How can slavery studies reshape the ongoing quests for the historical Jesus? We invite paper proposals to the conference "Jesus and Slavery: New Quests, Methods, and Perspectives" to be held in 27–20 August 2027 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Proposals are due 31 August.

I’m creating a playlist for my students in a Pentateuch course this fall. I want to give them a few songs for each major story that helps illuminate the text or just simply makes them laugh. Any ideas?

I’m creating a playlist for my students in a Pentateuch course this fall. I want to give them a few songs for each major story that helps illuminate the text or just simply makes them laugh. Any ideas?

Come listen to me talk about the uncontroversial topic of Jesus and slavery on the Bible & Archaeology podcast! youtu.be/_H7IivvTn8E?...

Why Jesus Never Condemned Slavery

YouTube video by Bible & Archaeology

youtu.be

I’m delighted that my paper proposal on invisible enslaved labor in the Mishnah was accepted for SBL this November! I tested out some of the this paper’s ideas for the fist time in conversation with colleagues at SBL last year. It will be fun to share a polished version and see how they land.

Already sent out my annual email to local evangelical pastors, where I explain this historical context and plead with them to reconsider their church’s upcoming “seder” event.

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg@theradr.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Dear Christians who like to appropriate Judaism: Jesus did NOT have a Passover seder, (that developed after the fall of the 2nd Temple in 70 CE) but he WAS commanded to clean leaven from his house, so if you want the fun! parts of being a Jew, you can enjoy scrubbing your fridge like I am now 💕

Good thing some US colleges are closing their Religious Studies departments—definitively not “useful” at all or an area of expertise that might be relevant for understanding our present…

Jonathan Larsen@jonathanlarsen.bsky.social · 5mo ago

EXCLUSIVE: At more than 30 installations, U.S. commanders told troops the war on Iran is a Christian war. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has been “inundated” with more than 110 complaints. One NCO said they were told the U.S. war is to bring about Armageddon and the return of Jesus…

Very encouraged by my students at University of Dayton who overwhelmingly nailed a quiz on Second Temple Judaism and the Pharisees this week. I’m witnessing them develop into critical and informed thinkers who know how to spot Christian anti-Judaism.

Recently learned my great grandfather Edwin Vossman was a classics scholar who taught Greek and Latin at Marquette back in the 1930s-1940s. I inherited some of his books this weekend. He had very old copies of Pliny the Younger’s letters and Virgil’s poetry!

🚨 Please share 🚨 If you’re going to SBL in Denver this fall, consider submitting a paper for the Slavery, Resistance, and Freedom open call! We’d love to hear your work

✨ Please re-post ✨ Call for papers for the Slavery, Resistance, and Freedom section at SBL is officially open! If you’ll be there in Denver this year, please consider submitting your ideas about slavery in the ancient Mediterranean and West Asia.

The Institute for Ideas and Imagination has posted a lecture I gave in September on extractivism, ”AI”, and book slavery in Ancient Rome on their podcast feed. open.spotify.com/episode/5cGH...

The Book as Extractive Technology

open.spotify.com

for those looking for a temporary reprieve from *waves hands at everything*, i’ll be giving a paper on a new project at birmingham’s biblical studies seminar on 18 Feb at 11am ET. the paper’s entitled, “the enslaved seer: slavery and literate labour in the book of revelation.” DM for the zoom link!

My dissertation proposal (tentatively titled "Invisible Hands: Despotic Fiction and Enslaved Labor in Early Rabbinic Literature") has been approved! Time to keep reading and writing. Also time to submit a condensed version of my work to SBL for November.

i have a PhD, i made an 18 page list of resources about why AI sucks: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Questioning AI Resource List

wExcellent summary of major problems with companies’ focus on AI written by expert in machine learning: https://ludic.mataroa.blog/blog/i-will-fucking-piledrive-you-if-you-mention-ai-again/ Another ...

docs.google.com

Aparna Nair@disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Calling all the PhDs I know to make monumental annoyances of themselves (and honestly, who better)

Tomorrow morning I start teaching an undergrad course called “Reading the New Testament within Judaism” at University of Dayton. One of my goals is to help students identify this triumphalist theology in the history of Christian interpretation and then dismantle it.

Ashton Pittman@ashtonpittman.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Stephen Pittman, a 19-year-old man accused of setting fire to Jackson’s only synagogue, Beth Israel, declared that “Jesus Christ is lord” after the judge asked him if he understood his rights in federal court today. @nickjudin.bsky.social reports + AP:

Following up the end of my comps with another mini-comp reading list! Working through these resources to find a dissertation topic related to the intersections of economics, slavery, and writing in the ancient world.

Planning your #SBLAAR24 schedule? Come to the Synoptic Gospel section on Saturday evening! I’ll argue the temple’s ritual purity procedures make Jerusalem an apotropaic zone in the Synoptic Gospels, as evidenced by no demonic (or “unclean spirit”) encounters there

Finally home after first #AARSBL23! Got to spend time with friends, make new ones, meet my favorite scholars, and of course, buy books. I attended every PwJ session, which got me so excited about what this field has accomplished and where it’s headed.

Heading to San Antonio early Saturday morning for my first time at SBL! If you could go back and speak to yourself as a first-timer, what would you say?

Friends interested in Mishnah/early rabbinic Judaism, the Oxford Annotated Mishnah is now available in paperback for under $100!

Any followers have good book recommendations on magic in early Judaism?

I’ve been reading Tuvia Ruebner’s poetry for modern Hebrew practice lately (along with Rachel Tzvia Back’s EXCELLENT translation for help). This particular poem caught my attention tonight. Language learning is truly a labor of love.