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36th Szeged International Bible Conference
The Other Bible. The Relationship of The Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphic Writings to the Canonical Texts and their Impact on Theology and Art
Venue: Szeged, Visitor Centre, Dóm Square
Planned date: 25th -27th August 2025
Patrons: László Kiss-Rigó, Bishop of Szeged-Csanád Diocese, Dr. Levente Balázs Martos, Auxiliary Bishop of Esztergom, Prof. Szabolcs Szuromi, Rector Emeritus Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Prof. Martin Meiser, University of Saarland, Prof. Dr. Kocsis Imre, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Prof Dr. Tobias Nicklas University Regensburg, Dr. Janka Ferenc, Gál Ferenc University, Vice Rector, Prof. Dr. Kustár Zoltán Debrecen Reformed Theological University, Prof. Dr. Pecsuk Ottó, President of the Ecumenical Bible Society,
Papers on the apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings of the Old and New Testaments are expected.
The canonical Bible is not a collection of the same texts for all Christian communities. There are linguistic, theological and historical reasons for this difference. Although the canonical list of works is considered the central core of the Jewish and Christian religious traditions, the canonical lists are only partially identical in each religious community. Non-canonical works are associated differently with key Christian traditions in different religious communities, so different works are considered heretical.
In the Catholic nomenclature, it was the Council of Trent that determined which books were to be considered canonical. The Old Testament omits Ezra 3 and 4, as well as other writings of Ezra, Maccabees 3 and 4, Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, Psalms of Solomon and Jubilees.
The Orthodox churches consider the LXX to be the canonical collection of Old Testament works. They attempted to come to an agreement on this at the Council of Union in Florence in 1440. The Greek printed Bibles after 1526 included the Apocrypha as a separate section. In 1629, Patriarch Cyril Loukaris of Constantinople, following a strict Jewish approach, rejected books that went beyond the Torah. However, the Synod of Constantinople in 1642 judged the Apocrypha to be useful and to be kept. The Council of Jerusalem (1672) accepted as reliable only the books of Tobit, Judith, son of Sirach and the Book of Wisdom. In 1950, however, a pan-Orthodox edition of the Bible was approved which included, without special comment, the writings considered apocryphal in Protestant circles.
The non-canonical early Christian texts that are considered to be among the writings of the 2nd century Church Fathers, the so-called Apostolic Fathers, are not generally considered to be apocryphal. Because the boundaries between the writings of the early Christian fathers and the apocrypha are sometimes very fluid, early Christian literature such as the Didache or the Shepherd of Hermas is generally considered apocryphal, even though it is considered both authoritative and faithful.
Nowadays, the so-called agrapha, which are versions of the oral tradition, are also considered apocryphal. They contain dialogues and scenes by or about Jesus that are not in the canonical tradition and that sometimes appear in the writings of the apostolic fathers.
This also shows that the scope, interpretation and use of the apocryphal texts differ greatly from those of the canonical texts, and in different ways in different churches, but that in many places their influence on the development of Christianity, theology, literature and art cannot be neglected. The Hungarian translation and discussion of apocryphal and pseudo-epigraphic texts is relatively neglected. The earliest collection of Christian apocrypha in Hungarian is the work of Sándor Raffay (1905). Later, László Vanyó (1980), János Dörömbözi and Tamás Adamik (1996-1999) edited the largest collection of Hungarian New Testament apocrypha, and Péter Hubai (1990), Xavér Szabó (2009) and Zoltán Adorjáni (2011) published translations. István Karasszon and Géza Xeravits have also published important studies on the subject. And among the more recent major works, without claiming to be exhaustive, we should mention József Zsengellér's book "The Biblical Apocrypha and the Reformation" (2022), and perhaps the most recent Hungarian book on the subject, the translation of Uwe-Karsten Plisch's work entitled "Ami a Bibliából kimaradt" [What is left out of the Bible] (2023).
The deadline to register as a speaker for the conference is 30th May 2025. We are looking for academics, researchers, theologians and humanists working in higher education.
Each presentation at the conference will last 20 minutes, followed by a short panel discussion of up to ten minutes. In the workshop part of the conference, time permitting, everyone is welcome to participate in small group discussions led by the speakers. It is also possible to present in Hungarian, but the presenter must provide a German/English summary, ppt or handout text.
