This seminar, co-sponsored by the Faculty of Theology and Religion, is the flagship seminar of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament subject area in Oxford. It runs each term and hosts an international array of scholars in the field of Biblical Studies. The seminar is attended by a variety of faculties across the University of Oxford. Students and faculty members participate in discussions during the formal sessions, as well as in more informal discussions each week after the seminars.
Hilary Term 2026
Weeks 1–8, Mondays, 14:30–17:00
Harris Seminar Room (Oriel College)
Convened by Hindy Najman (Oriel)
Week 1 (Monday, 19 January)
Annie Calderbank (KCL), “Networks of Holiness: God, Israel, and the Priestly Imagination”
Week 2 (Monday, 26 January)
Sidnie White Crawford (University of Nebraska Lincoln), “A Codicological Study of Manuscripts A and B of the Damascus Document from the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Collection”
Week 3 (Monday, 2 February)
Rachel Cresswell (Christ Church, Oxford), “Proof-Texting and its Medieval Opponents”
Week 4 (Monday, 9 February)
No session
Week 5 (Monday, 16 February)
Suzanna Millar (Edinburgh), “Animals, Power, and Intersectionality in the Books of Samuel”
Week 6 (Monday, 23 February)
John Day (Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford), “Was Genesis 1 dependent on Psalm 104 or was it the other way round?”
Week 7 (Monday, 2 March)
Saul Olyan (Brown), “Biblical Rights: Animal and Human”
Week 8 (Monday, 9 March)
Workshop: Isaiah: Between Materiality and Textuality, 9:00am–6:00pm, Harris Seminar Room and Lecture Theatre, Oriel College
Consult the Oriel College porter’s lodge for the 4-digit code to enter the Harris Seminar Room.
For any enquiries, please write to ocsb@oriel.ox.ac.uk
For programme updates please see the website: https://www.centreforbible.oriel.ox.ac.uk/events/hebrew-bible-old-testament-seminar/