4.0450 History of Seminar on Christian Origins (1/165)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 4 Sep 90 18:45:36 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0450. Tuesday, 4 Sep 1990.


Date: Friday, 31 August 1990 0937-EST (167 lines)
From: KRAFT@PENNDRLS
Subject: PSCO Information


[I have planned for a long time to post the following
information on HUMANIST and IOUDAIOS, where it will be of
interest to various persons, and perhaps institutions.
It is hoped that past minutes can be put into electronic
form in the near future, and that more recent minutes will
be available soon (see the description). Bob Kraft]

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PHILADELPHIA SEMINAR ON CHRISTIAN ORIGINS R. A. Kraft
BRIEF HISTORY [updated to 31 August 1990] coordinator

The Philadelphia Seminar on Christian Origins was organized on
October 8, 1963, when 16 teachers of biblical and early church
studies from the Philadelphia area gathered at the University of
Pennsylvania at the invitation of Robert A. Kraft (University of
Pennsylvania) and John H. P. Reumann (Lutheran Theological Seminary,
Philadelphia).

It was decided that the subject matter should vary from year to
year, and should be technical in nature, geared for those with
academic, specialized interests in the period of Christian origins.
Participating membership in the Seminar is open primarily to persons
with advanced training in the subject, especially those who teach
at a college or seminary level, although other interested persons
may be invited at the discretion of the members. Regularly
scheduled meetings are held bi-monthly throughout the academic year,
with occasional additional special meetings when circumstances
dictate. Since its inception, the Seminar has had support from the
Department of Religious Studies of the University of Pennsylvania,
and more recently, from the Humanities Coordinating Committee at
the University. It now holds most meetings in Williams Hall at the
University.

The Seminar also maintains a mailing list of non-participating
members. The minutes of the meetings are reproduced and mailed to
all members at the end of the academic year. Persons on the mailing
list who do not attend meetings are asked to contribute $2.00
annually towards mailing costs. Otherwise there are no dues.
Complete copies of the minutes and other materials are deposited
with the libraries of the University of Pennsylvania and the
Lutheran Theological Seminary (Philadelphia). Back copies of
minutes are still available in most instances, at the cost of $2.00
(vols 1-17) or $3.00 (vols 18- ) per volume to cover packaging and
mailing expenses. [As of 9/90, minutes for vols 20-21 and 23 onward
have not yet appeared. Electronic scanning and distribution of the
minutes are under consideration.]

The topics and personnel (co-chairpersons, secretaries) have been
as follows:

1 (1963-64) THE GREEK OLD TESTAMENT IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN WORLD -
R. Kraft and J. Reumann (J. T. Townsend, secretary)

2 (1964-65) GNOSTICISM -
R. Kraft and J. Reumann (J. T. Townsend, secretary)

3 (1965-66) GOSPEL TRADITION IN THE SECOND CENTURY -
R. Kraft and S. Benko (P. M. Peterson, secretary)

4 (1966-67) "ORTHODOXY" AND "HERESY" IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY -
R. Kraft and J. Reumann (E. Magalis, secretary)

The result of this study was published as the English edition of
W. Bauer, _Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity_
(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1971).

5 (1967-68) JEWISH CHRISTIANITY (APART FROM PAUL) -
R. F. Evans and D. Hay (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

6 (1968-69) THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, & ECONOMIC SETTING OF EARLY
CHRISTIANITY -
S. Benko and J. J. O'Rourke (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

These studies are collected in Benko and O'Rourke, eds., _The
Catacombs and the Colosseum_ (Valley Forge: Judson, 1971), also
published as _Early Church History_ (London: Oliphants, 1972)

7 (1969-70) APOCALYPTIC THOUGHT IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY -
S. Laeuchli and J. T. Townsend
(R. V. Hotchkiss and P. G. Maurer, secretaries)

8 (1970-71) JEWISH-CHRISTIAN RELATIONS -
D. Hay and S. Isenberg
(R. V. Hotchkiss and P. G. Maurer, secretaries)

9 (1971-72) MELITO OF SARDIS AND HIS _PASCHAL HOMILY_ -
R. F. Evans and D. F. Winslow
(R. V. Hotchkiss and P. G. Maurer, secretaries)

10 (1972-73) ORIGEN'S COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN -
H. Kee and E. Pagels
(R. V. Hotchkiss and P. G. Maurer, secretaries)

11 (1973-74) CREATION: IMAGES OLD AND NEW -
P. Henry and D. Winslow
(R. V. Hotchkiss and P. G. Maurer, secretaries)

12 (1974-75) EARLY CHRISTIANITY IN NORTH AFRICA -
S. Laeuchli and D. Efroymson (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

13 (1975-76) CURRENT APPROACHES TO CHRISTIAN ORIGINS -
R. Kraft and R. Kraemer (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

14 (1976-77) MAGIC: THE PHENOMENON AND THE ISSUE IN THE
GRAECO-ROMAN WORLD -
D. Efroymson and H. Kee (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

15 (1977-78) HEAVENLY ASCENT IN GRAECO-ROMAN PIETY -
R. Kraemer and J. G. Gager (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

16 (1978-79) ANCIENT SCHOOL ACTIVITY IN ALEXANDRIA AND ROME -
W. Adler and R. Kraft (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

17 (1979-80) PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA IN RELATION TO ANCIENT "SCHOOL
TRADITION" -
J. Gager and M. Himmelfarb (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

18 (1980-81) MARCEL SIMON'S _VERUS ISRAEL_ -
D. Efroymson and J. C. White (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

19 (1981-82) _VERUS ISRAEL_ (Continued) -
D. Efroymson (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

20 (1982-83) THE NAG HAMMADI LIBRARY AND GNOSTICISM -
Anne McGuire (W. Adler, asst.; R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

21 (1983-84) SYRIAN CHRISTIANITY UP TO THE 4TH CENTURY -
W. Adler (R. V. Hotchkiss, secretary)

22 (1984-85) ORIGEN AGAINST KELSOS (CELSUS) -
D. Efroymson (T. Bergren, assistant)

23 (1985/86) THE MANI CODEX AND MANICHAEANISM -
J. Gager & M. Himmelfarb (J. Pastis, asst.; D. Utz, secy.)

24 (1986/87) EVIDENCE FOR DIASPORA JUDAISM OUTSIDE EGYPT -
Ross S. Kraemer (J. Pastis, asst.; D. Utz, secy.)

25 (1987/88) PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS: DEMONS AND ANGELS IN THE
WORLD OF LATE ANTIQUITY -
Martha Himmelfarb (D. Frankfurter, prog. coord.;
D. Utz, secretary)

26 (1988/89) TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION IN THE WORLD OF
LATE ANTIQUITY -
Benjamin G. Wright III (D. Utz, secretary)

27 (1989/90) RETHINKING SOCIAL DESCRIPTION OF JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN
COMMUNITIES IN LATE ANTIQUITY -
Howard Kee & Ross Kraemer (D. Rech, secretary)

28 (1990/91) CHRISTIAN TRANSMISSION OF JEWISH PSEUDEPIGRAPHA -
Kraft & Benjamin Wright (D. Rech, secretary)

All correspondence concerning the Seminar or subscriptions to
current or past minutes should be addressed to:

Robert A. Kraft, PSCO Coordinator
Religious Studies, Box 36 College Hall
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6303
bitnet(internet): KRAFT@PENNDRLS(.upenn.edu)