10. Newberg, OR

The Tenth Enoch Graduate Seminar will be held as a hybrid face-to-face and digital conference on 21–23 May 2026 in Newberg, Oregon, hosted by George Fox University. The seminar will be chaired by Paul Anderson (George Fox), Katharine Fitzgerald (Nazareth University), Tommy Woodward (Wake Forest University), and Jackie Wyse-Rhodes (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary). 

The Enoch Graduate Seminar is an international convening whose goal is to share innovative research ideas in a collegial environment. We welcome doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers working in the fields of Hebrew Bible, Pseudepigrapha, Apocrypha, Qumran Scrolls, New Testament, Early Christianity, Classics, Early Islam, and Rabbinic literature to present their papers and participate in general discussion. We welcome all research in these fields, including but not limited to work on the following topics: animals and animality; apocalyptic and apocalypticism; books, scribes, and writing technologies; emotion and affect; food and foodways; gender studies; material culture; memory studies; modern readers and ancient texts; postcolonial studies; race and racialization; queer theory; and reflections on Annette Yoshiko Reed’s Fallen Angels on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

Papers are pre-circulated to Seminar participants before the Seminar opens. Participants are expected to read papers before the sessions to maximize collaboration. Sessions consist of brief summaries of the pre-circulated papers followed by extended discussions aimed to support the presenter in developing their research.

Proposals for papers (500–1,000 words) must be submitted to our submission portal by 19 December 2025. Completed papers (maximum 6,000 words, not including notes) are due 27 March 2026 for review by the seminar committee.

The 2026 Enoch Graduate Seminar takes place concurrently with the Pacific Northwest regional meeting of the American Academy of Religion at George Fox University. This will allow those interested to extend their stay and participate in these events as well.

SCHEDULE 

May 21 9:00am to 5:30pm EST

9am — Digital Coffee Hour / Meet and Greet (optionally in this Zoom room)

9:45 am — Opening Remarks (in this Zoom room)

Isaac Oliver (Université du Québec à Montréal)

10 am — Panel One: Rewriting Texts, Reforming Worlds (in this Zoom room)
Guest Respondent Isaac Oliver (Université du Québec à Montréal); Moderator Tommy Woodward (Wake Forest University)

Shuai Zhang (Université du Québec à Montréal), “Contesting Motherhood: Body, Ethics, and Sacred Order in Mary’s Teknophagia”

Kyle R. Schofield (McMaster University), “The Book of Jubilees and Its Sources: Jubilees’ Reworking of the Aramaic Book of Watchers and Genesis”

Emily Olsen (Florida State University), “The Demonization of Earthly Matter in Early Christianity: Enochic Arguments against Idolatry and the Origins of Evil in the Second Century”

Noon — Panel Two: Threats of Violence and Social Formations (in this Zoom room)
Guest Respondent Isaac Oliver (Université du Québec à Montréal); Moderator Tommy Woodward (Wake Forest University)

Katie Brown (University of Texas at Austin),“Negotiating Sovereignty: An Analysis of the Mediterranean Koine of Noble Death and Political Resistance”

Katie Maguire (University of Toronto), “Affects of War”

Gwangsoo Lee (University of St. Andrews), “Resistance, Silence, and Fulfillment: Reflections on the Meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Books of Maccabees, the Works of Josephus, and the Gospel of John”

1:30pm Lunch (optionally in this Zoom room)

2:30 pm — Panel Three: Reading Antique Religion Today (in this Zoom room)
Guest Respondent Ekaputra Tupamahu (Portland Seminary); Moderator Katharine Fitzgerald (Nazareth University)

Karin Hügel (University of Vienna), “A Queer Reading of Galatians 3:28: The Equality of All People in Christ Jesus”

Grayson Arthur Thompson (University of Ottawa), “The Persistence of Vision: A Narrative-Ontological Analysis of Johannine Anti-Judaism and its Social Embodiment”

4:00pm — Panel Four: Religious Authorities and Powers (in this Zoom room)
Guest Respondent Carmen Palmer (Stetson University); Moderator Katharine Fitzgerald (Nazareth University)

Maximilian Cook (Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry), “‘Let the Shelter of Your Power Shelter Me’: Harmonizing Apotropaism and Heavenly Access in Levi’s Prayer”

Kyle Sherling (Rice University), “The Book of Jubilees as Total History and the Struggle for Israel’s Future”

5:00pm — Digital Happy Hour (optionally in this Zoom room)

May 22 10am to 3:30pm EST

10am — Digital Coffee Hour (optionally in this Zoom room)

11am — Panel Five: The New Testament Within Judaism (in this Zoom room)
Guest Respondent Deborah Forger (University of Michigan); Moderator Jackie Wyse-Rhodes (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary)

Jeremiah Shawver (Gateway Seminary), “Binding Until Judgment: Jesus’ Exorcistic Authority and Second Temple Traditions”

Young Kwang Glory Choi (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), “Between Jerusalem and the Diaspora:  1–2 Maccabees as a Matrix for Stephen’s Temple Critique”

Nicolò Cantoni (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), “Paul within Hermeticism and Kabbalah: Lazzarelli’s Crater Hermetis and the Mystery of Glorification”

1:00pm Lunch (optionally in this Zoom room)

2:00pm Professionalization Workshop on Publishing (in this Zoom room)

With guest Matthew Goff (Florida State University); Moderator Tommy Woodward (Wake Forest University)

3:30pm Closing Remarks (in this Zoom room)

Jackie Wyse-Rhodes (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary)

Followed by an informal happy hour and soft conclusion to the event.

Enoch Graduate Seminar Organized by

Paul Anderson (George Fox University)

Katharine Fitzgerald (Nazareth University)

Tommy Woodward (Wake Forest University)

Jackie Wyse-Rhodes (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary)

With the support of the Enoch Seminar, and thanks to the following people for their assistance: Gabriele Boccaccini, Kelley Coblentz Bautch, Deborah Forger, Matthew Goff, Richard Newton, Isaac Oliver, Carmen Palmer, Joshua Scott, Loren Stuckenbruck, Ekaputra Tupamahu, and Megan Wines.