I am now leaving for my -IMHO - well deserved summer vacation, enjoying the summer, leisure, golfing and cabin (hytte) life.
I'll not be back here untill the beginning of August, and then from Stavanger, my new place of residence and work. Have a nice summer all of you!
Don't forget to bring a book of Philo or two with you. :)
Friday, July 08, 2005
Philo and Logos
No, I'm not thinking about Philo and his logos'doctrine', but the progress of the production of the digitalized Philo texts from the company of Logos Bible Software..... :-)
Their announcement page now says that the status of the project has changed from 'in preparation' to 'Under development'. Good. It is still time to preorder the package.
Their announcement page now says that the status of the project has changed from 'in preparation' to 'Under development'. Good. It is still time to preorder the package.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Studies on the Impact of the LXX in Philo and the NT
Another review to be mentioned, probably the last before my summer vacation, is this one, published on www.bookreviews.org, and written by Robert J.V. Hiebert: William Loader, The Septuagint, Sexuality, and the New Testament: Case Studies on the Impact of the LXX in Philo and the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), pp. x + 163 Paperback $20.00
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Rezeption und Funktion der Vätererzählungen
DeGruyter Publisher now announces its publication of Marina Bøhm's habilitationsschrift on Philo's hermeneutic:Martina Böhm, Rezeption und Funktion der Vätererzählungen bei Philo von Alexandria. Zum Zusammenhang von Kontext, Hermeneutik und Exegese im frühen Judentum. Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche 128 (Juni 2005. 23 x 15,5 cm. XIII, 502 Seiten. Leinen. ISBN 3-11-018199-1. Euro [D] 128.00 / sFr 205.00 / for USA, Canada, Mexico US$ 179.20. The announcement specifies the volume further thus:
"The interpretation of the Patriarchal Narratives in the voluminous Corpus Philonicum is an exemplary demonstration of how formally and intentionally scriptural exegesis could stand in a complex mutual relationship to specific regional, medial, social and religious factors in the 1st century AD. Philo's three works on the Pentateuch show to what extent an exegete's hermeneutic principles can remain consistent and to what extent they could develop differently for different target groups. Findings of this kind provide a foundation which must be utilised for specific questions from the New Testament."
I have been waiting for this volume, cf. here, and here. But the final announcement, alas, also reveals a price for the volume that is quite depressing. It is a not easy to understand how a publisher, in this age of word processing and computer technology is able to produce books at such extremely high expences. If this is to continue, German books, even though they may be excellent, will push themselves out of the general marked, and their books will only be found in libraries. And the English/American publishers will control the marked alone.
Nevertheless, congratulations to Martina Bøhm. I'm looking forward to read it some time in the fall..
"The interpretation of the Patriarchal Narratives in the voluminous Corpus Philonicum is an exemplary demonstration of how formally and intentionally scriptural exegesis could stand in a complex mutual relationship to specific regional, medial, social and religious factors in the 1st century AD. Philo's three works on the Pentateuch show to what extent an exegete's hermeneutic principles can remain consistent and to what extent they could develop differently for different target groups. Findings of this kind provide a foundation which must be utilised for specific questions from the New Testament."
I have been waiting for this volume, cf. here, and here. But the final announcement, alas, also reveals a price for the volume that is quite depressing. It is a not easy to understand how a publisher, in this age of word processing and computer technology is able to produce books at such extremely high expences. If this is to continue, German books, even though they may be excellent, will push themselves out of the general marked, and their books will only be found in libraries. And the English/American publishers will control the marked alone.
Nevertheless, congratulations to Martina Bøhm. I'm looking forward to read it some time in the fall..
Grogory of Nyssa and Philo
According to the Ingenta (thanks also to Jim Davila and his PaleoJudaicaBlog), the latest issue of Vigiliae Christianae has an article on Gregory of Nyssa and Philo:Albert-Kees Geljon, 'Divine Infinity in Gregory of Nyssa and Philo of Alexandria', Vigilia Christianae 2005, vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 152-177. The abstract runs like this:
"The notion of divine infinity is important in Gregory of Nyssa's theology; it is even argued by Ekkehard Mühlenberg that Gregory was the first to ascribe infinity to God. In this article key texts on divine infinity in Gregory, taken from Contra Eunomiun, De Vita Moysis, and In Canticum Canticorum, are discussed. It appears that Mühlenberg's interpretation has to be nuanced. Furthermore, dealing with divine infinity Gregory was able to link his thought with that of Philo of Alexandria. In the second part of this article, we discuss the question of God's infinity in Philo. Henri Guyot defends the thesis that Philo was the first to put forward the notion of divine infinity. Although Guyot's thesis can be criticised—Philo never calls God infinite—there are starting-points for this view in Philo."
"The notion of divine infinity is important in Gregory of Nyssa's theology; it is even argued by Ekkehard Mühlenberg that Gregory was the first to ascribe infinity to God. In this article key texts on divine infinity in Gregory, taken from Contra Eunomiun, De Vita Moysis, and In Canticum Canticorum, are discussed. It appears that Mühlenberg's interpretation has to be nuanced. Furthermore, dealing with divine infinity Gregory was able to link his thought with that of Philo of Alexandria. In the second part of this article, we discuss the question of God's infinity in Philo. Henri Guyot defends the thesis that Philo was the first to put forward the notion of divine infinity. Although Guyot's thesis can be criticised—Philo never calls God infinite—there are starting-points for this view in Philo."
Monday, July 04, 2005
RPBS updated
My Resource Pages for Biblical Studies have been updated today; a lot of good articles have been added.
This will be my last update as a professor at Volda University College. When next update is due, I have moved to the School of Mission and Theology at Stavanger Norway.
Time will tell how much labor and time I can afford to spend at future updates.
