This field is meant for students who to pursue graduate work at either the M.A. or Ph.D. levels on texts of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament found in either the Jewish or Christian Biblical canons. The subjects covered are Ancient Near Eastern history and institutions from 1500 B.C.E. to 200 B.C.E., ancient historiography and ancient and modern Hebrew Bible interpretation.
Faculty
Fields of interest: Hebrew Bible, Old Testament Studies, Biblical Historiography, Feminist Biblical Studies.
Teaching: Literature of Ancient Israel, Ancient Historiography, Archaeology of Ancient Israel, Women and the Christian Tradition.
Research interests: Oral Narrative Composition and Transmission, Folklore Studies, Historiography in the Biblical Text, Jewish Christian Dialogue, Gender and the Church.
Fields of expertise: Hebrew Bible, Greco-Roman Judaism and Christian Origins.
Teaching and Research: Hebrew Bible (Religion of Ancient Israel / Exilic and Post-Exilic Period / Literature of Ancient Israel / Prophets); Second Temple Period (Apocalypticism, Qumran Scrolls, Pseudepigrapha and Christian Origins in the Greco-Roman Period).
Research interests: Second Temple Period (Qumran Scrolls, Pseudepigrapha and Christian Origins in the Greco-Roman Period); Christian Origins (Pauline Epistles and Theology / Synoptic Gospels and Historical Jesus).
Chair Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies
The first person to occupy what was then called the Chair of Old Testament Language and Literature was R. B. Y. Scott, from 1948-1955. A person of considerable energy and foresight he also holds the title of first Dean of what was then called the Faculty of Divinity a position he held for one year from 1948-1949. Scott is known particularly for his commentary on the Book of Proverbs and his involvement in obtaining certain fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Upon leaving to take up an appointment at Princeton in 1955, Stanley B. Frost was appointed to the Chair. It was during the period of 1956-1975 when he wrote his two best known books in the area of Biblical Studies, one on the Prophets and the other on Apocalypticism. Frost was also Dean of the Faculty of Divinity from 1957-1963 and then Dean of Graduate Studies. In 1975 he chose to resign his position at the Faculty of Religious Studies to become founding director of the Mcgill History project at which point R.C. Culley took the Chair of what was then spoken of as Old Testament Studies. Culley’s work in the area of poetry with particular reference to the Book of Psalms helped to shape the discipline of Old Testament Studies’ understanding of oral composition. In 2000 Culley took early retirement and the chair was then occupied by Patricia G. Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick’s own work in the field has redefined our understanding of oral composition and transmission of ancient biblical narratives especially with regards to the matter of historicity and historical veracity of the biblical text.
In addition to this position there have been since 1964 appointments to the field of Old Testament Studies which have complimented the work of the Chair. The development of a Graduate program in the field of Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Studies & Judaism, Early Judaism / Second Temple Period has only been possible since 1964 when of a minimum of two full time appointments to the field was normalized.
In the past and in addition to these positions there are those in the field of New Testament Studies which help to round out the Area of Biblical Studies. As well as colleagues in the fields of Christian Theology, Church History, Ethics and Comparative Studies which permit a wide range of expertise and therefore interdisciplinary overlap when studying the Biblical text.
M.A. Requirements
Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies
Students are required to show proficiency in Biblical Hebrew which will normally be assessed in terms of their having acquired 12 credits in Biblical Hebrew at the undergraduate level. It is strongly advised that students have at least 6 credits in Biblical Greek, although not required. Students will also normally be required to show evidence of having taken basic course work at the undergraduate level in the historical period of the formation of the Hebrew canon as well as courses in exegetical method.
Course Requirements: Students will be expected to continue work in Biblical Hebrew through a series of advanced seminar work which will enhance their abilities in exegesis, as well as taking more general seminars in the area of Hebrew bible which will be decided upon in consultation with their supervisor.
If necessary, the student will be asked to take a first level course in Biblical Greek.
All students must demonstrate reading competency in one modern foreign language normally by the end of their first year.
All M.A. students are required to take RELG 645 Methods in Religious Studies.
