Sheffield Biblical Studies represents Protests as Endorsements

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Biblical Studies, Department of Biblical Studies, endorsements, marketing, protests, Research Institute, Save Biblical Studies, university of sheffield

 

In 2009, the University of Sheffield proposed to close the Department of Biblical Studies, perhaps the world’s foremost and most innovative biblical studies department.

The response included a barrage of letters protesting the plan from academics worldwide. Many of the letters are preserved on the Save Biblical Studies website. Responding to these protests, the University promised to retain the Department of Biblical Studies and to strengthen it.

But as early as 2014, the University of Sheffield again decided to disband the Department. The Department no longer exists, and current academic staff are now employed to a “Research Institute for Biblical Studies“, which has been interpreted as a short-term stop-gap measure before biblical studies at Sheffield ceases completely.

But what about all those academic protests? Did they count for nothing? Not at all. The letters of protest have been mined by the University of Sheffield, and used as marketing endorsements for biblical studies at Sheffield:

“Sheffield is the only place where Biblical Studies are not undertaken in a context where theology is the dominant discipline; this unique approach, with a strong input from religious studies, cultural studies, gender studies and critical theory, cannot be missed!”
Jan Willem van Henten, Director of Graduate School and Professor of New Testament, University of Amsterdam

“Sheffield has long had a reputation for producing some of the most innovative research in Biblical Studies in the world. This is not simply due to the outstanding research published by the academic staff, but to the entire ethos of the department.”
James Harding, Lecturer in Hebrew Bible, University of Otago, New Zealand

“High quality pedagogical methods… the open exchange of ideas… an impressive tradition of inspiring innovative critical research by other academics around the world.”
Dr James R. Linville, Chair, Dept of Religious Studies, Lethbridge, Canada

“…the exceptional combination of creativity and independence of mind shown by members of staff in their publications and at academic conferences.”
MAURICE CASEY, EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

All of these endorsements were culled from the letters of protest written in 2009 against the closure of the Department. They are now [on 1 September 2014, UK time] being used as “endorsements” of the University of Sheffield after the closure of the Department. Although permission was originally sought to use these protests as endorsements, they continue to be used now that the Department has been closed, which is precisely what the protests were protesting against.

What did the University of Sheffield fail to quote? The University missed those parts of the letters which were protesting against the very policy the University of Sheffield is now implementing, e.g.:

“I really hope you will reconsider the proposal to close the Department of Biblical Studies and that you find other solutions for coping with the consequences of the financial crisis for your university.”
Jan Willem van Henten, Director of Graduate School and Professor of New Testament, University of Amsterdam

“Dismantling the department would not simply have serious consequences within the University of Sheffield, but would have much wider consequences for the Biblical Studies guild as a whole. I know that I am not alone in holding these concerns. Over the last few days the internet has been alive with expressions of disquiet from scholars the world over whose academic work has been inspired by the work done in the department at Sheffield. Please do not allow this to come to an end by dismantling the department.”
James Harding, Lecturer in Hebrew Bible, University of Otago, New Zealand

“Let me add my voice to those who have already expressed themselves regarding the plans to close the world-class Department of Biblical Studies. I appreciate the financial difficulties your institution is in, but abandoning a department of the calibre and reputation of this one can only bring short term gains at a very long term cost to the university.”
Dr James R. Linville, Chair, Dept of Religious Studies, Lethbridge, Canada

“I am very sad to learn of your plans to close the undergraduate part of your Department of Biblical Studies and dissipate its research arm. I hope you are aware that this would lead to the wreckage of a quite outstanding feature of British education.”
MAURICE CASEY, EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

If the academics who are quoted here know about the continued use of their “endorsements”, we wonder what their reactions might be. Yet one of the protesting academics who were quoted will not be able to provide his reaction. Maurice Casey has since passed away since he wrote his original protest – a protest which is currently being represented as the deceased professor’s approval of precisely what he had protested against.

UPDATE (on the afternoon of 1 September 2014, UK time): The University of Sheffield has now removed its page of “endorsements” for biblical studies at Sheffield.

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NEWS RELEASE: Tesco Plc Announces Expansion into University Market at Sheffield

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Biblical Studies, sheffield, Tesco

Tesco Plc has announced an innovative proposal, now in its “pre-planning” stage, in which the supermarket chain will expand into the University Humanities Sector.

