James Christopher Walters

Dr. Walters retired from the Boston University School of Theology in June 2020. His interests focused on Pauline studies and especially on the urban social context of Pauline communities in the Aegean basin (Greece and western Asia Minor). For almost a decade he served on the steering committee of the Archaeology of Religion in the Greco-Roman World Section of the Society of Biblical Literature because of his interest in bringing material evidence to bear on the exegesis of Paul’s letters. Dr. Walters is the author of one book, Ethnic Issues in Paul’s Letter to the Romans, and a number of scholarly essays.

Association Memberships and Awards

• American Institute of Archaeology
• Society of Biblical Literature
• Society for Ancient Mediterraenean Religions
• Christian Scholarship Foundation Award Winner, 1989
• Distinguished Teacher Award, Harding University, 1986

Publications

Steve Friesen, Daniel Schowalter and James Walters, ed., Corinth in Context: Comparative Perspectives on Religion and Society, Novum Testamentum Supplement 128 (Leiden: Brill, 2010).

“Paul and the Politics of Meals in Roman Corinth,” in Corinth in Context: Comparative Perspectives on Religion and Society, ed., Steve Friesen, Daniel Schowalter and James Walters, Novum Testamentum Supplement 128 (Leiden: Brill, 2010).

“Paul the Apostle” (3,000 words), Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome, ed. Michael Gragarin (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

“Paul’s Letter to the Romans,” in The Transforming Word: A One Volume Commentary on the Bible, ed. Mark Hamilton, Abilene, Texas: Abilene Christian University Press, 2009.

The Fabric of Early Christianity: Reflections in Honor of Helmut Koester by Fifty Years of Harvard Students, edited by James Smith and Philip Sellew (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2007).

“Civic Identity in Roman Corinth and its Impact on the Early Christians,” in Urban Religion in Roman Corinth: Interdisciplinary Approaches, ed. Daniel Schowalter and Steve Friesen, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005.

Review, Moyer V. Hubbard, New Creation in Paul’s Letters and Thought (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002), in Religious Studies Review, 2004.

“Paul, Adoption and Inheritance,” in Paul in the Greco-Roman World. Edited by J. Paul Sampley. Valley Forge, Pa.: Trinity Press, 2003, 42-76.

“Ethnic Issues, Eschatology and Moral Reasoning in Paul’s Letter to the Romans,” in Preaching Romans, Edited by Dave Bland and David Fleer, Abilene: Abilene Christian University Press, 2002, 24-52.

“The Coincidence of the Expansion of Christianity and the Egyptian Cults in Imperial Ephesos,” in 100 Jahre Österreichische Forschungen in Ephesos.

Österreichische Akademie Der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften, 260. Edited by Barbara Brandt and Karl Krierer. Wien: Österreichische Akademie Der Wissenschaften, 1999, 315-324.

“Romans, Jews and Christians: The Impact of the Romans on Jewish/Christian Relations in First-Century Rome,” in Judaism and Christianity in First-Century Rome. Edited by Karl Donfried and Peter Richardson. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998, 175-195.

“Living in light of the Second Coming,” in Theology Matters. Edited by Gary Holloway, Randall Harris and Mark Black. Joplin, Mo.: College Press, 1998, 336-346.

Review, Craig S. Wansink, Chained in Christ: The Experience and Rhetoric of Paul’s Imprisonments (Sheffield: Sheffield University Press, 1996), in Religious Studies Review 24 (1998), 91.

Review, Bruce Winter, Seek the Welfare of the City: Christians as Benefactors and Citizens (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994), in Journal of Biblical Literature 115 (1996), 536-538.

Review, Mark Nanos, The Mystery of Romans: The Jewish Context of Paul’s Letter(Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996), in Bible Review 12 (1996), 16-17.

Review, Jan Botha, Subject to Whose Authority?: Multiple Readings of Romans 13(Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1994), inReligious Studies Review 21 (1995), 330.

Review, Peter Stuhlmacher, Paul’s Letter to the Romans: A Commentary (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1994), inHorizons in Biblical Theology 17 (1995): 208-209.

