The God-fearers between facts and fiction

The Scandinavian journal Studia Theologica (published by Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group) is out (Volume 60, Number 1 / June 2006), and while it does not contain any articles directly related to Philo, I would like to point the attention of my readers to at least one article that is related to the field of Diaspora Judaism:

Dietrich-Alex Koch,
The God-fearers between facts and fiction
Two theosebeis-inscriptions from Aphrodisias and their bearing for the New Testament
Vol. 60, No 1/June 2006, pp. 62 - 90.

The Abstract presented by the journal runs thus:
The discussion concerning the God-fearers of the first centuries C.E. seemed to have come to a dead end. But in 1987, the situation changed when an inscription from Aphrodisias was published containing more than 50 persons who were called Theosebeis/God-worshippers. Since then, a vivid discussion has taken place and it is time for a re-evaluation of this important publication. Meanwhile, it has turned out that the stele of Aphrodisias contains two different texts, independent from each other and deriving from different dates (the 4th and 5th centuries CE). It is argued that in both texts the term ‘God-worshipper’ is used in different ways – as a designation for a mere social relationship (on the front side) and as a designation for a religious commitment (on the left side). Going back to earlier periods, Theosebeis-inscriptions from Tralles and Sardes are discussed. Concerning the Acts of the Apostles it is acknowledged that Luke indeed draws a literary picture when he uses the ‘God-worshippers’ (as he does when uses the proselytes), but it is maintained that this picture has its equivalence in the social and religious world of Luke and his readers.