Lecture in Copenhagen!

Are you in Copenhagen on Thursday? (Or are you any close to Copenhagen? In that case: make sure to get there!) Because you wouldn't want to miss a lecture by a world-renowned NT-scholar, right?  

On Thursday November 19th, Dale B. Martin will lecture on "The Meaning of PORNEIA in Hellenistic Judaism and Early Christianity, including Paul", criticizing the thesis by Kyle Harper. (Which can be found here: ‘Porneia: The Making of a Christian Sexual Norm’, Journal of Biblical Literature 131 no. 2 (2012) 363-383.)

Time and place: 14.15-16.00, Aud. 8, second floor.

The end of the world is near! (In Lund at least)

Last term, the following lecture unfortunately had to be cancelled, which tempted Lund's coordinator Andreas Westergren to write a mail with the title: "The end of the world - not tomorrow" ;-) This time, however, it seems unavoidable...

Find more information about this very interesting lecture of Jayne Svenungsson and the subsequent panel discussion in Lund next month - and don't miss it!



THE END OF THE WORLD: 

Apocalypticism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

November 26, 15.15-17, LUX C121
Helgonavägen 3, http://www.ht.lu.se/en/lux/kontakt/kartor-och-fardsatt/

Jayne Svenungsson, Professor of Systematic Theology
"Apocalyptic Motifs in Medieval Europe, Exemplified by Joachim of Fiore"

followed by a panel discussion with Svenungsson
Jan Hjärpe, Prof. em. Islamology
Magnus Zetterholm, Ass. Prof. New Testament
Aron Engberg, PhD-Student Global Christianity
Moderated by Samuel Rubenson, Prof. Church History

For more information, mail andreas.westergren@teol.lu.se

Open Lectures Lund

It has taken some time, but they're coming up again - Lund's Open Lectures! Every term ther RRE program in Lund organises three lectures about an RRE-related theme. They are open to everyone, RRE-affiliated or not and are often continued with a drink in the pub. Feel welcome! The best news: it will be able to follow the lectures on distance as well. Read below on how to do that.

 The Religious Roots of Europe Open Lectures, Autumn 2014

Parting of the Ways between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

From a contemporary perspective we perceive Judaism, Christianity and Islam as three world religions. Even if they share historical and ideological roots, they are still separate entities, with different legacies and groups of believers. Sometimes the difference is emphasized to the point of making us see them as contrasting cultures, or even civilizations. But when did these religions part ways? And how did they part? And are there ideas or practices where they still have not parted, or where they could meet again? In a series of open lectures, the "parting of the ways" will be discussed from a historical perspective. In the first lecture, Dr. Magnus Zetterholm will speak about disagreements within the early Jesus movement as the first stage in the parting of the ways between Judaism and Christianity. Zetterholm - who has been awarded for his study - belongs to an increasing number of scholars who argue for a much later "separation" than previous scholars did. Later, Dr. Holger Zellentin from the University of Nottingham, will bring us to another debated issue: the impact of Christianity and Judaism on early Islam. He will read the Holy Qur'an as a crossroads between the three religions. And finally, the well-known former Professor of Islamology at Lund, Jan Hjärpe, will help us disentangle the parting of the ways between Shia and Sunni Islam - a matter of utmost relevance for understanding the present Middle East. Welcome!

Oct 9, 16.15 LUX C126

 Dr. Magnus Zetterholm

The Politics of Separation: How the Jewish Jesus Movement became an Anti-Jewish Religion

Nov 4, 17.15 LUX C121

Dr. Holger Zellentin, University of Nottingham

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: The Qur'an as a Crossroads

Dec 4, 16.15 LUX C121

Prof. Jan Hjärpe

The many Islams: What about Sunnism and Shiism and the role of religious affiliation?

All lectures take place at LUX, Helgonavägen 3, Lund.

For more information, email andreas.westergren@teol.lu.se.

If you go to the following page: http://chat.play.du.se/ you will be able to log in to the room that is stated in the schedule. It should be possible to attend without logging in, but to ask questions you need your STIL-identity. 

/PD

Open Lectures - more info

It has been mentioned before, but now there is an official invitation for RRE's open lectures at the Lund Faculty, coming from our coordinator Andreas Westergren. Read!

Visualizing Holiness in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

The Religious Roots of Europe Open Lectures, Spring 2014

In spite of cautions against the use of images of the holy, depictions of saintly figures have played a profound role in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In a series of open lectures, this tension will be examined. Three concrete examples of visualization of holiness will be given in history (Krueger) and in the present (Lund and Markussen). The first lecturer, Derek Krueger, is a well-renowned scholar in the study of Late Antiquity and early Byzantium, with a particular interest in saints' stories and gender issues. He is the author of Writing and Holiness: The Practice of Authorship in the Early Christian East. In the second lecture, we turn to the present, and to Jewish superheroes, with the help of Martin Lund. Last year he defended a thesis, Rethinking the Jewish-Comics Connection, at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies. Finally, Hege Irene Markussen will display how the Imam Ali has been depicted on posters. She is an expert on the Alevites in Turkey, and has published Teaching History, Learning Piety: an Alevi Foundation in Contemporary Turkey. 

