A new ministry (and which translation is in the pews of the new church)

Yesterday, we drove off to a nearby state to visit a friend who is starting a new ministry as rector of a church. After a tour of the rectory, we were given a tour of the lovely church.

As I sat in a pew to take in the architecture and the stained glass, I found a NLT Bible. Every pew had several. Of course, it's a good thing to find bibles in pews and not that common in Episcopal Churches. And yet, this particular translation is a disappointment. Here's why.

Take the NLT translation of Romans 16:1-2, I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God's people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.

This description of Phoebe, "for she has been helpful" doesn't do her justice. Look at the NRSV:
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well."

The translation "benefactor" from the the Greek word prostatis is a Latinism, the Greek rendering of the Latin word patrona, the feminine form of patronus. How should we render this? Both diakonos and prostatis contains a dimension of "assistance" as well as a dimension of authority and leadership. Perhaps we can say that Phoebe in her role as diakonos of the church of Cenchreae fulfilled a leading role in that community. As for prostatis, this word connotes "patron" or "protector." In the passage then, Phoebe is a sister, deacon and a benefactor of the ekklesia at Cenchreae. Now the NLT transmits two out of three terms but obscures the third. And if it does this in regard to one prominent woman, are we not justified in being suspicious of the work of these translators?

Other scholars have noted that the NLT is not a new translation but rather a revision of the 1971 Living Bible translation. One of the scholars who worked on it, Craig Blomberg says of this translation (in 2003):

Years later I relished the chance to work on the NLT (New Living Translation) team to convert the LBP into a truly dynamic-equivalent translation, but I never recommend it to anyone except to supplement the reading of a more literal translation to generate freshness and new insights, unless they are kids or very poor adult readers.

Sisters of Sinai by Janet Soskice (NYTimes Book Review)

Ah well, better to have a review than not! Caroline Alexander rates it positively.

THE SISTERS OF SINAI How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels By Janet Soskice Illustrated. 316 pp. Alfred A. Knopf. $27.95

Paddock Lectures: Beyond “Sexuality”: A New Christian Theology of Desire

The Paddock Lectures this year are to be given by Sarah Coakley from Sept 23-24th.

The Rev. Dr. Sarah Coakley is a widely published systematic theologian. Her Ph.D. is from the University of Cambridge. She has taught at Lancaster University and the University of Oxford and, since 1993, at Harvard Divinity School. In 2006, she became Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. She has wide interdisciplinary interests, including feminist theory, and is presently at work on a four-volume systematic theology. In 2008 she received General Seminary’s honorary doctoral degree. The three lectures are as follows:

I. Lessons of the Sex Scandals: Why Desire Matters. Wed., Sept. 23, 3 pm.
Beyond the modern preoccupation with “straight” or “homosexual,” consider the more fundamental category, “desire.” Here are the resources for a new theology of desire free of false binaries.

II. The Eucharist, Desire and Gender: Why Women Priests Matter. Thu., Sept. 24, 10 am.
What does this new approach mean for a woman's place at the altar: what sort of “eroticism” is involved in the priestly role itself, and how is “gender” to be understood theologically in the light of it? How does this approach answer the Roman Catholic objection to women priests?

III. Desire, Gender and Contemplation: Why Systematic Theology (Still) Matters. Thu., Sept. 24, 2 pm.
The indispensability of a properly "theological" view of gender and desire are urged as part of a new project in Anglican systematic theology where both play a crucial part. The ecumenical promise of this is underscored.

The Paddock Lectures were founded in 1880 by General Seminary benefactor George A. Jarvis and named in honor of the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Henry Paddock, Class of 1852. The lectureship has featured many of the world’s leading Anglican scholars. Join us for these insightful and dynamic lectures. Reservations are required. Please contact Bridget Hogan at Hogan@gts.edu

More of Codex Sinaiticus detected

The Independent (UK) reports:

Nikolas Sarris spotted a previously unseen section of the Codex Sinaiticus, which dates from about AD350, as he was trawling through photographs of manuscripts in the library of St Catherine's Monastery in Egypt.

The Codex, handwritten in Greek on animal skin, is the earliest known version of the Bible. Leaves from the priceless tome are divided between four institutions, including St Catherine's Monastery and the British Library, which has held the largest section of the ancient Bible since the Soviet Union sold its collection to Britain in 1933.

Academics from Britain, America, Egypt and Russia collaborated to put the entire Codex online this year but new fragments of the book are occasionally rediscovered.

Mr Sarris, 30, chanced upon the fragment as he inspected photographs of a series of book bindings that had been compiled by two monks at the monastery during the 18th century.

Over the centuries, antique parchment was often re-used by St Catherine's monks in book bindings because of its strength and the relative difficulty of finding fresh parchment in such a remote corner of the world.

The article continues:

Mr Sarris later emailed Father Justin, the monastery's librarian, to suggest he take a closer look at the book binding. "Even if there is a one-in-a-million possibility that it could be a Sinaiticus fragment that has escaped our attention, I thought it would be best to say it rather than dismiss it."

Only a quarter of the fragment is visible through the book binding but after closer inspection, Father Justin was able to confirm that a previously unseen section of the Codex had indeed been found. The fragment is believed to be the beginning of Joshua, Chapter 1, Verse 10, in which Joshua admonishes the children of Israel as they enter the promised land.

