John the Jew: Reading the Gospel of John’s Christology as a Form of Jewish Messianism / 6th Nangeroni Meeting (2016 Camaldoli), conference

Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

Benjamin E. Reynolds, Tyndale University College

Deborah Forger, University of Michigan

John the Jew: Reading the Gospel of John's Christology as a Form of Jewish Messianism (2016) is the topic of the sixth conference in the series of Nangeroni Meetings organised by the Enoch Seminar at Monastery of Camaldoli, near Arezzo, Italy (June 19 - 24, 2016).

Sixth Nangeroni Meeting (Camaldoli, Italy; June 19 - June 24, 2016)

Conference Committee: Gabriele Boccaccini, Benjamin E. Reynolds, and Deborah Forger

Preliminary Information

When: June 19 - June 24, 2016

Location of Seminar: Monastero di Camaldoli, near Arezzo, Italy (Località Camaldoli, 52010 Camaldoli)

Confirmed Participants:

1. Paul Anderson, George Fox University, USA
2. Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan, USA
3. Christiane Bramkamp, WWU Muenster, Germany
4. Jo-Ann Brant, Goshen College, USA
5. Andrew Byers, Durham University, UK
6. James Charlesworth, Princeton University, USA
7. Wally Cirafsi, University of Oslo, Norway
8. Kelley Coblentz-Bautch, St. Edward's University, USA
9. James Davila, University of St. Andrews, UK
10. Douglas Estes, South University, USA
11. Crispin Fletcher-Louis, Whymanity Research and Training, UK
12. Deborah Forger, University of Michigan, USA
13. Charles Gieschen, Concordia Theologial Seminary, USA
14. Robert Hall, Hampden Sydney College, USA
15. Matthias Henze, Rice University, USA
16. Angela Kim Harkins, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, USA
17. Giovanni Ibba, Central Italy Theological Seminary, Italy
18. Jonathan Lo, Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, Hong Kong
19. William Loader, Murdoch University, Australia
20. Grant Macaskill, University of Aberdeen, Scotland
21. Paul Mandel, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Israel
22. Mary Marshall, Murdoch University, Australia
23. James McGrath, Butler University, USA
24. Jocelyn McWhirter, Albion College, USA
25. Marida Nicolaci, Facoltà Teologica di Sicilia, Italy
26. Chad Pierce, Faith Christian Reformed Church, USA
27. Adele Reinhartz, University of Ottawa, Canada
28. Benjamin Reynolds, Tyndale University College, Canada
29. John Ronning, Faith Theological Seminary, USA
30. Shayna Sheinfeld
31. Beth Stovell
32. Andrea Taschl-Erber
33. Johnson Thomaskutty
34. Meredith J.C. Warren
35. Catrin Williams,
36. Urban von Wahlde
37. Joel Willits
38. Ziony Zevit
39. Ruben Zimmermann.

Purpose: The purpose of the sixth Nangeroni meeting is to explore the Gospel of John’s christology, traditionally considered to be “high christology,” as part of the diversity of Jewish messianism within the Second Temple Period. The focus of discussions will address John’s depiction of the messiah in relation to the following topics: “divinity” and a divine messiah, the Incarnation, wisdom traditions, Enoch traditions and the Son of Man, Davidic expectations, and Moses and Torah. The following questions will serve to guide our sessions: How and in what ways can the Gospel of John’s messiah be situated within Second Temple Period Judaism? Can John’s christology be seen as a part the diversity of Jewish messianism? If so, should it still be labeled a high christology? Can the Johannine messiah be considered “divine”? Were there other divine messiahs in Second Temple Judaism? What do we mean by “divine” and “divinity”? Is there a relationship between John’s λόγος and the Jewish sapiential tradition? What, if any, sort of relationship exists between Second Temple interpretations of the “one like a son of man,” particularly in the Parables of Enoch, and what we find in the Gospel of John? How do Nathanael and the Jerusalem crowd’s “King of Israel” and Pilate’s “King of the Jews” influence our perspectives on Davidic/kingship traditions in Second Temple Judaism, especially in light of Roman rule? How do the Moses traditions in the Gospel of John add to our understanding of prophetic messiah expectations of the time?

