The primary aim of the Centre for the Study of Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity (CJCA) is to foster cutting-edge research on ancient Judaism and Christianity in the UK and internationally.
Most directly, it will be a vehicle for continuing to raise the profile of Biblical Studies at St Mary’s University by functioning as a hub for conferences, publications, grants, postgraduate students, and colleagues on research leave.
As a Catholic institution that stands in the Christian tradition, St Mary’s aims to be at the forefront of scholarship on the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, and the socio-historical contexts that gave rise to them. CJCA is an initial important step in attaining that goal.
If you are a potential doctoral student or a researcher looking for a sabbatical location, please feel free to contact the Director, Prof Chris Keith, at chris.keith@stmarys.ac.uk.
Please note: CJCA was previously known as the Centre for the Social Scientific Study of the Bible (CSSSB).
See conference highlights
Prof James Crossley Inaugural Lecture
Professor James Crossley presents his Inaugural Lecture at St Mary's University, Twickenham, entitled 'Religion, Politics and the 2017 General Election'.
Prof Chris Keith Inaugural Lecture
Professor Chris Keith addresses the status quaestionis of applications of social memory theory to the Gospels and historical Jesus. He gives an overview of social memory theorists and then addresses specifically the implications of social memory theory for the transmission of the oral Jesus tradition, the criteria of authenticity, the new historiography, and the historical reliability of the Gospels.