Professional Presentations | Public Lectures | Workshops, Courses, & Classes
Making Space: Biblical Storytelling as Social Negotiation, Presidential Address, Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting, SBL, Mount St. Mary’s College, March, 2014.
Facing the End of History: the Akedah under the Shadow of Empire, The Bible and Empire section, International SBL meeting, St Andrew, UK, July 2013.
Conversing with Ruth by Tamara Eskenazi and Tikva Frymer-Kensky, invited review paper, Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures section, SBL, Baltimore, MD, November, 2013.
The Ones Returning: Ruth, Naomi, and Social Negotiation in the Post-Exilic Period, Forced Migration program section, SBL, Chicago, November, 2012
Facing the End of History: Communal Anxiety and the Akedah, Genesis Consultation, SBL, Chicago, November, 2012
Dogs and “Special Providence:” A Response to Ken Stone’s “The Dogs of Exodus and the Question of the Animal,” Drew Trandisciplinary Theological Colloquium, 2011
Reading Structures, Structuring Reading: A Brief Personal History of Reading Genesis, Semiotics and Exegesis section, SBL, 2011
Revealing Oppressive Texts, The Status of Women in the Profession, Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, November, 2010.
No Greater Love: Jonathan and His Friendship with David in Children's Biblical Literature." Society of Biblical Literature, New Orleans, November, 2009
Arresting Children: Biblical Allusion, Modern Iconography, and the Witness of Samuel Bak, The Bible and Art section, Society of Biblical Literature, Boston, MA, November, 2009.
The Children of Israel: Reading the Bible for the Sake of Our Children, panel presentation on my book, Children in the Biblical World section, Society of Biblical Literature, Boston, MA, November, 2009.
From Bak to the Bible: Imagination, Interruption, and Interpretation, keynote presentation at The Interruptive Move: Theology and the Arts Consultation, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning In Theology and Religion, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN, March, 2009.
Suffering Responsibility: Creation, Art, and the Genesis of Ethics,” in the Bible, Theology, and Postmodernity Group (AAR), Washington, DC, 2006.
Covenants, Crucifixions, and Lost Children: Setting Sacred History Under the Sign of Loss, Keynote address to the Southwest Commission on Religious Studies (SW regions of SBL, AAR, Archaeological Society), Irving, TX, March, 2006.
Bak's Impossible Memorials: Giving Face to the Children, joint session of Reading, Theory, and the Bible section, Society of Biblical Literature, and Art and Religion section, American Academy of Religion, Philadelphia, PA, 2005.
The Bible, Bak, and a World in Need of Repair: "Unseamly" Reading After the Holocaust, The Scholars' Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches, Philadelphia, 2005.
The Bible, Bak, and a World in Need of Repair, Reading, Theory, and the Bible section, Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, 2003.
Rape, Reading, and Representation: Feminist Criticism and Genesis 34, Feminist Hermeneutics and Women in the Biblical World sections, Society of Biblical Literature, Toronto, Canada, 2002
Resisting Daniel, Ideological Criticism Section, Society of Biblical Literature, Denver 2001.
Will you dance? On Pedagogy and the Bible, Semiotics and Exegesis Section, SBL, Denver, 2001.
Women on the Inside, Women on the Outside: the Politics of Characterization in Genesis, joint meeting of the Semiotics and Exegesis and the Women in the Biblical World sections, SBL, Boston, 1999.
The Gift: World Alteration and Obligation in 2 Kings 4, Conference on the Bible and Critical Theory, Sydney, Australia, 1999.
Designing Biblical Women: Gustave Doré's Visits to the Well, Semiotics and Exegesis Section, SBL, San Francisco, 1997.
Converging on Babel, Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, St. John's, Newfoundland, 1997.
Babel and Pentecost, (co-authored with the Bible and Culture Collective), Reading, Theory, and the Bible Section, SBL, New Orleans, 1996.
Fleshing Out the Word: Other Women at John's Well, joint session of Semiotics and Exegesis and Reading, Rhetoric, and Hebrew Bible sections, AAR/SBL, Philadelphia, 1995.
Whose Story is This Anyway? Judging the Subject of the Book of Judges, Southwest Regional meeting of the AAR/SBL, Dallas, TX, 1995.
Introducing Students to the Bible: (S)electing Texts, Ideological Criticism Group, AAR/SBL, Chicago, 1994.
Deconstruction and the Book of Judges, Literary Criticism and Biblical Criticism Section, AAR/SBL, Washington, D.C., 1993.
