| Theme: „The Jews“ in the Gospel of John Especially since the Holocaust, scholars have struggled with the negative depiction of “the Jews” as an often undifferentiated group characterized in negative terms in the Gospel of John. At the same time, they sought to understand the nuances of John’s portrayal of the Jews and the various terms used to refer to Jews (e.g., “Israelite”). Orthodox tradition has often adopted the negative portrayal uncritically, such as in its Holy Friday liturgy. This session will offer papers that explore the effects of the Gospel of John on Orthodox tradition, but also papers that look in detail at how Orthodox interpreters negotiated the more subtle and nuanced aspects of John’s portrayal of Jews. Other papers may investigate how a proper appreciation of the Jewish contexts of the Gospel of John should inform Orthodox theological interpretation.Alexis Torrance, University of Notre Dame, Presiding Michael G. Azar, University of Scranton Eastern Orthodox Identity, Jews, and John’s Gospel (25 min) Tag(s): Gospels – John (Biblical Literature – New Testament), New Testament (Ideology & Theology), History of Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches) Matthew C. Briel, Assumption College Patriarch Photios on John (25 min) Tag(s): Gospels – John (Biblical Literature – New Testament), History of Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches), Religious Traditions and Scriptures (History of Interpretation / Reception History / Reception Criticism) Break (5 min) William M. Wright, Duquesne University Nicodemus in Chrysostom’s Homilies on John (25 min) Tag(s): Gospels – John (Biblical Literature – New Testament), History of Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches), Religious Traditions and Scriptures (History of Interpretation / Reception History / Reception Criticism) Leslie Baynes, Missouri State University, Respondent (20 min) Discussion (20 min) |
| The New Perspective on Paul and the Eastern Orthodox Interpretation of Paul The debate between the “old” and the “new perspective” has been a focal point of Pauline studies in recent years. This debate has, in turn, given rise to new research projects focused on potential affinities and differences between the “new perspective” and Eastern Orthodox interpretation of Paul. Therefore, this session takes up the discussion between “Eastern-Orthodox,” “new,” and “old perspectives” on Paul and seeks to develop it further. This panel will feature invited papers by authors who will focus on texts playing a crucial role in the debate regarding participation, justification and conversion in Paul.Edith Humphrey, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Presiding Michael Gorman, St. Mary’s Seminary & University Reconsidering Justification in 2 Corinthians 5:14–21 (25 min) Tag(s): Pauline Epistles (Biblical Literature – New Testament), Theological Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches) Athanasios Despotis, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn The Dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox Interpretation of Paul and the New Perspective on Paul Regarding the Exegesis of Phil 3 (25 min) Tag(s): Pauline Epistles (Biblical Literature – New Testament), Pauline Epistles – Philippians (Biblical Literature – New Testament), History of Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches) Break (5 min) Rikard Roitto, Stockholm School of Theology The Embodied Experience of the Early Christian Symposium and Paul’s Language of Salvation and Justification (25 min) Tag(s): Pauline Epistles (Biblical Literature – New Testament), Ritual & Sacrifice (Comparative Religion / History of Religion), History of Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches) James B. Wallace, Christian Brothers University Led by the Spirit: Symeon the New Theologian, Ernst Käsemann, and the New Perspective on Romans 8:12–17 (25 min) Tag(s): Pauline Epistles – Romans (Biblical Literature – New Testament), History of Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches), Theological Interpretation (Interpretive Approaches) Discussion (30 min) Business Meeting (30 min) |