“Beyond Canon_” Newsletter

January – February 2024

Dear Fellows and Friends,

We hope your winter semester has been great so far! We have been quite busy with many
exciting events and activities taking place at the Centre “Beyond Canon_”. We invite you to join us
to look back into how much fun we have had so far!

1. General Information

It is a semester break in Regensburg now. The new study term starts on April 15, 2024,
with the new Fellows’ Brunch series starting on April 17, 2024 (programme will follow).

Two of our Junior Fellows will soon start their own DFG Temporary Positions:
Dr. M. Scott Robertson starts his DFG position (Eigene Stelle) on March 1, and Dr. Nathan Betz
starts his DFG position (Eigene Stelle) on April 1. Congratulations on this huge success!

2. Fellows at the Centre

We are very happy to give you an update about the long-time, short-time, and associated fellows
of the recent past, present, and future at the Centre:

• Dr. Jacob Lollar (Abilene Christian University / Alexander von Humboldt-Fellow)

• Dr. Nathan Betz (KU Leuven / Junior Fellow at “Beyond Canon_”)
• Dr. Alexey Somov (Institute for Bible Translation, Moscow / Junior Fellow at “Beyond
Canon_”)
• Dr. Luc K. Bulundwe (Université de Genève/Université de Lausanne / SNSF)
• Dr. Gal Sela (Ben Gurion University of the Negev / Junior Fellow at “Beyond Canon_”)
• Dr. M. Scott Robertson (Israel Institute of Biblical Studies/Summit Christian School / Junior
Fellow at “Beyond Canon_”)
• Dr. Emanuela Valeriani (Independent Scholar, Rome / Junior Fellow at “Beyond Canon_”)
• Dr. Stephanie Hallinger (Research Assistant Universität Regensburg / Junior Fellow at
“Beyond Canon_”)
• Prof. Dr. David Cielontko (Charles University, Prague / Junior Fellow at “Beyond Canon_”),
• Prof. Dr. Christos Karakolis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens / Senior Fellow
at “Beyond Canon_”),
• Prof. Dr. Predrag Dragutinovic (University of Belgrade), and
• Prof. em. Dr. Sible L. de Blaauw (Radboud University, Nijmegen)
• Prof. Dr. Yitzhak Hen (Director of the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies at The Hebrew
University of Jerusalem)
• Prof. Dr. Antti Laato (Åbo Akademi University, Turku)
• Dr. Osnat Emily Rance (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem / Junior Fellow at “Beyond
Canon_”)
• Prof. Dr. Stefan Alkier (Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main)
• Dr. Arthur Westwell (currently DFG Temporary Position / Universität Regensburg)
 3. Upcoming events

The Revelation Reception Network

There will be several exciting papers presented at the Revelation Reception Network this spring.
Please check the calendar here: https://www.uni-regensburg.de/forschung/beyond-
canon/veranstaltungskalender/index.html

In relation to the Centre, Prof. Dr. Tobias Nicklas (Regensburg) will be giving his talk on The
Bamberg Apocalypse on April 11, 2024, 5pm–6pm CET. Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85817396921?pwd=MkVJNEpPM1VSYnZFczk0VFJ4aEpXdz09
Meeting ID: 858 1739 6921
Passcode: 962341

For this date, there is also going to be the possibility of

meeting at the seminar room in 3.14. More information on
that will follow in our Weekly Reminders sent out via Email.

Workshop on The Apocryphal Apocalypse of John the

Theologian

On March 13, 2024, the workshop "Dating an Apocryphal

Text: The Apocryphal Apocalypse of John the Theologian as
a Case Study" on The Apocryphal Apocalypse of John the
Theologian (ApApGvT) will take place. The workshop is
organised by Dr. Emanuela Valeriani who is currently a
Junior Fellow at the CfAS "Beyond Canon_".

The workshop will take place 14:30:00–18:00 in University

of Regensburg, Sammelgebäude, Floor 3, room SGLG 3.14.

Book presentation at “Beyond Canon_” on March 14, A poster for the March 13 workshop
2024

On March 14, 2024, Dr. Ivan Miroshnikov will be our guest at the
Centre “Beyond Canon_” in Regensburg. Dr. Miroshnikov will
present the book that he edited – Parabiblica Coptica (Mohr Siebeck,
2023).
The book presentation will be followed by two reviewers giving their
feedback and thoughts for discussion: Dr. Jacob A. Lollar and Dr.
Samuel Peter Cook (Oslo University)
The book presentation will happen at 10:00am at the University of
Regensburg, Sammelgebäude, Floor 3, room SGLG 3.14 – at the
premises of the CfAS “Beyond Canon_”. Everyone is welcome to
attend and participate in the discussion!
Zoom details available on demand.
The 6th EELC Digital meeting

The 6th EELC Digital Meeting for Emerging Scholars from Eastern Europe will take place on April
5, 2024 (10:00–17:00 CET).
The Centre “Beyond Canon_” issues a call for papers for the EELC Digital Meeting. The deadline is
March 8.

