The Psalms: Songs of Praise...and Theology?
When: Friday, May 16, 2025 - 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Wycliffe College, 5 Hoskin Ave, Toronto
Email: davidpaxton.ross@mail.utoronto.ca
The Psalms can serve as a treasure trove of single verse or single-phrase jewels. Consider ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ (Psalm 23:1) or Dominus illuminatio mea (Psalm 27:1) which translates as ‘The Lord is my light’—the motto of Oxford University. That said, most psalms are read all the way through (except for longer psalms such as Psalm 119), and each psalm is usually considered as a unit. Recent scholarship has tried to make more of how each psalm makes up one of the five ‘books' of the Psalms and ultimately the whole Psalter.
In both the Jewish and the Christian tradition, the Psalms have been set to be read, performed, and received as inspiration. The Psalms naturally supply powerful words for meditation, maybe even for reorientation, and music and art can supplement this effect. But if we take a biblical-theological approach by looking to see how certain themes are articulated across the Psalter, perhaps we'll see that the Psalms also exist for explanation. The wider challenge of how to preach and write commentary as well as how to make Psalms digestible by modern worshippers will provide the heart of our talks and discussion.
Registration is open. Please register here. (Please note: students receive a discounted registration cost.)
Speakers
- David Reimer (St Andrews)
- Ben Sommer (Jewish Theological Seminary of America)
- John Witvliet (Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary)
- Lauren Winner (Duke Divinity School)
- Andy Witt (Tyndale University)
Schedule
Registration: 8:30
Morning: 9:30-Noon
- 9:30 David Reimer: Acrostics in Book V of the Psalms: The emergence of theological ethics
- 10:30 Coffee
- 11 Ben Sommer: Why do people have a problem with the Cursing Psalms? Scripture, genre, and the ethics of prayer
Lunch: Noon
Afternoon: 12:45-4:30
- 12:45 John Witvliet: Learning to pray words someone else gives us: The grace and challenge of singing Psalms in community
- 1:45 Lauren Winner
- 2:45 Break
- 3:15 Andy Witt: Response
- 3:45 Panel discussion
About the Colloquium
The Scripture and Theology Colloquium is a semi-annual gathering of faculty, pastors, students, and others who are interested in exploring the dynamic interactions of scripture and theology. Featuring a selection of world-class experts, the colloquia will alternate in focus, sometimes addressing larger theological topics and other times considering a specific book or chapter of the Bible.