The thesis topic will be determined in consultation with the supervisor and will normally be submitted for approval to the Graduate Policy and Program committee no later than the end of their second term in residence.
All students must obtain a minimum of a B- (65%) in all courses.
Ph.D. Requirements
Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies
Students will normally have completed an M.A. in Hebrew Bible or Old Testament Theology and will have demonstrated an ability to interpret Hebrew Biblical texts both narrative and poetic.
Biblical Aramaic is normally required but where the student has not gained an adequate knowledge of the language s/he will be required to take an advanced level seminar in the language in addition to the required Ph.D. seminars. Students must demonstrate a familiarity with Koine Greek. Students will have reached a reading knowledge of at least one foreign scholarly language. Course Requirements: In addition to the requirements set out in the Graduate studies Manual, students will be expected to continue working on the Biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. All students will be expected to have passed a second scholarly language before sitting the Major comprehensive examination. All students are expected to choose their course of studies in Ph.D.1 and Ph.D.2 in conjunction with their supervisor.
Early Judaism
Students will normally have completed an M.A. in the field or its equivalent and will have demonstrated an ability to interpret the relevant ancient texts of the both narrative and poetic. Biblical Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic are normally required but where the student has not gained an adequate knowledge in any one of these languages s/he will be required to take an advanced level seminar in that language in addition to the required Ph.D. seminars.
Students will have reached a reading knowledge of at least one foreign scholarly language and will be expected to have passed the second scholarly language before sitting the Major comprehensive examination.
Course Requirements: In addition to the requirements set out in the Graduate studies Manuel, students will be expected to continue working on the Biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.
All students are expected to choose their course of studies in Ph.D.1 and Ph.D.2 in conjunction with their supervisor.
Graduate Students
Ph.D. Students
David Anthony Basham (Ph.D. 2017–): Th.M. (Emory), M.A. (Durham), Ph.D. Candidate (McGill). Tony is a 2018 recipient of the Travel Award for McGill Ph.D. Students/Postdocs to the University of Glasgow, UK, and a 2020 recipient of the Dirk Smilde Scholarship from the Qumran Institute at the University of Groningen, NL. He is interested in the negotiation and evolution of ritual during the Second Temple and early Rabbinic periods, specifically as pertains to cultic practice. Tony is writing his dissertation on Paul’s use of cultic metaphors.
Andrew Brockman
Research interests: Hebrew Bible; Pentatuechal Narrative; Deuteronomistic History; Source Criticism
Matheus Grillo R. de Carvalho (Ph.D. 2018-). M.A. in Bible and the Ancient Near East (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Magna Cum Laude). Matheus studies a particular motif that appears in the Judean literature produced during the Second Temple period, that of angel, gods or demons performing actions that resemble ritual. From this particular perspective, he investigates the literary history of Judea and how it reflects broader changes taking place in the Ancient Near East and around the Mediterranean Sea during this time.
Daniel Giorgio, l, Galatians 2 (Ph.D. Thesis, School of Religious Studies McGill University; ABD; co-supervison with Ian Henderson; in progress)
Youngho Jang, (Ph.D. Candidate 2014)
Mathew Kipchumba ,Immigration in Genesis (Ph.D. Thesis, School of Religious Studies McGill University; in progress)
Amanda Rosini (Ph.D. 2016-), in Biblical Studies (McGill). SSHRC 2021 Doctoral Fellowship; FRQSC 2020 Doctoral Fellowship. Co-Editor of ARC (2019-); Co-Editor and Journal Manager of JCREOR (2018-). Co-Lecturer RELG 390D Elementary Biblical Hebrew; Co-Lecturer RELG 203 Bible and Western Culture. Amanda studies the Hebrew Bible and its relation to ancient Near Eastern religions and literature. In particular, her research focuses on the economic and political conditions that prompted the ancient Israelite community to author the Deuteronomic legal narrative. She also examines scriptural texts from the Ancient Near East to determine whether the language of the Assyrian political treaty is an influential factor in the development of the Deuteronomic law code.
M.A.