“Egyptian Religions in Ephesos,” in Ephesos: Metropolis of Asia. Harvard Theological Studies, 41. Edited by Helmut Koester. Valley Forge, Pa.: Trinity Press, 1995, 281-310.

UPANDROS –Subordination of Women in Rom 7:2,” in Essays on Women in Earliest Christianity. Vol. 2. Edited by Carroll Osburn. Joplin, Mo.: College Press, 1995, 225-238.

““Phoebe” and “Junia(s)” –Rom. 16:1-2, 7,” in Essays on Women in Earliest Christianity. Vol. 1. Edited by Carroll Osburn. Joplin, Mo.: College Press, 1993, 167-190.

Ethnic Issues in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Valley Forge, Pa.: Trinity Press, 1993.

Academic Presentations

“Honoring Trajan in Ephesus,” International Society of Biblical Literature (Rome), July 2009.

“Paul and the Politics of Meals in Roman Corinth,” Kraft-Hiatt Lecture at Brandeis University, April 2, 2009.

“The Salutaris Foundation and Civic Religious Identity in Ephesus,” Colloquium on Material Culture and Ancient Religion, Ephesus, Turkey, July 2008.

“The Civic Compromise: Egyptian Cults in Roman Ephesus,” Society of Biblical Literature, New England Region, April 2008.

“Civic Identity in Roman Colonies: Comparing Freedmen and Veterans,” Society of Biblical Literature, 2007 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, Nov. 17-20.

“A Tale of Two Colonies: Why Philippi May Have Ill-prepared Paul for Corinth,” Society of Biblical Literature, 2007 International Meeting, Vienna, Austria, July 22-26.

“Paul and the Politics of Meals in Roman Corinth,” Corinth in Context Conference: Comparative Perspectives on Religion and Society, Jan. 9-13, University of Texas at Austin.

“An Exercise in Sharpening Distinctions regarding the Social Locations of Pauline Christ-Believing Communities: 2 Corinthians 8,” People’s History Group: Corinth, Annual National Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Washington, D. C., November 2006.

“Reading 1 Cor. 11:17-34 in Light of the Lex Coloniae Genetivae CXXXII,” Social History of Formative Judaism and Christian Group, Annual National Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Washington, D. C., November 2006).

“What Went Wrong in Corinth,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 2004.

“Paul, Community and Disease Etiology in Roman Corinth,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting 2004.

“Evidence for Early Christianity at Corinth: Considering the Social Status of the Pauline Communities,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 2003.

“A Law that Liberates: the Adoption Metaphor in Paul’s Letter to the Galatians,” Society of Biblical Literature, New England Regional Meeting, 2003.

“The Roman Cultic and Administrative Presence in Corinth and its Impact on the Early Christians,” Urban Religion in Roman Corinth: Interdisciplinary Approaches, Harvard Divinity School, Jan. 7-10, 2002.

“Rethinking the Roman Cultic and Administrative Presence in Corinth Relative to its Impact on Early Christians,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 2000.

“Christianity and the Egyptian Cults in Ephesos,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 1998.

“Re-reading the Epigraphic Evidence for the Acculturation of Jews in Ancient Rome: A Response to Leonard Rutgers,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 1997.

“The Theater Reliefs at Hierapolis,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 1996.

“The Traveler’s Tomb Inscription at Hierapolis and 2 Corinthians 11:25,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 1995.

“The Coincidence of the Expansion of Christianity and Egyptian Religions in Imperial Ephesos,” Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna, 1995.

“Foreign Religions in Imperial Ephesos,” Harvard Divinity School, 1994.

“The Evolution of Christian Communities in Rome,” Society for New Testament Studies, Edinburgh, 1994.

“Jewish and Christian Self-Definition in Rome vis-à-vis Roman Administration of non-Roman Religions,” Society of Biblical Literature, National Meeting, 1992.

“Jewish Acculturation in Ancient Rome: Evidence from Epitaphs,” International Society of Biblical Literature, 1991.

“Ethnic Issues in Paul’s Letter to the Romans,” Colloquium for the Study of Religion, Boston University, 1989.