Shepherd at the Crossroads:
Converging Traditions in Early Christianity
The Centre for the Study of the Western Tradition at Campion College is delighted to announce an upcoming symposium, “Shepherd at the Crossroads: Converging Traditions in Early Christianity,” to be held on September 27-28, 2024, at the college campus in Toongabbie, Western Sydney.
From its earliest days, Christianity has had a cosmopolitan spirit. Christ Himself was born into a Hellenised Kingdom of Judaea, at that time under the yoke of the Caesars. Assisted by the congregations of the Jewish Diaspora, the Word quickly took root around the Near East and Mediterranean, bringing Christians in contact with innumerable gods, languages, and traditions of thought. The Lord spoke to these cultures, and they responded, each with their own instinctive modes of worship and something to offer the emerging Christian civilisation. The world of Alexander, Cicero and Augustus did not die with the conversion of Constantine but was gradually reorganised in the image of Christ. This amalgamation of the Christian and pre-Christian abounds in Late Antiquity and has been with us ever since – in our languages, literature, images, music, architecture, and institutions.
This event is open to academics, tertiary students, and the wider community, offering a unique opportunity to delve into the multicultural and multi-traditional character of Early Christianity and its enduring influence. We look forward to seeing you on campus.
Purchase TicketsDate
10am-4.00pm, Fri 27 and/or Sat 28 Sep 2024
Venue
Campion College Grand Hall
8-14 Austin Woodbury Place
Toongabbie NSW 2146
Open to
Scholars, students and the general public
Tickets
Two-day ticket: $120 | One-day ticket: $70 | Student concessions available
Overview
Speakers
Keynote speaker: Dr Vassilis Adrahtas
Convenor of Greek Studies, University of New South Wales; Casual Academic in Islamic Studies, University of Western Sydney
Topic: “Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonists: One Wonders Who is the Christian and Who is the Pagan”
Additional speakers:
Dr Chris Baghos, Dr Danijel Džino, Dr Kevin Wagner, Dr Lydia Gore-Jones, Dr Lyn Kidson, Dr Mario Baghos, Mr Gabriel Jower and Mr Mark Matic
Ticket pricing
All tickets include access to symposium sessions, lunch, morning/afternoon tea and refreshments.
Standard tickets:
Two-day ticket: $120 | One-day ticket: $70
Student concession tickets: Current tertiary students are invited to save 20% off the standard ticket price by using the code “STUDENTCONCESSION”. You must also include the name of your tertiary education provider in the checkout process.
Plan your visit
Parking
Limited parking is available onsite. Street parking is also available.
Accommodation
On-campus accommodation is not available for this event. Suburbs near Campion College ideal for accommodation include Blacktown, Bella Vista, Northmead, Baulkam Hills, Castle Hills, Wentworthville and Paramatta.
Speakers
Keynote speaker: Dr Vassilis Adrahtas
Convenor of Greek Studies, University of New South Wales; Casual Academic in Islamic Studies, University of Western Sydney
Topic: “Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonists: One Wonders Who is the Christian and Who is the Pagan”
Additional speakers:
Dr Chris Baghos, Dr Danijel Džino, Dr Kevin Wagner, Dr Lydia Gore-Jones, Dr Lyn Kidson, Dr Mario Baghos, Mr Gabriel Jower and Mr Mark Matic
Ticket pricing
All tickets include access to symposium sessions, lunch, morning/afternoon tea and refreshments.
Standard tickets:
Two-day ticket: $120 | One-day ticket: $70
Student concession tickets: Current tertiary students are invited to save 20% off the standard ticket price by using the code “STUDENTCONCESSION”. You must also include the name of your tertiary education provider in the checkout process.
Plan your visit
Parking
Limited parking is available onsite. Street parking is also available.
Accommodation
On-campus accommodation is not available for this event. Suburbs near Campion College ideal for accommodation include Blacktown, Bella Vista, Northmead, Baulkam Hills, Castle Hills, Wentworthville and Paramatta.
Symposium Schedule
Here you will find an indicative schedule for this year’s symposium. Abstracts and bios can be found below.
