Julye Bidmead Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, 2007
Chapman University One University Drive Orange, CA 92866 (714) 532-7709 bidmead@chapman.edu
Julye Bidmead (Ph.D., VanderbiltUniversity) is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies.She is the author of The Akitu Festival: Religious Continuity and Royal Legitimation in Mesopotamia (Gorgias Press, 2002) . Dr. Bidmead has been on the staff of numerous archaeological excavations in Israel, including the Megiddo Expedition. She teaches courses in Hebrew Bible, biblical archaeology, and gender studies.
REL 200 Intro to the Hebrew Scriptures: This class examines selected texts from the Hebrew Scriptures employing tools of critical biblical scholarship, such as literary analysis, textual criticism, feminist theory, socio-historical criticism, and biblical archaeology. We will approach the texts by situating them within their ancient Near Eastern context; therefore in addition to the Bible we will also look at Mesopotamian and Egyptian literature and inscriptions, including cosmologies, myths, legal and economic texts as well as archaeological data. Use of this approach will allow us to explore the religious ideologies and practices of the ancient Israelites. You are asked to analyze the texts from a fresh perspective and willingly suspend your belief and/or disbelief in order to try to see the world as the ancients did.
REL 315/HIS 315 Archaeology of Ancient Israel
Education
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Ph.D. (Religion), 2002 Dissertation: The Akitu Festival: Religious Continuity and Royal legitimation in Mesopotamia.
Vanderbilt University, Tel Aviv, Nashville, TN, M.A. (Religion), 1997
Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, (Graduate courses in Biblical Archaelolgy), 1996
Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA (Graduate courses in Hebrew Bible), 1992-1994
University of California, Berkeley, CA (Graduate courses in Near Eastern Studies), 1992-1994
California State University, Hayward, CA, B.A. (Philosophy/Religious Studies, Magna cum Laude), 1991
Teaching/Professional Experience
Chapman University, Orange Ca, Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies, 2007-present
Miami University, Oxford, OH, Assistant Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Religions, Department of Comparative Religion/Jewish Studies, 2004-2007
James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, Visiting Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Department of Philosophy and religion, 2003-2004
California State University, Fresno, CA, Visiting Lecturer, Religious Studies, Department of Philosophy and Religion, 2001-2003; Smittcamp Honors College Faculty, Spring 2003; Extended Education Faculty, Spring 2003
Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN, Bibliographer and Collection Development, 1996-1999
Areas of Teaching Competence:
Primary: Hebrew Bible, Ancient Near Eastern Religions, Biblical Archaeology, Theory of Religion
Secondary: Women and Gender in Religion, Myth and Ritual, Judaism
Articles:
"Shrine," "Rosh Ha-Shanah," "Fable" in New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible. Katherine Dobb Sakenfield, Samuel Balentine, eds. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2009.
Lahav Research Project/Tel Halif, Field Reports, 2007Season. Emory University, 2008.
"Syro-Palestinian Archaeology." in Eerdmans Biblical Commentary, John Rogerson and James D. G. Dunn, eds. Grand Rapids, MI: Eardmans Publishing, 2004.
"New Year's Celebrations." in Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals, Frank Salamone, ed. Religion and Soceity 6. Great Barrington, M.A: Bershire/Routledge Press, 2004.
"New Year", "Wizard/Medium","Ishtar","Assur (Deity)", "Nisroch","Lot Casting in the Bible" in Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, David Noel Freedman and Allen C. Myers, eds. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.
"Pedagogy and Archaeology: How Students 'Dig' the Web." Shofar: An interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies 17/4 Summer 1999.
REL 200 Intro to the Hebrew Scriptures: This class examines selected texts from the Hebrew Scriptures employing tools of critical biblical scholarship, such as literary analysis, textual criticism, feminist theory, socio-historical criticism, and biblical archaeology. We will approach the texts by situating them within their ancient Near Eastern context; therefore in addition to the Bible we will also look at Mesopotamian and Egyptian literature and inscriptions, including cosmologies, myths, legal and economic texts as well as archaeological data. Use of this approach will allow us to explore the religious ideologies and practices of the ancient Israelites. You are asked to analyze the texts from a fresh perspective and willingly suspend your belief and/or disbelief in order to try to see the world as the ancients did.