Christopher B. Zeichmann

University of Toronto

New Publications and Indiegogo

Posted by on Tuesday, August 29th, 2017

This summer has been eventful! Two articles I wrote are now in print:

“The Date of Mark’s Gospel Apart from the Temple and Rumors of War: The Taxation Episode (12:13–17) as Evidence.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 79 (2017): 422–437.

“Capernaum: A ‘Hub’ for the Historical Jesus or the Markan Evangelist?” Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus 15 (2017): 147–165.

 

Moreover, I have launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund a new website for the study of the military and the New Testament.  Any contributions would be greatly welcome!

Luckily, nearly all the research is completed for this project!  The issue now is funding the launch of a website for this, Database of Military Inscriptions and Papyri of Early Roman Palestine (DMIPERP).  The website will have lots of neat features:

  • Searchable collection of all known inscriptions and papyri concerning the military and Palestine 63 BC-132 AD, in their original language and English translation. Each will have a bibliography and a brief commentary on its significance.  There are roughly 300 such texts.
  • All inscriptions concerning Christians in the Roman army before Constantine’s reign (306 AD).
  • A map and gazetteer of all military sites in early Roman Palestine, noting when they were used.
  • Cameo essays by experts on how literary sources (Josephus, rabbinic writings, Philo of Alexandria, Tacitus, Eusebius, etc.) can aid the study of the military in early Roman Palestine.
  • Regular updates to include the latest archaeological finds!

Moreover, this will help create materials necessary for my upcoming book, tentatively titled The Roman Army and the New Testament.  This book aims to be both useful for academics and accessible to interested non-specialists – especially ministers, educated laity, and military enthusiasts. The book will cover a range of topics, including the demographics of the military in New Testament times, the role of the military in early Roman Palestine, and discussion of every single instance the military appears in the New Testament.