SBL Chicago, Nov. 16-20

I had a chance to crash a session of the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Conference a few years ago on the tail end of a meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research. SBL is vast. As the conference website notes, it represents “the largest gathering of biblical scholars in the world. Each meeting showcases the latest in biblical research, fosters collegial contacts, advances research, and focuses on issues of the profession.”

In conjunction with the meeting of the American Academy of Religion, the SBL-AAR conference attracts 10,000 attendees, a body of scholars and learners more sizable than many American towns and small cities. The attendees number over three times the size of my typical conference, the Archaeological Institute of America, and the conference dwarfs the tiny group of scholars who gather for the meetings of the Byzantine Studies Association of North America.

One would expect that many who come to the annual meeting of the SBL would have a lot to say about Corinth and the New Testament letters of 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. So much that it tires me to think about hyperlinking to the abstracts for all the papers below. Visit the conference program book (keyword: Corinth) if you’re interested in reading abstracts. I don’t expect that I got all of the papers, so if you have something to add, just send me the link and I’ll update the post.

For related Corinthiaka for past SBL meetings:

• 2010 annual meeting (I must have accidentally deleted the 2011 list)
• 2012 international meeting
• 2011 international meeting

[6:05 PM note: ** indicates additions after initial post]

November 16, Evening

• David Briones, Sterling College, Hierarchy, Equality, or Mutuality?: Mapping out the Relational Contours of Second Corinthians (P16-301)
• James C. Miller, The Contours of Collective Identity in 1 Corinthians (10 min); Terence Paige, Houghton College, Respondent (20 min) (P16-305)

November 17, Morning

• **Timothy Brookins, Houston Baptist University, The Name ‘Erastus’ in Antiquity: A Literary, Papyrical, and Epigraphical Catalog (30 min.)
• Duane Watson, Malone University, Second Corinthians 10–13 as the Best Evidence that Paul Received a Rhetorical Education (30 min). Fredrick Long, Asbury Theological Seminary, Respondent (10 min); Christopher Forbes, Macquarie University, Respondent (10 min)
• Session: Polis and Ekklesia: Investigations of Urban Christianity. Theme: Roman Corinth (S17-123)
  • Jim Harrison, Wesley Institute, Presiding
  • Cavan Concannon, Duke University, Negotiating Multiple Modes of Religion and Identity in Roman Corinth (S17-123)
  • Kathy Ehrensperger, University of Wales, Negotiating Polis and Ekklesia: Challenge and Re-Assurance in 1 Cor 12.1-11 (S17-123)
  • Michael Peppard, Fordham University, Roman Controversiae About Inheritance Disputes and 1 Corinthians 6 (S17-123)
  • David K. Pettegrew, Messiah College, The Isthmus and the Consequences of Geography: New Directions in the Study of Commercial Corinth (S17-123)
  • Annette Weissenrieder, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, Bodies and Space: Sitting or Reclining in 1 Corinthians 14:30 (S17-123)
  • Dale Martin, Yale University, Respondent (S17-123)
• Session: Second Corinthians: Pauline Theology in the Making (S17-128)
  • Volker Rabens, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Transformation through Contemplation: New Light from Philo on 2 Corinthians 3:18 (30 min)
  • C. Andrew Ballard, Fordham University, Tongue-Tied and Taunted – Renegotiating A Theology of Weakness and Leadership in 2 Corinthians 5:13 (30 min)
  • Benjamin J. Lappenga, Fuller Theological Seminary, “Foolish” Zeal and the Language of Divine Jealousy in 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 (30 min)
  • Moyer Hubbard, Talbot School of Theology, The Pneumatology of 2 Corinthians (30 min)
  • Thomas Schmeller, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, No Bridge over Troubled Water? The Gap between 2Cor 1-9 and 10-13 Revisited (30 min)

November 17, Afternoon

• Judith Gundry, Yale University, “Having Your Cake and Eating It Too—Or Not: Paul’s Defense of the Apostles’ Eating Other People’s Food and Not Doing So Himself in 1Corinthians 9  (S17-217)
• Thomas R. Blanton, IV, Luther College, Interpreting Paul’s Collection: From “Capitalist Criticism” to Capitalism’s Troubled Conscience? (S17-217)
• Glenn E. Snyder, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Paul the Benjaminite: Tribal Affiliation in 1 Cor 15:8–10 (S17-235)
• Arminta Fox, Drew University, Gender, Status, and Intersubjectivity in 2 Corinthians 10-13 (S17-235)
• Session: Polis and Ekklesia: Investigations of Urban Christianity. Theme: Roman Corinth (S17-237)
  • Laurence Welborn, Fordham University, Presiding
  • Timothy E. Gregory, Ohio State University, Archaeology and Christianity in Roman Corinth and its Hinterland: Opportunities and Limitations (25 min)
  • Laura Nasrallah, Harvard University, What Matters: Material Culture and Commodity in the Study of the Corinthian Correspondence (25 min)
  • James C. Walters, Boston University, “Placing” Paul in Roman Corinth (25 min)
  • Bruce Winter, Macquarie University, Gaius Julius Spartiaticus’ influence on the polis and the ekklesia (25 min)
  • Michel Amandry, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Hadrian’s adventus to Corinth: The Numismatic Evidence (25 min)
  • Wayne Meeks, Yale University, Respondent (15 min
• Session: Systematic Transformation and Interweaving of Scripture in 1 Corinthians (S17-242), 1:00-3:30 PM
  • Thomas L. Brodie, Dominican Biblical Institute, Presiding
  • Everard Johnston, University of the West Indies, Trinidad, Context for a Systematic Approach: The Systematic Modelling of the NT Canon on the Tanak/LXX; and Tradition as Literary Rather than Oral (15 min)
  • Discussion (25 min)
  • Douglas Estes, Dominican Biblical Institute, Changing Forms: On the Variation of Transformation in the Ancient World (15 min)
  • Yongbom Lee, Fuller Theological Seminry, Pasadena, Starting from the Beginning: Genesis and 1 Corinthians 1–4 (15 min)
  • Discussion (25 min)

