Early Historical Books (Joshua–Kings)

  Sponsors: David Firth and Ralph Hawkins

3:30 to 5:30 pm
11/17/2023
Salon K

The “Early Historical Books (Joshua-Kings)” Research Group is focused on the Old Testament historical books that are set in the pre-exilic period, including the so-called Deuteronomistic history as well as the book of Ruth. Emphasis is placed on historical-cultural and literary-theological approaches to interpretation. With the 2023 annual meeting, we are beginning a three-year program on the theology of the land in these books. Over the three years we intend to look at the theme under the headings of “Land Gained,” “Land Retained” and “Land Lost.” Our hope is to demonstrate that each of these categories can be found across this corpus, and thus to broaden the awareness of the land theme. For 2023, we have an open call for papers on the first heading, “Land Gained.” For more information contact Ralph Hawkins ([email protected]), Ken Way ([email protected]), David Firth ([email protected]), or Jillian Ross ([email protected]).

David Schreiner, Wesley Biblical Seminary, Presiding (5 min)

Allen Hamlin, Jr., Trinity College Bristol
Profile of a Divine Agent: Joshua’s Commissioning for the Land Gain Campaign (20 min)

John F. Klem, College of Arts and Sciences, Regent University
The Contribution of Flight and Chase to the Conquest Narrative: A Genre Study (20 min)

Lissa M. Wray Beal, Wycliffe College, Toronto School of Theology
Contested Land: Considering the Transjordanian Inheritance in the Book of Joshua (20 min)

Cheryl Eaton, Trinity College, Bristol, UK
Faithfulness in the Land Gained: An Intertextual Analysis of Josh 24 (20 min)

Alison K. Hawanchak, Southern Nazarene University
Literary Characterization of the Land: The Land as an Agent of the Divine in Joshua/Judges (20 min)

Discussion (15 min)