James Tabor has a bit of a different take on Paul’s apocalyptic thinking. In Tabor’s reading, Genesis was the dust prototype of death and decay that would later be replaced by a cosmos of spirit (pneuma). Here are a few gems from the presentation: The salvation is cosmic because all the forms of existence are … [9: James Tabor] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

I’ve been posting about how Trump is framing himself as the God-chosen candidate, that a vote against Trump is a vote against God. Consider this Truth Social post and picture Trump just shared: Some Christians are not fooled: Your name Your email Subject Your message (optional)

Paula Fredriksen is one of the top Pauline scholars in the world and she gave a talk about Jewish henotheism, the idea Paul thought the world was saturated with many gods but that Paul thought his Jewish God was the highest. Here are a couple of ideas from the presentation that I thought were particularly … [8: Paula Fredriksen] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

Prof Jenny Knust had an interesting presentation on sexual language in Paul. For example, she argues it’s unfair to isolate Paul’s condemnation of homosexual acts, because Paul thinks it would be better not to engage in any sexual acts as all – even heterosexual ones. In ancient times, heterosexuality and homosexuality were acts, not general … [7: Jenny Knust] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

One tidbit I’d like to share is Walsh argues Paul formed his ideas of the universe out of a stoic milieu, Paul coming from Tarsus, the birthplace of the stoic enlightenment. So, for instance, for Plutarch in “On the Face of the Moon” says when you die Walsh argues Paul thought Jesus is on the … [6: Robyn Faith Walsh] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

In this talk Marcus discusses how to understand Paul being negative about the Law in some places and positive about it in others. For instance, Paul offers a more positive version of the Law in Romans, which may reflect a significant Jewish-Christian population of the church in Rome (that Paul did not found). Paul says … [5: Joel Marcus] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

I’d like to highlight how Staples argues against the substitutionary atonement interpretive model of reading Paul and instead argues for a transformation of the heart model which results in good acts and therefore good judgment. The substitutionary atonement reading is well known, and so for example in Romans Staples notes: The idea here is that … [4: Jason Staples] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

‘MIRACLES’: Former first lady Melania Trump credits a higher power for watching over former President Trump during two assassination attempts. Melania continues the narrative I’ve been posting about that the right is framing the failed assassination attempts as being the intervention by God and so a vote against Trump is a vote against God. Your … God Saved Trump (Melania)

Benjamin White is one of the top and most respected Pauline scholars in the world. White’s talk is about how mathematics is used to help decide which of the New Testament letters are authentically written by Paul. I would like to highlight one point he makes about 1 Thess 2: 14-16. This passage reads: This is … [3: Benjamin L White] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)

Bart provided an overview for the kinds of things that will be found in the conference presentations, and I would like to share a couple of these as background on Paul, and propose some questions that these ideas raise for me. God had made a covenant with the Jews and the Jews kept their part … [2: Bart’s Preface] Bart Ehrman’s “New Insights Into The New Testament” Conference (2024 Apostle Paul)