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Archive for the ‘Patristics’ Category


The Letters of Jerome: Asceticism, Biblical Exegesis, and the Construction of Christian Authority in Late Antiquity

In Andrew CAIN, Early Christianity, Epistolography, Jerome, Justin A. Mihoc, Oxford University Press, Patristics, Reception history, Scripture on January 28, 2012 at 1:31 pm

2012.01.02 | Andrew Cain, The Letters of Jerome: Asceticism, Biblical Exegesis, and the Construction of Christian Authority in Late Antiquity. Oxford Early Christian Studies. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Pp. xiv + 286. isbn: 978-0-19-956355-5 (Hardback). £67.00.

Reviewed by Justin A. Mihoc, Durham University.

This is a pre-print version of the review published in Sobornost: incorporating Eastern Churches Review 33.1 (2011), pp. 90-93.

This highly erudite and fascinating monograph by Andrew Cain, an already prominent Jerome scholar, focuses on Jerome of Stridon’s epistles and their (intended) reception. Read the rest of this entry »


Mark W. Elliott, “The promise and threat of Reception, with reference to patristic interpretation of texts in Hebrews and Ephesians”

In Ephesians, Hebrews, Justin A. Mihoc, Mark W. ELLIOTT, New Testament, Patristics, Reception history, St Andrews Graduate Conference for Biblical and Early Christian Studies on January 22, 2012 at 5:28 pm

This is a report on a paper presented by Dr Mark Elliott as a keynote address at the 1st St Andrews Graduate Conference for Biblical and Early Christian Studies, 16th June 2011. The conference theme was “Authoritative Texts and Reception History”. The programme of the conference is available here. The conference facebook page can be found here.

Dr Elliott’s engaging paper offered a fresh and clear account of patristic reception analysis, by looking at two key New Testament texts and their interpretation over the first Christian centuries. In his view, the empirical application, rather than a purely linguistic-critical interpretation, does justice to the initial intention of the biblical authors.

He began by assessing the importance of the historical-critical studies of the Bible, as they can provide a fresh interpretation. Read the rest of this entry »


Lewis Ayres, “Grammar, Polemic and the Development of Patristic Exegesis 150-250”

In Durham, Early Christianity, Lewis AYRES, Patristics, Reception history, Second century, SEMINAR REPORTS on November 29, 2011 at 2:46 pm

This is a report on a paper presented by Prof Lewis Ayres, Lecturer in Greek Patristics and Byzantine Studies in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University, at the NT Research Seminar at the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, 28th of November 2011.

The list of forthcoming papers in the New Testament Research Seminars at Durham University can be found here. You can follow RBECS on Facebook, here.

An extensive written treatment of Prof Ayres’ argument was circulated in advance to the seminar members. His great and very interesting presentation emerged from his existing work on the 4th and 5th century Trinitarian controversies that shaped a certain way of reading Scripture. Prof Ayres’ aim was to identify as much as possible the origins of the classical Patristic exegesis and the significance of the ancient Grammarians in the development of the Patristic interpretative techniques. Read the rest of this entry »


Krastu Banev, “The Idea of the Numinous in the 4th Century: Abraham, John Chrysostom, and Rudolf Otto in Dialogue”

In Abraham, Durham, Early Christianity, Justin A. Mihoc, Krastu BANEV, Numinous, Patristics, SEMINAR REPORTS on November 25, 2011 at 5:07 pm

This is a report on a paper presented by Dr Krastu Banev, Lecturer in Greek Patristics and Byzantine Studies in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University, at the Patristics Research Seminar at the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, 24th of November 2011.

The list of forthcoming papers in the Patristics Research Seminars at Durham University can be found here. You can follow RBECS on Facebook, here.

In this very inspiring paper, Dr Banev intended to show the similarities and differences between the idea of religious experience and the numinous employed by John Chrysostom (c. 347–407) and Rudolf Otto (1869–1937).

There is a gap in the scholarly record with regard to the treatment of the idea of ‘numinous dread’ (or the mysterium tremendum et fascinans, as Otto calls it).

Read the rest of this entry »


Ascension Theology

In Ascension, Bloomsbury, Douglas FARROW, Justin A. Mihoc, Luke-Acts, NT reception history, NT Theology, Patristics, Reception history on October 23, 2011 at 9:53 am

2011.10.08 | Douglas Farrow, Ascension Theology, London: T&T Clark, 2011. Pp. xiv + 177. ISBN: 9780567353573 (Paperback), £ 16.99.

Reviewed by Justin A. Mihoc, Durham University.

RBECS would like to thank T&T Clark and Continuum Publishing for kindly providing us with a review copy. You can find RBECS on facebook, here.

