CSTT Workshop: Ancient Jewish Cosmology – Sacred Time and Order
École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem, June 15‒16, 2015
CSTT’s Team 4 “Society and Religion in Late Second Temple Judaism” is organising a workshop on Ancient Jewish Cosmology. Cosmology is here broadly understood to deal with the cosmic world order and origin, but also matters related to acknowledging, finding out, and living out this cosmic order in everyday life. The aim is to identify forms and mechanisms of change in the notions and practices relating to Jewish cosmology: the origin, nature, and fate of the universe. Also ritual practices can be related to this theme: e.g., which beliefs are transmitted through ritual practices, prayer and divination; how the understanding of the divine is reflected in the earthly sphere (architecture, collective practices, calendar, correct prayer times, etc.). Cosmology plays a role in the way in which societies structure themselves and communities select and cherish their values and moral systems. Of special interest is the influence of Hellenistic philosophy and practices on Jewish thought.
CALL FOR PAPERS
CSTT invites papers on the above themes by senior and junior scholars and doctoral students alike. The time period and source materials can be various; they do not have to be strictly focused on Late Second Temple-period. All paper proposals should be sent by 30 April 2015 at the latest to jutta.jokiranta@helsinki.fi or elisa.uusimaki@helsinki.fi, with name, institution and abstract. For any questions on participation, please do not hesitate to contact either Jutta Jokiranta or Elisa Uusimäki by e-mail.
Keynote speakers:
| Prof. Wayne Horowitz Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
TBA |
| Dr. Jonathan Ben-Dov University of Haifa |
TBA |
Other papers:
| Eshbal Ratzon The Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas, Tel Aviv University |
“The Path of the Moon in the Astronomical Book” |
| Drew Longacre CSTT, University of Helsinki / W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research |
“The Dominion Mandate in Genesis 9:7” |
| Jeremy Penner CSTT, University of Helsinki |
“Apocalyptic Cosmologies and Prayer at Qumran” |
| Elisa Uusimäki CSTT, University of Helsinki |
TBA |
| Sami Yli-Karjanmaa CSTT, University of Helsinki |
TBA |
Other participants of the workshop include Jutta Jokiranta, Rick Bonnie and Hanne von Weissenberg (CSTT’s Team 2).