The Digital Meeting is intended for the younger scholars (experience-wise) in New Testament, Early
Jewish and Ancient Christian (and related) Studies from Eastern Europe with an outstanding Master’s
Thesis, capable doctoral students and/or post-doctoral researchers, to present aspects of their
research to a group of senior scholars and get qualified academic feedback. We also envision that
these kinds of meetings contribute to forming collegial and respectful networks among the
emerging scholars in the region.
The format: 5 presentations (25 min each), followed by a
half hour discussion (after each paper).
If you wish to take part, please, send:
1. your short abstract (100–200 words),
2. a very short CV
to Alesja.Lavrinovica@ur.de by March 8, 2024.
Zoom link:
https://uni-regensburg.zoom-
x.de/j/62767961427?pwd=WHoweDY0enFhWUJ1MmpMWTJTODBuZz09
Meeting ID: 627 6796 1427
Passcode: 671539
Time zone: April 5, 2024, 10:00am Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna

4. Past Events

Fellows’ Brunches at the Centre

Our first Fellows’ Brunch after the Christmas break took place on
January 10, 2024, with a presentation by Dr. Alexey Somov,
Junior Fellow at “Beyond Canon_”. Alexey’s topic was “Canonical
Texts and Apocryphal Traditions in the Byzantine Martyrdom of
Daniel and the Three Youths.”
Dr. Alexey Somov also took part at the 2023 Annual Meeting of
the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) in San Antonio, TX from
November 18–21, 2023. At the SBL Meeting Alexey Somov
presented two papers: "Matthew's Resurrection Terminology in
Matt 27:52–53" (at Interrelations of the Gospels session) and "The
Legend about the Martyrdom of Daniel and the Three Youths in
Eastern Orthodox Bible Interpretation" (at Development of the
Early Christian Theology session).
Alexey Somov (Photo: © “Beyond Canon_“)
On a very cold and icy day, which was January 17, 2024, amidst the
ice blizzard, Dr. K. Luc Bulundwe (SNSF Postdoctoral Fellow)
made it to the Centre and presented his research on the Book of
Apocalypse. Luc’s presentation was entitled "Is John’s Apocalypse a
Jewish Prophetic Book? Contexts and Evaluation of a Hypothesis."

Many came to the Centre on the morning of January 31, 2024, to

listen to a session given by Dr. M. Scott Robertson presenting on
"The Use of the Martyrdom of Polycarp in the Ten Holy Martyrs
of Crete to Encourage Imitation of Titus."

M. Scott Robertson (Photo: © Charlotte von Schelling)

The last Fellows' Brunch of this winter term was a rather special one: in two sessions, we heard
magnificent papers from two extraordinary scholars.
Prof. Dr. Yitzhak Hen, director of the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies at The Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, gave a talk on "Purifying Texts in Late Antiquity and the early Middle
Ages."

Prof. Yitzhak Hen (Photo: © Charlotte von Schelling)

This talk was followed by Prof. Dr. Predrag

Dragutinović, University of Belgrade, who
presented his studies on "The Reception of
the New Testament Apocrypha in the
Medieval Serbian Church. Case Study: The
Collection of the Monastery Dečani."
Other events:

International symposium on liturgy

On February 8 and 9, 2024, the Centre hosted an international

Symposium on "Öl in der frühen Liturgie. Verwendung und
Deutung." organized by our former fellow Ass.-Prof. DDr.
Predrag Bukovec (currently tenant of a Temporary Position
of the DFG) as part of his Project "Zu den Ursprüngen der
Taufsalbung."

© Yale Gilman Collection

(Post-)Doctoral Colloquium with friends from Göttingen (from the poster of the symposium)

On February 9 and 10, 2024the Faculty of Theology at UR and Dr. Judith König organized a (post)-
doctoral colloquium in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Susanne Luther's team at the chair for New
Testament at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

Reading seminar on liturgy

On February 20 and 21, 2024, Dr. Piotr Kubasiak and Prof. Dr. Harald Buchinger hosted an
inter-university reading seminar on liturgical history.

5. Announcements and further Appointments

Call for papers

“Esther Through the Ages: Transformations in Literature and Art.” A Conference on the Book of
Esther and its Reception. Department of Comparative Literature, Bar-Ilan University, June
26, 2024.
If you are interested, please see the attached files in English and Hebrew and contact
channah.damatov@biu.ac.il. Application deadline: March 20, 2024.

