Then and Now
Yesterday I found some time to drop in on part of a conference on Finance in Religious Law. While unfortunately I was unable to attend to the entire conference, it seemed that much of it revolved around one particular issue: usury or the charging of … [Continue reading] about Religion and Finance: Reflections
What if the Christian Bible emerged not from a long and murky process that involved the bishops, backed by imperial authorities, beating down challenges that they deemed "heretical" but in a kinder, gentler way? Say, a synod to which those very … [Continue reading] about An Alternative Canon: Part I
The ASOR Blog has published my note on my stay last year at the W. F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research as the Seymour Gitin Distinguished Professor. It can be read here. Please excuse the picture. … [Continue reading] about Project Note on Jewish Popular Piety
I have found myself at a delicate nexus this week. I facilitated a faculty discussion on active learning; prepared a draft of a proposal to teach a MOOC through Brown; helped my oldest son to submit his college application; and, of course, … [Continue reading] about Teaching and Vulnerability
Few biblical phrases have been as thoroughly parodied as the "goring ox." In fact, the entire ox-thing that the Bible has going is, for many, an ongoing source of amusement and puzzlement. Why does such a great, lofty, and divine text spend so much … [Continue reading] about The Goring Ox