Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity

We inform you about the upcoming sessions of our SBL seminar, Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity, and to warmly invite you to attend the sessions taking place during the SBL/AAR Annual Meeting in San Diego, beginning this Friday.

If you are unable to attend the meeting in San Diego, we would be delighted to welcome you to the corresponding SNTS seminar, Paul, John, Philosophy, and Patristic Reception, which will be held in Regensburg from 5^th to 9^th August 2025. Further details about the seminars can be found here.

With best regards,
The Co-Chairs of the SBL Seminar Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity
Athanasios Despotis (Bonn)
Isidoros Katsos (Athens)

Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity / Pseudepigrapha
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
11/23/2024
Indigo 206 (Second Level)
Notions of Freedom

Rainer Hirsch-Luipold, Universität Bern - Université de Berne, Presiding

Maren R. Niehoff, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Freedom in Epictetus and Philo of Alexandria (30 min)

MARIA PAZARSKI, Supreme Ecclesiastical Academy of Athens
Freedom in the Light of Philo of Alexandria in the Treatise "Περί του πάντα σπουδαίον ελεύθερον είναι" (30 min)

Elsa Simonetti, École Pratique des Hautes Études
Freedom and salus in Seneca (30 min)

Grant Macaskill, University of Aberdeen
Cosmogony, Astrology, and Determinism in 2 Enoch and Bardaisan of Edessa (30 min)

S24-242

Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
11/24/2024
11A (Upper Level West)
Fresh Perspectives on Early Christianity and Cynicism

Clare Rothschild, Lewis University, Presiding

Travis R. Niles, Universität Bern - Université de Berne
Jesus and the Cynics: Criticizing Conventional Religion (25 min)

Roi Ziv, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
“Become My Imitators”: Paul’s Cynic Philosophy of Education in 1 Cor 1–4 (25 min)

Discussion (5 min)

Nelida Naveros Cordova, Spring Hill College
Law and Freedom: Similarities and Differences between Paul and Demetrius the Cynic (25 min)

Discussion (5 min)

Susan Prince, University of Cincinnati
Anecdotes of Diogenes in Patristic Literature (25 min)
Tag(s): 1 Esdras (Biblical Literature - Deuterocanonical Works)

Discussion (5 min)

Marius Timmann Mjaaland, University of Oslo
Cynicism and Inner Freedom in Evagrios’ Theoria Physiké (30 min))

S24-338

Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
11/24/2024
Grand D (Fourth Floor)
Definitions of Superstition

Athanasios Despotis, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Presiding

Constantin-Daniel Cosereanu, University of Halle
Criticism of Superstition in Seneca, Philo, and Clement of Alexandria (30 min)

Martin Meiser, Universität des Saarlandes
Deisidaimonia in Ancient Inter-religious Controversies and in Inner-Christian Parenesis (30 min)

Rainer Hirsch-Luipold, Universität Bern - Université de Berne and Stefano De Feo, Universität Bern - Université de Berne
Superstition and Eschatological Ideas in the Early Imperial Philosophy (30 min)

S25-238a

Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity / Biblical Exegesis from Eastern Orthodox Perspectives
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
11/25/2024
28A (Upper Level East)
Divine Inspiration

Leslie Baynes, Missouri State University, Presiding

Lee McDonald, Acadia Divinity College
The Notion of Inspiration in Classical, Hellenistic Jewish, and Early Christianity (25 min)

Najeeb T Haddad, Notre Dame of Maryland University
The Hellenistic Jewish Speculative Tradition: Philo, Paul, and Divine Inspiriation (25 min)

Kampotela Luc Bulundwe, University of Geneva
From Authors to Texts: Divine Inspiration (Θεόπνευστος) and the Formation of the Pauline Corpus (25 min)

Isaac Hedstrom, Saint Louis University
Scripture and the Divine Persons: Inspiration in Nyssian Apophatism (25 min)

Hindy Najman, University of Oxford and Elizabeth Stell, Oxford University
Pseudepigrapha and Inspired Aspirations (25 min)

Brian Yong Lee, Loyola University of Chicago
Philosophy, Hellenistic Judaism, and Inspired Interpretation in 1 Corinthians (25 min)