Category: Conferences

Via Timothy Sailors:

As part of the 19th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies, to be held from 24-28 August, 2015, at the University of Warsaw, Poland, a panel on ‘Early Christian Literature Preserved in Classical Ethiopic (Ge’ez)’ is being organized by Timothy B. Sailors (Tübingen). The description of the panel from the call for papers is as follows:

One of the more important sources for the study of early Christian literature are the versions of these writings preserved in Classical Ethiopic (Ge’ez). This panel will provide the opportunity to focus upon the all too often under-appreciated Ge’ez versions of these works of literature originally composed in the first several Christian centuries. These include books that would come to be part of the Christian Bible, writings categorized among the so-called ‘Apostolic Fathers’ or ‘Apologists’ or ‘Church Fathers’ and so-called early Christian ‘Apocrypha’, consisting, for example, of apocalypses, acts of apostles and testaments. Moreover, many of the ancient church orders from this era are importantly preserved in Ge’ez versions, as are other writings of a monastic, didactic or legendary nature.

Some writings from this period are preserved exclusively in Ge’ez, while others are also extant – at least in part – in Greek or in other ancient translations or versions, and papers offered for this panel may examine the relation of the Ge’ez to these other witnesses.

Proposals are welcome too for contributions that investigate the historical, religious and cultural settings in which the Ge’ez versions of this literature were produced, transmitted …

My introduction to the Christian Apocrypha, as for many people, came in undergraduate Bible classes. I was raised as a Catholic (albeit with a small “c”) and was surprised to learn of the existence of this literature; I felt I had been misled or intentionally misinformed by the church. This was also a time in my life when I was intensely interested in journalism and its attendant passion for intellectual freedoms. The church’s obfuscation of the CA seemed to me yet another example of censorship. As my interest in journalism waned and my interest in biblical studies waxed, I turned my attention to learning more about the CA and, eventually, to bring awareness to it.

Now a seasoned (well, lightly-seasoned) professor, I have left my initial bitterness about the church (and my faith in toto) behind. I remain interested in the literature, but only as a window into the variety of Christian thought and literary expression in antiquity. I believe the CA are essential for understanding the development and growth of Christianity, including how Christian thought has penetrated into the arts (e.g., the influence of …

Broadwayworld.com reports that an Off-Broadway play called The Busy World is Hushed is moving to Los Angeles. In the course of the article we discover that the play involves some intrigue over a “long-lost gospel.” From the synopsis:

With wisdom, humor and insight, The Busy World is Hushed examines the contradictions we find in our faith, our families and ourselves. Hannah, a widowed Episcopal minister, is hoping to translate a long-lost gospel when she is challenged by both her scholarly assistant and her wayward gay son. But when family secrets are revealed, only the intercession of a stranger can help Hannah find peace.

What’s next? A novel tying Leonardo Da Vinci to the Gnostic Gospels? Nah, no-one would go for that.

Scripta de Divinis is a new blog by Tim Brookins, an M. Div. student and Latin teacher from North Carolina, devoted in part to the Christian Apocrypha.

The US News and World Report recently published an extensive article on the CA titled: “The Gospel Truth: Why some old books are stirring up a new debate about the meaning of Jesus.” You can read it here. The article offers nothing new on the subject but it works well at balancing views held by the liberal scholars (e.g., Pagels, Robinson, and Meyer) and their conservative critics (e.g., Wright, Johnson, and Jenkins).

Did anyone in the UK catch the program The Lost Gospels aired on BBC4 December 4? I have been trying in vain to find official information on the show but have only managed to find blog entries. Read one here criticizing the show.

UPDATE: Jason Shim passed on this link with additional reviews of the show. It will be re-broadcast December 20 at 8pm.

Phil S., administrator of the hyperekperisou blog has posted his “Patristics Carnival”—essentially a summary of recent blog entries relating to Patristics. Apocryphicity is mentioned as is Jim Davilla’s excellent Paleojudaica blog.

The New Testament Apocrypha section of my main site TonyBurke.ca has been updated–specifically, the Internet Resources section has been expanded to include more sites and features better descriptions of the sites' content. If you know of a worthy site that is not in the list, please pass the informaiton along. 

Ah, the joys and frustrations of blogging. As those of you who have been attempting to add comments to posts on Apocryphicity already know, the blog has been experiencing some technical difficulties. These problems should now be resolved.

I have been holding off on recent posts while the blog was under repair, but now I have no excuse for being so quiet. Look for new posts and updates to TonyBurke.ca within the next few days.

From Phil Harland's Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean Blog:

Phil S. of hyperekperisou is proposing and starting up an ongoing blog carnival on patristics (the Church Fathers) and other aspects of Christianity in the second, third, and following centuries (including the Christian Apocrypha). Go there to see his proposal, to volunteer involvement, and to make any of your suggestions.

Does the world need another blog? Apparently yes, it does, because this is the first and only blog devoted to the study of the Christian apocrypha.

The genesis of Apocryphicity occurred at a conference on the Christian apocrypha in Ottawa back in September (more on this conference later). In a conversation with Jim Davilla of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland (and administrator of the paleo-Judaica blog) about the apocrypha on the internet, I mentioned that there were no blogs focusing on Christian apocrypha. It was suggested at the time that someone should create one. I guess that someone is me.

As the blurb to the left states I see the objectives of this blog as to inform scholars and non-scholars about developments in the study of this literature and to aid those interested in particular texts or projects to share their knowledge with others. The value of the blog depends on how much energy is put into it by participants—that would be you. I will endeavour to post information as I encounter it but the blog will be stronger the more informed I am. So, don’t be shy: e-mail me if you are aware of news on the apocrypha (discoveries, major studies, popular media, etc.) that I have missed, or if you are working on a project and seek input from others.

I look forward to hearing from you.