Welcome!

Thursday MARCH 13, 18.15, room 118

Visual Celebrations of the Biblical Drama in Early Byzantium 

Prof. Derek Krueger, University of North Carolina at Greenboro

Wednesday MARCH 26,16.15, room 118

A Graphic Chain of Tradition: Jewish Memory, Appropriation, Edification, and Polemics in Superhero Comic Books

Dr. Martin Lund, Lund University

Tuesday MAY 20, 16.15, room 118

Visualization of the Imam Ali in Popular Prints

Dr. Hege Irene Markussen, Lund University

10 September, 16.15, room 118

All lectures take place at the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Allhelgona Kyrkogata 8, Lund. For more information, email andreas.westergren@teol.lu.se.

Another nice thing: below blog about the lighter side of RRE was written by our newest blogger, Thomas Hermansson. He's a fourth-cycle student at Lund University. Thomas, thanks for helping out - we hope to read more from your hand.

/PD

Three hoorays

Today, the paper told me that January 2014 has been the darkest month since 1983, the year that they started counting the sun hours. We had 8 (!!!) hours of sun here in our University town. Hooray for February and for the at least three hours of sun that we had today!

Another hooray for the fact that vårterminen (Spring Term) has started here, because that means: Open Lectures. As every term, we'll have three lectures here at CTR, often followed by an informal get-together in a pub or restaurant. The theme of this term: 'Visualizing Holiness in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.'
 

Thursday March 13th, 18.15, room 118

 

Visual Celebrations of the Biblical Drama in Early Byzantium Prof. Derek Krueger, University of North Carolina at Greenboro and author of Writing and Holiness: The Practice of Authorship in the Early Christian East

Wednesday March 26th,16.15, room 118

A Graphic Chain of Tradition: Jewish Memory, Appropriation, Edification, and Polemics in Superhero Comic Books

Dr. Martin Lund, Lund University

Tuesday MAY 20, 16.15, room 118

Visualization of the Imam Ali in Popular Prints Dr. Hege Irene Markussen

If you want more information, you can ask our coordinator Andreas Westergren.

A small though audible hooray at last, for the fact that two fellow students have shown interest in also contributing to the blog - it will be good if my dictatorship here on the blog comes to an end. ;-) More follows soon!

/PD

Last Open Lecture of the Term!

On Wednesday November 20^th, the RRE Lund program will host its last RRE Open Lecture of this term. Within the theme – ‘Fearing the Other’ – fear for Judaism and Christianity have already been considered, so now it is time for Islamophobia.
The Lecture is titled "The Swedish Political Construction of a Contested Concept" and will be given by Johan Cato, PhD, who recently finished his dissertation ('When Islam Became Swedish') on the way in which Islam and Muslims have been discussed an presented within Swedish media and politics in the past decades. 

A highly actual and relevant topic!

Time: 6.15 PM, room 118. Like last time, the discussion might be continued in some pub, while enjoying a beer or a plate of nachos...

Come all! 

/PD

Second Open Lecture in Lund

Fall has arrived. The weather gets more fresh everyday here in Scandinavia, the fifth cycle has just returned from warm and cozy Rome - I hope to be able to publish some pictures soon - and the first deadlines are coming close, especially for the new students.

In sum: IS THERE ANY POSITIVE NEWS?

Yes, dear students, there is, at least if you study in Lund or Copenhagen. (Or are prepared to travel quite a time.) To avoid an autumn depression and 24/7-studying, RRE organises this terms' second Open Lecture on Tuesday October 15th. Within the theme 'Fearing the Other', Rupert Shortt (Religion Editor of Times Literary Supplement and Former Visiting Fellow at Oxford), will talk about Christianophobia.

The lecture is open for everyone; starting time is 6.15, room 118 at CTR. Most probably, the Q&A-session that ends the lecture will be continued in some cafe or restaurant in Lund, at least by the students.

Fight that autumn dip - come!

More information about the Open Lectures: http://www2.teol.lu.se/rre/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32&Itemid=23

/PD

First Open Lecture Lund Fall 13

Every term, Lund's University organises a series of three-open lectures, linked to the RRE program. The theme of this term is 'fearing the other', so the three lectures will be about judeophobia, christianophobia and islamophobia.
The first one will be coming Tuesday, September 10th and the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies in Lund.  Time: 4.15 PM. Professor Jesper Svartvik will give the lecture about judeophobia.