Speaking to The Art Newspaper, Father Justin said the monastery would use scanners to look more closely at how much of the fragment existed under the newer book binding. "Modern technology should allow us to examine the binding in a non-invasive manner," he said.

Mr Sarris said his find was particularly significant because there were at least 18 other book bindings in the monastery's library that were compiled by the same two monks that had re-used the Codex. "We don't know whether we will find more of the Codex in those books but it would definitely be worth looking," he said.

The library in St Catherine's does not have the laboratory conditions needed to carefully peel away the binding without damaging the parchment underneath but the library is undergoing renovations that might lead to the construction of a lab with the correct equipment to do so.

Women Bibliobloggers?

April DeConick has a good point about the dearth of women Bibliobloggers and wondering just why that is could be useful. Got any thoughts?

1. Time. Clearly, not all of us have enough time and energy to give to blogging.
2. Interest. Blogging just isn't interesting to all women scholars.
3. Benefits. Could be there just aren't enough benefits for women scholars in blogging .

Update: informal conversation with several women colleagues indicates interest in this provided that the purpose of the blog was clear.

Cultural and Theological Legacy of Calvinism

The BBC's Radio Three is currently broadcasting a programme on the cultural and theological legacy of Calvinism with Andrew Brown. Interviews with historians Diarmaid MacCulloch and Bill Naphy, as well as novelists Marilynne Robinson and James Robertson are promised.

Forthcoming Publications

The New Testament and Rabbinic Literature Edited by Reimund Bieringer, Florentino García Martínez, Didier Pollefeyt & Peter J. Tomson from Brill, October 2009.

The present book brings together the contributions of the foremost specialists on the relationship of the New Testament and Rabbinic Literature. It contains the proceedings of a Symposium held at the K.U.Leuven on January 2006. The contributors, from different European countries as well as from Israel, present in detail the history of rabbinical scholarship by Christian scholars and deal with the main issues in the study of rabbinic materials. As could be expected, much attention is given to halakhic issues, but literary questions in Midrash, Targum and Mystical Literature are also dealt with. All contributions are in English, and the volume is completed with a very large “cumulative bibliography” which will enhance its usefulness.

Contributors include: William Horbury, Isaiah Gafni, Giuseppe Veltri, Günter Stemberger, Catherine Hezser, Roland Deines, Peter J. Tomson, Lutz Doering, Friedrich Avemarie, Thomas Kazen, Jan Joosten, Menahem Kister, Miguel Pérez Fernández, Martin McNamara, and Crispin Fletcher-Louis.

Reimund Bieringer is professor of New Testamentat the Faculty of Theology, Katolieke Universiteit Leuven and author of numerous books and articles on New Testament topics, particularly on Paul.
Florentino García Martínez was Professor of Early Judaism and Dead Sea Scrolls at the Universities of Groningen (Netherlands) and Leuven (Belgium). He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal for the Study of Judaism and editorial secretary of the Revue de Qumran. He has written numerous books and articles on Second Temple Judaism and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Didier Pollefeyt is professor of Jewish-Christian Relations at the Faculty of Theology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
Peter Tomson is professor of New Testament, Patristics and Rabbinics at the Faculty of Protestant Theology in Brussels, Belgium. He is General Editor of the Compendia Rerum Judaicarum ad Novum Testamentum.

The index seems to be finished

I finished the index yesterday and answered a few queries today. It is a compilation of names of modern and ancient authors, topics, and text references. I like indices myself. However, I am in a minority. At least we have an index. The publishers of my last book said that I could have either an index or the table I'd spent two and a half days creating!

To me, an index should be useful. It not only lists accessible topics and texts but also ideas discussed. That way, it is creative. For example, there might be a discussion of ideas about Jesus and the index will refer the reader to that page under "Christology." And I also like the feature referring to a related topic. So Lord's Prayer has its own entry while subtopics under "Jesus" include "prayer" with an entry, "see Lord's Prayer".

Does everyone know The Society of Indexers? There's also an American Society for Indexing. Between the two sites you can find everything you want to know about indexing.

These roses from the garden accompany my proof-reading and the making of an index for the new book. You have to imagine their fragrance wafting through the room on the occasional breeze-- from the Benjamin Britten to the Golden Celebration to the Abraham Derby to the (hidden) Winchester Cathedral.

Graham Stanton R.I.P.

The Daily Telegraph published an obituary of Graham Stanton who died on July 18 aged 69. He was Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity at Cambridge from 1998 to 2007 and before that spent 21 years as Professor of New Testament Studies at King's College, London. Graham Stanton was also President of the Society for New Testament Studies in 1996-1997, editor of New Testament Studies, and a General Editor of the International Critical Commentaries. His books and essays on Matthew's gospel have been a source of inspiration and delight to me over the years.

The University of Cambridge has this to say.

Odd use of Mandaean Baptism picture in the NY TImes

Robert Wright for the NY Times writes about a desire to be cleansed by being born again and baptized as a young baptist in El Paso, Texas. But the illustration for the article is given the caption "A Mandaean Sabian follower in prayer in the Tigris River after being baptized during the ceremony of the Golden Baptism" and no clarification offered in the article. At the very least, the Mandaean understanding of baptism is not the same!