Orality, Memory, Rhetoric, Translation, Performance Networking Meeting

at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature

San Diego, CA

November 22, 2019 4:30-6pm

Convention Center 28B (Upper Level East)

An exploration of the relationship between ancient and modern performances with an embodied performance of Ruth 2:1-13

This year’s meeting will concentrate on the presentation of Ruth 2:1-13 in Hebrew, accompanied by a critical group reflection on modern performance experience of ancient texts.

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Reading the Megillot

A Literary and Theological Commentary

by Jeanette Mathews

(Smyth & Helwys, 2023)

The Jewish festival scrolls known as the Megillot is a collection of Old Testament books that recognize that life itself—with all its joys and griefs, successes and failures, achievements and yearnings—can be a key to interpreting Scripture.

In Reading the Megillot, Jeanette Mathews uses her own translations to reimagine each book as a different type of performance: Songs of Songs as a Greek play, Ruth as a miniseries, Lamentations as performance poetry, Ecclesiastes as a television talk show, and Esther as a pantomime. Each script is introduced with historical and literary context and followed by commentary highlighting performative features that shed new light on biblical traditions. These close readings reveal important connections between the books and contemporary issues. Through these scrolls, the drama of human experience becomes a touchpoint for faithful reenactment by new audiences.

  pdf Read Prof. Jane Foulcher's comments at the book launch(179 KB)