PSCO Presentation: 10 October, 2002

"What is it and What shall we call it? Method and Context" or, "From 'Extracanonical' to 'Rewritten Bible' to 'Parabiblical' and Beyond: In Search of Appropriate Terminology and Conceptualization"

(1) "Apocrypha, Outside Books, and Pseudepigrapha: Ancient Categories and Modern Perceptions of Parabiblical Literature" (also see handout)
Annette Reed, Princeton University (co-chair)

(2) "Scriptures that Fell by the Wayside: Challenges of Finding and Labelling"
Robert Kraft, University of Pennsylvania (co-chair)

10 October, 2002

THE FIRST MEETING OF 2002-03 will be held on Thursday, 10 October, 2002 from 7-9 pm in the Second Floor Lounge, Logan Hall at the University of Pennsylvania, on 36th Street Walk just north of Spruce Street on the Penn campus. This year's topic is "Parabiblical Literature".

Those who wish to dine together before the meeting (6:00 pm) should meet in the Lounge, or go directly next door to the Food Court in the basement of Houston Hall, where a variety of food choices is available at reasonable prices.

Bibliography:

On the inadequacy of "Bible," "Apocrypha," and "Pseudepigrapha" to describe scriptures in precanonical context:

James VanderKam, "Revealed Literature in the Second Temple Period" in From Revelation to Canon: Studies in Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Literature (JSJSup 62. Leiden: Brill, 2000), 1-30.=20

John Reeves, "Scriptural Authority in Early Judaism" in Living Traditions in the Bible: Scripture in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Practice (ed., J. Bowley; St. Louis: Chalice, 1999), 63-84.

Peter W. Flint, "Noncanonical Writings in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Apocrypha, Other Previously Known Writings, Pseudepigrapha" in The Bible at Qumran: Text, Shape, and Interpretation (ed. Peter Flint; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001), 80-127.

Robert Kraft, "Scripture and Canon in Jewish Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha" in The Hebrew Bible, Old Testament: The History of its Interpretation, Volume 1: From the Beginnings to the Middle Ages (Until 1300), Part 1: Antiquity, ed. Magne Saebo (Goettingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1996) [available online].

On the concept of "apocrypha" in Christianity (esp. Late Antiquity, Reformation, and modern discussions prompted by the publication of the RSV version of the "Apocrypha" [1956] and Oxford Study Bibles with the "Apocrypha" section between OT and NT [1965]):

David Brakke, "Canon Formation and Social Conflict in Fourth-Century Egypt: Athanasius of Alexandria's Thirty-Ninth Festal Letter," Harvard Theological Review 87 (1994): 395-419.

Andrew S. Jacobs, "The Disorder of Books: Priscillian's Canonical Defense of Apocrypha," Harvard Theological Review 93 (2000): 135-59. [Available for free download from FindArticles]; see also Virginia Burrus, "Canonical references to extra-canonical 'texts': Priscillian's defense of the Apocrypha," SBLSP 1990: 60-67.

Marvin E. Tate, "Old Testament Apocrypha and the Old Testament canon," Review and Expositor 65 (1968): 339-56. [Available for free download in ATLA fulltext from subscribing institutions (e.g., UPenn, Princeton)]

William S. Schneirla, "The Orthodox Old Testament Canon and the So-called Apocrypha," St Vladimir's Seminary Quarterly 1:4 (1957): 40-46. [Available for free download in ATLA fulltext]

On "outside books" and "Books of the Minim" in Jewish Tradition

David Kraemer, "The formation of rabbinic canon: Authority and boundaries," JBL 110 (1991): 613-30 [Available for free download in ATLA fulltext]

Louis Ginzberg, "Some Observations on the Attitude of the Synagogue towards the Apocalyptic-Eschatological Writings," JBL 41 (1922): 115-36.

Bob Kraft's Presentation will address some of the concerns noted in the website for his RelSt 735 Workgroup:

Robert A. Kraft, "Parabiblical Literature" in Early Judaism and Early Christianity.