News from the Religious Studies Chair May 2016
2016 President's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning, Publications, Conference Papers and Invited Talks, Graduate Student Publications and Presentations, Alumni News
May 31, 2016
The weekend drew to a close with a dinner on Saturday evening. Guests at the reception were entertained by our house band, the ever-popular Ian Koiter Trio. There was much mingling and warm conversation. After dinner, guests were able to enjoy desserts and coffee in the beautiful Great Hall of the University Club. Overall, it was a wonderful weekend of celebration and connection.
2016 President's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning
Philippa Carter was selected as a 2016 recipient of this award. The award consists of a citation of excellence and certificate that will be presented at Convocation on Wednesday June 15. Also, Philippa's name will be inscribed on a permanent plaque in Gilmour Hall. Congratulations Philippa on this much-deserved award! All of us know first-hand just how much Philippa does for her students every day. It is truly wonderful to see her dedication to Teaching and Learning marked by the University in this way
Publications
Conference Papers and Invited Talks
James Benn, "Creating a Tea Aesthetic in Tang Dynasty Poetry," Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
"Buddhism and the Arts of Tea in Tang times," Symposium on Tang Cosmopolitianism, Art Gallery of New South Wales.
"Tea, Wellness, and Beverage Culture in Song Dynasty China—Perspectives from the City and the Monastery," Australian National University, Canberra.
Graduate Student Publications and Presentations
Matthew Pawlak (MA student, Biblical) spoke on "Longing to Serve: The Eroticism of Aseneth's Desire for Slavery in Light of Comparable Expressions in Ancient Greek Novels" at the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies.
Alumni News
Richard Last (MA McMaster; PhD Toronto) is now a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at York University. We writes to bring us up to date with some of his publications from this year:The Pauline Church and the Corinthian Ekklēsia: Greco-Roman Associations in Comparative Context. Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series 164. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016.
“The Neighborhood (vicus) of the Corinthian Ekklēsia: Beyond Family-Based Descriptions of the First Urban Christ-Believers.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 38.4 (2016): 399-425.
“The Other Synagogues.” Journal for the Study of Judaism 47.2 (2016): 1-34.
“House. Greco-Roman Antiquity.” In Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception. Volume 12. Edited by Christine Helmer et al. Berlin and New York: de Gruyter, 480-3.
And Finally...
Thanks for reading May's News from the Chair. This will be my last "News" as my five-year term as Chair ends on June 30. Please welcome Daniel Machiela as your new Chair.
James A. Benn
Outgoing Chair