We plan to publish the papers, provided they meet the Call for Papers and are considered scientifically valuable, in print approximately one year after the conference. The written paper should be 25-30,000 characters including spaces. Audio recordings of presentations and abstracts will be made available on the conference website. The deadline for submission of the printed text is 20th November 2025. Please submit in both Word and PDF formats. The publication of texts received after the deadline is doubtful, as is the publication of a longer paper than specified, subject to special editorial approval. Papers should use either the Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, etc. alphabet, or the Latin alphabet according to the scholarly transcription.
First-time speakers should also send a short scientific biography (maximum 5000 characters) or, if available on the internet, the location of the biography. They should also list their three main publications (books), their current academic degree and their place of work.
We offer free accommodation and discounted registration for a limited number of speakers for the duration of the conference and free participation in the cultural programme, subject to adequate support. Free accommodation does not automatically apply to persons accompanying the speakers. The conference is open to university students/theology students and those working with the authors or in the field, who will be offered discounted registration.
After the initial registration we will send you a registration form to be completed by 1st June 2025. Returning this form will complete your registration and you will receive a confirmation from the conference office. Please also let us know your arrival and departure times by 1st June 2025 at the latest, as well as any special requests for meals, to ensure smooth organisation.
Szeged, 24th September 2024, on the feast of Bishop Saint Gellert
Dr. György Benyik PhD
Director of the Szeged International Biblical Conference
36. Internationale Bibelkonferenz in Szeged (SZNBK)
Die andere Bibel.
Das Verhältnis von apokryphen und pseudepigraphischen Texten zu den kanonischen Büchern der Bibel, und die Wirkung der Apokryphen/Pseudepigraphen auf die Theologie und auf die Künste
Ort: Ungarn, Szeged, Látogatóközpont, Domplatz 16.
Termin: 25–27. 08. 2025
Konferenzpatrone: Dr. László Kiss-Rigó, Bischof von Szeged-Csanád, Dr. Levente Balázs Martos, Mitglied des Päpstlichen Bibelkomitees, Weihbischof von Esztergom, Prof. Dr. Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, emeritus Rektor Pázmány Péter Katholische Universität in Budapest, Prof. Dr. Martin Meiser, Universität des Saarlandes, Prof. Dr. Tobias Nicklas Universität Regensburg Prof. Dr. Imre Kocsis, Pázmány Péter Katholische Universität in Budapest, Prof Dr. Zoltán Kustár, Reformierte Theologische Universität in Debrecen. Dr. Ferenc Janka, Prorektor der Gál Ferenc Universität in Szeged, Prof. Dr. Ottó Pecsuk, Hauptsekretär der Ungarischen Bibelgesellschaft,
Die Konferenz befasst sich mit sowohl alttestamentlichen, als auch neutestamentlichen Apokryphen und Pseudepigraphen. Denn die kanonische Bibel umfasst nicht in allen christlichen Gemeinschaften die gleiche Schriften, was verschiedene linguistische, theologische und geschichtliche Gründe hat.
Katholischerseits hat erst das Konzil von Trient die genaue Liste der kanonische Bücher festgelegt, und damit folgende Bücher ausgeschlossen: 3. und 4. Buch Esra, und weitere außerbiblische Esra-Schriften, 3. und 4. Buch der Makkabäer, Gebet des Manasse (in den Oden), Psalm 151, Psalmen Salomos, Buch der Jubiläen.
Die ortodoxen Kirchen nehmen in Fragen des Alten Testamentes die Bücher der Septuaginta als Ausgangspunkt, und versuchten darüber 1440 eine Einigkeit zu erlangen bei den Unionsverhandlungen in Florenz. Aber die nach dem Jahre 1526 gedruckten ortodoxen Bibelausgaben verwiesen die sog. Apokryphen in einen eigenen Anhang. Auch später änderte sich im Osten einiges: im Jahre 1629 entschied der Patriach von Konstantinopel, Kyrillos Lukaris, alle Bücher zu meiden, die über die jüdische Tora hinausweisen; hingegen nannte das Konzil von Konstantinopel im Jahre 1642 die sog. Apokryphen nützlich und empfahl ihre Benutzung; die Jerusalemer Synode im Jahre 1672 sagte nur über die Bücher Tobith, Judith, Weisheit und Ben Sira, daß ihnen zu vertrauen sei. Aber im Jahre 1950 wurde für panortodoxe Benutzung einer Bibelausgabe die Erlaubnis erteilt, die ohne besondere Kennzeichen alle Bücher enthielt, die in den protestantischen Kirchen als apokryph/pseudepigraph gelten.
