Norway: A Preview

So, as the title of this post doesn't really tell you, I'm heading to Norway in May, to attend the 'Stavanger International Conference on Disability, Illness and Religion', which is, as you might have guessed, taking place in the attractive city of Stavanger, as pictured above.

I'm privileged to be presenting a short paper in one of the parallel sessions, which combines two things I love: the Bible, and thinking about mental health issues. My paper is on Galatians 6:17 and looks particularly at how Paul uses/recovers a word, and then considers how we might apply that model to issues of mental health in the life of the church. The abstract (Shorter version, for the conference program) is below if you are interested.

The conference website is here, if you are interested, and I'm already getting excited! Do let me know in comments if you are heading to the conference - I've already found one person!

Below is the abstract for my paper:

‘Proudly Wearing the Marks of Christ - Recovering the Stigmata in Galatians 6:17’

As the Apostle Paul brings his Epistle to the Galatians to a close, he uses a fascinating phrase, “for I carry the marks of Jesus branded upon my body”. Rich with imagery alluding to key themes in his writing, Paul is echoing the common understanding of the term, and the role that this plays in his own apostolic ministry. The twin motifs of common knowledge and visible marks reflect powerfully the effect that events and experiences can have upon the human self, with implications for the consideration of mental health issues in the ecclesiological contexts.

I explore Paul’s usage of ‘τὰ στίγματα’ in Galatians 6:17, and consider whether there is, as F.F. Bruce considers, something substantive in Paul’s notion that “these proclaim who he is and whom he serves”. In the Church of today, where many suffer to differing degrees of openness across a range of afflictions, the notion of ‘stigmata’ surrounding discussion of mental illness is often understood in the negative sense. It is common, in many communities, for a ‘stigma‘ to be attached to those who suffer. Paul’s challenge in these closing verses focuses here on the positive nature of his stigmata, with fascinating missional, pastoral and apologetic implications for today. 

A longer version of the abstract (which was submitted as the proposal and goes into more detail) is available on request. 

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