Women Singing, Women Weeping, Women Reading: A Response to Womanist Readings of the Hebrew Bible, African-American Theology and Biblical Hermeneutics Group, AAR/SBL, San Francisco, 1992.
The Construction and Destruction of the Women in Judges, AAR/SBL, Kansas City, 1991.
The Book of Judges: Speaking of Women, Southwest Biblical Studies Seminar, 1991.
Tipping the Balance: Sternberg's Reader and the Rape of Dinah, AAR/SBL, Chicago, 1988.
Controlling Desire: Women, Men and the Authority of Violence in Judges 4 and 5, (co-authored) International Meeting of the SBL, Sheffield, England, 1988.
Against Familiarity: The Women of Judges 4 and 5, Southwestern Regional Meeting of the AAR/SBL, 1988.
A Son is Born to Naomi! Literary Allusion and Interpretation in the Book of Ruth, Southwest Biblical Studies Seminar, 1988.
Sons and Fathers: Reading Belshazzar's Feast Contextually, AAR/SBL, Boston, 1987.
Pillars of Society: Measures of Worth in the Book of Ruth, Southeastern Regional Meeting of the AAR/SBL, 1987.
Response to Norman Gottwald, Biblical Criticism and Literary Criticism section, AAR/SBL, Atlanta, 1986.
A Son is Born to Naomi: Literary Allusion in the Book of Ruth, (co-authored) Southeastern Regional Meeting of the AAR/SBL, 1986.
The Telling of a Tale: A Literary Reading of II Kings 18:13 - 19:37, Southeastern Regional Meeting of the AAR/SBL, 1984.[Top]
Arresting Children: Biblical Allusion, Modern Iconography, and the Witness of Samuel Bak, Boston College, April, 2014.
Representing the Irreparable: The Shoah and the Art of Samuel Bak, the 9th annual Richard J. Yashek Yom HaShoah Memorial Lecture, Albright College, Reading, Pennsylvania, April, 2013.
Seeing Fear on the Heights of Moriah: Communal Anxiety and the Akedah. Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dekota, April, 2010.
The Qu’ran’s Unbinding of the Son: A Response to Walid Saleh, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dekota, April, 2010.
Icon of Loss: The Haunting Child of Samuel Bak. The Florida Holocaust Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida, January, 2010.
Creation, Covenant and Crucifixion: The Art/Work of Repairing the World. Tipple-Vosburgh keynote, Drew Theological School, October, 2009.
From Bak to the Bible: Imagination, Interpretation, and Tikkun Olam, Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire, November, 2009.
Hannah’s Song, Resisting Daniel, and Genesis, Genocide, and the Art of Samuel Bak. Yom Limmud Lecture Series, Houston, TX, 2008
Hannah’s Song, keynote address at the South Central Jurisdiction Clergywomen’s Consultation, Kansas City, Missouri, February, 2007
Reading the Bible for the Sake of Our Children, The 18th Annual Knippa Lecture (series promoting Jewish-Christian dialogue), Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2006.
Genesis, Genocide, and the Art of Samuel Bak, Baylor University, March, 2006.
The Genesis of Identity, Community lecture sponsored by Long Ridge United Methodist Church, Danbury, Connecticut, March, 2006.
Children from the Other Side of the River: The Bible, Violence, and the Making of Strangers, The University of the South: Sewanee, Tennessee, 2005.
Risking Interruption: Reading Religiously in a Post-Modern Age, Keynote lecture, The Tipple-Vosburgh Lecture Series: The Bible: Weapon or Wisdom? Drew University, 2004.
Sacred Spaces, Sacred Traces on the Journey from Here to There, Honors Convocation Lecture, Drew University, 2001
Women at the Well: Excessive Reading and Artistic Imagination, Preaching and Postmodernism Conference, Drew University, Madison, NJ, 2001.
The Children of Israel : Reading the Bible for the Sake of Our Children, (lecture series), Winter Refresher Conference, St. Andrews College, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 2001.
Drawn to the Well: Biblical Women, Excessive Reading, and Artistic Imagination. (Co-presented with Gary A. Phillips) The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, 2000.
Desiring More than Eden : Reading Eve in the 21 st Century, Plenary address, Women's Conference: The Eve of the 21 st Century: Experiencing the Divine Feminine in the New Millennium, Cathedral of Hope, Dallas, TX 1999.
Impersonations of God's Presence: The Call of Rebekah, keynote sermon, The Eve of the 21 st Century: Experiencing the Divine Feminine in the New Millennium, Cathedral of Hope, Dallas, TX 1999.
The Other Woman and the Other Child, Parkin-Wesley College, Alumni Gathering, Adelaide, South Australia, 1999.
The Children Across the River, Parkin-Wesley College, Community Convocation, Adelaide, South Australia, 1999.
Reading Beyond Betrothal: Biblical Women at the Well, Sophia (a Christian Feminist Spirituality Centre), Adelaide, Australia, 1999.
The Children of Israel : Reading the Bible for the Sake of Our Children, (lecture series) Mid-Winter Clergy Convocation, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, January, 1999.
Noah's Ark : Not Just a Story (or Not a Just Story) for Children Anymore, Plenary Address, Laity Week, Perkins School of Theology, March, 1998.
Abraham's Other Woman, Phi Theta Kappa and the United Christian Fellowship Spring Lecture Series, Navarro College, Corsicana, TX, February, 1998.
The Children of Israel, The Lake Street Preaching Series, Eau Claire, WS, 1997.
Water From the Well: Crossing the Testamental Divide, Fondren Lecture, Ministers Week, Perkins School of Theology, 1997.
Images of Women in the First Testament, Godbey Lecture Series, Southern Methodist University, 1996.
The Woman in the Web and Women at the Well: From Story to Story, From Story to Picture, Women in Ministry Week, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, 1996.
Lo and Behold! Scandal, Scripture, and the Surprising Ways of God, The P'Pool Lectures, Ridgewood Park United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX, 1996.
Debt and Debt Forgiveness in the Biblical Traditions, The Southwest Bankruptcy Institute (legal conference addressing the need for reform in the U.S. bankruptcy legal code) Dallas, TX, 1994.
Women, Power, and Promise, Address to the Southwest Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women, Dallas, TX, 1993.
Keeping the Promise: The Stories of Abraham and Sarah, Ruth, Tamar, and Rahab, The Barton-Clinton Lectures, The Boston Avenue Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1993.
Gender and the Garden: New Trends in Feminist Criticism, Women in Ministry Luncheon, North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Arlington, TX, 1992.
When There's No Good News: On Telling Sad (Biblical) Stories, Perkins Alumni Dinner, Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, Shreveport, Louisiana, 1992.
New Trends in Feminist Theology, The Oreon C. Scott Lectures, Phillips Graduate Seminary, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1992.
Story and Meaning in Old Testament Literature, Godbey Lecture Series, Southern Methodist University, Fall, 1990.
The People in the Book: Characters and Characterization in the First Testament, Perkins Alumni Breakfast, Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, 1990.
Feminist Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible: Affirmation, Resistance, and Transformation, SMU-Dallas Lecture Series, 1990.
Keeping the Promise: Another Look at Abraham and Sarah, Conference of the Professions (legal, medical, clerical), Dallas, TX, 1990.
Into the Fire: Faith and Politics in Daniel 3, Perkins Alumni Banquet, Northwest Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Lubbock, TX, 1989.
Divine Calls, Human Responses: Another Look at Abraham and Sarah, Ministers' Week Address, Perkins School of Theology, 1988.[Top]
Church and Community Workshops, Courses, and Classes
Esther, Ishtar, and Easter, or Scripture, Satire, and Survival, Drew Seminary Saturday, April, 2014.
Esther, Ishtar, and Easter, or Scripture, Satire, and Survival, The School of Theology for the Laity, sponsored by Brite Divinity School, Dallas, TX, March, 2013.
The Ones Returning: Ruth, Naomi, and Immigration Anxiety in Ancient Israel, Drew Seminary Saturday, October, 2012.
More than the Love of Women: Jonathan and his Friendship with David in Text, Tradition, and Contemporary Teaching, Drew Seminary Saturday, October, 2011.
Samuel Bak and the Bible (gallery talk), Kristallnacht Conference, The Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study, Drew University, 2009.
Princess and the Stranger: Sarah and Hagar, Drew Seminary Saturday, 2009.
Tipple-Vosburgh (Drew Alumnae/Minister’s Week) workshops:
Preaching the Global Bible
Beauty and Brokenness: the Art of Samuel Bak
The Bible’s Wounded Storyteller: Spirituality in the Hebrew Bible
Shabbat Torah Study, T'Tzaveh: Exodus 27:20 - 30:10, Shaar HaShalom, Houston, TX, 2008.
Abortion and the Bible, Adult Forum, St. John 's Episcopal Church, Boonton, NJ, 2006.
Hannah's Song, Adult Forum, The Boston Avenue Church (UMC), Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2006.
Reading the Bible for the Sake of our Children. Sermon series, UMC Clergy Conference, Little Rock, Arkansas, 2004.
Interrupting Our Reading: Biblical Violence against Children. Adult Forum Series, St. Peters Episcopal Church, Morristown, NJ, 2004.
Hagar, Adult Forum, Christ Church, Summit, NJ, 2003.
The Plenetude and Politics of Scripture: Reading Responsibly in the 21st Century, (lecture series); LaCrosse Area Synod of the Lutheran Church, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, 2000.
Why Read Leviticus? Lay Academy, LaCrosse Area Synod of the Lutheran Church, 2000.
Murder in the Toilet: Dealing with Violence in the Scripture, United Methodist Lay Academy, Anchorage, Alaska, 2000.
The Old Testament as the Church's Book: Readers and Responsibility, Clergy Workshop, Uniting Church, Adelaide presbytery, Adelaide, Australia, 1999.
Preaching all of Abraham's Story, Clergy Workshop, Uniting Church,Wakefield Presbytery, South Australia, 1999.
Biblical Characters, Contemporary Readers, and Ministerial Responsibility, Clergy Workshop, Uniting Church, Murray Bridge presbytery, South Australia, 1999.
Compromising Redemption: Reading the Biblical Book of Ruth, Clergy and Lay Workshop, Uniting Church, Frome presbytery, South Australia, 1999.
Visualizing the Bible: Biblical Women and Artistic Imagination, Sophia (a Christian Feminist Spirituality Centre), Adelaide, Australia, 1999.
The Women of Genesis, Women's Retreat, First United Methodist Church, Austin, TX, 1999.
Reading the Bible in a Violent World, Clergy Seminar, Luther Seminary, January, 1999.
When a Man Meets a Woman: Reading at the Crossroads of Biblical Narrative, Clergy and Lay continuing education course, (sponsored by Iliff School of Theology) Ring Lake Ranch, Wyoming, 1998.
The Ethics of Biblical Interpretation, Clergy Workshop, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 1997.
The Development of the Concept of God in the Old Testament, Highland Park UMC, Dallas, TX, 1996.
Holy War and Bloody Murder: Dealing with Violence in the First Testament, The School of Theology for the Laity, the Disciples of Christ, 1996.
Women at the Well: Romance, Redemption, and the Reading Process, In Search of Wisdom Laity Week, Perkins School of Theology, 1996.
Women of Vision: Our Biblical Legacy, United Methodist Women's Retreat, Wichita Falls, TX, 1996.
Women at the Well, Women in Ministry Retreat, Oklahoma Conference of the UMC, 1995.
The Old Testament as the Church's Book: Readers and Responsibility, Ministers' Week, Oklahoma Conference of the UMC, 1995.
Reading Old Testament Narrative, North Louisiana Clergy Conference, UMC, 1995.
The Old Testament as the Church's Scripture, Lovers Lane UMC, Dallas, TX, 1995.
Storytelling in the Bible, First United Methodist Church, McKinney, TX, February, 1995.
Revisiting the Garden: Response and Responsibility, Ministers' Week Workshops, Perkins School of Theology, February, 1995.
Reading the Bible in a Multicultural Context, National Guild of Organists, Dallas, 1994.
The Book of Ruth, First Presbyterian Church, Allen, TX, January - May, 1994.
The Women of Genesis, Perkins Laity Week, 1994.
Crisis, Compromise, and the Sovereignty of God: Religion and Politics in the Book of Daniel, Conference on Ministry, Little Rock, AK, 1994.
Crossing the Border: Relating Redemption in the Book of Ruth, The Kansas Area School for Ministers, Hutchinson, KS, 1993.
Crossing the Border: Relating Redemption in the Book of Ruth, The School of Theology for the Laity, (Disciples of Christ), Dallas, TX, 1993.
Women, the Bible, Theology, and the Church, Northhaven UMC, Dallas, TX, 1992.
Reading as a Woman: the Book of Genesis, Temple Shalom, Richardson, TX, 1992.
Reading Biblical Narrative: The Book of Ruth, Perkins Laity Week, 1991.
The Bible and Sexual Violence, Southern Methodist University, Sponsored by the Women's Resource Center, 1990.
Love, Loyalty, and Violence: Women and Men in the Hebrew Bible, First Presbyterian Church, Columbus, GA, 1988.[Top]