TescoUniversity will open for enrolment in the 2014/15 academic year, with an initial branch planned in Sheffield and further branches planned in London and Cambridge.

Vice-President Kath Embers stressed the synergies which would result from the initiative. “While universities have attempted to become more market-oriented in their approach, only in the private sector do we find the supporting corporate structure and skill-set available to positively transform tertiary education into a fully fledged market-driven product.”

“Sheffield TescoUniversity promises to provide high-end user-driven results in this space, going forward together.”

The announcement has met with a mixed response from academics. While existing university faculty members in the Sheffield area have expressed their “dismay” at the development, there was nothing but praise from recent recipients of honorary doctorates from TescoUniversity.

“It’s about time these ivory tower types earned an honest living by teaching something that everybody understands, rather than some high-faluting theory about feminizing or some sort,” commented the new Dean of Humanities, Dr Barry McFettrick, former Assistant Manager of Tesco Furniture and Kitchen.

The Humanities has been targeted by the company as the academic area which has “thus far responded least to the reality of the market in the modern world” and so “offers the greatest potential for positive growth and development.”

Ms Embers outlined some details of the proposal at a press conference held yesterday, in which the Humanities would be organised into a series of “aisles,” ranging from the more “meaty” disciplines such as Economics and Tourism Studies, to the less substantial “confectionary aisle” which would include “sundry items” such as Philosophy and Biblical Studies.

“But even in disciplines which have traditionally offered little of end-user value, such as Biblical Studies, we intend to offer a range of courses which reflect our market-driven approach. In fact, we are in the process of negotiating an exciting joint-venture which we hope should eventuate in the establishment of the L. Ron Hubbard Centre of Religion,” announced Ms Embers.

“For example, in Biblical Studies, we are developing a strategic staircase to reorient the field towards a profit-focus while retaining all the advantages of the traditional discipline. It is not our intention to make significant changes to what has for many centuries been a successful product venture, so in most cases the changes will be undetectable. For instance, the Introduction to the Gospels will still be taught, but will be rebranded as an Introduction to the Prosperity Gospel.

“Students are always asking us what good will these courses do them in the real world. But at Sheffield TescoUniversity, we hope to produce graduates who can ask precisely the opposite question: ‘What good will we possibly find in the real world following an education at Sheffield TescoUniversity?’”

Read Further:
Don’t shut down Biblical Studies at Sheffield Facebook Group
SBL Announcement
Save Biblical Studies
Sheffield Student Union

Christology Class on the Resurrection Brought to a Premature End When Security Guards Escorted Theology Lecturer from University Premises

“Tensions have been growing at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham this week following the suspension of Dr Anthony Towey, Head of the School of Theology, Philosophy and History. Students report that Dr Towey was half way through a Christology lecture on the Resurrection when security men came to escort him out of the buillding on Monday.”
– “St Mary’s University College – why a professor was suspended”, ICN: Independent Catholic News, 19 September 2012

“The grotesque incident yesterday, when a senior member of staff was interrupted in the course of a lecture and forcibly escorted from the premises, is for me a decisive sign that things have gone badly amiss with the Christian and Catholic ethos of St Mary’s.”
– Professor Eamon Duffy, quoted in Madeleine Teahan, “Top historian criticises St Mary’s for ‘grotesque’ treatment of professor”, CatholicHerald.co.uk, 25 September 2012

“The Governors have total confidence in the Senior Management Team who have worked diligently and in accordance with our constitution, due process and our Catholic ethos in what has been a difficult time as we continue to strive to gain our university title. This is a time of great opportunity for St Mary’s and I am confident that the University College will continue to develop and move forward as a centre of excellence.”
– Bishop Richard Moth, Chair of Governors, St. Mary’s University College,”Statement by Bishop Richard Moth, St Mary’s Chair of Governors”, smuc.ac.uk

“Kraft International, especially in developing markets, should continue to realize solid growth as it leverages the Cadbury acquisition and benefits from continued Cadbury cost synergies. The company is likely to realize $300 million of revenue synergies in 2012 by distributing Kraft’s biscuit products in Cadbury outlets in Mexico (approximately 380,000 outlets), distributing Oreo and Tang products in Cadbury outlets (approximately 380,000 outlets) in India and doubling its distribution in Brazil with this acquisition (from 300,000 to 600,000 outlets).”
– Ashish Sharma, “Kraft Foods: Safe Stock with Upside Potential”, The Motley Fool Blog Network, 13 August 2012

…. but wait, there is something even weirder going on here than the story of the Catholic theology lecturer having his lecture on the resurrection brought to a violent and premature end   … you can take a course in “Christology” at a London university? Really? Do they offer Muggle Studies as well?