Jene nichtkanonischen Texte, die uns von den Kirchenvätern ab dem 2. Jh. n. Chr. hinterlassen wurden, werden im Allgemeinen nicht als Apokryphen benannt, obwohl die Grenze beider Größen so locker gezogen sind, dass Werke der altkirchlichen Literatur (z.B. Didache, Der Hirte des Hermas) oft als Apokryphen betrachtet werden, trotz ihres glaubenstreuen und authentischen Inhaltes.
Neuerdings werden auch die sog. Agrapha zu den Apokryphen gezählt, jene Schriften also, die verschiedene Varianten der mündlichen Tradition vorweisen, und die manchmal auch von den Apostolischen Vätern benutzt werden. Diese Agrapha enthalten Dialoge mit Jesus und Episode aus seinem Leben, die sonst in den kanonischen Schriften nicht vorkommen.
Die außerhalb des Kanons liegenden Werke haben in verschiedenen Gruppierungen verschiedenen Anschlüsse zur christlichen Kernbotschaft, so dass auch unterschiedliche Texte als apokryph beurteilt werden. Die Benutzung letzterer trennt sich klar von denen des jeweiligen Kanons, aber die Wirkung der sog. Apokryphen auf die Entwicklung des Christentums, auf die christliche Theologie, sowohl auf Literatur und bildende Künste ist bedeutend.
An die Szegeder Bibelkonferenz 2025 können sich bis zum 30. 05. 2025 Dozierende von theologischen-philosophischen Hochschulen/Universitäten anmelden mit dem deutschen/englischenTitel ihres Vortrages per E-Mail (benyik.gyorgy@gmail.com) oder durch Sich eintragen in die aktuelle, spätestens ab Januar 2025 erreichbare Google-Referentenliste der Konferenzwebsite http://www.sznbk1988.hu.
Wir bitten alle Referenten, mir spätestens bis zum 30. 05. 2025 eine Zusammenfassung ihres Vortrages in Deutsch/Englisch per E-Mail zuzusenden, höchstens 1500 Zeichen lang. Sie sollte soll den Titel der Vorlesung, deren Quellentexte und ihre wichtigsten Thesen enthalten.
Auf der Konferenz folgenden höchstens 20 Minuten langen Vorlesungen kurze fachkundige Diskussionen in höchstens zehn Minuten. Wenn Zeit dafür ist, organisieren wir am Ende jeden Konferenztages einen sogenannten Workshop, an der die Referenten des Tages befragt werden können, und wo sich jede/r an der Diskussion beteiligen kann.
Die Konferenzbeiträge von 2025 werden zirka ein Jahr später in einem Konferenzband auf Englisch/Deutsch veröffentlicht (die Zusammenfassungen und das Audiomaterial der Vorträge werden auf der Konferenzwebsite aber schon im Herbst 2025 zu erreichen sein). Der Umfang der schriftlichen Studien sollte 25-30.000 Anschläge mit Leerzeichen betragen; der Schlußtermin für ihre Einreichung (sowohl im Word-, als auch im PDF-Format) ist der 20. 11. 2025. Die Annahme von erst später eingehenden oder zu langen Texten kann fraglich sein, erfordern also eine besondere redaktionelle Genehmigung. In den Studien sollten die hebräischen, griechischen, syrischen usw. Wörter/Texte entweder mit originalen Schriftzeichen oder mit lateinischen Buchstaben gemäß der wissenschaftlichen Transkription angegeben werden.
