Pressrelease: Bundespräsident Visited the Bibelmuseum in Münster

I just read a pressrelease from unipress Münster; Yesterday, on August 29, Bundespräsident Köhler, as representative of the board of the Hermann Kunst-Stiftung, visited the Bibelmuseum of the Institute for New Testament Textual Research in Münster. The Hermann Kunst-Stiftung zur Förderung der neutestamentlichen Textforschung supports the work of this institute, well-known by text critics as a world leading centre in the field, or as Köhler puts it, "einzigartige Exzellenz weltweit."

Read the original pressrelease (in German) here.

Bill Warren Joins the ETC Blog

I have the pleasure to introduce Bill Warren as member of this blog.

Bill Warren is Landrum P. Leavell, II, Professor of New Testament and Greek as well as Chair of the New Testament Department at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS), the same seminary where he completed his Th.D. in 1983 under Carlton Winbery, defending a dissertation titled "The Textual Relationships of P4, P45, and P75 in the Gospel of Luke." He has been occupied with teaching and research in the area of textual criticism ever since, and he is currently the director of the Center for New Testament Textual Studies (CNTTS); I hope he will keep us updated on the development of the CNTTS.

Current research projects include:

The CNTTS New Testament Critical Apparatus, an electronic critical apparatus, currently distributed by Accordance Software and soon to be with BibleWorks and Logos Software programs.

The CNTTS NT English-based Textual Apparatus module, now in the initial stages and due to be out by the end of 2008.

A volume on “The Basics of New Testament Textual Criticism” for Zondervan Publishing Co., to complete the Mounce, Wallace series on Greek Studies, Fall 2007

Codex Washingtonianus, Gospels

Codex Washingtonianus in the Gospels: New Photos on CD Available

Here is a copy of a post that I've also sent to the TC list that might be helpful for some.  

Some may not be aware that Codex Washingtonianus was photographed anew in the Gospels in conjunction with the emphasis on it at the 2006 SBL meetings (the 100th anniversary of the Codex surfacing again).  The images for the Gospels are available on a CD from the Smithsonian Institute via the following contact info:

Rights and Reproductions
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
(202) 633 0532
(202) 633-9770 Fax
kohutb@si.edu
http://www.asia.si.edu

Justin Taylor Interviews Peter Williams

My colleague Stefan Green mentioned to me an interview by Justin Taylor of our co-clogger Peter Williams, the new Warden at Tyndale House, published on Taylor's blog Between Two Worlds here.

SBL Annual Meeting 2007 Program Book Online

The SBL Annual Meeting 2007 Program Book is now online here (press "submit" to see the whole program).

From the perspective of Textual Criticism, the following sections will be of special interest:

International Greek New Testament Project
11/18/2007
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Atlanta - MM

David Parker, University of Birmingham, Presiding (15 min)
Bruce Morrill, University of Birmingham
The Profiling and Grouping of Greek Manuscripts: Test Passages from John 1-10 and 18 (15 min)
P.J. Williams, University of Aberdeen - Scotland
Editing the Syriac Versions: Problems and Programme (15 min)
Philip Burton, University of Birmingham
Constructing a Critical Apparatus of the Latin Manuscripts and Versions (15 min)
Ulrich B. Schmid, Free University
The Edition of the Majuscule Manuscripts" (15 min)
Roderic L. Mullen, University of Birmingham
The Database of Greek Patristic Citations(15 min)
Bruce Morrill, University of Birmingham
Transcribing the Greek Minuscule Manuscripts (15 min)
Discussion (45 min)

Scripture as Artifact
11/18/2007
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Room: Carlsbad - MM

Theme: The Ancient and Early Medieval World

Brian Malley, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Text, Artifact, and Meanings (25 min)
Larry W. Hurtado, University of Edinburgh
Early Christian Manuscripts of Biblical Texts as Artifacts (30 min)
Stephen Reed, Jamestown College
Physical and Visual Features of Dead Sea Scroll Scriptural Texts (25 min)
Break (10 min)
Eduard Iricinschi, Princeton University
A Thousand Books Will Be Saved”: Manichean Manuscripts and Religious Propaganda in the Roman Empire (25 min)
Thomas J. Kraus, Willibald Gluck Gymnasium
"He that Dwelleth in the Help of the Highest": Septuagint Psalm 90 and the Iconographic Program on Byzantine Armbands (25 min)
Dorina Miller Parmenter, Syracuse University
The Bible as Icon: Myths of the Divine Origins of Scripture (25 min)
Discussion (15 min)

Papyrology and Early Christian Backgrounds
11/18/2007
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Maggie - GH

