FHU Hosts Bible Research Symposium

Approximately 200 guests attended a Bible research symposium hosted by Freed-Hardeman University’s Graduate Studies in Bible Program Bible Friday, Oct. 12, in Ayers Auditorium. The symposium focused on the study of biblical manuscripts and textual criticism, according to Doug Burleson who coordinated the event.

Dr. Daniel B. Wallace presented information on the significance of Codex Sinaiticus, which dates to the 4th century and is known as the world’s oldest Bible, as well as other topics. Wallace, a noted Greek scholar, is the senior New Testament editor of the NET Bible and coeditor of the NET-Nestle Greek-English diglot. He has been a consultant on four different Bible translations. “Dr. Wallace shared his experiences traveling the world to study and photograph biblical manuscripts. He also spoke about his own struggles in learning the Greek language,” Burleson said.

“I especially enjoyed the question/answer time where our students got to question the individual who wrote their intermediate Greek textbook,” Burleson said.

Wallace is also the founder of The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (csntm.org), an institute devoted to preserving Scripture by taking digital photographs of all known Greek New Testament manuscripts. Most recently his scholarship has begun to focus on the gospels of John and Mark and nascent Christology.

Three of the four sessions will be posted soon on the FHU website, according to Burleson. The remaining session will be posted in the spring following publication of a work by Wallace regarding Codex Sinaiticus.

The symposium was funded as a part of the activities of the Gardner Chair. John and Rosemary Koppel Brown, university benefactors, have contributed funds for academic development and research in honor of former FHU President E. Claude Gardner. In addition to funding the symposium, a portion of the monies has been used to provide a reading room for graduate students in Bible and to purchase facsimiles of Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, which were on display at the symposium.