Dr Lena-Sofia TIEMEYER

Dr Lena-Sofia TIEMEYER The University of Aberdeen School of Divinity, History & Philosophy Senior Lecturer pref l.s.tiemeyer@abdn.ac.uk pref School of Divinity, History and Philosophy, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen. AB24 3UB

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Biography

I am married and have twin daughters, aged 10. During my free time I particularly enjoy hiking, horseback riding, skiing (especially in my native Sweden), reading novels, visiting coffee shops, and sampling new exotic restaurants or cooking intricate meals together with my husband.

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Research Interests

My research interests are many and diverse, the results of my travels around the globe. I spent my formative years as a student at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, studying Hebrew Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages. Immersion into a Hebrew and Arabic speaking environment made me interested in the philological aspects of Hebrew and comparative Semitics. Living in the Middle East gave me an interest in the Ancient Near East, its languages, cultures and politics, and how the Hebrew Bible fitted into this wider context. Studying in a Jewish environment fostered my interest in Medieval Jewish exegesis. Finally, just living and breathing in the air of Jerusalem made me aware of the many ways in which the Bible has been and can be understood, thus sparking my interest in exegesis and the history of hermeneutics.

Moving to Oxford provided new experiences and gave rise to an increasing interest in the theological aspects of Biblical studies. In particular, what fascinated me was the interchange between God's dark and light sides as recorded in the Old Testament. I also found my main specialization: the prophetic literature of post-exilic Judah. In this latter vein, I wrote my DPhil on Isaiah 56-66, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, investigating the criticism of the priesthood as found in these texts.

Lastly, working at a seminary in the USA made me aware of the need to interpret the Hebrew Bible for today. As a result, I developed an interest in contemporary readings of the Bible and how different approaches create different meanings of the Biblical text.

At present I am doing research on the relationship between Isaiah 40-55 and Isaiah 56-66. I am also working on a redaction-critical study of Zech 1-6.

I have recently submitted the manuscript for a new Textbook in Hebrew Hebrew. For a preview of the textbook, please look at http://sescholarspub1.devserverca.org.ua/digital-textbooks/6/28/introduction-to-biblical-hebrew

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Teaching Responsibilities

I am currently on research leave.

 

I normally teach the following undergraduate courses:

DR1042 Hebrew Language I

DR1543 Introducing the Hebrew Bible

DR1536 Hebrew Language II

DR2047 History and Religion of Ancient Israel

DR4576 Introduction to Rabbinics and Jewish Philosophy

 

I teach the following postgraduate courses:

DR5073 Modern Hebrew I

DR5080 Jewish History and Culture (team taught)

DR5574 Modern Hebrew II

DR551G Rabbinics and Jewish Philosophy (team taught)

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Membership of professional organizations

Society of Biblical Literature

European Association of Biblical Scholars

Society for the Old Testament Study

Svenska Exegetiska Sällskap

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Conference Papers and other Public Lectures

 

“Daughter Zion and the Lament in Isaiah 63:7-64:11”, presented at the Annual Meeting of the SBL, Chicago, 22 Nov 2012.

"A Visionary Experience and its Interpretations: A New Look at the Redaction History of Zechariah’s Vision Report", presented at the International Meeting of the SBL/Annual Meeting of the EABS, Amsterdam, 22 July, 2012.

"Yhwh, the Divine Beings, and Zechariah 1-8", presented at "Monotheism in Late Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature", Göttingen, 18 June, 2012.

"Zechariah’s Vision Report – Religious Experience or Literary Fiction?", presented at the Annual Meeting of the SBL, San Francisco, 19 November, 2011.

"A Vision within a Vision", presented at the Annual Meeting of the SBL, San Francisco, 20 November, 2011.

"Continuity and Discontinuity in Isaiah 40-66: History of Research", presented at the Meeting of the Edinburgh Prophecy Network, Aberdeen, 7 November, 2011.

"The Polyvalency of Zechariah’s Vision Report", presented at the Annual Meeting of the EABS, Thessaloniki, Greece, 9 Aug. 2011.

