S. Scott Bartchy
Encyclopedia
S. Scott Bartchy is a New Testament
scholar and member of the The Context Group
, a group of biblical scholars committed to using social-scientific interpretative methods. As a senior lecturer with security of employment, Bartchy serves as Professor of Christian Origins and the History of Religion in the Department of History, University of California, Los Angeles
, where he has taught since 1981. At UCLA, Bartchy was integral to the founding of the Center for the Study of Religion and served as its director for many years. Under his leadership, the Center began offering UCLA's first undergraduate major in religious studies.
in the 1950s, where he majored in Social Science and Religious Studies
and minored in Hellenistic Greek. Bartchy states that it was at this liberal-arts Christian school in east Tennessee
where he had a religious awakening. He retells an account of preaching at a local church while attending Milligan:
Bartchy graduated Milligan College in 1958 cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts
. Not long after his time at Milligan, he was ordained to teaching ministry in the First Christian Church, Canton, Ohio (December 1959).
He earned his Bachelor of Theological Knowledge (M.Div. equivalent) at Harvard Divinity School
(1963) and his Ph.D. in New Testament at Harvard University
(1971). His advisors while at Harvard were Helmut Koester
, Krister Stendahl
, Glen Bowersock
, and John Strugnell
. Among other notable New Testament
scholars, he attended Harvard with the late David M. Scholer of Fuller Theological Seminary
, with whom he remained a close friend for several decades.
In the late 1960's and the 1970's, Bartchy taught in the internationally-renowned theological faculty of the University of Tübingen, Germany, and directed the Institut zur Erforschung des Urchristentums there. Bartchy also taught New Testament studies with Emmanuel School of Religion
, and later joined the efforts of the Westwood Christian Foundation in establishing a resident New Testament scholar at UCLA:
Bartchy's courses on Christian origins have consistently remained popular choices among upper division undergraduate students, enrolling well over 100 students each time it is offered. Bartchy has also spearheaded a graduate program in Christian origins.
Bartchy is also a current Board member of the Academy of Judaic, Christian, and Islamic Studies.
Bartchy is also a professional jazz pianist, playing with The Scott Bartchy Quartet. He has also been noted for his commitment to renewable energy, particularly in the building of his "earthship
" home in Southern California.
More recently, Bartchy has focused his attention particularly upon gender roles and ancient patriarchy. His research in this area will be further published in his forthcoming work, Call No Man Father.
Bartchy’s former doctoral advisees from UCLA include Rick Talbot (Associate Professor of and Department Chair for Religious Studies at CSUN) and Joseph H. Hellerman (Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Biola University
). Both of these former students bear marks of Scott Bartchy in their work through social history within Christian origins, particularly in family and gender issues.
and Politics Sections of the Society of Biblical Literature, November 22, 2008.
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
scholar and member of the The Context Group
The Context Group
The Context Group is a working group of international biblical scholars who promote research into the Bible using social-scientific methods such as anthropology and sociology...
, a group of biblical scholars committed to using social-scientific interpretative methods. As a senior lecturer with security of employment, Bartchy serves as Professor of Christian Origins and the History of Religion in the Department of History, University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, where he has taught since 1981. At UCLA, Bartchy was integral to the founding of the Center for the Study of Religion and served as its director for many years. Under his leadership, the Center began offering UCLA's first undergraduate major in religious studies.
Biography
Bartchy attended Milligan CollegeMilligan College
Milligan College is a Christian liberal arts college founded in 1866 and located immediately outside of Elizabethton in Carter County, Tennessee, United States. The school has a student population of just over 1,100 students as well as a campus that is located just minutes from downtown Johnson City...
in the 1950s, where he majored in Social Science and Religious Studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
and minored in Hellenistic Greek. Bartchy states that it was at this liberal-arts Christian school in east Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
where he had a religious awakening. He retells an account of preaching at a local church while attending Milligan:
I had some great teachers that one year and I was preaching at a church full of farmers, mostly, in the early sixties when the Cold WarCold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
had really set in. People were holding Christ Against Communism Crusades and things like this. So, the elders in my church asked me if I would preach a sermon against communismCommunismCommunism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. I was still idealistic enough that I thought I’d rather preach for something rather than against something so I literally stumbled over Matthew 25. I had never paid much attention to it before. I had never heard a sermon on it. I had gone to church-related undergraduate schools and had never heard of this passage before. So, I decided to preach on that text and the elders and the rest of the people came to me and said they had no idea that was in the Bible. I never did preach that sermon against communism.
