Personal

Born: July 31, 1954, Corpus Christi, Texas

Married: Vicky E. (Dallas) Nanos, January 7, 1974, San Antonio, Texas

Children: Joel M. Nanos, September 24, 1975; Kyle J. Nanos, August 28, 1981

Grandchildren: Tyler A. Nanos, January 8, 1996; Lela Dallas Nanos, November 7, 2007

Religion: Reform Judaism

Education

Ph.D., University of St. Andrews, Scotland, 2000

B.A., Judaic Studies, University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC), with distinction, 1981

John Jay High School, San Antonio, Texas, 1971

Business

President: Nanos & Gray, Inc., Advertising and Graphic Design, 1982-97

Partner: Free Lance Graphics, 1974-82

Graphic Artist: Citizen News, 1973-74

Published Work

"Intruding 'Spies' and 'Pseudo-Brethren': The Jewish Intra-Group Politics of Paul’s Jerusalem Meeting (Gal. 2:1-10)." In Paul and His Opponents. Edited by Stanley E. Porter. Vol. 2 of Pauline Studies; Lieden and Boston: Brill, 2005, 59-97.

Guest Editor of "Paul Between Jews and Christians," a special issue of Biblical Interpretation 13.3 (2005).

"Introduction" to "Paul Between Jews and Christians." Biblical Interpretation 13.3 (2005) 221-23.

"How Inter-Christian Approaches to Paul’s Rhetoric Can Perpetuate Negative Valuations of Jewishness – Although Proposing to Avoid that Outcome." Biblical Interpretation 13.3 (2005) 255-69.

"The Life in the Diaspora Synagogues: An Evaluation." Pages 208-18 in The Ancient Synagogue from its Origins until 200 CE: Papers Presented at an International Conference at Lund University, Oct. 14-17, 2001. Edited by Birger Olsson and Magnus Zetterholm. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell Int., 2003.

Editor, The Galatians Debate: Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical Interpretation. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2002. Reviews>>

"Introduction." Pages xi-xli in The Galatians Debate. Edited by Mark D. Nanos. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2002.

"What Was at Stake in Peter's 'Eating with Gentiles' at Antioch?" Pages 282-318 in The Galatians Debate. Edited by Mark D. Nanos. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2002.

The Irony of Galatians: Paul's Letter in First-Century Context. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002. Reviews>>

"Challenging the Limits That Continue to Define Paul's Perspective on Jews and Judaism." Pages 212-24 in Reading Israel in Romans: Legitimacy and Plausibility of Divergent Interpretations. Vol. 1: "Romans Through History and Cultures: Receptions and Critical Interpretations." Edited by Cristina Grenholm and Daniel Patte. Harrisburg, Penn.: Trinity Press International, 2000.

"The Inter- and Intra-Jewish Contexts of Paul and the Galatians." Pages 146-59 in Paul and Politics: Ekklesia, Israel, Imperium, Interpretation. Edited by Richard Horsley. Harrisburg, Penn.: Trinity Press International, 2000. Reprinted in The Galatians Debate. Edited by Mark D. Nanos; Hendrickson, 2002, 396-407.

"Covet/Covetousness." Page 292 in Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by David N. Freedman, A. C. Myers, and A. B. Beck. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.

"The Intra-Jewish Context of Galatians: Identifying the Players and Situation Implied in Paul's Letter of Ironic Rebuke." Ph. D. Dissertation at University of St. Andrews, Scotland, 2000.

"The Jewish Context of the Gentile Audience Addressed in Paul's Letter to the Romans." Catholic Biblical Quarterly 61 (1999) 283-304.

"Response" to reviews of The Mystery of Romans by N. Elliott, S. Stowers, and E. E. Johnson at the 1997 SBL Annual Meeting. Pages 167-78 in Critical Review of Books in Religion [CRBR], 1998.

The Mystery of Romans: The Jewish Context of Paul's Letter. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996. Winner of The 1996 National Jewish Book Award for Jewish/Christian Relations. Reviews>>

Forthcoming Projects

Paul Between Christians and Jews (2010, in progress).

Rival or Representative? Re-evaluating Paul's Perspective on the Jerusalem Church (Hendrickson, 2010, in progress).