Registration

Participation in the sixth Nangeroni Meeting is by invitation only. If you are interested in joining the meeting, please contact the organizers.

The registration fee is based on the number of Enoch Seminars/Nangeroni Meetings you have attended in the past:

$125 – Newcomers; $110 – Attended 1 Seminar; $100 – Attended 2 Seminars; $90 – Attended 3 Seminars; $75 – Attended 4 or 5 Seminars + all emeriti; $0 – Attended 6 or more Enoch Seminars or Nangeroni Meetings

Accommodations

The rate for All-inclusive accommodations at Camaldoli is as follows:

300 Euros - All Participants; 200 Euros - Respondents; 0 Euros - Major Paper Presenters

Travel Information

You may fly into either Florence, Rome, or Bologna. Then take the train to Arezzo.

From Florence (Peretola), you will need to take a bus/cab to the main train station, Santa Maria Novella, then the train to Arezzo. From Rome (Fiumicino), you will take the train to Roma Termini, then to Arezzo. From Bologna (Guglielmo Marconi), you will take the bus/taxi to Bolgona Centrale and from there to Arezzo. Try to avoid local trains which stop at every station and therefore take much longer. Look for high-speed, intercity, or frecciarosa trains.

We will be scheduling a bus to take us from the Railway Station in Arezzo to Camalodoli at 5:00pm, June 19. There is a cafe in the Railway Station where folks have congregated in the past as they waited for the bus, so that will serve as our meeting point. If you are unable to make this bus, you can take the train from Arezzo to Bibbiena. From Bibbiena, you can take a taxi to Camaldoli (~20-30 euros); however, on a Sunday night, you may have difficulty locating a taxi in Bibbiena. You may also take a taxi directly from Arezzo to Camaldoli, but this will be more expensive (about 80+ euros)."

Provisional Schedule

Sunday, June 19––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Arrivals - Bus from the Arezzo Railway Station (5pm). Meet at the cafe in the train station.

7:30pm Dinner

8:30pm Welcome

Monday, June 20--------------------------------------------------------------------------

8 to 9am - Breakfast

09:00–10:15 – Introduction:

Chair: Gabriele Boccaccini

• Benjamin Reynolds "The Gospel of John's Christology as Evidence for Second Temple Jewish Messianic Expectation: Challenges and Possibilities"
• James McGrath "The Gospel of John as Jewish Messianism: Formative Influences and Negative Avenues in the History of Scholarship"

10:45–12:30 – Session 1:

Chair: Benjamin Reynolds

Gabriele Boccaccini "How Jesus Became Uncreated" - Respondent: Paul Anderson

13:00 - Lunch - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

14:30–16:00 – Short Papers

• Group A: Chair - Kelley Coblentz Bautch
  • Jocelyn McWhirter, "Searching the Scriptures: Messianic Exegesis in the Fourth Gospel"
  • Paul Mandel, "The Exegesis of God: John 1:18 in Light of Jewish Traditional Practice"
  • Jo-Ann Brant, "Johannine Christology: Sacred Time, Sacred Space, Sacred Body"

• Group B: Chair - Robert Hall
  • Beth Stovell, "Son of God as the Anointed One?: Johannine Davidic Christology and Second Temple Messianism"
  • Joel Willits, "David’s Sublation of Moses: A Davidic Explanation for the Mosaic Christology of the Fourth Gospel"
  • Marida Nicolaci, "Kingship of God and Identity of Jesus in Johannine Messianism"
  • Meredith Warren, "'When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?' (John 7:31): Signs and the Messiah in the Gospel of John"

16:30–18:15 – Session 2:

Chair: Benjamin Reynolds

Adele Reinhartz "'And the Word was God': John’s Christology and Jesus’ Discourse in Jewish Context" - Respondent: Matthias Henze

19:30 - Dinner

Tuesday, June 21––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

9:00–10:15 – Reading session

• (a) Text: John 1:1-34
  • Reader - Grant Macaskill
• (b) Text: John 1:35-51
  • Reader - Matthias Henze
• (c) Text: John 7:10-44
  • Reader - Jo-Ann Brant

10:45–12:30 – Session 3:

Chair: Gabriele Boccaccini

William Loader "Wisdom and Logos Traditions in Judaism and John’s Christology" -- Respondent: Grant Macaskill

13:00 - Lunch

< afternoon > Visit to the Eremo of Camaldoli and its Ancient Library.