Bartchy graduated Milligan College in 1958 cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
. Not long after his time at Milligan, he was ordained to teaching ministry in the First Christian Church, Canton, Ohio (December 1959).
He earned his Bachelor of Theological Knowledge (M.Div. equivalent) at Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
(1963) and his Ph.D. in New Testament at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(1971). His advisors while at Harvard were Helmut Koester
Helmut Koester
Helmut Koester is a German-born American scholar of the New Testament and currently Morison Research Professor of Divinity and Winn Research Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School. He teaches courses at both the Divinity School and at Harvard Extension School, and was the...
, Krister Stendahl
Krister Stendahl
Krister Stendahl was a Swedish theologian and New Testament scholar, and Church of Sweden Bishop of Stockholm. He also served as professor and professor emeritus at Harvard Divinity School.-Life:...
, Glen Bowersock
Glen Bowersock
Glen Warren Bowersock is a contemporary American scholar of the ancient world and the history of ancient Greece, Rome and the Near East.-Biography:...
, and John Strugnell
John Strugnell
John Strugnell, was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, UK. At the age of 23 he became the youngest member of the team of scholars led by Roland de Vaux, formed in 1954 to edit the Dead Sea Scrolls in Jerusalem...
. Among other notable New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
scholars, he attended Harvard with the late David M. Scholer of Fuller Theological Seminary
Fuller Theological Seminary
Fuller Theological Seminary is an accredited Christian educational institute with its main campus in Pasadena, California and several satellite campuses in the western United States...
, with whom he remained a close friend for several decades.
In the late 1960's and the 1970's, Bartchy taught in the internationally-renowned theological faculty of the University of Tübingen, Germany, and directed the Institut zur Erforschung des Urchristentums there. Bartchy also taught New Testament studies with Emmanuel School of Religion
Emmanuel School of Religion
Emmanuel Christian Seminary is a graduate theological seminary near Johnson City, Tennessee. It was founded in 1965 by church leaders and scholars within the Christian Church and Churches of Christ and the Christian Church who recognized a need for a seminary deeply rooted in the heritage of the...
, and later joined the efforts of the Westwood Christian Foundation in establishing a resident New Testament scholar at UCLA:
Following accepted academic search procedures, the Department of History appointed the foundation’s resident New Testament scholar, S. Scott Bartchy, to teach such a class. Student and faculty response was positive. When the university expressed the desire to repeat the class the following year, the foundation once again made a grant to the university to cover the professor’s salary. From those early beginnings a unique partnership developed. The curriculum in early Christianity grew apace, developing into a major — all of which the Westwood Christian Foundation funded. In 1990 UCLA undertook steps to establish a fully funded Chair in Early Christian History in the Department of History. After a significant international search, Bartchy was chosen from among a number of eminent finalists.
Bartchy's courses on Christian origins have consistently remained popular choices among upper division undergraduate students, enrolling well over 100 students each time it is offered. Bartchy has also spearheaded a graduate program in Christian origins.
Bartchy is also a current Board member of the Academy of Judaic, Christian, and Islamic Studies.
Bartchy is also a professional jazz pianist, playing with The Scott Bartchy Quartet. He has also been noted for his commitment to renewable energy, particularly in the building of his "earthship
Earthship
An earthship is a type of passive solar house made of natural and recycled materials. Designed and marketed by Earthship Biotecture of Taos, New Mexico, the homes are primarily constructed to work as autonomous buildings and are generally made of earth-filled tires, using thermal mass...
" home in Southern California.
