The December ‘Out with the Old in with the New’ Stupendous Biblical Studies Carnival of Stupendousness

Preface

Once upon a time, many many years ago, there was nothing.  And then Jim Davila and Mark Goodacre started things called ‘blogs’.  These were places where they shared news and insights into things Hebrew Bible and New Testament (respectively).  Then a third joined the fun and a blog for the whole Bible was born.  Given birth, in fact, by yours truly.  The history of the movement is described in a 2010 essay and made available here.  If you’re interested in the birth of bible blogs.

The original 3 ‘biblioblogs’ soon saw a plethora of imitators and ‘biblioblogdom’ was born.  Over the years blogging grew and it even became a session at the SBL annual meeting.  Many tried blogging and either through laziness or lack of interest or simply because they turned to other avenues (tik tocking is the big one these days), biblical studies blogging is not as practiced as it was before.

Still, blogging continues.  Davila and myself have carried on daily and Goodacre blogs periodically.  Other blogs are active, and some of them will appear below.  Blogging has been declared dead by some but as you’ll know, it is very much alive.  Hence, this, and other Carnivals.

Introduction

Of the making of blogs there is no end, says Qoheleth Jr.  And he’s right.  Fortunately.  December was a blog rich month even though many were out and about for winter break.  In the sections that follow you’ll find the very best posts of the very best blogs.  None of the rubbish pseudo-blogs have been included, to spare you, gentle reader, the misery of being exposed to nonsense.  Enjoy!

Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank the kind folk who sent in recommendations.  I tried to incorporate as many as were deemed worthy.  I also want to thank Phil for keeping the Carnivals going.  Help him out.  Volunteer for a Carnival yourself!  And I’d also like to thank Huldrych Zwingli who made the preservation and promulgation of truth possible in the 16th century and thus possible for us today, amen.  Today is the anniversary of his birth.  It’s also the anniversary of the beginning of his ministry in Zurich.  It’s a day of great and glorious celebration for all who love the truth.  Amen.

Table of Contents

1. Hebrew Bible
2. New Testament
3. Books, Books, and More Books
4. Miscellaneous Materials
5. Conclusion
6. Index

Chapter One- Hebrew Bible

Our friends in Helsinki had a conference that was hybrid (in person and online) so it may have been recorded.  They announce the fourth and final Ancient and Medieval Middle East (AMME) seminar of the fall semester will be organised as a hybrid event on Thursday 14 December.   Covid was an unmitigated disaster but some good came from it- the arrival of zoom meetings and the possibility of ‘sitting in’ on conferences we could otherwise never attend.  It’s nice to see the opportunities continuing.   Personally, I think every conference should have online sessions.  At least for the major presentations.

Nathan MacDonald talks about the Tabernacle in this the YouTube video.  Ah the YouTube.  Remember when it was it.  Now TikTok is it.  One day something else will be it.  But that doesn’t mean there isn’t good stuff to be found on the not its.  By the by, that’s the reason that YouTube and TikTok and Twitter and biblioblogs are sources for Carnival materials.  When you boil it all down, they’re all blogs.

Aren has a list of the most important (real) archaeological discoveries of 2023.  Give it a look/ read.

Joel’s place among the Twelve is the subject of this little video lecture/ presentation/ talk/ discussion from Dr. Seitz.

Scot McKnight talks a little about what a Prophet actually is, and how most of the folk who call themselves prophets aren’t.  Good observations.

Are demons the disembodied Nephilim?  No, really, it’s a serious question.  Stop that.  Stop laughing.  Stoppppppp………..

 

KCL Biblical Studies Workshop on Assyria will be held in May.  Online.  Call for papers here.

2023 was apparently a big year for Egyptian archaeology.  Who knew?  Jim Davila.

Charles Jones of AWOL points readers to eHammurabi, A digital version of the Law Code of Hammurabi, including cuneiform, transliteration, normalization, and an English translation.   You can get your ancient near east on!  (I think that’s how the kids say it.  Rizz.

Click to enlarge this Conference Announcement from our friends at Oxford University:

Aren Maeir et al are just having none of it when it comes to the fishy Mt Ebal thing.  It’s time for the defenders of the authenticity of the artifact to move on to more useful and productive things.  This fish is cooked and eaten and excreted.