"Reading the Prophets Responsibly: The Use of the Hebrew Prophets in the Church Today", presented at Africa International University, Nairobi, Kenya, 8 June, 2011.

"Imperial Influence on the Language and Content of Isaiah 40-55", presented at the 'Isaiah and Empire Colloquium, Laidlaw College, Auckland, NZ, 15 Feb, 2011.

"The Fine Line between Lament and Penitential Prayer", presented at the Colloquium on 'Spiritual Complaints', Laidlaw Carey Graduate School, Auckland, NZ, 11 Feb, 2011.

"The Coming of the Lord - An Inter-textual Reading of Isa 40:1-11; 52:7-10; 59:15b-20; 62:11 and 63:1-6", presented at the International Meeting of the SBL, Tartu, Estonia 27 July, 2010.  

"Were the Neo-Assyrian Prophets Intercessors? A Comparative Study of Neo-Assyrian and Israelite Prophecy", presented at the Edinburgh Prophetic Network, Edinburgh, 11 December, 2009.

"A Response to Marvin Sweeney", presented at the Annual Meeting of the SBL, New Orleans, 22 November, 2009. 

"To Read - or not to Read - Ezekiel as Christian Scripture", presented as the Old Testament Lecture at the Triennial Conference of the Tyndale Fellowship, Cambridge, July 6, 2009.

"Isa 40-55 - A Drama of Judahite Voices", presented at the Annual Meeting of the SBL, Boston, November 24, 2008.

"The Judahite Community behind Daughter Zion", presented at the summer meeting of the Society of the Old Testament Study, Oxford, July 23, 2008.

"En gåtfull spegelbild – Sakarjas visionsupplevelse", presented at Johannelund Theological Seminary, Uppsala, Sweden, 9 April, 2008.

"A Synchronic or a Diachronic Reading Isaiah 40-55- Does it Differ?", presented at the Annual Meeting of SBL, San Diego, November 18, 2007.

"Ezekiel the Man, the Prophet, the Priest and the Watchman",  presented at the Annual Meeting of SBL, San Diego, November 18, 2007.

"Abraham, a Judahite Prerogative", presented at the International Meeting of SBL, Vienna, July 3, 2007.

"Jeremiah and the Priests", presented at the Meeting of the Edinburgh Prophecy Network, Edinburgh, May 11-12, 2007.

"Geography and Textual Allusions: Interpreting Isaiah 40-55 and Lamentations as Judahite Texts", presented at the International Meeting of SBL, Edinburgh, July 3, 2006.

"Zechariah's Unprocessed Visionary Experience", presented at the Annual Meeting of SBL, Philadelphia, Penn. November 21, 2005.

"Two prophets, Two Laments and Two Ways of Dealing with Earlier Texts", presented at the Conference on "Die Textualisierung der Religion. Juda und Jerusalem zwischen Kult und Text vom 7. bis 5. Jh. v. Chr", at Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, July 8, 2005.

"The Compassionate God of Jewish Exegesis", presented at the annual meeting of the Pacific North-West Regional SBL. Seattle, Wash. April 29, 2005.