"Romans." Introduction and annotations for The Jewish Annotated New Testament. Eds. Marc Brettler and Amy Jill Levine (Forthcoming, Oxford University Press). 

"'Broken Branches': A Pauline Metaphor Gone Awry? (Romans 11:11-24)." In Romans 9—11 at the Interface Between the 'New Perspective on Paul' and Jewish-Christian Dialog (Forthcoming, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2009).

"Rethinking the 'Paul and Judaism' Paradigm: Why Not 'Paul's Judaism'?" In Mark Given, ed., Paul Unbound: Other Perspectives on Paul (forthcoming, Hendrickson, 2009).

"Paul's Reversal of Jews Calling Gentiles 'Dogs' (Philippians 3:2): 1600 Years of an Ideological Tale Wagging an Exegetical Dog?" (forthcoming, 2009, Biblical Interpretation).

"The Polytheist Identity of the 'Weak,' And Paul's Strategy to 'Gain' Them: A New Reading of 1 Corinthians 8:1—11:1." In S. E. Porter, ed., Paul: Jew, Greek and Roman (Forthcoming, PAST 5; Leiden: Brill, 2009).

"New or Renewed Covenantalism?: A Response to Richard Hays' '"Here We Have No Lasting City": New Covenantalism in Hebrews.'" In R.J. Bauckham, D.R. Driver, T.A. Hart and N. MacDonald, eds. The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology (Forthcoming, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008).

"Galatians." In Blackwell's Companion to the New Testament (7500 word entry. Edited by David Aune. Forthcoming, Blackwell, 2008).

Professional Papers

2009a (forthcoming): "Paul's Relationship to Torah in Light of His Strategy 'to Become Everything to Everyone' (1 Corinthians 9:19-22)" (Paper to be presented for New Perspectives on Paul and the Jews: Interdisciplinary Academic Seminar, Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium)

2008f (forthcoming):"Paul's Reversal of Jews Calling Gentiles 'Dogs' (Philippians 3:2): 1600 Years of an Ideological Tale Wagging an Exegetical Dog?" (Paper to be presented in the Early Jewish Christian Relations session of the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Boston, Mass.)

2008e (forthcoming): "The Myth of the 'Law-Free' Paul Standing Between Christians and Jews" (Paper to be presented as a guest at the Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, Providence, RI)

2008d (forthcoming): "Paul and the Jewish Tradition" (Paper to be presented at Villanova University, Philadelphia, Penn., Oct. 23, 2008, as part of the Jubilee Year of the Apostle St. Paul seminar series)

2008c: "The Polytheist Identity of the 'Weak,' And Paul's Strategy to 'Gain' Them: A New Reading of 1 Corinthians 8:1—11:1." (Paper presented in a Seminar at Lund University, Sweden, May 6)

2008b: "'Broken Branches': A Pauline Metaphor Gone Awry? (Romans 11:11-32)." (Paper presented at an International Symposium: "Romans 9—11 at the Interface Between the 'New Perspective on Paul' and Jewish-Christian Dialog," Göttingen, Germany, May 3)

2008a: "Rethinking the 'Paul and Judaism' Paradigm: Why Not 'Paul's Judaism'?" (Paper presented at McMaster University, March 12; University of Toronto, March 13; Lund University, Sweden, May 7; Linköping University, Sweden, May 8)

2007c: Posted 11/22/07:"'Have Paul and His Communities Left Judaism for Christianity?': A Review of the Paul-Related Chapters in Jewish Believers in Jesus and Jewish Christianity Revisited." (Review paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, in the Jewish Christianity Consultation, San Diego, November 19, 2007).

2007b: "'But this knowledge is not in everyone' (1 Cor 8:7): Who Were the 'Weak' in Corinth, and What Was the Harm Paul Feared They Would Suffer?" (Paper presented at an International Conference: "Saint Paul the Apostle and Corinth," 1950 Years Since the Writing of the Epistles to the Corinthians, Sept. 24, 2007).

2007a: "Paul's Reversal of Jews Calling Gentiles 'Dogs' (Philippians 3:2): 1600 Years of an Ideological Tale Wagging an Exegetical Dog?" (Paper at Central States SBL, St. Louis, March 25, 2007. Title of lecture at University of Helsinki, Finland, May 14, 2007, and Gothenburg University, Sweden, May 22, 2007).