| 9.00am | Registration |
| 10.00am | Welcome |
| 10.30am | Dr Lyn Kidson | A Citizen of Empire or Citizen of the World? Paul’s Textual Identities as a Roman Jew and Greek Christian |
| 11.10am | Dr Lydia Gore-Jones | Solomonic Literature: Jewish, Hellenistic and Christian |
| 11.50am | Lunch |
| 12.50pm | Mr Mark Matic | Barbarism Begins at Home: Revelation, Dionysius of Alexandria, and the Greek Prescriptivist Tradition |
| 1.30pm | Dr Mario Baghos | Might Unassailable? Walls, Gates, and the Marble King of Byzantine Constantinople |
| 2.10pm | Gabriel Jower | Infanticide or Indifference? Disentangling the use of ektithе̄mi and ekballō in Patristic and Documentary Greek |
| 2.50pm | Afternoon tea |
| 3.20pm | Discussion | Meeting at the Crossroads |
| 4.00pm | End of Day 1 |
| 9.00am | Registration |
| 10.00am | Welcome |
| 10.20am | KEYNOTE: Dr Vassilis Adrahtas | Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonists: One Wonders Who is the Christian and Who is the Pagan |
| 11.20am | Morning tea |
| 11.40am | Dr Kevin Wagner | Patristic Reception of Jewish Liturgical Texts: The Tabernacle |
| 12.20pm | Dr Danijel Džino | Christianity and Paganism in Dark Age and Early Medieval Dalmatia |
| 1.00pm | Lunch |
| 2.00pm | Dr Chris Baghos | Shepherds of Ireland and Iona: The Convergence of Ascetical Theology and Hagiographical Motifs in Adomnán’s Life of Columba |
| 2.40pm | Afternoon tea |
| 3.20pm | Closing remarks |
| 3.30pm | End of Day 2 |
| 9.00am | Registration |
| 10.00am | Welcome |
| 10.30am | Dr Lyn Kidson | A Citizen of Empire or Citizen of the World? Paul’s Textual Identities as a Roman Jew and Greek Christian |
| 11.10am | Dr Lydia Gore-Jones | Solomonic Literature: Jewish, Hellenistic and Christian |
| 11.50am | Lunch |
| 12.50pm | Mr Mark Matic | Barbarism Begins at Home: Revelation, Dionysius of Alexandria, and the Greek Prescriptivist Tradition |
| 1.30pm | Dr Mario Baghos | Might Unassailable? Walls, Gates, and the Marble King of Byzantine Constantinople |
| 2.10pm | Gabriel Jower | Infanticide or Indifference? Disentangling the use of ektithе̄mi and ekballō in Patristic and Documentary Greek |
| 2.50pm | Afternoon tea |
| 3.20pm | Discussion | Meeting at the Crossroads |
| 4.00pm | End of Day 1 |
| 9.00am | Registration |
| 10.00am | Welcome |
| 10.20am | KEYNOTE: Dr Vassilis Adrahtas | Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonists: One Wonders Who is the Christian and Who is the Pagan |
| 11.20am | Morning tea |
| 11.40am | Dr Kevin Wagner | Patristic Reception of Jewish Liturgical Texts: The Tabernacle |
| 12.20pm | Dr Danijel Džino | Christianity and Paganism in Dark Age and Early Medieval Dalmatia |
| 1.00pm | Lunch |
| 2.00pm | Dr Chris Baghos | Shepherds of Ireland and Iona: The Convergence of Ascetical Theology and Hagiographical Motifs in Adomnán’s Life of Columba |
| 2.40pm | Afternoon tea |
| 3.20pm | Closing remarks |
| 3.30pm | End of Day 2 |
Abstracts & Bios
Dr Chris Baghos
“Shepherds of Ireland and Iona: The Convergence of Ascetical Theology and Hagiographical Motifs in Adomnán’s Life of Columba”
Check back later for abstract.
Dr Chris Baghos
Adjunct Lecturer in Theology, St Mark’s National Theological Centre, Charles Sturt University, Canberra
Check back later for full bio.
Dr Danijel Džino
“Christianity and Paganism in Dark Age and Early Medieval Dalmatia”
Check back later for abstract.
Dr Danijel Džino
Senior Lecturer in the Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University; President of the Australasian Society for Byzantine Studies
Check back later for full bio.
Dr Kevin Wagner
“Patristic Reception of Jewish Liturgical Texts: The Tabernacle”
Check back later for abstract.
Dr Kevin Wagner
Senior Lecturer in Theology and Associate Dean – Learning and Teaching, University of Notre Dame, Australia
Check back later for full bio.
Dr Lydia Gore-Jones
“Solomonic Literature: Jewish, Hellenistic and Christian”
Check back later for abstract.
Dr Lydia Gore-Jones
Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies, St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney College of Divinity
Check back later for full bio.
Dr Lyn Kidson
“A Citizen of Empire or Citizen of the World? Paul’s Textual Identities as a Roman Jew and Greek Christian”
Check back later for abstract.
Dr Lyn Kidson
Honorary Research Fellow, Macquarie University
Check back later for full bio.
Dr Mario Baghos
“Might Unassailable? Walls, Gates, and the Marble King of Byzantine Constantinople”
Check back later for abstract.
Dr Mario Baghos
Senior Lecturer in Theology and Post-Graduate Theology Co-ordinator, University of Notre Dame, Australia
Check back later for full bio.
Dr Vassilis Adrahtas (Keynote Address)
“Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonists: One Wonders Who is the Christian and Who is the Pagan”
Check back later for abstract.
Dr Vassilis Adrahtas
Convenor of Greek Studies, University of New South Wales; Casual Academic in Islamic Studies, University of Western Sydney
Check back later for full bio.
Mr Gabriel Jower
“Infanticide or Indifference? Disentangling the use of ektithе̄mi and ekballō in Patristic and Documentary Greek”
Check back later for abstract.
Mr Gabriel Jower
Tutor in Greek, Macquarie Ancient Languages School; Co-founder of PALAIA: Promoting Ancient Language Studies in Academia
Check back later for full bio.
Mr Mark Matic
“Barbarism Begins at Home: Revelation, Dionysius of Alexandria, and the Greek Prescriptivist Tradition”
Check back later for abstract.
Mr Mark Matic
Lecturer in Classical Languages, Campion College Australia; Casual Academic in Ancient History and Croatian Studies, Macquarie University
Check back later for full bio.
Purchase tickets
Current tertiary students are invited to save 20% off the standard ticket price by using the code “STUDENTCONCESSION”. You must also include the name of your tertiary education provider in the checkout process.