Sexual (Im)Morality in Early Christianity
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DAVID LAIRD Berea, Kentucky, where he graduated DUNGAN from high school in 1953. He earned (1936– a Bachelor of Arts degree from The 2008) was College of Wooster in 1957, a Bachelor Distinguished of Divinity degree from McCormick Professor of Seminary in Chicago in 1963, and the Humanities a Doctor of Theology degree from and emeritus Harvard Divinity School in 1968. A professor prolific scholar, Professor Dungan of religious was perhaps best known for two studies at the publications: A History of the Synoptic University Problem: The Canon, the Text, the of Tennessee. During his tenure at UT Composition, and the Interpretation of from 1967 through 2002, Dungan was a the Gospels (Doubleday 1999) and his Distinguished Lindsay Young Professor, co-edited work, The International Bible a founding member of the Institute for Commentary (Liturgical Press 1998). the Renewal of Gospel Studies, and His most recent book was Constantine’s winner of the Thomas Jefferson Faculty Bible: Politics and the Making of the Prize at UT in 2000. He passed away New Testament (Augsburg Fortress suddenly on November 30, 2008. Publishers 2006). He specialized in the study of the A full list of his publications can be New Testament and Early Christianity found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_ THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES PRESENTS and was a leading scholar of the Laird_Dungan. THE DAVID L. DUNGAN MEMORIAL LECTURE SERIES Synoptic Problem. In the classroom, he established a reputation as an The David L. Dungan Memorial Lecture inspirational and provocative teacher Fund was established in 2010 to honor of courses in biblical literature, church Professor Dungan’s achievements, history, images of Jesus, environmental diverse interests, and positive impact Sexual (Im)morality studies, and the legacy of the Vietnam on students’ lives. The fund provides War. He frequently spoke on these support for an annual lecture on campus issues to religious communities in that features an eminent scholar who the Knoxville area. specializes in early Christianity, and in Early Christianity the resources for studying early As a member of the research team Christianity or contemporary religious of the International Institute for issues of concern to Professor Gospel Studies, he shared his original Dungan, such as the environment, scholarship on New Testament sources war and peace, missions, and the Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 5:30 PM and interpretations with scholars and future of liberal Christianity. The public audiences throughout the world. inaugural David L. Dungan Memorial Alumni Memorial Building, Cox Auditorium His reputation and standing in the Lecture was presented by Professor scholarly community reflected well on Bart Ehrman in 2011. Speakers in years the Department of Religious Studies and following include Jeff Sharlet (2012), religiousstudies.utk.edu the university. He taught by invitation at Paula Fredriksen (2013), Bron Taylor the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome (2014), Amy-Jill Levine (2015), and in 1976 and 1977 and again in 2006. Jonathan L. Walton (2016). The son of Presbyterian missionaries, Dungan Memorial Lecture Fund: Dungan was born in New Haven, religion.utk.edu/giving/dunganfund.php Connecticut, and lived in Shanghai, China, until 1940. Later he moved to The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs andservices. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. A project of the Department of Religious Studies with assistance from the Office of Communications in the UT College of Arts and Sciences. xxx-xxx-xxx-xx JOB 16-084-1 Sexual (Im)morality in Early Christianity PROGRAM When Paul and other early Christian authors condemned sex acts OPENING REMARKS and desires as “porneia,” what counted as sexual immorality for Rosalind I. J. Hackett the authors of the New Testament and early Christianity? Only Professor and Head “fornication” (that is, sex outside marriage)? Or many other actions UT Department of Religious Studies that modern conservative Christians think are perfectly permissible, as long as they are performed in the “marriage bed”? In his talk, Martin WELCOME argues that the ancient Christian (and Jewish) authors condemned Robert Hinde many more actions than modern conservative Christians, including UT Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor many desires modern Christians consider perfectly acceptable. SPEAKER INTRODUCTION Tina Shepardson Lindsay Young Professor of Religious Studies SPEAKER: DALE B. MARTIN ~ Woolsey Professor of Religious Studies DALE B. MARTIN Yale University Woolsey Professor of Religious Studies Yale University Dale B. Martin specializes in New Testament and Christian origins, including attention to “Sexual (Im)morality in Early Christianity” social and cultural history of the Greco-Roman world. He is the author of six books and several articles on topics QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION related to the ancient family, gender and sexuality in the ancient world, and ideology of modern biblical scholarship. Martin was an RECEPTION associate editor for the revision and expansion of the Encyclopedia of Religion, published in 2005. He has held fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany), the Lilly Foundation, the Fulbright Commission (USA-Denmark), and the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. He is a fellow of the American Academy of - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Arts and Sciences (elected 2009). The Department of Religious Studies would like to thank these program co-sponsors: UT College of Arts and Sciences UT Departments of Classics, English, History, and Philosophy UT Humanities Center UT Middle East Studies program TIMES - Tennessee Initiative for Middle East Studies.