Session 1 S20-143
Joint Session With: Qumran and Mind, Society, and Religion in the Biblical World
11/20/2016
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: 007D (River Level) – Convention Center (CC)

Theme: Qumran in Mind: Exploring Cognitive Science of Religion and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Jutta Jokiranta, University of Helsinki, Presiding, Introduction (10 min)
Anders Klostergaard Petersen, Department for the Study of Religion, University of Aarhus
The Qumran Texts from a Biocultural Evolutionary Perspective (15 min)
Marcus Tso, Ambrose University and Seminary
Moral Emotions in Qumran Sectarian Literature from a Cognitive Psychological Perspective (15 min)
Maxine Grossman, University of Maryland – College Park
Inferring Holy Perfection in a Wholly Imperfect World: Cognitive Approaches to Perfection Structures in the Dead Sea Scrolls (15 min)
Ari Mermelstein, Yeshiva University
Why Do Religious Communities Transmit Knowledge Through Texts? Literacy at Qumran as Test Case (15 min)
Discussion (80 min)
Anne Katrine Gudme, Københavns Universitet, Panelist
Carol Newsom, Emory University, Panelist
Istvan Czachesz, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Panelist

Session 2 S20-338
11/20/2016
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Bowie B (2nd Level) – Grand Hyatt (GH)

Anne Katrine Gudme, Københavns Universitet, Presiding
Paul Korchin, Briar Cliff University
‘Son of Man’ as a (Failed) Minimally Counterintuitive Concept (25 min)
Discussion (5 min)
Business meeting 30 min
Brigidda Bell, University of Toronto
Signs for unbelievers: signalling theory and the discernment of prophets in early Christ-groups (25 min)
Discussion (5 min)
Sarah Lynn Baker, The University of Texas at Austin
Performing Liminality through the Psalms of Lament (25 min)
Discussion (5 min)
(Business Meeting 30 min)

Session 3 S22-133
Joint Session With: Mind, Society, and Religion in the Biblical World, Ritual in the Biblical World
11/22/2016
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Conference Room 14 (3rd Level) – Marriott Rivercenter (MRC)

Theme: New Books on Cognitive and Ritual Approaches to the New Testament and Early Christianity
This session will discuss two recent publications on cognitive and ritual approaches to the New Testament and Early Christianity: Risto Uro, Ritual and Christian Beginnings (Oxford University Press, 2016) and Istvan Czachesz, Cognitive Science and the New Testament: A New Approach (Oxford University Press, 2016).

Colleen Shantz, Toronto School of Theology, Presiding (5 min)
Richard DeMaris, Valparaiso University, Panelist (20 min)
April DeConick, Rice University, Panelist (20 min)
Daniel Ullucci, Rhodes College, Panelist (20 min)
Risto Uro, University of Helsinki, Respondent (15 min)
Istvan Czachesz, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Respondent (15 min)
Discussion (55 min)