[Schedule Updated 14 August]

There is a great reason to travel to South Africa for those interested in the Septuagint. The Universities of Rostock and Stellenbosch are joining forces to host a symposium entitled “A Theology of the Septuagint.”

The event will be held from 17 to 19 August 2018 in the Department of Ancient Studies at Stellenbosch University. I am told that this symposium is not open to paper proposals, however delegates are welcome.

A Theology of the Septuagint?

For many years scholars have wondered what we can learn about the interpretive approaches or traditions of those who produced the Septuagint. It is certainly a fascinating question because of the implications it could have for the study of Judaism and early Christian movement – what kind of theological notions underlay the translation? How do they fit into the broader religious environment? How did that theology affect the Septuagint version? Most critically: what criteria can be developed to help determine what features of a translation arose from theological conviction rather than, say, textual transmission?

These questions are as important and interesting as they are difficult to answer – or even determine how you might answer them. Many have expressed scepticism over whether discerning theology in the Septuagint is even possible at all. It is not, after all, a unified corpus, so can we even responsibly use the singular term “theology”? I encourage readers interested in such questions to consult the very helpful chapter on this topic in Jobes & Silva (pp. 326-350).

All of these issues lead quite naturally to the desire to hold a symposium on the topic.

Schedule

The preliminary schedule of speakers (without paper titles) is as follows:

17 August

13:00-14:00 Lunch
14:00-14:10 Opening of conference Prof. Martin Rösel (University of Rostock)

Session 1. Chairperson: Prof. Johann Cook (University of Stellenbosch)

14:00-14:05                Welcome of participants by Prof. Annemaré Kotzé (Dept of Ancient Studies, US)

14:05-14:15                Opening of conference by Prof. Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector Research (US)

14:15-15:00                Lecture 1: Prof. Martin Rösel (University of Rostock)

15:00-15:30               TEA / COFFEE

Session 2. Chairperson: Prof. Louis Jonker (University of Stellenbosch)

15:30-16:15                Lecture 2: Prof. Emanuel Tov (Hebrew University)

16:15-17:00                Lecture 3: Prof. Evangelia Dafni (University of Thessaloniki)

17:00-17:45                Lecture 4: Prof. Dirk Buchner (Trinity Western University)

18 August

Session 3. Chairperson: Prof. Gert Steyn (Ewersbach)

09:00-09:45                Lecture 5: Prof. Wolfgang Kraus (Universität des Saarlandes)

09:45-10:30                Lecture 6: Prof. Jessie Rogers (University of Limerick)

10:30-11:00               TEA / COFFEE

Session 4. Chairperson: Prof. Dirk Buchner (TWU, Vancouver)

11:00-11:45                Lecture 7: Prof. Johan Thom (University of Stellenbosch)

11:45-12:30                Lecture 8: Prof. Phlip Bosman (University of Stellenbosch)

12:30-14:00               LUNCH

Session 5. Chairperson: Prof. Jessie Rogers (Limerick)

14:00-14:45                Lecture 9: Prof. Louis Jonker (University of Stellenbosch)

14:45-15:30                Lecture 10: Prof. Ulrich Volp (Universität Mainz)

15:30-16:00               TEA / COFFEE

Session 6. Chairperson: Prof. Hans Ausloos (Louvain la Neuve)

16:00-16:45                Lecture 11: Prof. Gideon Kotzé (NW University)

16:45-17:30                Lecture 12: Dr. Peter Nagel (University of Stellenbosch)

19:00                          DINNER

19 August

Session 7. Chairperson: Prof. Johann Cook (University of Stellenbosch)

Two papers of 25 minutes each by post graduate students from the USA and US

09:10-09:35                Lecture 13: Mr. Joel Ruark (University of Stellenbosch)  

09:35-10:00                Lecture 14: Mr. Kyle Young (TW University)  

8. Chairperson: Prof. Pierre Jordaan (NW University

10:00-10:45                Lecture 15: Prof. Hans Ausloos (Université catholique de Louvain – Belgium)

10:45-11:15               TEA / COFFEE

Session 9. Chairperson: Prof. Gideon Kotzé (Potchefstroom)

11:15-12:00                Lecture 16: Prof. Pierre Jordaan (Potchefstroom)

12:00-12:45                Lecture 17: Prof. Gert Steyn (Ewersbach, Germany)

12:45-14:15               LUNCH

Session 10. Chairperson: Prof. Martin Rösel (Rostock)

14:15-15:00                Lecture 18: Prof. Johann Cook (University of Stellenbosch)

15:00-15:30               TEA / COFFEE

15:30-17:00 FINAL DISCUSSION

 

Plans are in place for publication of the proceedings.