Call for Applications

24.-28.06.2024 | University of Groningen Summer School | Medieval “Lived Religion” | for

Masters and PhD students

In this international summer school you will be challenged by leading specialists dealing with
textual and material sources of medieval religious cultures. You will be challenged to question too
neat distinction between “official” and “popular”, “text” and “materials”, “practice” and
“doctrine”. The programme consists of lectures, workshops, excursions, and assignments. By the
end of this intensive week, participants can expect to be able identify challenges and approaches
to medieval “lived religion” and to critically reflect on the uses of contemporary approaches to
“lived religion” to the interdisciplinary study of the Middle Ages. Leading experts in the field of
music, liturgy, reform, inter-religious polemics, art, architecture including Prof. Dr. Sible de Blaauw
(Radboud University) and Prof. Daniel DiCenso (Holy Cross College, Mass. USA) will be speaking at
the summer school. Aside from the academic programme, there will be plenty of opportunities to
make new connections with peers and lecturers to expand your network.
Organisation: Dr. Andrew J.M. Irving (Assistant Professor of Religion and Heritage, University of
Groningen) at a.j.m.irving@rug.nl . Application Deadline: March 1, 2024.
 6. Publications related to our project

The book in WUNT I series “Images of the Human Being,”

ed. by Cosmin Pricop, Karl-Wilhelm Niebuhr, and
Tobias Nicklas has seen the light of the day!
The book contains contributions from the Eighth
International East-West Symposium of New Testament
Scholars, that took place at the Caraiman Monastery from
May 26 to 31, 2019.
https://www.mohrsiebeck.com/buch/images-of-the-
human-being-9783161606380?no_cache=1

Dr. Nathan Betz was one of the editors for:

Revelation's New Jerusalem in Late Antiquity (History of Biblical
Exegesis 6), ed. by Nathan Betz, Anthony Dupont, and Johan
Leemans, Tübingen 2024 (releasing at the end of February!)
https://www.mohrsiebeck.com/buch/revelations-new-
jerusalem-in-late-antiquity-9783161623769?no_cache=1

Dr. Jacob Lollar has a new publication out in the world!

Jacob A. Lollar, The Doctrine of Addai and the Letters of Jesus
and Abgar (Westar Tools and Translations, vol. 10),Eugene, OR,
2023.
https://wipfandstock.com/9781666752069/the-doctrine-of-addai-
and-the-letters-of-jesus-and-
abgar/?fbclid=IwAR0hgSIpyiMfiLnBX2Ob9a4REHm4UKcu9-K0u-
NSM5FUiHJx0AWjd0HYHfI
Jacob’s book is available at the Centre’s specialized library. Thank
you, Jacob, for gifting it to us!

Dr. Jacob Lollar

Photo: © Charlotte von Schelling
Prof. Dr. Jörg Frey has edited and published together with Daniel C. Maier and Thomas J.
Kraus a new volume in the Early Christian Apocrypha Series:
The Apocalypse of Peter in Context (Studies on Early Christian Apocrypha 21), ed. by Daniel C.
Maier, Jörg Frey und Thomas J. Kraus, Leuven 2024.
Thanks to the generous support of the SNSF, the book has been published open access and can
be downloaded here:
https://www.peeters-leuven.be/pdf/9789042952096.pdf

In addition, another relevant book in the same series, is:

New Trends in the Research on the Apocryphal Acts of Thomas (Studies on Early Christian
Apocrypha 20), ed. by Israel Muñoz Gallarte and Lautaro Roig Lanzillotta, Leuven 2024.

7. Miscellaneous

An interview with four post-doctoral researchers associated with “Beyond Canon_”

We have conducted a beautiful interview with four researchers associated with the Centre
“Beyond Canon_”: Dr. Luc K. Bulundwe (Université de Genève/Université de Lausanne / SNSF), Dr.
Jacob Lollar (Abilene Christian University / Alexander von Humboldt-Fellow), Dr. Elisa Manzo
(Universidad de Cantabria / Margarita Salas Fellow) and Dr. Martin Lešák (Universität Regensburg /
Alexander von Humboldt-Fellow).
We are attaching this interview in an unabridged form before it has appeared on our website.
Enjoy and get inspired!

Introduction into Classical Armenian – summer course at the Centre

In the upcoming summer term 2024, Dr. Christopher Sprecher (research assistant at the
Universität Regensburg) will teach the course: "Introduction to Classical Armenian (գրաբար)" on
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2pm–4pm in the Centre's seminar room in SGLG 3.14.
The course will be taught in English. Information and registration: christopher.sprecher@ur.de.

Reading Hymnography of the Sinai New Finds

Dr. Alexandra Nikiforova (Fellow at our Centre) will hold a reading class of unpublished
hymnography from the Sinai New Finds together with Dr. Gregory Tucker (former Fellow, now
tenant of a Temporary Position of the DFG) and Prof. Dr. Harald Buchinger on 14 May, 11 June
and 2 July. Information and registration: gregory.tucker@ur.de.

We will be happy to announce your upcoming publications, conferences, workshops etc. in our
newsletter. Just send an e-mail to: projekt.canon@ur.de

Best wishes!
Your “Beyond Canon_”-Team

If you want to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit this URL