Am up in Edinburgh at ISBL. I've been to the opening session by Professor Barstadt - Old Testament paper and didn't understand it! Then today has been Johannine papers...will have to add some comments later in the week if I get time to write them up. Some good, some less good! This evening Loveday Alexander was excellent on theological interpretation of the Bible, at the moment a dear friend [let the reader understand] from Kentucky is speaking about generous texts...I persuaded someone I am with to come along...I am in trouble!
ISBL remains a strange thing - papers read but with little time for feedback. Ideas thrown around. Is this really a guild? What would that mean - surely some sense of control or quality assurance but it would seem here that anything goes and few seem to be challenged about their interpretation.
Will blog more!
What is generosity...this guy is saying that you need to hunt out the generous texts and get rid of the rest. But what is generous - the Israelite story vs the Canaanite story? By selection you always reject...it's all a powerplay! There is nothing that is not powerplay. Sorry, Eugene, I don't agree. Does that mean I am being ungenerous or that you are? Apparently all that is allowed from the 2nd Testament is Good Samaritan and the Feeding of the 5,000. Oh for goodness sake...
Pete
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