Tag Archives: Elisa Uusimäki

Video: Cultural Evolution and the Biblical World

How does the concept of cultural evolution relate to biblical studies? Elisa Uusimäki, a post-doctoral researcher from CSTT team 4, produced an interview about the topic to the European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS) digital video platform Scholars’ Corner. The interview features Petri Luomanen (University of Helsinki), his team, and Armin Geertz (Aarhus University). You can watch the interesting 30 minutes interview below.

Description from the EABS website: “Prof. Petri Luomanen, Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Culture and Literature at the University of Helsinki, tells us about his current research project ‘Early Christianity in Cultural Evolution’, funded by the Academy of Finland. We’ll begin with a review of Prof. Luomanen’s academic journey so far, learning how his doctoral and postdoctoral research eventually led him to analyse early Christianity in a social-scientific framework. We’ll also meet Luomanen’s research group and hear about the types of added value that the project on cultural evolution has given to the careers of the team members. Finally, Prof. Armin Geertz (Aarhus University), one of the advisory board members of Luomanen’s project, shares his thoughts on the relevance of cultural evolutionary and bio-cultural approaches to the study of religion.”

Promootio kokosi huippuyksikköläisiä juhlimaan

Teologisen tiedekunnan tohtoripromootio järjestettiin perjantaina 9.6.2017. Tohtoreiden, kunniatohtoreiden ja 50 vuotta sitten väitelleiden riemutohtoreiden kunniaksi järjestettävä promootio on korkein yliopistollinen juhlatilaisuus. Tänä vuonna promootion juhlallisuutta lisäsivät samaan vuoteen osuneet Suomi 100 -juhlavuosi sekä reformaation 500-vuotismerkkivuosi. Continue reading Promootio kokosi huippuyksikköläisiä juhlimaan

Scriptural Interpretation and Research Cooperation within Helsinki’s Centres of Excellence

By Anna-Liisa Tolonen & Elisa Uusimäki

The two Centres of Excellence at the Faculty of Theology – Changes in Sacred Texts and Traditions and Reason and Religious Recognition – are characteristically interdisciplinary. Thus, the research conducted should not only be of high quality within specific disciplines, but also reflective of cooperation that breaks down boundaries between fields. Having both of these goals as our aims, we should strive to deepen and broaden our notions of, for example, historical phenomena, philosophical concepts, or the meanings of “holy scriptures” within ever-changing religious traditions. Continue reading Scriptural Interpretation and Research Cooperation within Helsinki’s Centres of Excellence

New Book: “Turning Proverbs towards Torah” (Brill, 2016)

In Tuntitledurning Proverbs towards Torah, Elisa Uusimäki offers the first monograph on the early Jewish wisdom text 4Q525 from Qumran. Following the reconstruction of the fragmentary manuscript, Uusimäki analyses the text with a focus on the reception and renewal of the Proverbs tradition and the ways in which 4Q525 illustrates aspects of Jewish pedagogy in the late Second Temple period. She argues that the author was inspired by Proverbs 1-9 but sought to demonstrate that true wisdom is found in the concept of torah. He also weaved dualistic elements and eschatological ideas into the wisdom frame. The author’s intention, Uusimäki argues, is to form the audience spiritually, encouraging it to trust in divine protection and blessings that are bestowed upon the pious.

READERSHIP:
All interested in wisdom texts (esp. the Proverbs tradition), Jewish pedagogy in the second temple era, Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient scriptural interpretation, identity construction in early Judaism, and material reconstruction.

For more information see http://www.brill.com/products/book/turning-proverbs-towards-torah

 

Elisa Uusimäelle Suomen Akatemian tutkijatohtorirahoitus

Suomen Akatemian kulttuurin ja yhteiskunnan tutkimuksen toimikunta myönsi TT Elisa Uusimäelle kolmivuotisen tutkijatohtorirahoituksen. Tutkijatohtorin tehtävän rahoituksen tavoitteena on mahdollistaa lupaavimpien, äskettäin tohtorin tutkinnon suorittaneiden nuorten tutkijoiden pätevöityminen ja itsenäistyminen ammattitutkijoiksi.
Continue reading Elisa Uusimäelle Suomen Akatemian tutkijatohtorirahoitus