This will be my last update as a professor at Volda University College. When next update is due, I have moved to the School of Mission and Theology at Stavanger Norway.
Time will tell how much labor and time I can afford to spend at future updates.
Preordered
As mentioned below by my co-blogger Kåre Fuglseth, the Logos Company is announcing their production of The Works of Philo: Greek Text with Morphology.
This is great news. I have already placed my pre-order!
The announcement by Logos is a pre-order announcement. The final production is dependent upon a satisfactory reaction to the announcement, so don't hesitate: have a closer look and consider preorder!
Kåre also mentions that another publisher is considering a print production of the whole KWIC edition of Philo's works. There is more about this here, and a a sample preview of what such an edition might look like.
I have used the Logos Bible Software for some time, and it will be really great to have the texts of Philo included in their collections. Though - in case someone might wonder- I have no finacial connection to Logos, I would like to support this production. It will enhance our ways of studying Philo.
This is great news. I have already placed my pre-order!
The announcement by Logos is a pre-order announcement. The final production is dependent upon a satisfactory reaction to the announcement, so don't hesitate: have a closer look and consider preorder!
Kåre also mentions that another publisher is considering a print production of the whole KWIC edition of Philo's works. There is more about this here, and a a sample preview of what such an edition might look like.
I have used the Logos Bible Software for some time, and it will be really great to have the texts of Philo included in their collections. Though - in case someone might wonder- I have no finacial connection to Logos, I would like to support this production. It will enhance our ways of studying Philo.
Philosophy in the Ancient World
The BrynMawr Clasical Review has just recently posted a review on a book on Philosophy in the Ancient World that seem to be most interesting for those wanting to locate Philo in his cultural and social world of philosophical traditions and ideas. I would like to have a closer look at this book:James A. Arieti,
Philosophy in the Ancient World. An Introduction.
Lanham, MD: 2005. Pp. 416. $28.95 (pb). ISBN 0-7425-3329-8.
Reviewed by Giannis P. Stamatellos. The reviewer interestingly states: "The majority of introductions, textbooks and source books about ancient Greek thought either stop at the Hellenistic Age, or focus at length on Plato and Aristotle. Both approaches are thematically incomplete, and tend to disregard the continuation and contribution of the ancient Greeks (and to a lesser extent the Romans) to the history of philosophy. 'Ancient Greek Philosophy' is the academic discipline that studies the philosophical activities of the Greco-Roman thinkers. It starts with Thales and the innovative thinking of the Presocratics, continues with Socratic arguments in the fifth century BC, Plato and Aristotle in the fourth century, the post-Socratic movements of the Hellenistic Age, especially those of the Sceptics, Stoics and Epicureans, and extends to the philosophy of the Middle Platonic, Neoplatonic and Aristotelian commentators of the sixth century AD. The end of ancient philosophy is usually marked by the closure of Plato's Academy in Athens by the emperor Justinian in 529 AD, while its influence extended to Christianity, Medieval, Arabic and modern philosophy."
"James A. Arieti in his introductory book on Philosophy in the Ancient World successfully includes in a single volume the whole intellectual history of the ancient Greek world -- from the eighth century BC with the mythological, political and cultural ancestors of ancient philosophy, including Homer and Hesiod, to the philosophy of late pagan antiquity and early Christian thought in the fifth century AD. Within this framework, the aim of Arieti's introduction is to offer a companion to the theories of the philosophers in a description and evaluation that complement the study of the primary texts."
Writing from such a perspective, his treatment of Philo of Alexandria shoul be especially intersting: "Arieti's book is divided into eighteen chapters, and his presentation follows a historical line of exposition, presenting the major ancient thinkers in due order. He gives a detailed description of each philosopher and an evaluation of his thought in a well-presented exposition, with an awareness, in most cases, of modern scholarship and recent interpretations. The structure of each chapter is designed to cover the intellectual personae of the philosophers and bring to light their main theoretical contributions."
"Chapters sixteen and seventeen highlight the intellectual affiliation between Greek philosophy and Christianity, with special attention to Philo of Alexandria, Minucius Felix and Basil of Caesarea."
Tolle lege!
Philosophy in the Ancient World. An Introduction.
Lanham, MD: 2005. Pp. 416. $28.95 (pb). ISBN 0-7425-3329-8.
Reviewed by Giannis P. Stamatellos.
"James A. Arieti in his introductory book on Philosophy in the Ancient World successfully includes in a single volume the whole intellectual history of the ancient Greek world -- from the eighth century BC with the mythological, political and cultural ancestors of ancient philosophy, including Homer and Hesiod, to the philosophy of late pagan antiquity and early Christian thought in the fifth century AD. Within this framework, the aim of Arieti's introduction is to offer a companion to the theories of the philosophers in a description and evaluation that complement the study of the primary texts."
Writing from such a perspective, his treatment of Philo of Alexandria shoul be especially intersting: "Arieti's book is divided into eighteen chapters, and his presentation follows a historical line of exposition, presenting the major ancient thinkers in due order. He gives a detailed description of each philosopher and an evaluation of his thought in a well-presented exposition, with an awareness, in most cases, of modern scholarship and recent interpretations. The structure of each chapter is designed to cover the intellectual personae of the philosophers and bring to light their main theoretical contributions."
"Chapters sixteen and seventeen highlight the intellectual affiliation between Greek philosophy and Christianity, with special attention to Philo of Alexandria, Minucius Felix and Basil of Caesarea."
Tolle lege!
Friday, July 01, 2005
Digital Philo announced
Logos Bible Software now annouces in a pre-publication page: The Works of Philo. Interesting stuff. It really made me wish to buy. And there are more to come. Rumours also say that the members of the Norwegian Philo Concordance Project are negotiating with a US publisher to print the whole Philo concordance (7500 pages) in 8 volumes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