2006d: "You say 'Judaizers,' I say, 'Why so?': The Context Implied by Paul's Name-Calling in Philippians 3" (Paper presentation for discussion of the Philippians Section of the Paul and Politics Pre-SBL Meeting, Washington D.C., November 17).

2006c: "The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian/Jewish Relations," Visiting Scholar Series at Rockhurst University, 7:00pm, Tuesday, Oct. 24.

2006b: "Us and Them: The Promise and Limits of Abrahamic Descent" in the KU Hall Lecture Series: Abraham's Children: Exploring the Shared Heritage of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, KU Edwards Campus, Overland Park, KS, March 7.

2006a: "New or Renewed Covenantalism?: A Response to Richard Hays' '"Here We Have No Lasting City": New Covenantalism in Hebrews'" at the St. Andrews Conference on The Epistle to Hebrews and Christian Theology, July 18-22, 2006.

2005c: "How The Label 'Jewish Christianity' Limits Investigation of the Category We Seek to Understand" (A response to three papers in the "Jewish Christianity" session at the SBL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, November 19, 2005).

2005b: "A Torah-Observant Paul?: What Difference Could it Make for Christian/Jewish Relations Today?" (Annual Presentation to the Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations, sponsored by the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College, June 4-6, 2005).

2005a: "Rethinking the 'Paul and Judaism' Paradigm" (Paper presented in a postgraduate seminar at Yale University, March 3, 2004).

2004d: Response to "Galatians and Images of Empire" papers by Brigitte Kahl and Davina C. Lopez (Paul and Politics Section, SBL Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, November 20).

2004c: “A Jewish Paul? What Difference Would It Make for Jewish/Christian Relations Today?” Public Lecture sponsored by the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, in partnership with the Center for Arts and Letters and the Thomas More Center for the Study of Catholic Thought and Culture, Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri, October 26.

2004b: "What Does 'Present Jerusalem' (Gal 4:25) in Paul's Allegory Have to do with the Jerusalem of Paul's Time, or the Concerns of the Galatians?" (SBL Central States Meeting, St. Louis, March 29).

2004a: "Paul and Judaism" (SBL Central States Meeting, St. Louis, March 28).

2003: "How Inter-Christian Approaches to Paul’s Rhetoric Can Perpetuate Negative Valuations of Jewishness – Although Proposing to Avoid that Outcome" (SBL Annual Meeting, Atlanta; Early Jewish/Christian Relations Section).

2002: "Review of The Jesus Movement: A Social History of Its First Century." By Ekkehard W. Stegemann and Wolfgang Stegemann. Translated by O. C. Dean, Jr. Fortress Press, 1999. (SBL Annual Meeting, Toronto; Social Science Criticism of the NT Section).

2001b: "Life in the Diaspora Synagogues: A Response" (Respondent to Papers by Carsten Claussen, Magnus Zetterholm, and Judith Lieu on the topic of "Life in the Diaspora Synagogues," a section of "The Ancient Synagogue: From the Beginning to about 200 CE," An International Conference at Lund University, Sweden, Oct. 14-17).

2001a: "The Local Context of the Galatians: Toward Resolving a Catch-22" (SBL Annual Meeting, Denver; Paul and Politics Section).

1999: "'O foolish Galatians, who has cast the evil eye [of envy] upon you?' (Gal. 3:1a-b): What the dynamics of Paul's accusation imply about the social context and message of Galatians" (SBL Annual Meeting, Boston; Social Science Criticism of the NT Section).

1998b: "The Inter- and Intra-Jewish Political Contexts of Paul and the Galatians" (SBL Annual Meeting, Orlando; Paul and Politics Section).

1998a: "Challenging the Limits that Continue to Define Paul's Perspective on Jews and Judaism: A response to papers by William S. Campbell and Guenter Wasserberg" (SBL Annual Meeting, Orlando; Interpretation of Romans Section).

1997c: "Response to N. Elliott, S. Stowers, and E. E. Johnson reviews at a session on The Mystery of Romans" (SBL Annual Meeting, San Francisco; Early Jewish-Christian Relations Section; papers and response were published in CRBR, 1998).

