War in Europe

By Birgit Hallmann

At the end of the current semester and in the midst of preparations for the summer semester, Europe finds itself in what for my generation is an unprecedented crisis situation. Our prayers go out to the people of Urkaine, the surrounding regions and Russia "as we place our trust in the Lord and follow His lead in the coming days" (Dr. Tony Twist).

Tübingen, like other parts of Germany, is preparing for the arrival of larger streams of refugees from Urkaine, while students are demonstrating for an end to Russian attacks.

In this time of uncertainty and fear, I am very grateful for the technical achievements of the Corona Pandemic, which allows me to meet online brothers and sisters of TCM and the EES and join them in prayer (e.g. the All staff prayer meeting each Wednesday afternoon and the monthly meetings with EES board Dr. Dennis Lindsay).

Please join us in prayer.

Greetings from Tübingen - review of 2021

by Birgit Hallmann

Review of the past year:

It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of the second year of the pandemic. The constantly changing conditions and restrictions were a great challenge for the Institute and the University. Currently, the access regulations for (unvaccinated) students had to be relaxed again after court cases, but there are still significantly fewer foreign students coming to study in Tübingen than two years ago....

In addition, the director, Beth Langstaff, has been seriously ill and has been unable to work for some time in the past year.

We are very grateful for all the support we have received both from the University (Prof. Tilly) and the many people who have accompanied us in prayer (EES and TCM).

Thanks to this support, we were able to complete the publication of the Symposium Volume on the Lord's Prayer and resume offering the English-German Colloquium f. NT on a weekly basis.

In the process, some of the meetings in the current winter semester also took place in person again, something that many people had greatly missed. At the same time, the good technical basis also made it possible for many participants from other countries to take part in the meetings online.

Some topics of this Semester:

Prof. H.D. Neef : Kritische Lektüre von Irmtraut Fischer, Liebe, Laster, Lust und Leiden. Sexualität im Alten Testament. Theologische Interpretationen 5, Stuttgart 2021

Tom Blanton (Erfurt) : On the Recently Discovered Apotropaic Amulets from Pompeii: Viewing Ritual Objects from the Perspective of „Lived Ancient Religion“.

Ben Nickodemus (Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri): The concept of promise as a central element of Paul’s ethnic argument in Galatians 3-4.

There have also been farewells during 2021 We were very sad to hear the news Vicky Kindt Huxford, wife of Wye Huxford, passing in August 2021. In addition to her other accomplishments, Vicki also served as the EES Director of Operations in the U.S. office for several years.

Visit of EES board member Dr. Dennis Lindsay in Tübingen

by Dennis Lindsay

Dr. Dennis Lindsay at the Institute October 2021

The Institute was very pleased to house EES board member Dennis Lindsay for two weeks in October.

A short report from him:

„For the first time in my role as chair of the EES Board of Directors, I had the pleasure of visiting Tübingen for two weeks at the end of October.  (I had originally planned this visit for the summer of 2020, but we all know what happened to those plans!).  During my visit I was able to spend time in the new Institute facilities (which are VERY nice) and meet with our Institute secretary, Birgit Hallmann, to take care of some pressing business items.  My visit coincided with the start of the Winter Semester at the University so that I was able to attend the first session of our regular English-German New Testament Colloquium which featured an excellent presentation from one of the German theology students here.  I was also able to meet, together with Professor Tilly, the new Dean of the Protestant Faculty, Professor Doctor Weyel.  There were a number of other contacts—both old and new—that I was able to make during my stay in Tübingen, including Professor Hermann Lichtenberger who was so helpful and supportive of our work here in years past.  I am happy to report that our relationship with the University and with the community is as strong as ever.  We owe a great deal of thanks to Institute Director, Beth Langstaff, and to Birgit Hallmann for their diligent service in Tübingen.“

Orbituary Prof. Eberhard Jüngel

by Birgit Hallmann
Beth Langstaff is on medical leave

Orbituary Prof. Eberhard Jüngel
(Sept. 2021 in Tübingen)

Eberhard Jüngel 1996 (right, with hat) at a Symposium with (from left):
Jürgen Moltmann, Dorothee Sölle, Norbert Greinacher, Elisabeth Moltmann-Wendel and Johann Baptist Metz.
Archive picture: Anne Faden (SWT 09/30/2021)

Prof. Eberhard Jüngel died in Tübingen in September 2021.
The Chairman of the Protestant Church in Germany, Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, praised Eberhard Jüngel as "one of the great German theologians of the 20th century".

“His linguistic theology has significantly shaped theologians for several generations. In this formal role, but also through his important church functions as well as many lectures and public discussion forums, Eberhard Jüngel was an important teacher of the church. ”

The chief representative of the Protestants wrote further about Jüngel: “He always insisted that God's nature is not something abstract, but rather lies in relationship; in the love-based relationship among us humans."

Start of the new Wintersemester in Tübingen

by Birgit Hallmann
(Beth Langstaff is still on medical leave)

University of Tübingen:

We are currently preparing for the new winter semester under the coronavirus pandemic. The University has decided that 50% of the courses should take place in person in the classroom, subject to strict regulations.

A first event was an International Symposium, organized by the department “Institute for Ancient Judaism and Hellenistic Religious History” (Prof. M. Tilly). Guests participated via Zoom and the evening lectures were open for registered public.

International Online Symposium 01 to 03, October 2021

Antioch: Early Christian and Diaspora Jewish Identity Formation in the Sphere of Influence of an Ancient Metropolis

Organized by Dr. Daniel Schumann and Fr. Dr. Tanja Forderer from the Institute for Ancient Judaism and Hellenistic Religious History (Prof. M. Tilly).

For more details please contact Daniel Schuman: daniel.schumann@uni-tuebingen.de

English German Colloquium in New Testament

In addition, the University's coronavirus crisis team has just approved a public lecture at the English German Colloquium for New Testament in November. The Institute will likely house Dr. Reinard as our first English/German Colloquium guest this year.

16. November 2021

Dr. Patrick Reinard, University of Trier. “Der Beginn des sog. 'Jüdischen Aufstands' in Trajanischer Zeit“ (Lecture hall, Uni Tübingen).