Rhetoric and Early Christianity

Call For Papers: The Rhetoric and New Testament Section fosters research centered on the arts of persuasion, broadly conceived, as they intersect with the study of the New Testament and early Christian worlds. This section acknowledges that, given our current socio-political climate and discursive landscape, the study of rhetoric and biblical literature is as highly relevant as ever. To this end, we call for proposals centering on several themes at the 2021 annual meeting. All approaches to the study of rhetoric and the New Testament will be considered. Proposals that focus on the question of why the study of rhetoric and the New Testament matters now will be particularly welcome. FIRST: We seek proposals concerning “rhetorics of self-promotion.” How, on what terms, for whom, and to what ends are such discourses persuasive or not persuasive? For this session, we are especially interested in papers that consider the interplay of ancient and modern discourses, contexts, and deployments. SECOND: We seek proposals concerning “rhetoric in/and early Christian scriptural interpretation.” THIRD: We will host a review session of L. Larsen and S. Rubenson, eds., Monastic Education in Late Antiquity: The Transformation of Classical Paideia (Cambridge, 2018); participants for this session have been invited. FINALLY, as usual we invite proposals dealing with various aspects of the intersection of the study of rhetoric and the New Testament, with special attention given to paper proposals that front the ways in which rhetorical studies and criticisms inform the interpretive task.

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