New Zealand’s Associate Minister of Education John Banks Believes in Adam and Eve but not in Evolution

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ACT, Adam and Eve, Associate Minister of Education, Darwin, evolution, first chapters of Genesis, Genesis, John Banks

On 20 August 2012, conservative evangelical New Zealand radio station, Radio Rhema, interviewed the Associate Minister of Education John Banks about the teaching of Creationism in schools. The interview follows the recent announcement of the plan by the free-market neoliberal ACT Party – of which Banks is the party leader and sole MP – to introduce private “Charter Schools” in New Zealand from 2014, many of which will be administered by evangelical Christian groups.

John Banks – New Zealand Associate Minister of Education and believer in Adam and Eve rather than in Evolution

While the interviewer wanted John Banks to tell him whether he supported the teaching of Creationism in schools, Banks attempted to steer the question to his own personal belief. On the question of his personal belief, Banks agreed that he believed in the story of Adam and Eve and did not accept the scientific fact of evolution.

His answer on teaching Creationism in schools was more cagey. He refused to make a clear statement that he supported the teaching of Creationism, referring obliquely to the liberal humanist enemy – possibly the “basket-weaving, hairy-legged feminists” whom he has often referred to – who would pounce on his words (“we have to be very, very careful about parading all this…”). But his comments on presenting ‘both sides’ of the issue removes all doubt that he wants Creationism to be taught in schools as a ‘scientific’ option.

Interviewer: As the Associate Minister of Education, how do you feel about schools teaching Creationism?

Banks: What do you mean? Can you just explain it to me so I clearly understand.

Interviewer: I guess your question back to me is fair, because there would be many different kinds of Creationism. There would be Intelligent Design, there would be long earthers, there would be short earthers. But I guess to nutshell it, to stereotypically nutshell it: that God created the world, that Darwin’s theory of evolution is not accurate, that God created Adam and Eve and that everything else has come from it. What do you think about schools teaching that…?

Banks: That’s what I believe! That’s what I believe. That’s what I believe. But I’m not going to impose my beliefs on other people, especially in this post-Christian society that we live in, especially in these lamentable times. I’m not going to be judgmental; I’m too old and have moved past that now. But I know what is important to me, I know what’s important to you, I know what’s important to our families, and I know what will make this country great again. But we have to be very, very careful about parading all this, because there are reactionaries out there, humanists in particular, that overrun the bureaucracy in Wellington and State education that you and I would be an anathema.

Interviewer: So let me get this clear, John Banks, Associate Minister of Education, you disagree with Darwin’s theory of evolution, you believe the Genesis account of how life began?

Banks: Yes.

Interviewer: Well how do you feel, therefore, about the other question: about evolution being taught in our schools?

Banks: Well I don’t have a problem. There are a lot of things taught in our schools that I don’t particularly like being taught in our schools. That’s where we’re at now….

Banks: … I don’t see anything wrong with a Christian school teaching Christianity and Adam and Eve and everything that follows.

Interviewer: And do you think there is a place to teach these opposing views equally? Darwin’s theory of evolution would not sit on an agreeable level with those who teach the six-day creation story, and vice-versa. Can two opposing views like that be taught on an equal level in our schools?

Banks: I don’t have any problem with schools teaching opposing views, because I think it is important that children have a rounded education. So I don’t have any problem with them teaching those opposing views. But what we must clearly understand is this country has moved on from a Christian country to a nation of humanism and a post-Christian society and all the attendant ills have followed. I don’t have a problem with people teaching what your faith is. My faith and your faith we share, but it is not the faith that other people might want to share….

