Dr J. Thomas Hewitt (BS, MDiv, MLitt, PhD)
Lecturer in New Testament and Christian Origins
Address
- Street
-
School of Divinity
New College
The Mound - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH1 2LX
Qualifications
BS (Psychology, Music)
MDiv
MLitt (Scripture & Theology)
PhD (New Testament & Christian Origins)
Responsibilities & affiliations
Journal of Biblical Literature – editorial board member
Journal for the Study of the New Testament – ad hoc peer-reviewer
Journal of Theological Studies – ad hoc peer-reviewer
British New Testament Society – co-chair, Ancient Judaism and Christianity seminar
Society of Biblical Literature – member
Enoch Seminar – member
Undergraduate teaching
Paul & His Letters (Level 8)
Introducing New Testament Greek (Levels 8/10)
Intermediate New Testament Greek (Levels 8/10)
Studies in Early Jewish Literature (Level 10)
Postgraduate teaching
Introducing New Testament Greek (PG)
Intermediate New Testament Greek (PG)
Studies in Early Jewish Literature (PG)
Method & Hermeneutics in Biblical Studies (team)
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Areas of interest for supervision
I supervise a range of research focusing on various texts and corpora of the early Christianity and Second Temple Judaism and investigating topics such as christology, messianism, early scriptural interpretation (including, but not limited to, 'New Testament use of the Old Testament'), pneumatology, ethnicity, the ascended Christ, apocalyptic literature, and the Pauline epistles. I am very happy to hear from prospective applicants to our Taught MTh/MSc, MTh/MSc by Research, and PhD programmes.
Current PhD students supervised
Andy Kench – Pauline anthropology and sources in Romans 7
Junette Galagala-Nacion – constructions of gentile identity in early Christian literature
Jared Hay – post-mortem existence across the NT
David Burnett – patriarchal promises in Second Temple Judaism and 1 Corinthians
Do Sung Kim – Johannine messianism and pneumatology
Tanner Huss – love and ethics in Galatians
Dina Saad – the influence of Isaiah in Romans
Hunter Hambrick – pneumatology and grace in Hebrews
Research summary
My research interests concern intersections of early Christianity and ancient Judaism, ranging across issues such as the Pauline epistles, christology, messianism, ancient scriptural interpretation, apocalypticism, and mysticism.
Current research interests
I am currently writing on literary depictions of the ascended Christ in early Christian texts, with a special interest in the ways appropriations of Jewish scripture, variegated cultural traditions, and historical circumstances influence these depictions.Past research interests
My previous research includes work on 'in Christ' language and messianism in Paul, Pauline pneumatology, ancient scriptural interpretation, messianism in early Judaism, and comparative methodologies in Biblical Studies.Affiliated research centres
Invited speaker
'The Ascended Christ in Pauline Tradition.' New Testament Research Seminar, University of Oxford. 2025.
Plenary reviewer. Book launch of Matthew V. Novenson, Paul and Judaism at the End of History. Centre for the Study of Christian Origins, University of Edinburgh. 2025
'Faith between Messianism and Christology.' Copenhagen-Edinburgh New Testament / Early Christianity Seminar. 2025.
'Christ Above in Colossians: Messiah Speculation and "The Things Above"'. Biblical Studies Research Seminar, University of Glasgow. 2025.
'Christ Above and Colossians'. New Testament Research Seminar, University of St. Andrews. 2024.
'Conceptualizations of Jesus in the Corpus Paulinum.' Latter Day Saints New Testament Seminar: Traditions in Dialogue. University of St. Andrews. 2023.
Plenary reviewer. Book Launch of Matthew T. Sharp, Divination and Philosophy in the Letters of Paul. Centre for the Study of Christian Origins, University of Edinburgh. 2023.
'Messiah and "Mysticism" in Paul'. Aberdeen Academy of Theology Lecture Series, Centre for Ministry Studies, University of Aberdeen. 2022.
'Πνεῦμα, Genealogical Descent, and Things That Do Not Exist according to Paul'. Ehrhardt Seminar, University of Manchester. 2022.
'The Conceptualization of Non-Jews in Enochic Literature, the Sibylline Oracles, and Paul'. Panel presentation for session 'No Longer Jew or Greek, Slave or Free, Male or Female: Gender, Ethnicity and Social Status in Apocalyptic Perspective' at conference 'Was Paul an Apocalyptic Jew? A Case in Jewish Diversity in the Second Temple Period', organized by the Enoch Seminar in conjunction with the Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan. 2021.
Respondent and reviewer. Panel Review of J. Thomas Hewitt, Messiah and Scripture and Teresa Morgan, Being “in Christ” in the Letters of Paul. Pauline Epistles Section, British New Testament Society Annual Meeting. 2021.
'Πνεῦμα and Descent according to Paul'. Biblical Studies Seminar, University of Edinburgh. 2019.
Papers delivered
'"In the Lord" Is Not "In Christ": The Distinctive Syntactical and Conceptual Functions of a Linguistic Doppelgänger'. Pauline Epistles Program Unit, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting. 2020.
'Syntax, Ethnicity, and Equivocality in Galatians 2:15–17'. Pauline Epistles Program Unit, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting. 2018.
'"Found in Christ to be Sinners"? Participation and Ethnic Identity in Galatians 2:15–17'. New Testament and the World of Early Christianity Program Unit, Society of Biblical Literature Pacific Northwest Regional Meeting. 2018.
'Describing Pauline Messianism: A Comparison of 1 Corinthians 15 to Daniel 7 in Light of 4Q246'. Second Temple Judaism and the New Testament Section, British New Testament Society Annual Meeting. 2015.