will introduce a variety of reading methodologies to students and use them to examine these texts. Special emphasis will be given to historical analysis: tracing the Bible's development over time and situating it in its Ancient Near Eastern context. We will also consider how these texts have been received and interpreted in modern contexts. (General Education pre-2012 = Religious & Philosophical Issues and Global Issues; Post 2012 BLUEprint = Social, Spriitual & Philosophical Issues, Ethical & Responsible Action, Speaking Extensive, Writing Extensive)
  
Meets: MTHF 10:00-10:50 a.m.

Rel 189: Abrahamic Faiths - GR

Registrar's Description: (Global Issues & Cultural Awareness requirement) (Religious & Philosophical Issues requirement) In the aftermath of 9/11, learning about Islam and its relationship to Judaism and Christianity has become very important. All three religions regard Abraham as a spiritual ancestor, revere the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, and share an intertwined history. But while they have similarities, they also have significant differences. This course will introduce students to the scripture, interpretation, theology, and practices of Judaism, Orthodox Christianity, and Islam via field trips and experiential learning. (General Education pre-2012 = Global Issues & Cultural Awareness, Religious & Philosophical Issues; Post 2012 BLUEprint = Social, Spiritual & Philosophical Issues, Global Awareness, Writing Extensive, Connected Course which can be -- if all requirements met -- connected to ED 203, EN 173, EN 358)

Meets: TH 12:00-1:40 p.m.

Rel 335: Sexuality in the Bible - HR

Registrar's Description: 
The role and place of women in the cultures of biblical Israel and the New Testament world have been the subject of increasing debate in recent decades. Were women more-or-less chattel or did they have power and influence in the public sphere? What was women’s role in the religious realm? Did women’s situation improve in the Greco-Roman world and in the New Testament? Did Paul support women in ministry or did he try to limit their authority in the church? These topics are significant because how they are answered has important implications for women in traditions that cite biblical models as authoritative or a guide for modern conduct. (General Education pre-2012 = Humanities, Religious & Philosophical Issues; Post 2012 BLUEprint = Connected Course which can be -- if all requirements met -- connected to GW 101)

Meets: MWF 2:40-3:50 p.m.

Have a great summer and see you in the fall!

Illinois College

Now that the school year is over, I thought I would publicly announce that I will leaving the fine faculty of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Mississippi and be joining the fine faculty of the Department of Philosophy and Religion of Illinois College this fall as a visiting assistant professor.  I appreciate the University of Mississippi giving a place to work, think, research, and develop my courses this past year, and now I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that await at Illinois College.

Carr on Calaway: Thoughts on the Sabbath / Sanctuary Relationship in H

I have known for a while now that David M. Carr's 2011 book, The Formation of the Hebrew Bible, included most likely the very first citation of anything I wrote - in this case, my dissertation.  Luckily, this past year, someone bought me a copy of the book (it is a bit pricy), and I have been slowly working through it.  I finally got the part where he discusses the implications of my work on the relationship between the Sabbath and the Sanctuary (in the Hebrew Bible, the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, and the Epistle to the Hebrews) specifically for how I characterize the Holiness materials.  He writes:

Consider, for example, the strong focus in H materials (as in Ezekiel) on Sabbath that has been outlined with particular clarity in a recent dissertation by Jared Calaway.  Resonating with similar Sabbath foci in Ezekiel, Exod 31:12-17 makes the Sabbath "covenant" a central focus of the P Sinai episode, applying to it concepts of profanation previously reserved for the sanctuary. The H cultic calendar opens with an introductory mention of Sabbath (Lev 23:3), and concludes with a focus on the festivals of the seventh month (the festival of trumpets [Rosh Hashanah], Yom Kippur, and Sukkoth; Lev 23:23-43).  Finally, the Jubilee legislation in Leviticus 24 extends the Sabbath concept to the land as well, reconfiguring earlier regulations about leaving land fallow (Exod 23:10-11) and slave and debt release (Exod 21:2-6; Deut 15:1-18) so that the new law enjoins leaving the land fallow every seven years (Lev 25:3-7) and forgiving debts and freeing Hebrew slaves every forty-nine (another sort of Sabbath of Sabbaths; Lev 25:8-55). H concludes with an independent emphasis on the observance of these Sabbaths alongside reverence for the sanctuary (Lev 26:2; note also 19:30), actions that lead to secure life in the land. The exile is understood as a Sabbath for the land (Lev 26:34-35). 

As Calaway argues, this complex of texts reconfigures concepts of holiness that were particularly attached to the sanctuary so that they are linked in new ways with time.  The weekly Sabbath restores the individual and allows access to the sanctuary, the Yom Kippur "Sabbath of Sabbaths" purifies and thus restores the sanctuary, and the 49th Jubilee year (and exile land Sabbath) restores the land. Thus, a practice (Sabbath) that appears to have become particularly prominent during exile (see, e.g., Ezekiel) becomes a prism for a new understanding of concepts of holiness once attached to the (now destroyed) temple in Jerusalem. Much as Gen 12:1-3 and Second Isaiah represent different reconceptualizations of concepts once attached to the Davidic monarchy, H represents a seemingly exilic, Sabbath-focused reconceptualization of concepts of holiness once more exclusively attached to the Jerusalem sanctuary and its priesthood. (p. 302)

He goes one to discuss how this particular profile has convinced him that this "H" reconceptualization likely originated in exile (rather than post-exile).  For all of this, he relies upon my dissertation; nonetheless, all of my discussion of the holiness legislation and expansions appear in my book (though, due to some revising, not all in the same place - thus, the land materials appear when I discuss the promised land/Sabbath-rest passage in Hebrews 3-4, instead of being a part of my general Hebrew Bible discussion as in the dissertation).  Anyway, I want to thank David Carr publicly for the very positive shout-out in his immense book.

Quote of the Day: Jesus in Chicago

So, for Mother's Day, we've watched several musicals in a row.  One of them was Chicago.  In it, Billy Flynn, the unscrupulous lawyer who can get your off on murder (played by Richard Gere in the film version) says:

"I don't mean to toot my own horn, but if Jesus Christ lived in Chicago today, and he had come to me and he had five thousand dollars, let's just say things would have turned out differently."

Indeed!