David Martinez, University of Chicago, Presiding
Don Barker, Macquarie University-Sydney
How Big and How Old is Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1353? (30 min)
Peter Arzt-Grabner, Universitaet Salzburg
“I Was Intending to Visit You, but …:” Clauses Explaining Delayed Visits and Their Importance in Papyrus Letters and in Paul (30 min)
Annette Bourland Huizenga, University of Chicago
Advice to the Bride: Moral Exhortation for Young Wives in Two Ancient Letters (30 min)
Christina M. Kreinecker, Universitaet Salzburg
Papyrological Commentary on 2 Thessalonians: Outline and First Results (30 min)

New Testament Textual Criticism
11/19/2007
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: 25 A - CC

Wayne Kannaday, Newberry College, Presiding
Tommy Wasserman, Örebro Theological Seminary
Two Verses Plucked From the Fire: Jude 22-23 (30 min)
Matti Myllykoski, University of Helsinki
POxy 4009: Case Closed (30 min)
Gerald Donker, Macquarie University-Sydney, Australia
The Pauline Epistles in Athanasius: A Contribution to the Alexandrian Text Type (30 min)
Peter M. Head, University of Cambridge
Notes on P. Oxy 4497 (P113): The Smallest Portion of the New Testament Ever Identified (30 min)
Geert van Oyen, University of Utrecht and Jan Kraus, Vrije Universiteit-Amsterdam
Codex Boreelianus Revisited: A Fresh Look at Codex F (09) after 160 years (30 min)

Also:

Mark
11/19/2007
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Salon 3 - MM
Theme: Individual Variants and the Broad Picture in Mark
James Voelz, Concordia Seminary - Clayton, Presiding
Peter M. Head, University of Cambridge, The Gospel of Mark in Codex Sinaiticus (20 min)Discussion (15 min)
Nicholas Perrin, Wheaton College, “Angered” or “Moved”? Mark 1:41 in Light of Mark’s Exodus Motif (15 min)
Vicki Cass Phillips, West Virginia Wesleyan College, Jesus, Anger, and Impurity: Investigating Mark 1:40-45 (15 min)
Discussion (45 min)
Leroy Andrew Huizenga, Wheaton College, Mark 14:62 in Light of Markan Narrative Dynamics (15 min)
Discussion (25 min)

Mark
11/20/2007
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Manchester A - GH
Theme: Textual Beginnings and Endings in Mark
Tom Shepherd, Union College, Presiding
Dean B. Deppe, Calvin Theological Seminary, Markan Christology and the Omission of yiou theou in Mark 1:1 (15 min)
Discussion (30 min)
Clinton Wahlen, Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, The Freer Logion and Early Eschatological Reflection (15 min)
Discussion (30 min)
Marie Noonan Sabin, Bristol, ME, A New Ending for Mark? (15 min)
Discussion (30 min)
Business Meeting (15 min)

The papers will be summarized, not read. Papers may be obtained for reading in advance by e-mail request to the chair, Tom Shepherd, at toshephe@ucollege.edu

Some abstracts are available on the SBL site; my own abstract:

Two Verses Plucked From the Fire: Jude 22-23
This paper discusses one of the textually most corrupt passages in the New Testament, Jude 22-23, in view of external and internal evidence. Specifically, the intrinsic evidence is examined. The immediate context and the intertextual connection to Zech 2:13-3:10 suggests an anticipatory eschatological setting before the throne of God. This interpretation will help us choose among the plethora of variant readings - the two verses are "plucked from the fire."

Update: Bill Warren points out in the comments that special memorial sessions will be held on Sunday 18/11 in honor of William L. Petersen and Bruce M. Metzger:

S18-73 New Testament Textual Criticism
11/18/2007
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: 23 C - CC

Theme: Honoring the Work of William L. Petersen

AnneMarie Luijendijk, Princeton University, Presiding
Peter Williams, University of Aberdeen - Scotland, Panelist (30 min)
Ulrich Schmid, Free University, Amsterdam, Panelist (30 min)
Lucas Van Rompay, Duke University, Panelist (30 min)
Bart Ehrman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Panelist (30 min)
Discussion (30 min)

S18-125 New Testament Textual Criticism
11/18/2007
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Salon 3 - MM

Theme: Memorial Session in Honor of Bruce Metzger

Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Princeton Theological Seminary, Presiding
Bart Ehrman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Panelist (25 min)
Gordon Fee, Regent College, Panelist (25 min)
Michael Holmes, Bethel University, Panelist (25 min)
J. Roberts, Princeton Theological Seminary, Panelist (25 min)
Harold Scanlin, United Bible Societies, Panelist (25 min)
Discussion (25 min)

Jongkind book launch

This morning at Tyndale House we have the book launch for Dirk Jongkind's work Scribal Habits of Codex Sinaiticus. Peter Head gave a speech summarizing the work and cake was provided. Dr Jongkind presented a copy to Tyndale House library. We hope that photos will appear on the web shortly.