Continuing Seminar:
Isaiah and the Twelve

Established 2022

Description

Prophetic activity was a major component of Ancient Israelite religion and culture. Using poetic imagery as well as provocative words and actions, prophecy constituted a powerful form of discourse that shaped the mind of the people of God. Not only the number of prophetic texts from Israel but also the traces of the complex history of their growth give evidence of a lively, not uncontroversial but ultimately unifying process of exchange and reflection.

The Continuing Seminar explores the dynamics of prophetic discourses by studying texts and concepts from Isaiah and the Book of the Twelve.

These two corpora share common intellectual ground but may announce their messages to quite different ends. They include similar sets of ideas and traditions such as the eschatological importance of Zion (see the doublet of the Nations‘ Pilgrimage to Zion in Isa 2:2-4 and Mi 4:1-5), the prominent role of justice and righteousness, the motif of the Day of YHWH, etc. Both Isaiah and the Book of the Twelve may at times turn the original contents of these elements upside down in a radical reversal of expectations (see e.g. Isa 2:4b//Mi 4:3b and Joel 4:10).

Since the field of “Isaiah and the Twelve” is very broad, comprising thirteen biblical books and their interrelationships, the first two as well as the 2024 session periods of the continuing seminar have been dedicated to a specific focus, the theme of theophanies, theophanic elements and theophanic language. As human language needs to transcend its immanent limits when trying to express experiences of divine presence, of particular interest is the phenomenon of theophany as the impetus for different textual traditions. In more than a few cases differences between ancient manuscripts are beyond what might be caused by scribal errors but mirror theological views that may, for example, be based on different ideas of divine immanence and transcendence.

While focusing on a wide range of texts comprising both classical examples of theophanies and theophanic elements in texts of other genres, special exegetical attention will be paid to both synchronic and diachronic questions, including analyses of different text traditions, techniques of narration, imagery and language, hermeneutical challenges as well as historical processes of literary growth. The overall aim is to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the theme of theophanies and theophanic elements in Isaiah and the Twelve Minor Prophets.

Seminar Leaders in 2026

Joachim Eck, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität -- Munich
Richard J. Bautch, St. Edward's University

Program Details for 2026

FOCUS FOR 2026

"The Day of YHWH – explorations of the philological, historical, theological and hermeneutic complexities of a key concept in Isaiah and the Twelve."

A key concept in many books of Old Testament prophecy, the motif of the Day of YHWH carries exceptional theological weight as it comprised multiple facets of meaning right from its beginnings, and underwent multiple transformations, enlargements and resumptions in the course of the text growth of both Isaiah and the Twelve Minor Prophets as well as Ezechiel. After the OT canon had been established, the concept continued to exert influence upon both early Jewish and Christian thought through late antiquity, the middle ages, and into the modern period. Ideas as different as Doomsday in the sense of an eschatological judgement, on the one hand, and the Day of the Lord meaning the institution of the christian Sunday, on the other hand, have their roots in the prophetic concept of the Day of YHWH. While the philological forms expressing this concept vary to a limited, though not insignificant, extent, its semantic and theological implications lead to different and even contrasting meanings which depend on the respective contexts. Nonetheless, one central idea remains constant: Where the Day of YHWH is announced, YHWH’s divine kingship manifests itself, casting down the arrogant among humans so that YHWH alone is exalted on his day (cf. Isa 2:6-22). Setting, antecedents, consequences, and thus meaning, of this central idea vary at large so that its implications range from salvation to annihilation, from present event to distant eschatological expectation, etc. Building on seminal studies by B.M. Zapff and H.G.M. Williamson, which were able to shed light on fundamental circumstances around the probable historical development of the concept in the OT, the continuing seminar will research the many theological, historical, philological and hermeneutical questions around the Day of YHWH which remain unsolved. Our scholarly efforts will concentrate on the intricacies of the numerous Old Testament passages relating to this concept, including relevant texts in Isaiah, Amos, Joël, Obadiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Maleachi. At the same time, the reception history illustrating how these texts were construed, used, creatively interpreted, or revised, by witnesses of later periods such as the New Testament, non-biblical Jewish or patristic writings, or later literature, is also of great interest. Exegetical attention will be paid to both synchronic and diachronic questions, including analyses of different text traditions, techniques of narration, imagery and language, hermeneutical challenges as well as historical processes of literary growth. The overall aim is to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the compositional functions, varying meanings, theological weight, historical developments, and other significant aspects of the concept of the Day of YHWH.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

HISTORY

2025
- Focus: Theophanies, theophanic text elements and theophanic language
- Sunday
  - Melanie Peetz, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen (Frankfurt am Main)
    "Mercy, Vengeance, Wrath, and Justice: Theophany and the Attributes of God in Nahum, Exodus, and Isaiah" Paper in two Parts.
    - Part I: Nahum and Exodus
      Paper presentation and discussion
    - Part II: Isaiah
      Paper presentation and discussion
- Monday
  - Panel discussion with Todd Hibbard, Burkard Zapff and Richard Bautch / Joachim Eck
    - Part I
      What do the theophanies in Isaiah and the Twelve contribute to the theology of these collections?
    - Part II
      The Day of YHWH - an important aspect of the concept of theophanies in Isaiah and the Book of the Twelve Prophets
- Tuesday
  - Joachim Eck (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
    "Divine Mercy in the Context of Theophanies: a Comparison between Isaiah 63:7 – 64:12; and Joël 2" Paper in two Parts.
    - Part I: Isaiah
      Paper presentation and discussion
    - Part II: Joël
      Paper presentation and discussion
2024
- Sunday
  - Abigail Bodeau, Baylor University (In Person)
    “The Nature of God in the Book of Jonah”
    Hyun Chul Paul Kim, Methodist Theological School - Ohio (Zoom)
    “Isaiah and Jonah Meet Again: Intertextual and Theological Exchanges via Theophany”