1997b: "Intruding 'Spies' and 'Pseudo'-brethren: The Intra-Jewish context of 'Those of repute' in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-10)" (International Research Consultation in Birmingham, England, entitled "Ideology, Power and Interpretation").

1997a: "Intruding 'Spies' and 'Pseudo'-brethren: The Intra-Jewish Context of 'Those of Repute' in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-10)" (Mid-Central States SBL Regional Meeting, Kansas City, MO) and (North Central SBL Regional Meeting, Minn./St. Paul).

1996c: "Some Problems with Reading Romans Through the Lens of the Edict of Claudius" (Mid-Central States SBL Regional Meeting, St. Louis).

1996b: "Why was Gentile Circumcision so Unacceptable to Paul?: The Role of the Shema in Paul's Gospel" (Mid-Central States SBL Regional Meeting, St. Louis).

1996a: "Springing Luther's Trap: The Identity of the Weak in Romans" (North Central SBL Regional Meeting, Minn./St. Paul).

1995b: "It Takes Real Jews to Make Real Sense of Romans" (Southwest SBL Regional Meeting, Dallas).

1995a: "Springing Luther's Trap: The Identity of the Weak in Romans" (Mid-Central States SBL Regional Meeting, Tulsa).

Book Reviews

Todd A. Wilson, The Curse of the Law and the Crisis in Galatia (WUNT 2.225; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2007): (Biblical Interpretation forthcoming).

Nancy Calvert-Koyzis, Paul, Monotheism and the People of God: The Significance of Abraham for Early Judaism and Christianity (JSNTS 273; London and New York: T&T Clark International): Review of Biblical Literature (8/8/2005); Journal of Biblical Literature 124.4 (2005) 775-78.

David Odell-Scott, Paul's Critique of Theocracy: A/Theocracy in Corinthians and Galatians (JSNTS 250; London and New York: T&T Clark International): Biblical Interpretation 13.4 (2005) 438-41.

Richard A. Horsley, Jesus and Empire: The Kingdom of God and the New World Disorder (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003): Interpretation 59.3 (2005) 308-9.

Jerome I. Gellman, Abraham! Abraham! Kierkegaard and the Hasidim on the Binding of Isaac (Aldershot, England and Burlington, Vermont: Ashgate, 2003): Religious Studies Review 30.2-3 (2004) 147.

Athol Dickson, The Gospel According to Moses: What my Jewish Friends Taught me about Jesus (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2003): Religious Studies Review 30.1 (2004) 34.

Basil S. Davis, Christ as Devotio: The Argument of Galatians 3:1-14 (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2003): Catholic Biblical Quarterly 67 (2005) 335-37.

S. A. Cummins, Paul and the Crucified Christ in Antioch: Maccabean Martyrdom and Galatians 1 and 2 (SNTSMS 114; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001): Biblical Interpretation 12.1 (2004) 113-16.

Stephan K. Davis, The Antithesis of the Ages: Paul's Reconfiguration of Torah (CBQMS 33; Washington, DC: The Catholic Biblical Association of America, 2002): Catholic Biblical Quarterly 65 (2003) 119-20.

James D. G. Dunn, ed., Paul and the Mosaic Law (Rev. Ed.; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001): Dialog 40.3 (2001) 240-42; alternate version of the review in Review of Biblical Literature (10/07/2002).

Jerry L. Sumney, "Servants of Satan", "False Brothers" and Other Opponents of Paul (JSNTSS 188; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999): Journal of Biblical Literature 120.3 (2001) 578-81; Review of Biblical Literature (2/19/2001).

Johann D. Kim, God, Israel, and the Gentiles: Rhetoric and Situation in Romans 9—11 (SBLDS 176; Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 1999): Catholic Biblical Quarterly 63 (2001) 152-54.

Mark Reasoner, The Strong and the Weak: Romans 14.1—15.13 in Context (SNTSMS 103; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999): Journal of Biblical Literature 120.1 (2001) 178-80; Review of Biblical Literature (6/20/2000).

Christopher Bryan, Preface to Romans: Notes on the Epistle in Its Literary and Cultural Setting (Oxford, et al: Oxford University Press, 2000): Review of Biblical Literature (7/13/2000).

Roy E. Ciampa, The Presence and Function of Scripture in Galatians 1 and 2 (WUNT 2.102; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1998): Catholic Biblical Quarterly 62 (2000) 140-42.