The media report that circulated today summarised that John Banks “believes the Genesis account of the start of life on Earth” and that “he has no doubts the first chapters of Genesis are true”. This summary is easily misleading in respect of such a contested passage, as Banks is consistently vague about his precise understanding of Genesis, preferring to broadly agree with the interviewer. But Banks did make an affirmative response to the interviewer’s question of whether he “believed the Genesis account of how life began”. It is not clear that Banks believes in a literal six-day creation as Gavin Rumney suggests after reading the media report, or as Hemant Mehta does, or that he is a young earth creationist (believing that God made everything about 6000 years ago). GayNZ is cynical, entitling their blog post, “John Banks Believes in Talking Devil Tree-Snake !“

Complementarians and Martial Sex: The Jared Wilson / Gospel Coalition Saga

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50 Shades of Grey, Complementarians, Denny Burk, Douglas Wilson, Egalitarianism, Fidelity, Gospel Coalition, Hard Complementarianism, intent, Jared Wilson, man penetrates conquers colonizes plants, marital sex, martial sex, psychoanalytic criticism, rape, Sex is What I do WITH my Wife, Soft Complementarianism, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, What it Means to be a One-Woman Man, woman receives surrenders accepts

The scandal started with this post by author and pastor, Jared Wilson, on The Gospel Coalition website, which features a quotation from author and pastor Douglas Wilson including the following description of what he considers is good, biblical sex: “A man penetrates, conquers, colonizes, plants. A woman receives, surrenders, accepts”.

(The post was since grudgingly removed by Jared Wilson, after a load of complaints.)

And then, following numerous expressions of outrage, Jared Wilson posted a defence of his quote from Douglas Wilson (also since removed):

Jared Wilson is a “Complementarian”, a euphemistic term for a group of Christians who support a hierarchy between men and women which, unsurprisingly, is in favour of men. Among Christian evangelicals, there is a rigorous ongoing debate between “Complementarians” and “Egalitarians”, the latter group opposing gender hierarchy, to some extent. While the Complementarian-Egalitarian division is the basic line of opposition, there are also – as Michael Bird and others maintain – various degrees of Complementarians, ranging from “Hard Complementarians” to “Soft Complementarians”. So Bird (Soft Complementarian) opposes Wilson (Hard Complementarian) … to some extent.

I tried to make clear that I don’t think the Wilsons are malicious or deliberately trying to liken martial [sic] sex to rape. But I think these comments are incendiary, needless, hurtful, unbiblical, insensitive, and do not help the complementarian cause.
– Michael Bird, Sensitive Soft Complementarian, “Sex is What I do WITH my Wife, Not TO my Wife: A Response to the Wilsons at TGC”, Euangelion, 18 July 2012

Let’s see, a man “penetrates”, “conquers”, and “colonises” a woman. I would make a guess that Douglas Wilson most probably sanctifies what many of us would refer to quite simply as “rape” as The Biblical View of Marriage. I truly believe that he is sincere in his belief; it’s just that Douglas does not begin to appreciate that his expression of divinely sanctioned sexual intercourse in fact condones and even advocates aggressive and violent sexual attacks on women. He just doesn’t see it. He undoubtedly also sincerely believes that what he describes would be what is best for women. But why stop with Douglas Wilson’s intent? Given Douglas Wilson’s use of a group of violent terms for sex (and despite his odd protests that the terms “penetrate”, “conquer”, and “colonise” can be used in really quite nice ways), it is obvious that we should read him with more than a little suspicion. For even though Douglas Wilson is speaking from ignorance, his words quite obviously do in fact liken marital sex to rape.

Or, to employ Bird’s malapropism from the quote above, what Douglas Wilson in fact advocates is “Martial Sex”. (Now there is the quintessential example of a Freudian slip!)