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Publications

Contributions to Journals

Articles

• Tiemeyer, L-S (2010). 'To Read – or not to Read'. Expository Times, vol 121, no. 10, pp. 1-8.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1177/0014524610370763
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2008). 'Abraham, a Judahite Prerogative'. Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, vol 120, no. 1, pp. 49-66.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1515/ZAW.2008.004
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2008). 'Recent Currents in the Research of the Prophetic Literature'. Expository Times, vol 119, no. 4, pp. 161-169.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1177/0014524607085988
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2008). 'Through a Glass Darkly: Zechariah’s Unprocessed Visionary Experience'. Vetus Testamentum, vol 58, no. 4-5, pp. 573-594.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1163/156853308X325245
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2007). 'Geography and Textual Allusions: Interpreting Isaiah 40-55 and Lamentations as Judahite Texts'. Vetus Testamentum, vol 57, no. 3, pp. 367-385.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1163/156853307X190732
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2007). 'The Compassionate God of Traditional Jewish and Christian Exegesis'. Tyndale Bulletin, vol 58, no. 2, pp. 183-207.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2006). 'The Question of Indirect Touch - Lam 4,14; Ezek 44,19 and Hag 2,12-13'. Biblica, vol 87, pp. 64-74.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2006). 'God’s Hidden Compassion'. Tyndale Bulletin, vol 57, no. 2, pp. 191-213.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2006). 'A Busy Night at the Heavenly Court'. Svensk Exegetisk Årsbok, vol 71, pp. 187-207.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2006). 'Exegetical notes on Isaiah 33 : 14-16: Despite and nonetheless'. Expository Times, vol 118, no. 3, pp. 132-133.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1177/0014524606072697
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2005). 'Prophecy as a Way of Cancelling Prophecy: The Strategic Uses of Foreknowledge'. Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, vol 117, pp. 329-350.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1515/zatw.2005.117.3.329
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2005). 'The Watchman Metaphor in Isaiah lvi-lxvi'. Vetus Testamentum, vol 55, no. 3, pp. 378-400.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1163/1568533054359832
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2005). '�Giving a Voice to Malachi’s Interlocutors”'. Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, vol 19, no. 2, pp. 173-192.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1080/09018320500472652
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2004). 'The Haughtiness of the Priesthood Isa 65,5'. Biblica, vol 85, no. 2, pp. 237-244.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2004). 'Compelled by Honour: A New Interpretation of Zechariah II 12A (8A)'. Vetus Testamentum, vol 54, no. 3, pp. 352-372.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1163/1568533041694555

Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings

Chapters

• Tiemeyer, L-S (2012). 'Isaiah 40–55: A Drama of Judahite Voices'. MJ Boda, CJ Dempsey & L Snow Flesher (eds), in: Daughter Zion: Her Portrait, Her Response. Ancient Israel and Its Literature, Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, GA, USA, pp. 55-75.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2012). 'The Coming of the Lord in Isaiah 40-66'. I Provan & M Boda (eds), in: Let us Go up to Zion: Essays in Honour of H.G.M Williamson on the Occasion of his Sixty-Fifth Birthday. vol. 153, Supplement to Vetus Testamentum, Brill Academic Publishers, Leiden, the Netherlands, pp. 233-244.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (in press). 'Were the Neo-Assyrian Prophets Intercessors?: A Comparative Study of Neo-Assyrian and Israelite Prophecy'. B Hans M. & G Robert (eds), in: “Thus Speaks Ishtar of Arbela”: Prophecy in Israel, Assyria and Egypt in the Neo-Assyrian Period. Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake, IN., Neo-Assyrian Prophecy and Prophecy in the Neo-Assyrian Period. Meeting of the Edinburgh Prophecy Network, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 11-12 December.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (in press). 'Imperial Influence on the Language and Content of Isaiah 40-55'. T Bulkeley & T Meadowcroft (eds), in: Isaiah and Empire. Colloquium: Spiritual Complaint, Laidlaw Carey Graduate School, Auckland, New Zealand, 10-11 February.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (in press). 'The Doubtful Gain of Penitential Prayer: The Fine Line between Lament and Penitential Prayer'. T Bulkeley & M Bier (eds), in: Spiritual Complaint: Theology and Practice of Lament. ‘Isaiah and Empire Colloquium’, Laidlaw College, Auckland, New Zealand, 14-15 February.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2012). 'The Book of Ezekiel'. B Mark K. & M J. Gordon (eds), in: Dictionary of the Old Testament: Prophets. Intervarsity Press, Leicester.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (in press). 'The Prophets'. H Clifford & M Lakey (eds), in: The Lion Companion to the Bible. Thames and Hudson.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2011). 'Will the Prophetic Texts from the Hellenistic Period Stand Up, Please'. O Lipschits & L Grabbe (eds), in: Judah between East and West: The Transition from Persian to Greek Rule (400-200 BCE). Library of Second Temple Studies, vol. 75, T. & T. Clark, London, pp. 255-279, Judah between East and West: The Transition from Persian to Greek Rule (ca. 400-200 BCE), Tel Aviv, Israel, 17-19 April.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2011). 'Ezekiel – A Compromised Prophet in Reduced Circumstances'. M Nissinen & L Grabbe (eds), in: Constructs of Prophecy in the Former and Latter Prophets and in Other Texts. SBL Ancient Near Eastern Monographs, Society of Biblical Literature, pp. 175-195.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2011). 'Lamentations in Isaiah 40-55: Reading Lamentations as Sacred Scripture'. H Thomas & R Parry (eds), in: Great is Thy Faithfulness? : Toward Reading Lamentations as Christian Scripture. Paternoster Press, London, pp. 55-63.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2009). 'The Priests and the Temple Cult in the Book of Jeremiah'. H Barstad & R Kratz (eds), in: Prophecy in the Book of Jeremiah. vol. 388, Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, no. 388, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, Germany, pp. 233-264, Prophecy in the Book of Jeremiah. Meeting of the Edinburgh Prophetic Network, Edinbrugh, United Kingdom, 11-12 May.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2009). 'Two Prophets, Two Laments, and Two Ways of Dealing with Earlier Texts'. J Schaper (ed.), in: Die Textualisierung der Religion. Forschungen zum Alten Testament, vol. 62, Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen, Germany, pp. 185-202, Die Textualisierung der Religion: Juda und Jerusalem zwischen Kult und Text vom 7. bis 5. Jh. v. Chr., Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Germany, 8-10 July.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2008). 'Zechariah’s Spies and Ezekiel’s Cherubim'. M Floyd & MJ Boda (eds), in: Tradition in Transition: Haggai and Zechariah 1-8 in the Trajectory of Hebrew Theology. The Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies, no. 475, T. & T. Clark, London/New York, pp. 95-119.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2008). 'Feminist and Ideological Interpretation'. P Enns & T Longman III (eds), in: Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry and Writings. InterVarsity Press, Nottingham, United Kingdom, pp. 205-218.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2008). 'Eschatology in the Old Testament'. S. & R R. (eds), in: What Are We Waiting For: Hopeful Theologians in Discussion. Paternoster Press, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, pp. 13-23.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2005). 'Manasseh'. BT Arnold & HGM Williamson (eds), in: Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books. Intervarsity Press, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books (eds. B.T. Arnold and H.G.M. Williamson; Intervarsity Press: Leicester), pp. 674-677.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2005). 'Sanballat'. BT Arnold & HGM Williamson (eds), in: Dictionary of the Old Testament : Historical Books. InterVarsity Press, Leicester, pp. 877-880.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2005). '"Lebanon"'. in: Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books (eds. B.T. Arnold and H.G.M. Williamson; Intervarsity Press: Leicester). Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books (eds. B.T. Arnold and H.G.M. Williamson; Intervarsity Press: Leicester).
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2003). '�The Guilty Priesthood (Zech 3)”'. in: The Book of Zechariah and its Influence (ed. C.M. Tuckett; Ashgate: Aldershot, England, 2003).. The Book of Zechariah and its Influence (ed. C.M. Tuckett; Ashgate: Aldershot, England, 2003)., pp. 1-19.

Books and Reports

Books

• Tiemeyer, L-S (in press). 'Introduction to Biblical Hebrew: The point of pointless Hebrew'. Scholar's Publisher Inc., http://sescholarspub1.devserverca.org.ua/digital-textbooks/6/28/introduction-to-biblical-hebrew.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2010). 'For the Comfort of Zion: The Geographical and Theological Location of Isaiah 40-55'. Vetus Testamentum Supplement, no. 139, E.J. Brill, Leiden, Netherlands.
• Tiemeyer, L-S (2006). 'Priestly Rites and Prophetic Rage: Post-Exilic Prophetic Critique of the Priesthood'. Forschungen zum Alten Testament II, vol. 19, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen.

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