17:45–19:30 – Session 4:

Chair: Benjamin Reynolds

Charles Gieschen "The Divine Name that the Son Shares with the Father in the Gospel of John" -- Respondent: Chad Pierce

19:30 - Dinner

Wednesday, June 22–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

09:00–10:15 – Reading Session

• (a) Text: John 5:17-47
  • Reader - Shayna Sheinfeld
• (b) Text: John 4:1-42
  • Reader - Kelley Coblentz Bautch
• (c) Text: John 12:27-50
  • Reader -

10:45–12:30 – Session 5:

Chair: Gabriele Boccaccini

Crispin Fletcher-Louis "Jesus is 'Equal with God' because Son of God is the Son of Man (John 5)" - Respondent: Benjamin Reynolds

13:00 - Lunch

14:30-16:00 - Short Papers

• Group A: Chair - Deborah Forger
  • Shayna Sheinfeld, "2 Baruch, 4 Ezra, & John's Use of Light"
  • Matthias Henze, "John’s Christology: A Comparative Reading with 2 Baruch"
  • Robert Hall, "Parables of Enoch, Ascension of Isaiah, and John: Overhearing an Ancient Conversation"

• Group B: Chair -
  • John Ronning, "The 'High and Lifted Up' Son of Man Christology of John’s Gospel"
  • Jonathan Lo, "The “Son of Man” and the Characterization of Jesus in John’s Gospel"
  • Mary J. Marshall, "The Translocation and Transmutation of the Life-giver in the Fourth Gospel"

16:30–18:15 – Session 6:

Chair: Benjamin Reynolds

Ruben Zimmermann "John and the Divine Bridegroom" -- Respondent: Kelley Coblentz Bautch

19:30 - Dinner

Thursday, June 23–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

09:00–10:30 – Short Papers

• Group A: Chair -
  • Wally Cirafesi, "1 Enoch, the ‘Temple Stone’ from the Magdala Synagogue, and a Priestly Son of Man in John 6:25–71: A Proposal"
  • Douglas Estes, "A Little 'Light' Christology: Jewish Messianism, the Stone of Magdala, and the Prologue of John"
  • Urban von Wahlde, "Before Jesus 'Died for Our Sins': Evidence for a Purely Jewish Interpretation of the Ministry of Jesus at One Stage in the Development of the Gospel of John"

• Group B: Chair - Shayna Sheinfeld
  • Andrea Taschl-Erber, "Christological Transformation of the Motif of “Living Water” (John 4; 7): Prophetic Messiah Expectations and Sapiental Tradition"
  • Deborah Forger, "The Significance of Jesus's Logoi in John's Gospel"
  • Andrew Byers, "The One Lord and One People of the One God: The Fourth Gospel’s Vision of a Divine Messiah and a Divinized Israel"

11:00–12:45 – Session 7:

Chair: Gabriele Boccaccini

Catrin Williams "Johannine Christology and Prophetic Traditions: The Case of Isaiah" -- Respondent: James Davila

13:00 – Lunch

14:30-16:00 - Session 8 :

Chair: Benjamin Reynolds

James Charlesworth "Dead Sea Messianism and John's Christology" -- Respondent: Angela Kim Harkins

16:30–18:15 – Conclusion; Wrap-up session : Gabriele Boccaccini and Benjamin Reynolds

19:30 - Dinner

Friday, June 24–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-

Bus to Arezzo Railway Station. We will aim to be back in Arezzo by 9am.