Tim Lee hates the kaige recension and wants you to hate it too.  Or at least rethink aspects of it.  Same thing, right?

Alan Bevere has some questions about the Ark of the Covenant.  I sure hope it isn’t that stupid drum they have hidden away in Ethiopia.  That would genuinely stink.  TL:DR.  But you might want to.

Jason Staples made a podcast appearance talking about things related to Jewishness and Judaism.  He also has a new movie coming out this month that’s sure to draw crowds- ‘The Beekeeper’.

Kim Philips has some thoughts about Psalm 67.  And it’s color coded!  Color. Coded.

Chapter Two- New Testament

Ian Paul discussed the opening of the Gospel of Mark.  It’s certainly something of interest to all of us.  Ian is an excellent scholar.

Mary Beard asks ‘What’s the Point of Christmas?’

Jose points to an essay asking the perennial question- what was the star of Bethlehem?  Wasn’t it Joel Watts’ soul leaving his body as he departed this life and assumed the form of a meteor?  I’m sure that’s what it must have been.

The ‘Christmas story’ and why Matthew and Luke tell it differently.  A Peter Williams Production, directed by Peter Williams.  Edited by Peter Williams.  Filmography by Peter Williams LLC.  Casting by Peter Williams.  Peter Williams is completely responsible for the content of this short film.

Isaac Soon has a tweet you have to see.  You just have to.  And you have to watch the little clip.  So great!  I’m not going to spoil it for you.  Go look.  Now.

Michael Barber talked about his latest book on a podcast thing that is on YouTube.  And he did it on the twitter.

Jose re-upped a post from many years back concerning Gerd Luedemann’s take on the birth of Jesus.  It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Heather Thiessen (one of my very favorite bloggers- if you don’t read her, you’re genuinely missing out on some really thoughtful and intriguing theological and biblical insights) had a great post on, like Ian, the Gospel of Mark titled ‘What are we Hoping For?’.  Give it a read.

Mike Bird is of the opinion that everyone should know about the Epistle of Digerideo, Dignoaor, Dingeldor, what the heck, whatever.  Mike wants you to know about it.

James Tabor wants to take a second look at Mary.  Poor lady, no one ever talks about her these days.  I’m glad to see her getting some notice.

John the Baptist finally got his own SBL session.  It’s about time.  Dude has been dead for thousands of years and finally SBL recognizes him.

Alen Bevere has a post discussing Mark’s use of ‘immediately’.  Go read it.  Immediately.

Mike Glenn would like to have a word with you about how Christmas, in his term, has been usurped.  Sure, Christmas is over now.  But next year you can take to heart his notion.

Mike Barber wants to talk about why Christmas is observed December 25th.  Because,  that’s why.

Paula Fredriksen has some thoughts on ‘All Israel Will Be Saved’.  Mike Bird tweeted the YouTube clip.  Here.

Text and Canon posted a bit about the Bishop’s Bible and its part in the production of the KJV.  Some pretty nifty stuff here.

Chapter Three- Books, Books, and More Books

Jim Davila (the original biblioblogger) pointed out the appearance of a new book by OUP titled Animal Rights and the Hebrew Bible by Saul Olyan.  He also pointed out The Bible Among Ruins.  It sounds exactly like the kind of thing I’d be interested in.

A book coming soon in Open Access titled ‘Paul and the Philosophers’ Faith’ was announced in December.  Free.  Who doesn’t like free books?

Like the LXX?  Then you’ll want to take a look at this new volume.  Notice of which has been posted by the world’s most beloved biblioblogger.

Phil Long reviews a book about women disciples in the Bible.  It’s a very popular theme and there have been 800,999 books published on the subject this year.  99% of them by Mike Bird and NT Wright (but you’ll have to forgive them for slowing down from their usual 1 million books a year.  They’re getting older.

Sadly another scholar has been caught taking shortcuts and lifting work from others and failing to attribute (i.e., is a plagiarist).  Eerdmans was accordingly forced to withdraw ‘Ancient Wisdom’ by Walter Wilson.   Scholars should be scholarly.