Charles H. Cosgrove, Elusive Israel: The Puzzle of Election in Romans (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997): Journal of Biblical Literature 119:1 (2000) 149-51; Review of Biblical Literature (3/01/2000).

Jonas Holmstrand, Markers and Meaning in Paul: An Analysis of 1 Thessalonians, Philippians and Galatians (Coniectanea Biblica. NTS 28; Translated by Martin Naylor; Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1997): Biblical Interpretation 8.4 (2000) 435-37.

Editors Siân Jones & Sarah Pearce, Jewish Local Patriotism and Self-Identification in the Graeco-Roman Period (JSPSS: 31; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998): Biblical Interpretation 7.4 (1999) 457.

Sam K. Williams, Galatians (Abingdon New Testament Commentaries; Nashville: Abingdon, 1997): Catholic Biblical Quarterly 60 (1999) 782-83.

Brendan Byrne, S. J., Romans (Sacra Pagina 6; Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press/Michael Glazier, 1996): Catholic Biblical Quarterly 60 (1998) 558-60.

Gerhardsson, Birger, The Shema in the New Testament: Deut 6:4-5 in Significant Passages (Lund: Novapress, 1996): Biblical Interpretation 6 (1998) 446-48.

Stanley K. Stowers, A Rereading of Romans: Justice, Jews, and Gentles (New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1994): Theology 98 (1995) 392-94.

Peter D. Gooch, Dangerous Food: 1 Corinthians 8-10 in Its Context (Ontario, Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 1993): Journal of Beliefs and Values 16 (1995) 30-32.

Krister Stendahl, Final Account: Paul's Letter to the Romans (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995): Journal of Beliefs and Values 15 (1995) 27-28.

1997-Present: reviewer of numerous booknotes for Jewish Book World.

Classes/Lectures

Soebbing Visiting Scholar: Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri

Autumn, 2008: "Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)"
Spring, 2008: "Topics in Interpreting Paul’s Epistles [Jewish-Christian Relations]"
Spring, 2007: "Paul's Letter to the Romans"
Spring, 2006: "Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)"
Autumn, 2005: "Pauline Letters and Theology"
Spring, 2005: "Paul's Letter to the Romans"
Spring, 2004: "Pauline Letters and Theology"

Lecturer: University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Spring, 2008: "Jews and Christians in Greco-Roman Antiquity"
Autumn, 2006: "Understanding the Bible" and "Paul's Letter to the Galatians"
Spring, 2006: "Jews and Christians in Greco-Roman Antiquity"
Autumn, 2005: "Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament in English)"

Adjunct Professor: Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Kansas

1997: "Images of Jews and Judaism in the Letters of Paul: A New Perspective"
1999: "Paul in Context: A New Perspective on Romans and Galatians"

Visiting Professor, Autumn, 1994: Westhill College, University of Birmingham, England

(1) "Pauline Theology," for Fourth Year Theology and Education Majors (including students from Newman College);
(2) "Images of Jews and Judaism in the New Testament," for Third Year Theology and Education Majors;
(3) "Greek Exegesis 2," for Second Year Theology Majors;
(4) "Communications," for Second Year students (I was asked to develop and coordinate this course as a new practical course offering for Second Year Theology and Education Majors to prepare them for such things as public speaking, job interviews, etc.).

I also lectured at Westhill College in several other NT classes on occasion, and for the University Student Association.

Visiting scholar, Autumn 1994: The Centre for the Study of Judaism and Jewish Christian Relations, Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham, England

Series of two lectures entitled:
"Locating Paul on the Map of First-Century Judaisms."

I participate in guest lectures at universities and seminaries on various topics, e.g., in 2000-01, Columbia University (Romans), Fuller Seminary (The Irony of Galatians), and the Charis Ecumenical Center (Re-visiting Paul's Letters as Jewish Correspondence); in 2002, a series of lectures on topics related to Paul, Galatians, and the Antioch Incident at Uppsala, Umea, and Lund Universities in Sweden; in Spring, 2003, Rockhurst University (Galatians).

I also present a lecture series at interested seminaries, universities and religious or community organizations entitled "The Apostle Paul from a Jewish Perspective," which runs from 1 to 4 sessions.

Professional Societies

Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)

Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS)