SBL Reflections I

Well I arrived home today and was greeted by typical, Northeast Ohio snow. It was an interesting end to a very interesting SBL 2008. I actually hope to have a chance to come back to Boston during the non-winter months; it seemed like a great city.

Some of personal highlights was having a good conversation with John Barclay of Durham University about the possibility of PhD work there in the not so distant future. Moreover, his paper in the Pauline Soteriology section entitled "I Will Have Mercy on Whom I Will Have Mercy: Paul and Other Jews on Grace in the Desert," was fascinating and seemed to coincide with interests I have in a possible dissertation project.

Another highlight on meeting with a scholar was having a chance to chat with Ross Wagner of Princeton Theological Seminary. He, too, was very encouraging and seemed to take an interest in my idea for doctoral research. It was from him, that I heard about the above-mentioned Pauline Soteriology section, inviting me to come.

The last thing I will mention on this post is that I shared a room with two outstanding guys, Justin Dombrowski, a PhD student in classics from Columbia University, and Daniel Kirk of Sibboleth fame and the man who has finally 'unlocked Romans.' I had a great time with them both, and I know you will be hearing their names for many years to come in their respective fields.

I'll have more to say on subsequent posts in the days to come.