I'm quite sure that many of us Lund students will come, which might lead to some nice socializing, drinks and possibly dinner afterwards. So if you're in the neighborhood, please come!! :-)

/PD

Open lectures in the beautiful city of Lund

Every month there is an open lecture in Lund, at CTR, which is the department for teology and religion at the university of Lund. If you study in Copenhagen or Lund, or happen to be dropping by this part of Scandinavia, have a look at what they offer for the autumn:

Professor Stephan Borgehammar
(Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Lund University)
Jerusalem Pilgrims and the Holy Cross in the Fourth Century
Tuesday 11 September at 18.15, Room 118, CTR

Professor Leif Stenberg
(Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University)
Mosques, Shrines and Holy Places - discussing the
creation of sacred environments in Damascus, Syria
Tuesday 23 October at 18.15, Room 118, CTR

Docent Svante Lundgren
(Centre for Theology and Religious Studies, Lund
University)
The Future of Zionism
Tuesday 4 December at 18.15, Room 118, CTR


Have a nice week!
Best,
Hilde

http://www2.teol.lu.se/rre/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61:islam-in-western-europe-anxiety-of-influence-and-the-simulacrum-of-purity&catid=1:news&Itemid=9

What do RRE`s do, besides drinking coffee and doing e-learning?

Sometimes, we RRE`s are invited to lectures where the topic is related to our masters program. When in Lund, the third cycle was invited to an open lecture, where in fact our own professor Troels was speaking. With the permission of Troels we posted the lecture here (scroll down the page). At the same time I would like to remind you that CTR (center for teologi och religionsvetenskap) at Lund University has three open lectures every semester, the next one I believe is the 15.of May, and the speaker is Thomas Hoffmann, who happens to be an RRE-related professor too. The lectures are always in English, and there are refreshments and a chance for a discussion afterwards.

In addition to posting Troels lecture, we of course also have an interview with him, in our series of "5 questions to the professor". To repeat, the questions we asked the professors, in addition to their name, age and association with the program, is:
2. What is your area of expertise? and which courses do you teach in the RREprogram?
3. How do you find the this way of teaching, which is not regular university courses but also not distance learning?
4. What do you expect from your students?
5. If you could have any superhuman power, what would it be and why?

Lets see what Troels replied:

1. Troels Engberg-Pedersen, age 63 (which is in many ways a holy figure: 3 x 3 x 7!), Copenhagen University, academic coordinator ofthe RRE programme in Copenhagen,teacher at the Emergence course.

2. My area of expertise is rather broad: classics, early Christianity, philosophy old and new. Within those areas I have particularly focused on ancient ethics (my first dissertation was on Aristotle’s Ethics, Oxford UP 1983; then I wrote a book on Stoic Ethics, Aarhus UP 1990; then another one in Danish on The Ethical Tradition of Antiquity, Copenhagen 1997) – and then on the relationship between ancient philosophy and the apostle Paul, viewed as a main figure in early Christianity. Here I first focused on the relationship between Paul and Stoic ethics (Paul and the Stoics,Edinburgh/Louisville 2000) and more recently on the relationship between Paul and Stoic physics and cosmology (Cosmology and Self in the Apostle Paul: The Material Spirit, Oxfords UP 2010).My basic scientific interest is to understand the various ancient philosophies I have studied and a figure like Paul too as ‘wholes’ – so that one may then compare them with modern ideas.

3. I find the RRE way of teaching both quite taxing and also very stimulating. It’s wonderfulto work with a group of *very* different students from all over the world. Ifind it extremely important that we actually *meet* live, both at the compactseminars and also at the tutorials and thesis colloquium. I am generally amazedby the interest and dedication of the students.

4. I expect what I mostly get: solid, dedicated work + interest in the fundamental issues of religion asa whole. I also expect (and usually get) an interest in the *comparative*aspect of the study of the ancient religions.

5. This is, of course,an impossible question. I would *not* suddenly make people ‘good’since the fact that human beings are not just good is what gives thefundamental shape to our lives and struggle. Perhaps, however, I *would* instil one more drop of realization in human beings that *greed* is bad for everyone, not least the greedy person him-or herself. (I just finished reading a recent, Swedish ‘thriller’by Arne Dahl called ‘Viskleken’, which means ‘whispering game’.It’s overall theme is the devastating global results of unchecked greed.And Dahl writes very well.)





Troels Lecture

Info of interest, from Lund

While we are in the Swedish mood, here is something that might interest you:


Open Lecture at CTR, Lund:

Tueday , 3 April, at 18.15 in Room 118 at Centre for Theology and Religious Studies,

Ingmar Karlsson, former diplomat (e.g. consul general in Istanbul 2001-2008), research fellow and honorary doctor of divinity at Lund University, will give the second lecture in the series of lectures on Border Crossing between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The lecture is entitled "Alhambra - A Model for 'the European House?", and will be about the coexistence of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in Spain in the Middle Ages, but also about the fascinating and less known Arabic heritage in European culture. A lecture you cannot miss!

The lecture is followed be free refreshments sponsored by Centre for Theology and Religious Studies.