But Bird is not the only Complementarian stating that he disagrees with the Wilsons, while at the same time saying that we should really respect their honest intent. Here’s Denny Burk:

Egalitarians [e.g., McKnight, Held Evans, and Kirk] are out in full-force claiming that Doug Wilson, Jared Wilson, and TGC are openly supporting rape and abuse of women. If authorial intent means anything, then that is a slander. That is not what Doug Wilson meant, nor is it what Jared Wilson intended by quoting him. We can quibble over the language, but the false accusations need to stop.
– Denny Burk, Harder Complementarian, comment to “Sex is What I do WITH my Wife, Not TO my Wife: A Response to the Wilsons at TGC”, Euangelion, 18 July 2012

Denny Burk, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, also wants to let matters rest with Douglas Wilson’s intent – which is, as noted, fairly much completely ignorant that what he is advocating amounts to rape. But whatever happened to critical reading? Surely an Associate Professor of Biblical Studies is capable of reading between the lines and … oh hang on, I see: “Southern Baptist Theological Seminary”. OK, well, then, I guess because Wilson said it, Burk believes it, and that settles it.

It is worth noting that Denny Burk makes the same Freudian slip as Bird, referring not to “marital sex” to describe Douglas Wilson’s views, but to “martial sex”. Ironically, this whole scandal first erupted when Jared Wilson got hot under the collar about the portrayal of B&D in the novel 50 Shades of Grey. But why is it that the (soft and hard) complementarians are the ones banging on about “martial sex”?

Yet I guess psychoanalytic criticism isn’t at the top of the teaching menu down at the local Baptist Seminary.

Further reading:

Complementarians
Bekah Wilson, “Them’s Fightin’ Words”
Nancy Ann Wilson, “10 Reasons to be Glad When Your Husband is Slandered”
Heather Linn, “A Note for Rachel Held Evans”
Douglas Wilson, “The Politics of Outrage”
Douglas Wilson, “Probably Not! She Thundered”
Douglas Wilson, “Cloacina, Goddess of Sewers”
Michael Bird, “Jared Wilson takes down TGC Post”

Others
Ryan K. Knight, “Doug Wilson on The Gospel Coalition: How Christian Patriarchy Turns Sex into Rape and Pregnancy into Slavery”
Grace, “Conquer, colonize, enslave: On redefining words and rewriting history”
Paul Burkhart, “The Gospel Coalition & Sex as Conquest: Jared Wilson, you’re better than this {1}”
Paul Burkhart, “The Gospel Coalition & Sex as Conquest: it’s still misogyny, however unintended {2}”
Rachel Held Evans, “Thank you, Gospel Coalition and Jared Wilson”
Rachel Held Evans, “Some final thoughts on The Gospel Coalition, sex, and submission”
Rachel Held Evans, “The Gospel Coalition, sex, and subordination”
Eric Reitan, “‘Benign’ Christian Patriarchy and 50 Shades of Grey: A Response to Jared Wilson”
Eric Reitan, “The Piety That Lies Between: A Progressive Christian Perspective”
Libby Ann, “Marital Rape? Doug Wilson on Dominance and Submission in the Marriage Bed”
Dianna Anderson, “The Writer’s Burden”
Scot McKnight, “Thank you”
Scot McKnight, “Take it down”
Eric Rodes, “50 Shades Of Circling The Wagons”
Sarah Over the Moon, “Rape: A Punishment for Egalitarians?”
Chaplain Mike, “Sex, Authority/Submission, and Remarkable Insensitivity”

Is there anything Tom Wright CAN’T do?! N.T. Wright sings Bob Dylan

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Bob Dylan, dope shit, N.T. Wright, Robert Gagnon, Tom Wright, When The Ship Comes In

On 7 May 2012, freewheelin’ New Testament scholar N.T. (Tom) Wright treated his adoring fans to a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “When the Ship Comes In”:
 

Perhaps Tom Wright was inspired by Robert Gagnon’s rap of the New Testament book of Romans (17 May 2010)?
 

New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority Rules Against Advertising that Jesus Heals Cancer

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Advertising Standards Authority, ASA, charismatics, Equippers Church, evangelicals, His Right to Say It, Jesus heals cancer, morality police, Napier, New Zealand, Noam Chomsky, offensive, Robert Faurisson

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint against a church billboard which read “Jesus Heals Cancer”. The billboard was erected by the charismatic-evangelical Equippers’ Church in Napier:

The Complaints Board of the ASA ruled that “the statement was provocative enough to be likely to cause serious offence to those people who were dealing with, or knew people who were dealing with, cancer.” The Board added that “the public nature of the billboard was likely to cause widespread offence in the light of generally prevailing community standards.” Furthermore, the Board ruled that the church billboard was in breach of the provision in the Code of Ethics which required “Truthful presentation”, and that “the advertisement was likely to deceive or mislead people.” Although the Board accepted that the church believed that Jesus could heal people from cancer, it ruled that the church’s claim to cure cancer was not substantiated. Contrary to some media headlines, the Board did not go so far as to rule explicitly that Jesus could not cure cancer, but in ruling that the billboard was “likely to deceive or mislead people” implied that the claim was untrue.