Diejenigen, die zum ersten Mal an unserer Konferenz vortragen, sollten mir ihre kurze wissenschaftliche Biographie in höchstens 5000 Zeichen zusenden (oder wenn sie im Internet schon aufzufinden ist, deren Link zuschicken), samt einen Hinweis ihrer drei wichtigsten Veröffentlichungen (Bücher). Bitte geben Sie Ihren aktuellen akademischen Grad und die Benennung Ihrer Hochschulanstellung an, mit genauer Angabe Ihrer Arbeitsstelle, damit die Konferenzliste möglichst fehlerfrei zusammengestellt werden kann.
Falls wir die nötigen Unterstützungen bekommen, können wir einigen unserer Referenten für die Dauer der Konferenz kostenlose Unterkunft und Verpflegung, sowie niedrigere Registrationskosten anbieten (für Begleiter/innen gilt all das nicht automatisch). Die Teilnahme an den anschließenden Kulturprogrammen ist gratis.
Um eine reibungslose Organisation gewährleisten zu können, geben Sie bitte Ihr Ankunfts- und Abreisedatum bis spätestens dem 01. 06. 2025 an. Bitte schreiben Sie uns auch Ihre speziellen Speisewünsche spätestens bis dann.
Nach Ihrer ersten Anmeldung schicken wir Ihnen ein offizielles Anmeldeformular zu, der spätestens bis zum obigen Datum ausgefüllt zurückgeschickt werden sollte. Das Organisationsbüro der Konferenz schickt Ihnen dann eine Bestätigung, durch die nun Ihre Anmeldung offiziell als angenommen gelten wird.
Szeged, den 24. 09. 2024, am Feste vom Heiligen Gellért, dem Schutzpatron der Diözese Szeged–Csanád
Dr. Benyik György PhD
Direktor der SZNBK
35th Szeged International Biblical Conference
Lectio divina, lectio humana. Spiritual exegesis in the history of the Church from the beginning to the present day.
Venue: Szeged Visitor Centre, Dóm tér
Date planned: 26th-28th August 2024
Patrons: Dr László Kiss-Rigó, Szeged-Csanád diocesan bishop, Prof Dr Levente Balázs Martos, Auxiliary bishop of Esztergom Prof Dr Szabolcs Szuromi, rector emeritus (PPKE), Prof Dr Martin Meiser University of Saarland, Prof Dr Imre Kocsis Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Dr Ferenc Janka, deputy rector of Gál Ferenc University, Prof Dr Ottó Pecsuk, President of the Ecumenical Bible Society, Dr Zoltán Kustár, President of Debrecen Reformed University of Theology. Dr Izsák Baán, Prior of St Mauricius Monastery in Bakonybél. Dr Habil Görföl Tibor Professor at St. Atanaz Greek Catholic Theological College.
Lectio divina means "sacred reading". Initially, the Bible was read as a divine message by Jews and Christians alike. The Christian readers of the Hebrew Bible and the early Christian church fathers wanted to read the sacred message out of the biblical texts by means of an allegorical interpretation inherited from Homer's commentaries. The writers of the New Testament not only quote but also interpret the prophetic texts in a new context (Acts 8:26-39). This way of reading, later popularised by Benedict of Nursia (AD 480-547), begins with lectio, continues with meditation and oratio, and ends with contemplation and some active action.
Since the Enlightenment, readers have increasingly looked less and less for a sacred message in biblical texts and more for parallels between Jewish and Christian history, ethnography, and the history of religion, and for confirmation or refutation of the scientific worldview. Although the germs of modern exegetical methods can also be found in spiritual reading, in the 19th and 20th centuries historical-critical exegesis and lectio divina often confronted each other: the former became the almost exclusive analytical method in academic teaching, alongside other critical readings based on it, while lectio divina dominated the pulpit. Among other things, Joseph Ratzinger's 1983 work and the Vatican document "Scripture Explanation in the Church" published in 1993 by the Biblical Commission warned of this painful contradiction.
Since explanations of the lectio divina type are also interpretations, they are classified among the ways of historical understanding of revelation. What we want to examine is what in these texts is an actualization of divine revelation, what is an insight bound to the times, and what is a message that is still relevant today. We will explore the philosophical thinking and worldview behind the writings of each author and the impact they had on their time and on posterity.
