S22-112 Bible in Ancient and Modern Media

11/22/2015 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Room: Spring (Atlanta Conference Level) - Hyatt

Theme: Difficult Reputations in Media and Memory: The Work of Gary Fine
Gary Alan Fine (Professor of Sociology, Northwestern University) has drawn attention to "difficult reputations," the dynamics of and debates over the memory of figures such as Joseph McCarthy and Warren Harding. The social dynamics of remembering and invoking ambiguous and/or villainous figures differ from the use of heroic reputations. Sometimes the differences are striking. In this invited panel, Ray Person and Michelle Weedman apply Fine's social theory of reputation-making to King David in Hebrew biblical historiography (Person) and Ephrem the Syrian's memory of Mary and Eve (Weedman), followed by responses from Gary Alan Fine and Barry Schwartz. This discussion advances the recent interest in social memory research and its potential for historical questions pertaining to ancient Judaism and Christian origins.

Raymond F. Person, Jr., Ohio Northern University
The Deuteronomist and the Chronicler as Reputational Entrepreneurs of King David (30 min)

Michelle Weedman, Maryville College
Eve’s Reputation in Ephrem the Syrian (30 min)

Break (5 min)

Gary A. Fine, Northwestern University, Respondent (20 min)
Barry Schwartz, University of Georgia, Respondent (20 min)