Baker Academic

Monday, December 14, 2015

New editors for Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus



As of roughly now (i.e. this is the transition period), Anthony Le Donne and I will be the new editors of JSHJ, replacing Bob Webb. Bob founded the journal (the first volume was in 2001) and edited ever since. During this time, he made it one of the leading journals in the field. Bob had (and has) important connections throughout historical Jesus studies and, quite unusually for the time when it was founded, was openly working across the famous factional divides. He has also promoted some of the newer trends in historical Jesus studies during his time as editor (most notably from my perspective, some of the metacritical approaches). Put another way, it is all there for us two to fail.

Obviously, editors have their own interests and maybe, in out own ways, both of us will intentionally and unintentionally encourage more people working in our own sub-fields of historical Jesus studies to submit to the journal. In a similar vein, there should also be a few more additions to the editorial board who will be confirmed shortly. However, this is a journal for the study of the historical Jesus and the principle will remain the same: submissions to the journal will be peer reviewed like any other, irrespective of the perspective of the author. The overarching criterion will be that the article should be a piece of academic research in the field (broadly defined). This is the summary of the scope of the journal:
The Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus provides an international forum for the academic discussion of Jesus within the context of first-century Palestine. The journal is accessible to all who are interested in how this complex topic has been addressed in the past and how it is approached today. The journal investigates the social, cultural and historical context in which Jesus lived, discusses methodological issues surrounding the reconstruction of the historical Jesus, examines the history of research on Jesus and explores how the life of Jesus has been portrayed in the arts and other media. The Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus presents articles and book reviews discussing the latest developments in academic research in order to shed new light on Jesus and his world. 

So, if your academic historical Jesus interests involve methodology, philology, criteria, memory, metacriticism, archaeology, history of scholarship, Galilee, purity, millenarianism, historiography, anthropology, cultural history, social history, political history, economic history, history of ideas, cross-cultural approaches, parables, historicity (or not), violence, non-violence, reception or whatever else that might be relevant, why not send an article along...?

4 comments:

  1. Allow me to reiterate Dr. Crossley's admiration of Bob Webb and invitation to our readers to consider this journal for all submissions related to Jesus and history.

    Let me also say that James is the first among equals here: Rightful Overlord, Emperor of the Lone Islands, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Journal.

    I look forward to working with him.

    -anthony

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  2. Halleluya! Finally Social Memory will be taken seriously in Historical Jesus scholarship. You Historical Jesus scholars not engaging with Social Memory: be warned, your days are numbered :)

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  3. James and Anthony, I am so pleased that you have taken on this task. As you know (and I want the readers of this blog to know), that you both were my first choice for this role. I know that JSHJ is in great hands and will go from strength to strength. You both have my full support and that of the Editorial Board.

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