November 17, Evening

• Ian Brown, University of Toronto, Thinking with schools: Evaluating the schoolishness of 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, and the Gospel of Thomas (20 min)
• Erin Roberts, University of South Carolina, History Writing, Cognitive Plausibility, and 1 Corinthians 4:8 (20 min)
• Ryan Olfert, University of Toronto, Putting Paul to the Test: Corinthians and Examination Practices in Greco-Roman Associations (20 min)
• Jennifer Eyl, Barnard College, Paul and Ethnicity-Based Divinatory Expertise (20 min)
• Session: Second Corinthians: Pauline Theology in the Making (S17-336), 4:00-6:30 PM, Theme: 2 Corinthians 6 in Context
  • Edith Humphrey, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Presiding
  • Matthew Forrest Lowe, McMaster Divinity Colleg, Reading along with Those Reconciled: Assessing the Immediate Impact of 2 Cor 5:16-21 on the Interpretation of 6:1-13(25 min)
  • Jose Joseph, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Paul’s Contextual Use of the Catalogue of Circumstances in 2 Cor 6:4-10 (25 min)
  • Cecilia Wassen, Uppsala Universitet, Purity and Temple in 2 Cor 6:14-18 and the Dead Sea Scrolls (25 min)
  • Cosmin Murariu, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Human Act and Perfecting Holiness: 2 Corinthians 7:1 in Its Context (25 min)
• Session: Systematic Transformation and Interweaving of Scripture in 1 Corinthians (S17-338), 4:00-6:30. Theme: The Composition of 1 Corinthians 5.
  • Thomas L. Brodie, Dominican Biblical Institute, Presiding
  • Kathy Barrett Dawson, Duke University, The Incestuous Man of 1 Corinthians 5, Banishment Texts in the LXX, and Eating with Sinners (15 min)
  • Discussion (25 min)
  • Derek McNamara, Lubbock Christian University
    Rhetoric of a Deutoronomic Refrain in 1 Corinthians 5 (15 min)
  • Discussion (25 min)

November 18, Morning

• Stephen P. Ahearne-Kroll, Methodist Theological School in Ohio
  The Corinthian Last Supper in Light of the Ritual Dimensions of Memory in Greece (S18-114)

November 18, Afternoon

• Dominika Kurek-Chomycz, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
  Writing Through Many Tears: Crying Apostle and the Construction of Christic Masculinity in Second Corinthians (S18-223)
• Anna C. Miller, Xavier University
  “His Speech is of No Account”: Speech, Civic Discourse and Disability in 1 Corinthians (S18-224a)
• Dustin W. Ellington, Justo Mwale Theological University College
  Message and Example: Paul’s Perspective on Preaching in Word and Deed in 1 Corinthians (S18-226)
• Sang Soo Hyun, Southern Methodist University
  Postcolonial Mimicry and the Corinthian Situation (S18-240)

November 18, Evening

• Joshua Yoder, University of Notre Dame
  Speaking of Slavery: Reading 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 with Epictetus (S18-323)
• Aaron Amit, Bar-Ilan University
  Confronting Schismata and Agudot: The Politics of Authority in I Corinthians and Rabbinic Literature (S18-323)
• Linda L Belleville, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
  Paul’s Christological Use of the Wilderness Rock Tradition in 1 Corinthians 10:4 (S18-336)
• Robert von Thaden, Jr., Mercyhurst College
  Paul’s Blended Rhetoric: Apocalyptic Wisdom in 1 Corinthians (S18-344)
• Emma Wasserman, Rutgers University
  Are Paul’s Daimonia Apocalyptic Powers? Gods and non-Gods in Corinthians 8–10 (S18-344)

November 19, Morning

• Joseph A. Marchal, Ball State University
  Female Masculinity in Corinth?: Drag Kings, Laggings, and Imitations (S19-128)
• Menghun Goh, Vanderbilt University
  A Christ-event Orientation of Belonging: A Semiotic Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 1–4 (S19-144)

November 19, Evening

• Reta Halteman Finger, Messiah College
  Occupy Corinth! Role-playing a Socially Divided House Church Hearing Paul’s Letter (S19-301)
• Fredrick J. Long, Asbury Theological Seminary
  Emphasis and Prominence Markers in Greek: A Proposal and Case Study within 2 Corinthians (S19-307)
• Dietmar Neufeld, University of British Columbia, The Ridiculed Paul Ridiculing: Paul in Corinth (S19-333)
• Barbette Stanley Spaeth, College of William and Mary
  The Reappropriation of Memory and the Temple of Apollo in Roman Corinth (S19-334)

November 20, Morning

• Stephen P. Ahearne-Kroll, Methodist Theological School in Ohio
  Anamnesis in the Corinthian Last Supper in Light of Greek Ritual (S20-121)
• Glenn E. Snyder, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
  Consuming Judgment (1 Cor 11:29) (S20-121)
• Frederick S. Tappenden, University of Manchester
  Cosmology, Anthropology, and Embodied Cognition: A Critical Reassessment of Dualism and Monism in Paul’s Resurrection Ideals (S20-121)