The thirteenth biennial Birmingham Colloquium on the Textual Criticism of the New Testament was held of the University of Birmingham campus this week by members of the Institute for Textual Scholarship and Electronic Editing (ITSEE), drawing in longstanding colleagues and new young scholars from across the globe to mark the occasion.
The Colloquium was originally founded by David Parker and David Taylor in 1997 and the Birmingham Colloquium is held every two years. From 2007 to 2017, it was co-organised by Hugh Houghton and David Parker, and is currently convened by Hugh Houghton.
Birmingham has been a centre in the work of the International Greek New Testament Project for over five decades, so it was very fitting that the first celebration of this milestone in the history of this project should take place here. This discipline is in vibrant form, with much work underway here in Birmingham and across the world which we hope will lead to further advances in understanding the history of the biblical text.
Professor Hugh Houghton - Professor of New Testament Textual Scholarship.
The themes for this year's event are catenae, scholia and marginalia in New Testament manuscripts, plus the work, members and editions of the IGNTP as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
The conference is held in conjunction with the European Research Council-funded CATENA project with a variety of guest speakers presenting new, undiscovered research on the text and transmission of the New Testament.
Birmingham has been a centre of innovation, leading as one of the top two institutions for digital Testament in humanities . IGNTP is one of the biggest projects to work on New Testament with one hundred collaborations from academics and PhD students.
Klaus Wachtel (Münster) - attendee and speaker of this years Birmingham Colloquium.
The International Greek New Testament Project exists to produce critical editions of books of the New Testament.
Many New Testament scholars have served on the IGNTP committees since their formation in 1948. Until 2007, there were separate North American and British committees, but the work is now overseen by a single body comprising members from a number of countries.
Given that the the IGNTP was originally an Anglo-American project, the University also looks forward to the second stage of the celebration of these seventy-five years at the Society of Biblical Literature meeting in Texas later on this year in November.
