Davis Defends Doctoral Thesis On Oct. 9th

C. J. Patrick Davis (a.k.a. Kippy), under the supervision of Prof. George J. Brooke, submitted his doctoral thesis on 29 June, 2009 to the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures at the University of Manchester, entitled "Re-presentation and Emerging Authority of the Jeremiah Traditions in Second Temple Judaism." Davis successfully defended his thesis on Oct. 9th.

His research over the past four years has carefully considered the perception of the Prophet Jeremiah, his persona and reputation, and how these have developed and been employed throughout Second Temple Jewish Literature. The Prophet Jeremiah was a figure of fascination in ancient Judaism, extending well back into the Persian period. Copies of six MSS from the Qumran scrolls now designated the Apocryphon of Jeremiah C (4Q385a, 4Q387, 4Q388a, 4Q389, 4Q390, 4Q387a)—as well as two other Jeremiah “Apocrypha” (4Q383, 4Qpap384)—attest to his prevailing interest for the Qumran sectarians. However, because of the supposed paucity of exegetical treatments from the Book of Jeremiah at Qumran, and because of the small number and poor condition of scriptural Jeremiah texts, commentators have tended to dismiss his impact in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Only fairly recently have studies revealed a thematic importance for the Prophet Jeremiah in the sectarian leadership ideal, but his overall significance and function have yet to be factored in connection with the actual contents of Apocryphon of Jeremiah C. Davis's study consists of a close reading of the Apocryphon, but within the broader realm of discussions pertaining to so-called “rewritten Bible,” the processes that guided Scripture transmission, and the impact of collective memory, public personae and commemorated “reputations” in Second Temple Jewish literature.

Through synchronic and diachronic treatments of the individual MSS of the Apocryphon, the Jeremiah traditions are evaluated within the Qumran sectarian literature and compared and contrasted with Jeremianic traditions that are extant elsewhere in Second Temple Judaism to expand and enhance the presence and impact of the Jeremiah figure and the Jeremiah Scriptures for the sectarian group and beyond. This paper argues that the Jeremianic traditions in Second Temple Judaism reveal a recognition and regard for Jeremiah’s personae, which appear to have imbued individual texts and ideals with authority in their employment.

Kippy Davis graduated from the MA Biblical Studies programme at TWU in 2002, and was a recipient of the Biblical Studies Award for the best thesis that year. He is presently a sessional instructor in the Religious Studies Department at TWU and has been the IDIS coordinator since 2006. He lives in Chilliwack with his wife and three sons.