We would like to focus on a few questions. It seems that the Orthodox Church's exegesis has almost canonised patristic exegesis. But what does it mean in the 21st century to read the sacred message out of the biblical texts from the "heart of the fathers"?
While cultivating dogmatic exegesis, which has been present since the time of the Reformation, how do the disputing parties simultaneously search for methods to discover the sacred message, the spiritual message in the heat of disputes? What is the relationship between the interpretations of the Pietist movement and lectio divina? Is it possible to read the sacred message using modern "scientific" analyses? Is the lectio divina approach anti-scientific?
In Hungary, the Monastery of St Maurice of Bakonybél has published several volumes in its "Lectio divina" series, in collaboration with the publishing house L'Harmattan. Our lecturers are invited to present this important topic through the concrete work of an author.
Please include a brief biography of the author, the name of the original edition of the work under consideration, the modern language edition of the text and, if there is one, a Hungarian translation. We would be grateful if our lecturers could include in their studies secondary literature from Hungary and abroad. We also welcome analyses of writings not only by Catholic, but also by famous Orthodox and Protestant authors, as well as by Jewish biblical scholars. The conference is also interested in the writings of authors who have conflicted with the Catholic Church or another religious community in their own time, especially if these views have had a significant impact in Hungary. In this case, the authors are also asked to indicate whether the insights of the authors under consideration were later accepted or whether their insights led to the formation of sectarian religious groups.
To register for the conference, please send an e-mail with the title of the presentation in Hungarian and German/English (benyik.gyorgy@gmail.com) or visit the conference website -http://www.sznbk1988.hu/hu - higher education lecturers dealing with the topic should register from 10th January to 1st June 2024 by subscribing to the Google spreadsheet on the SZNBK (Szeged International Biblical Conference) website.
Please also send an abstract of your presentation (German/English) by e-mail (benyik.gyorgy@gmail.com) of up to 1500 characters, including the title of the presentation, the source texts and the main theses of the presentation by 1st June 2024 at the latest.
At the Conference, lectures should not exceed 20 minutes, which is followed by a brief and mainly professional debate (a maximum of 10 minutes). On each day of the conference, if there is time, there will be a workshop session where everyone can join in a small group discussion led by the lecturers. One can give their lecture at the conference in Hungarian. However, in this case the speaker must provide for a comprehensive summary in German or in English or should hand out the whole text without footnotes in one of the above languages.
We are planning to publish the lectures presented at the Conference in our conference volume in, about one year after the conference. The extension of the written study should be between 25.000 and 30.000 characters with spaces included. Audio recordings of the presentations as well as the abstracts will be posted on the conference website. The deadline for sending us the final version of the lecture is 19th November 2024. Please submit the text both in .docx and PDF format.
In the papers, please use the Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, etc. words in the original language or in Latin letters according to the scientific transcription. The publication of texts arriving after the 26th November, 2024 may be doubtful. In case your text extends the abovementioned length, it should be negotiated and permitted by the editor.
Those who will be lecturers at our Conference for the first time should also send us their brief scholarly CVs or if it can be found on the internet, please send us the link – it should not exceed 5.000 characters with spaces) mentioning their three most important publications (books) along. We would kindly ask you all to provide us with your scholarly title and your current workplace.
We offer both board and lodging for our lecturers for the time of the conference as well as participation in the cultural programmes free of charge. Persons accompanying our lecturers are not automatically catered for free of charge. Please, inform us as soon as possible and before 1st June 2024 if you have any special requirement concerning meals.
The conference is open to university students/students of theology and those working with the authors or in the field, who will be offered a discounted registration rate.
Please indicate your arrival and departure dates by 1st June 2024 at the latest to ensure smooth organisation.
Once you have applied for attendance, we will send you a registration form to be completed by 1st June 2024. Registration will be complete upon return of the completed form, of which the conference organiser will send a confirmation.
Szeged, 21st September 2023, Feast of St Matthew Evangelist
Dr. Benyik György PhD
Direktor der SZNBK
benyik.gyorgy@gmail.com
Biblical Conference 2023 - Invitation
Előadók / Lecturers (Google táblázat / Google sheet)