Lived Scriptures: Launch Event with Prof. Marianne Bjelland Kartzow

The research project Lived Scriptures in Late Antiquity, funded by the Academy of Finland for the period of 2018-2022 and led by Outi Lehtipuu, is officially launched on 25 January 2019, with Professor Marianne Bjelland Kartzow (University of Oslo). Professor Kartzow is one of the project’s international advisory board members.

The project Lived Scriptures examines the use and interpretation of 'biblical texts' in Late Antiquity when there was no 'Bible' and the level of literacy was low. The project asks in what various ways the ancients related to authoritative texts, how these ways shaped what they understood as biblical, and how the texts may have influenced their lives. The focus is on three interrelated phenomena: asceticism, martyrdom, and miracle-making. For more, see here.

Marianne Bjelland Kartzow (University of Oslo) is an expert on New Testament literature and ancient social history. She has applied several innovative methodological approaches in her studies of early Christianity, including intersectional and reception historical analyses. Her research interests include New Testament exegesis, interpretative issues, gender theory, intersectionality, slavery, ancient social history (“everyday life”), and biblical reception.

In the launch event, Outi Lehtipuu will introduce the project and two project members, Vilja Alanko and Susanna Asikainen, present their work in it. Prof. Marianne Kartzow will respond to these presentations from the perspective of her own research. The presentations are followed by a general discussion with a toast of sparkling wine.

The event takes place on Friday, 25 January 2019, at 3 PM at the Faculty of Theology (Faculty Hall, Fabianinkatu 24, 5th floor). No registration is required. The programme is loosely following:
 
15.15 Outi Lehtipuu, Lived Scriptures in Late Antiquity – Words of Welcome
15.20 Susanna Asikainen, Female Characters in Biblical Reception
15.30 Vilja Alanko, Mothers and Daughters in early Christian Hagiography
15.40 Marianne Kartzow,  Illiterate Bodies and Imaginary Scripture? Biblical Reception, Gender and Authority
16.00 A toast of sparkling wine, followed by comments, questions, discussion (the event ends by 16.30)

All are warmly welcome!