Shane Dussault, M.A. candidate 2019
Completed M.A.s, S.T.M. and Ph.D.s
Ph.D.
Rowshan Nemazee, The Politics of Heaven: A Feminist Eschatological Reading of Augustine’s City of God 2008
Eliza Rosenberg, Ph.D.. Dissertation: “When Mr. Lamb Took Ms. Jerusalem To Be His Loftily Wedded Wife: Marriage, Slave-Trading, and Violent Justice in Revelation 17-22” Supervisors: †Dean Ellen Bradshaw Aitken; Professor Patricia G. Kirkpatrick
Carla Sulzbach, From Here to Eternity and Back: Locating Sacred Spaces and Temple Imagery in the Book of Daniel (Ph.D. Thesis; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University; completed in 2009)
Sara Parks, Gender in the Rhetoric of Jesus. Women in Q (Ph.D. Thesis; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University; completed in 2015)
Shayna Sheinfeld, Crises of Leadership in the Post-Destruction Apocalypses 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch (Ph.D. Thesis; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University; completed in 2015)
Jean Maurais, The Old Greek Text of Deuteronomy (Ph.D. Thesis; School of Religious Studies McGill University; completed in 2020)
MA
Laurel Andrews, “Contextualizing The Women's Bible: Elizabeth Cady Stanton's approach to "Individualism" and its applications for a contemporary feminist agenda” (M.A. 2016)
Andrew Brockman, The Paranomastic Infinitive in The Creation Story: Translating, וּתמֹות תָּמIN The Yahwist (M.A. 2016)
Elkanah El-Shekari, Philo’s and Paul’s retelling of the Abraham narrative in De Abrahamo and Galatians 3–4 and Romans 4 (M.A. Thesis; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University; completed in 2015)
Danielle Duperreault, “The prophetic wedlock texts, the poetics of origins, and the axiom of natural order 2010.
Nicole Marie Hildebrand, The Language of Creation and the Construction of a New Concept of Theodicy : Job 38-42 2009
Rachel Ko, “The Architectural Phenomenon of ‘Casemate Wall with Abutting Structures at Khirbet Qeiyafa: The archaeology of Architecture and its Implications for Khirbet Qeiyafa’s Identity” (M.A. 2017)
Simon Leblanc, Le Deutéronome, la famille et la transmission de la loi en Israël ancien Creator 2003
David Lemarquand, The Function of King David in the Deuteronomistic History 2010
Sarina Meyer, Aseneth in Alexandria: The Ethics of Wealth in ‘Joseph and Aseneth’ in the Ancient Ascetic Context (M.A. Thesis; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University; completed in 2017)
Shem Miller , The Angel Story: A Study of the Interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4 in the Jewish Literature of the Second Temple period (M.A. Thesis; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University, completed in 2005)
Garth Minott, “Liberation concerns in the Latin American church : Jose Severino Croatto's interpretation and application of Exodus 1-15. “ 2000
Rowshan Nemazee, "Ave Crux, spes unica" : the theology of the cross in the life and works of Edith Stein “ M.A. 2000
James Newman, “A Tale of two Kingships: Royal ideology in Pre-exilic Judah” (2020)
Sara Parks, The Role of Women in 1 and 2 Maccabees (M.A. Thesis; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University, completed in 2005)
Lucie Robathan, "Re-imagining strangeness and welcoming difference: Julia Kristeva, the "stranger", and the UK detention estate" (M.A. 2017)
Amanda Rosini, “Child Sacrifice as metaphor in the Old Testament. 2009
Luke Sommers, “A world in which things are not as they should be: How the Deuteronomistic ideology is reinforced in the book of Judges by the portrayal of women and domestic space.” 2011
Pauline Yee, “The Motherhood of YHWH in Deuttro-Isaiah 42:14 and 49:15 ” (M.A. 2016)
Postdoctoral Fellowships
Eric Bellavance, The Re-Invention of Israelite Identity in the Second Temple Period: A Postcolonial Analysis of the Roles of Ezra and Nehemiah (Postdoctoral Studies; Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University, completed in 2012)