What is the ASA? The ASA is merely a private society, its membership comprised of various media and advertising entities. Now, given the propensity of commercial advertisers to tell lies, exaggerate, and annoy the public, just to make a buck, generally speaking it is a good thing that advertisers have got together to self-regulate.

But it’s another thing altogether to issue pronouncements on a local church’s misguided but honestly intended billboard. Who the hell do the ASA board members think they are? Do they think they are New Zealand’s Morality Police, pronouncing on any words they discover littering the landscape? On this occasion, the ASA has stepped way over the line. An organisation that is intended to self-regulate the advertising industry should simply be ignored when it makes pompous pronouncements on a local church’s billboard. If the Equippers’ Church weren’t such pious charismatic evangelicals, they should probably just tell the ASA where to go.

But is it offensive to cancer sufferers in the neighbourhood? Of course. However, silencing an honest (albeit deluded) church’s proclamation sets a dangerous precedent. Who will be the next minority group to be silenced because their views or behaviour don’t agree with New Zealand’s pragmatic yet passionless middle-class values? While I personally consider that there is as much chance of Jesus healing somebody from cancer as there is for the Earth to start spinning in the other direction, if we don’t defend the right of the ignorant, the atavistic, and even the despicable to peddle their absurd views, we support a system which denies freedom of speech to those minorities who most need it. 

As Noam Chomsky said, in defending a famous French holocaust denier’s right to express his denial of the Jewish holocaust (despite Chomsky’s opinion that holocaust denial was quite incorrect, and the holocaust marked a terrible period in human history): “It is elementary that freedom of expression (including academic freedom) is not to be restricted to views of which one approves, and that it is precisely in the case of views that are almost universally despised and condemned that this right must be most vigorously defended.”

Fortunately, the ASA has no authority to enforce the rulings which they freely promulgate. So, the Equippers’ Church can decide for themselves whether they will use the same billboard again, or whether a different message might be a more persuasive evangelistic tool.

Soft Homophobia in Mainstream Biblical Studies

Tags

Ben Witherington, ex-lesbian, fluid sexuality, gay sex, Hard complementarian, Hard homophobe, Heath was far too young, homophobia, James Crossley, Michael Bird, perfect happy wife and mother, Soft complementarian, Soft homophobe

For context, see Ben Witherington the Third, Michael Bird, James Crossley, Michael Bird, Michael Bird (with some Robert Gagnon and Robert Gagbag).

Katharina Voelker On Islamic Hermeneutics and PhDing

Tags

Faziur Rahman Malik, Islam, Islamic hermeneutics, Katharina Voelker, Muhammad Arkoun, Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, PhD, Postgrad Radio Show, Qur'an, Radio One, Rush Hour, University of Otago

Katharina Voelker, who has recently completed a PhD at the University of Otago on Islamic Hermeneutics, is on Radio One from 10:00-12:00am NZT, Wednesday 18 January. She will be discussing the highs and lows of completing her study, as well as the content of her thesis, “Hermeneutical Access: Philosophical and theological approaches to the Qur’an with reference to modern Muslim thinkers”.

Rush Hour – The Postgrad Radio Show is live streamed on the interwebs, here. A podcast of the session is to come.
Update – Listen here:
The first part of the interview with Katharina Voelker. The part focuses on her research about contemporary interpretation of the Koran.

Second part of the interview with Katharina Voelker. She talks about the ups and downs of her PhD journey, and all the unexpected challenges and little problems along the way.

Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd

The focus of this thesis is on presenting and analyzing the thought of three contemporary Muslim intellectuals on the theme of Quran interpretation and the application of Islam to Muslim societies. These three scholars are Faziur Rahman Malik, Muhammad Arkoun and Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd. Their thought will be analyzed with special regard to their understanding and treatment of historical criticism, text critique, Sachkritik, the notion of revelation and the possibility of understanding God’s will and its application …
– Katharina Voelker, Religion, University of Otago

Theology and the Pursuit of Truth: Murray Rae’s Inaugural Professorial Lecture this Thursday

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Inaugural Professorial Lecture, Murray Rae, Theology and the Pursuit of Truth, University of Otago

If you’re in Dunedin this Thursday, and wonder what lies at the intersection of theology and truth, do come along to this public lecture by Professor Murray Rae:

Murray Rae: Theology and the Pursuit of Truth

The Dunedin School Boycotts the Internet

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All Blacks, analytical philosophy, apostrophes in personal pronouns, aspergers, boycott, Chosen People Syndrome, Continental Philosophy, Dunedin School, fish n chips, global warming, Israel, Peter Akinola gives BJs, SBL, socialism, Society of Biblical Literature, whoring universities

As a protest against what we view as certain injustices currently being perpetrated in the world, the Dunedin School believes that, ethically, it has no other choice but to refuse to blog until the following demands are met:

• the U.S.A. must introduce real socialism
• all so-called “Universities” must renounce any profit motive, or relinquish the name “University”
• the Anglican Primate of Nigeria, Nicholas Okoh must give Elton John a BJ (a nice one)
• the Annual and International Meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature must eliminate all of its ridiculous and endlessly multiplying confessional sessions, and officially declare that they have no place in critical biblical studies
• Germany must recognize that Aspergers has become a national epidemic
• Analytical and Continental philosophy must resolve their differences and come together as one
• the All Blacks must be disbanded
• global warming must be stopped, right now
• the apostrophe rule for personal pronouns must be strictly policed (by former All Blacks, armed only with referee whistles)
• each and every Israeli must write out 100,000,000,000 times, on A4 paper, the line: “We are not the divinely Chosen People, we were being very silly boys and girls”
• and free fish n chips on Fridays for everyone

Caption Contest: Jesus versus the Cops

Tags

Easter, Geelong, Heaven on Earth Church, John Spong, passion

The Dunedin School is pleased to announce our very first Caption Contest. Over in that wannabe-mini-America they call Australia, last Easter Saturday, members of the Heaven on Earth Church upset hoardes of little children with a graphically violent crucifixion scene, staged outside a local shopping centre. After the children started bawling and causing an unholy ruckus, and most importantly, interrupting sales, the cops were called in. The authorities quickly removed the bloody Jesus from his cross and detained him for questioning (“Who do you think you are, all covered in blood, like this? You oughta be ashamed. The Son of God, huh? So ya think you’re funny, do ya? How about you accompany us to the station looking like a half-naked Abo, and we’ll see if you’re still making jokes after an hour or two…”).

Anyway, issues of religious freedom aside, this pic is just begging for some witty captions. Go on, have a go (you know you want to):

A free copy of John Shelby Spong’s latest book, Eternal Life, to the lucky winner.

The Dunedin School mentioned in Academic Article

Tags

self-promotion

The Dunedin School has been mentioned in an academic article published in the world’s leading journal on the Bible and critical theory, The Bible and Critical Theory. James Crossley (University of Sheffield), a sometime commenter on this blog, writes:

“Unlike the mass media, biblioblogging is not directly dependent on corporate financial backing and so more and more figures from overtly different perspectives would be able to follow Wrong’s lead and open up different ways of thinking about the politics of biblioblogging from within the world of biblioblogging, perhaps even donning the mask. There are now also occasional exceptions, such as Roland Boer’s blog, Stalin’s Moustache, and the collective, Dunedin School, which also have a far higher level of political sophistication and learned interaction with a wider array of scholarship in the humanities than other blogs.”

(James Crossley, “N.T. Wrong and the Bibliobloggers.” Bible and Critical Theory 6.1 (March 2010): 03.11.)

“Political sophistication and learned interaction.” Yeah, baby!

The Dunedin School understands that description as applying especially to us, rather than Roland Boer’s Stalin’s Moustache. For Roland just goes on about sex, penises, testicles, and prairie oysters – and with some decidedly spurious etymologies. He’s the veritable Roger Lambert of biblical studies.