Contribution to Scholarship
Bartchy is well-known and widely cited for his published dissertation on the role of slavery in early Christianity, specifically dealing with 1 Corinthians 7:21. In this work, Bartchy contradicts many English translations of the Greek κλῆσις and maintains that it does not refer to "condition" or "station in life," but rather to Paul's "theology of calling." He seeks to argue against those who believe Paul was a social conservative, imploring slaves to remain in their position. Instead, Bartchy suggests the following translation of 1 Corinthians 7:17-24:
In any case let each one live his life in accord with the fact that the Lord has distributed [faith] to him and that God has called him. That is what I teach in all our congregations.
Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not try to change his condition with an operation. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not become circumcised. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision makes any difference. But keeping the commands of God is what really counts. Each person should continue in that calling into which he was called.
Were you a slave when you were called? Don't worry about it. But if, indeed, you become manumitted, by all means [as a freedman] live according to [God's calling.] For a slave who has been called in the Lord is the Lord's freedman. Likewise, a freeman who has been called [in the Lord] is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price: do not become slaves of men. Each one should continue to live in accord with his calling [in Christ]--in the sight of God.
More recently, Bartchy has focused his attention particularly upon gender roles and ancient patriarchy. His research in this area will be further published in his forthcoming work, Call No Man Father.
Bartchy’s former doctoral advisees from UCLA include Rick Talbot (Associate Professor of and Department Chair for Religious Studies at CSUN) and Joseph H. Hellerman (Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Biola University
Biola University
Biola University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles. Biola's main campus is in La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California. In addition, the university has several satellite campuses in Chino Hills, Inglewood, San Diego, and Laguna Hills.-...
). Both of these former students bear marks of Scott Bartchy in their work through social history within Christian origins, particularly in family and gender issues.
Books and Articles
- MALLON CHRESAI: First Century Slavery and the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:21. Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series No. 11. Scholars Press, University of Montana, 1973. (199 pp.) Reprinted by Scholars Press, 1985. Reprinted by Wipf & Stock, 2003.
- "Community of Goods in Acts: Idealization or Social Reality?" In The Future of Early Christianity: Essays in Honor of Helmut Koester, ed. Birger A. Pearson. Fortress Press, 1991. Pp. 309-18.
- "Table Fellowship" in the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1992. Pp. 796-800.
- "Slavery (Greco-Roman and New Testament)". In the Anchor Bible Dictionary. Doubleday,1992. Vol. 6:65B-73B; "Philemon, Epistle to," In the ABD Vol. 5:305B-10A.
- "Narrative Criticism," In the Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments, ed. Ralph P. Martin & Peter H. Davids, InterVarsity Press, 1997. Pp. 787a-92a.
- "Undermining Ancient Patriarchy: The Apostle Paul’s Vision of a Society of Siblings." Biblical Theology Bulletin 29 (1999): 68-78.
- "Divine Power, Community Formation, and Leadership in the Acts of the Apostles," In Community Formation in the Early Church and in the Church Today, ed. Richard N. Longenecker (Hendrickson Publishers, 2002), Pp. 89-104.
- "The Historical Jesus and Honor Reversal at the Table". In The Social Setting of Jesus and the Gospels, eds. Wolfgang Stegemann, Bruce J. Malina, Gerd Theissen. Fortress Press, 2002. Pp. 175-84.
- "Who Should Be Called Father? Paul of Tarsus between the Jesus Tradition and Patria Potestas," Biblical Theology Bulletin 33 (2003), Pp. 135-47.
- "Where is the History in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ?" Pastoral Psychology 53 (March 2005), Pp. 313-28. Slightly revised version published in Mel Gibson’s Passion: The Film, the Controversy, and Its Implications, ed. Zev Garber (Purdue University Press, 2006), Pp. 76-92.
- "'When I’m Weak, I’m Strong': A Pauline Paradox in Cultural Context." In Kontexte der Schrift, Band II, hrsg. Christian Strecker (Kohlhammer Verlag, 2005), Pp. 49-60.
External links
- UCLA faculty webpage.
- Curriculum Vitae (see pages 29-31 of PDF document).
- Parts One and Two of Bartchy's personal interview with Keith Giles.
- Center for the Study of Religion, UCLA Official Site
- The Context Group Official Site
- Paul Did Not Teach "Stay in Slavery" A paper presented to the Combined Session of the African-American Hermeneutics and Paul
and Politics Sections of the Society of Biblical Literature, November 22, 2008.