Those interested in the interpretation of the Ascension of Jesus will certainly be acquainted with Prof Douglas Farrow’s Ascension and Ecclesia, a substantial monograph that attempted to offer an overview of the meaning and implications of the Ascension event and doctrine. Read the rest of this entry »


A Celebration of Living Theology: Engaging with the work of Andrew Louth

In Andrew LOUTH, Call for papers, Durham, Patristics on September 12, 2011 at 4:35 pm

© Justin A. Mihoc, 2010

Durham University in conjunction with the Department of Theology and Religion will be hosting the conference ‘A celebration of living theology: Engaging with the work of Andrew Louth’ on 9-12 July 2012 at Durham University.

The conference aims to celebrate the work of Prof. Andrew Louth in the areas of Patristics, both Western and Eastern, Modern Theology and Theology as Life, as well as explore its reception outside the English-speaking world. The plenary papers will be collected into a Festschrift to be published after the conference. Read the rest of this entry »


Fr. Andrew Louth, “The Reception of the Fathers in Byzantium 650 – 1080”

In Andrew LOUTH, Durham, Justin A. Mihoc, Patristics, SEMINAR REPORTS on February 25, 2011 at 1:14 am

This is a report on a paper presented by Fr Prof Andrew Louth, member of the British Academy of Sciences, formerly Professor of Patristic and Byzantine Studies in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University, and currently Professor at the Free University, Amsterdam, at the Patristics Research Seminar at the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, 24th of February 2011.

The list of forthcoming papers in the Patristics Research Seminars at Durham University can be found here.

In his characteristic clear and concise way, Prof Louth presented a very interesting paper covering more than four centuries of Eastern Christian thought and theology. A revised form of this paper is to be published shortly as a separate chapter in a collective monograph. Read the rest of this entry »


The 1st St Andrews Graduate Conference for Biblical and Early Christian Studies: Authoritative Texts and Reception History

In Call for papers, DSS, HB/OT, New Testament, Patristics, Reception history, Septuagint, St Andrews on February 1, 2011 at 1:39 pm

[see the CfP for the 2nd StAnGCBECS (2012) here and the Facebook page of the conference here]

Authoritative Texts and Reception History

Aspects and Approaches

15-16 June 2011

With an emphasis on textual reception history, the first St Andrews Graduate Conference for Biblical and Early Christian Studies is aimed at graduate students and early career scholars. Contributors are welcomed from the following fields of research: Old Testament / Hebrew Bible, Pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls, New Testament and Early Christianity.

Some other details, here. Information about registration are posted here. You can download the conference poster from here.

We have four invited plenary speakers:

Prof. Kristin De Troyer

Prof. James R. Davila

Prof. N. T. Wright

Dr. Mark W. Elliott

Conference sessions will be chaired by plenary speakers followed by papers grouped by topic.

Papers will be 20 minutes. Deadline to send in your 250-word abstracts is 15 March 2011. Abstracts should be e-mailed to StAnGCBECS [at] gmail.com Read the rest of this entry »


Author’s response to RBECS’ reviews on Augustine’s Text of John. Patristic Citations and Latin Gospel Manuscripts

In Augustine, Cornelia Linde, Dan Batovici, H. A. G. HOUGHTON, John, NT reception history, Oxford University Press, Patristics, Textual Criticism on January 24, 2011 at 6:30 pm

2011.01.04 | H. A. G. Houghton. Augustine’s Text of John. Patristic Citations and Latin Gospel Manuscripts. Oxford: OUP, 2008. (13.8×21.6), 424 p. ISBN 978-0-19-954592-6. Hardback.

This is Hugh Houghton’s response in the review-session dedicated to his Augustine’s Text of John, at the International Medieval Congress, Leeds, July 2010, (session 1630). The two reviews, signed by Cornelia Linde and Dan Batovici are available here and here.

First of all, I’d like to thank Cornelia and Dan for the time they’ve spent preparing for this session and for their very detailed and careful reviews: it has been a real pleasure to hear such constructive engagement with the text. Read the rest of this entry »


The Johannine Corpus in the Early Church

In Charles E. HILL, Dan Batovici, John, NT reception history, Oxford University Press, Patristics, Second century on October 7, 2010 at 11:20 pm

2010.10.03 | Charles E. Hill. The Johannine Corpus in the Early Church. Oxford: OUP, 2006 (Hardback, 2004). xiii-531 p. ISBN 0-19-929144-6. Paperback.

Reviewed by Dan Batovici, University of St Andrews.

This is the pre-print version of the review published in Religion and Theology 17 (2010), pp. 166-7.

Read the rest of this entry »