I reviewed Simon Gathercole’s The Gospel and the Gospels.  What a fantastic book.  If you haven’t read it yet you ought to.  It’s powerfully persuasive.

Esther J. Hamori’s ‘God’s Monsters‘ is getting very high marks from readers.  It may be something of interest to you, too.

Alan R. Bevere recommends The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament.

Wisdom of Ben Sira  (Muraoka, Takamitsu) came out in Open Access and you’ll want to download a copy of it.  Neat, huh!

Curious about the citation of the LXX in the Gospels?  You’re in luck.  There’s a book for that!  From the good folk at Theology Books.

Christoph Heilig’s book on Empire, something, something, Paul, something, was glowingly reviewed and Christoph shares a snippet of it.

I have to agree with Deane Galbraith’s assessment of this new volume’s blurb…  Ιησους…

In this book, Erik Waaler discusses how Matthew uses the Old Testament in the first four chapters of the gospel to describe Jesus as the Christ. He shows how the author of Matthew played with the Old Testament text to get this message through, for example by using the genealogy to defend the chastity of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  

With all due respect, how the αδης does someone come up with the notion that the genealogy is defending Mary’s ‘chastity’?????????  That’s just… nonsense.

The Moral Life According to Mark is now out in paperback.  Just in case the price of the hardback made you question the moral life of academic publishers.

Chapter Four- Miscellaneous Materials

Actually trying to live like the Sermon on the Mount says we should live will often result in one being viewed as weird.  James Spinti has the tale.

Helen Ingram had some solid advice for those alone on Christmas Day.  It’s too late for you to do it this year, but there’s always next!

When biblical scholars grow tired of the Bible this is what they turn to.  Expect more of such.

SOTS is holding its Winter 2024 meeting online on January 4, so there’s still time for you to sign up.

AI is fraud.  Artificial Intelligence my eye.  It’s artifice.  Lies.  Deception.  Pretense.  Fraud. Fraud. Fraud.

My friend and co-author Don McKim published a very interesting essay on the abiding usefulness of the theology of William Ames.  You’ll be glad you read it.  Once you read it that is. Which you should.

EABS is meeting in Sofia in July. They’ve issued the ‘Call for Papers’.  So if you like Europe, maybe you should go.

The latest volume of The Bible in the Arts has been published.  And you are invited to provide an essay for the project if you would like.

The Bloody Bible Podcast has an episode on Evangelical Purity Culture.   And honestly, there’s just nothing creepier than evangelical dads and their daughters swearing purity.  And having Purity Balls.  And Purity rings.  The whole thing is nasty gross cringe.

The Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies announces – We are delighted to invite applications for the Hebrew Manuscript Studies Workshop 2024!

Bible Odyssey has spruced up its website.   It’s MUCH nicer now and actually better to use.  If you were put off by the previous iteration, give it another look.

Snakes, snakes, snakes… cue Samuel L. Jackson…  Rachel Wilkowski was awarded the De Gruyter Prize for her paper entitled “Snakes on a Page: Visual Receptions of the Eden Serpent Throughout the History of Western Art and Their Survivals in Modern Children’s Bibles.” 

Do you love violence, or are you a violent person? Well you’re in luck then: @CSBibleViolence – 📣BREAKING NEWS! The latest issue of the Journal for the Study of Bible and Violence is now live! Read and download it: https://csbvbristol.org.uk/jsbv/i2/

Good news!  Bible and Interpretation is now on Twitter!  You can follow them here.

Conclusion

Well we’ve seen the best posts, tweets, youtubes, and the rest of the sorts of venues in which biblical studies appear online these days.  Hebrew Bible, New Testament, books, and miscellaneous categories have all been decorated with useful and sometimes not so useful materials.

Next month’s Carnival is to be hosted by Jacob Prahlow of ‘Pursuing Veritas‘.   Dude should have gone with ‘Pursuing Pravda’ since Pravda in Russian means truth.  Missed opportunity bro… missed opportunity.

Index

Indexing is too hard.  So no, I’m not doing it.  Besides, bro, there’s not 50 pages here so you should be able to find stuff.  Plus, you have a table of contents.  What the heck do ya want, someone to do everything for you?

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!  I hope it’s a great one.  Truly.

And Happy Birthday Zwingli!