Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

150 part two
20062.D.T.Runia,‘AlexandriaandCambridge:JamesKugel’sTraditions
of the Bible,’ The Studia Philonica Annual 12 (2000) 143–147.
This review article, a contribution to a panel discussion at the Society of Biblical
Literature’s Annual meeting (Boston 1999), light-heartedly compares James
Kugel (in his study Traditions of the Bible =above9858) and Philo of Alexandria
as interpreters of Scripture, presenting first similarities and then differences.
Among other things, in their profound concern for biblical interpretation,
Kugel and Philo love to pose questions at the biblical text and then see
what answers they can come up with. Further, they emphasize the centrality of
exegetical traditions and thus are pluralist and inclusivist in their approaches.
For both, ‘there is no single interpretation that represents the truth’ (p. 145).
(KAF)
20063.D.T.Runia,‘Art.PhilotheTheologian,’inT.A.Hart(ed.),The
Dictionary of Historical Theology (Carlisle–Grand Rapids 2000) 424–426.
Brief general presentation of Philo’s thought with an emphasis on his theological
ideas, ending with a brief bibliography. (DTR)
20064. D. T. Runia, Art. ‘Philon [12] Philon von Alexandreia (Philo
Iudaeus),’ in H. Cancik and H. Schneider (edd.), Der Neue Pauly:
Encyclopädie der Antike, (Stuttgart 2000) 9.850–855 (columns).
Philo of Alexandria is the twelfth of nineteen Philos listed in this new
Encyclopedia, which sits halfway between the great Pauly Wissowa Realencyclopädie
(83 vols. published 1890–1978, for Philo see R-R 4109) and the
Kleine Pauly (5 vols. published 1964–1975, article on Philo by B. Schaller,
4.772–776). The article is divided into four sections: Life and Context; Works;
Teachings; Nachwirkung. It is completed with a listing of editions, translations
and a limited bibliography. An English translation was published in 2007.
(DTR)
20065.D.T.Runia,‘TheIdeaandtheRealityoftheCityintheThought
of Philo of Alexandria,’ JournaloftheHistoryofIdeas61 (2000) 361–379.
The theme of the paper is the conception of the city as a social and cultural
phenomenon in Philo’s thought. As an inhabitant of Alexandria Philo was
thoroughly immersed in urban life. But what were the views that he held on the
nature of the city itself? Firstly Philo’s views on Alexandria itself are noted. He
was clearly proud to be a citizen of this great metropolis, even though during his
lifetime life became increasingly precarious for the Jewish community. Next the
city is treated as a potent symbol of order. This is best illustrated by the beautiful
image used at Opif. 17–18 to illustrate the process of creation. Further material
on the city is found in Philo’s vast exegetical output, e.g. the allegorization of
the passage in Genesis when Cain builds a city. The theme of the city is used to
illustrate the inner workings of the human soul. Just as there are two kinds of