- Monday
  - Andreas Schüle, Universität Leipzig (In Person)
    “Kavod JHWH: A Key Concept in the Book of Isaiah”
- Tuesday
  - Kevin Scott, Baylor University (In Person)
    “Theophanic Imagery, the Destruction of Edom, and the Use of Isaiah in Obadiah’s Day of Yahweh”
  - Todd Hibbard, The University of Detroit Mercy (In Person)
    “Theophany in Isa 30:27-33”
  - Kirsten Schäfers, Universität Bonn (In Person)
    “Asymmetrical Communication in Divine-Human Relationships: Theophanic Pragmatics of ‘Wortoffenbarungen’ in Prophetic Books”

2023: Theophanies, theophanic text elements and theophanic language
- Sunday
  - Kirsten Schäfers, University of Bonn, Germany
    "Conceptionalizing Divine-Human Dependencies in Prophetic Speech. Evidence for an Implicit Theory of Metaphor in the Book of Hosea"
  - Renata Furst, Oblate School of Theology, Texas
    "Theophanies, Knowledge of God, and the Unenlightened Addressee in Hosea 6:1-6 and Isaiah 6: 9-10"

- Monday
  - Archibald H.L.M. van Wieringen, Tilburg University, Netherlands
    "The Book of Amos: Reading the Earthquake"
  - Burkard M. Zapff, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany
    "Exegetical Remarks on Isaiah 59:15-21"
- Tuesday
  - Gregory Glazov, Seton Hall University, New Jersey
    "The tradition-literary contexts of the calls to silence in Amos 6:10, Zeph 1:7, Hab 2:20,
    and Zech 2:17 [ET 13]"
  - Joachim Eck, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany
    "Some Thoughts on the Spirit in Isaiah and Joel"
2022
- Sunday
  - Introduction: Welcome and introduction to the state of research on Isaiah and the Twelve
    - Recent publications:
      - Isaiah and the Twelve. Parallels, Similarities and Differences. Eds. Richard J. Bautch, Joachim Eck and Burkard M. Zapff. BZAW 527, Berlin: de Gruyter, 2020.
      - Richard J. Bautch. “In Vino Veritas? Critiquing Drunkenness and Deceit in Micah and Isaiah” In: ZAW 2017, pp. 555-567.
  - Joachim Eck. “Divine Strategies against Abuse of Power in the Opening of the Book of Isaiah and the Exodus Story: Some Aspects where Micah is not Similar to Isaiah” In: ZAW 2018, pp. 4-25.
  - - - T. Hibbard, “To Err is Human, Unless You’re a Prophet: Isaiah and Micah on Prophetic Opposition” In: ZAW 2018, pp. 26-39.
      - Burkard M. Zapff. “Why is Micah similar to Isaiah?” In: ZAW 2017, pp. 536-554.
  - Presenter: Burkard M. Zapff, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
    "Hymns and Hymn Fragments in Isaiah and the Book of the Twelve - A Comparison"
  - Discussion
  - Presenter: Joachim Eck, University of Bonn, Katholisch Theologische Fakultät
    "Theophanic Signs in Joel 3 and Their Backgrounds in Isaiah and Elsewhere"
  - Discussion
- Monday
  - Presenter: Richard J. Bautch, St. Edward's University"Theophanic Elements in the Book of Malachi: Do They Constitute a Link to the Book of Isaiah?"
  - Discussion incorporating Isaiah
- Tuesday
  - Presenter: Archibald L.H.M. van Wieringen, Fakultät für katholische Theologie
    der Universität Tilburg
    "Temple and God in Isaiah 6 and Amos 9"
  - Presenter: Gregory Glazov, Seton Hall University
    "κατάνυξις (κατανένυγμαι) as LXX translation of Hebrew נ דְִמ יתִי in Isa 6:5 and other Isaianic texts and reception history of this concept in Ezekiel and NT"

Isaiah and the Twelve

Joachim Markus Eck
Professor of Old Testament, Dr. theol. habil. Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät - LMU München

Co-Convener

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Richard J. Bautch
M.Div., M.A., Ph.D. Professor of the Humanities St. Edward's University

Co-Convener

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Archie T. Wright
M.A., Ph.D. Executive Director The Catholic Biblical Association of America (757)374-3594

Executive Director

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Joshua R. Scott
M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D. Events and Technology Director The Catholic Biblical Association of America (989)598-0203

Events & Technology Director

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Continuing Seminar:
Isaiah and the Twelve

Established 2022

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Seminar Leaders in 2026