kata ta biblia

a blog exploring Christian origins, biblical studies, social/cultural history, method, education and the journey through academia

About Pat

I like to tell my students that if their writing assignments argue that something is 100% certain, then they are probably wrong. I also tell them that we’re not just there to learn facts that they can regurgitate about the Bible or Western Civ or whatever the course topic. Rather, their papers and our class discussion is for critically engaged analysis. Discussions are meant to explore and question the meanings of things. This is basically my own philosophy–a propensity towards nuanced complexity that accepts no blanket assumptions, even (especially?) religious ones.

People who click on this “About Pat” page are surely looking to find a category for me. Is he conservative? Liberal? Moderate? Progressive? Fundamentalist? Radical? Calvinist? Arminian? Democrat? Republican? Coffee drinker? Tea drinker? I hope that I can remain mysterious enough so that you don’t automatically place me into a box. If you choose to be a dialogue partner with me on this blog, I will try to honor you by not putting you in a box. But, I will help you with a few descriptive details. I am currently a Ph.D. student in New Testament and Christian origins at UCLA (see more about that decision at this post), having received a M.Div. from Fuller Seminary and a B.A. in biblical studies from Messiah College. The program at UCLA is taught from the perspective of social and cultural history, which is the lens with which I view theology.

Working under Scott Bartchy and closely with Ra’anan Boustan, I am currently focused on studying apocalyptic discourse and social identity in early Judaism and the Jesus movement, an area perhaps influenced by my own search for hidden mysteries. I am an Anabaptist, a member of both the Mennonite Church (USA) and Brethren in Christ denominations. As an Anabaptist, I’m not particularly doctrinaire, but try to live my faith in service to others. My favorite meal is probably homemade macaroni and cheese, while my favorite dessert is banana cream cheesecake.

Making sure that I do not indulge too deeply in that last point, my amazing wife is a Registered Dietitian and Lactation Consultant (she takes the exam to become an IBCLC this summer) with a Master of Public Health from UCLA. Being much more grounded in the real world than I am, she works to provide nutritional counseling and breastfeeding support to low-income mothers. Together, we are parents to a beautiful (and fabulously challenging!) son, Declan, born in December of 2008.

You can contact me at: pgmccullough (AT) ucla (DOT) edu

About kata ta biblia

This is a blog exploring the New Testament, Christian origins, social and cultural history, and education from the perspective of an academic who happens to be an Anabaptist, while also discussing the strange journey through academia. The title is Greek and literally means “according to the books.” For me, it represents the journey to explore the meanings found within many “texts,” including but not limited to the New Testament. I especially hope to explore social and cultural concerns from which the texts originated as well as the social implications of the interpretation of those texts. I want to engage scholarly issues, but also address issues of interest for non-academics who always seem to ask the best questions. I am also interested in leaving my blog a little open-ended to generally focus on the interpretation of texts, be they sacred, scholarly, or popular. I hope my Anabaptism biases me just enough to make this blog interesting, but not quite so much to make me an ideologue. If you’d like to send me infuriated emails, toss them on over here. Positive and encouraging feedback, of course, would also be welcome.

“The Levites . . . instructed the people in the Torah while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Torah of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.” (Neh 8:7-8)

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  • Bob Kirk

    Pat, really interesting blog. I found it when googling ‘social memory theory’. If that area is still of interest, check out these two titles, either new or used (cheaper on the used market).

    http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Tradition-Text-Christianity-Literature/dp/1589831497/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220015864&sr=8-14

    and

    http://www.amazon.com/Composition-Sayings-Source-Supplements-Testamentum/dp/9004110852/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220015946&sr=8-27

    With appreciation,
    Bob Kirk
    Vancouver, BC

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Thanks, Bob! Social memory was a bit of a flirtation along the way–not that I’m totally disinterested in it now, I’ve just honed my interests a little bit more since then. I had heard of the first book you mention and have read a bit of it. The second one I hadn’t seen, but I’ll check it out.

  • http://CafePasadena.wordpress.com Cafe Observer

    Nice, stimulating blog u have here.
    Love that u like questions.

    Just remember, there are many, many, more questions in the unbelievers worldview.

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Thanks, Cafe. I’m glad you stopped by. I’m not sure you’re entirely correct with that last statement though. I know many “unbelievers” (probably a misnomer… I mean, the believe in something, right?) who have much more certainty than many of my fellow Jesus followers. One may not believe in the tenets of Christianity or practice Judaism, but most people live their lives according to some sort of code or imbedded system of thought. The fact that an “unbeliever” simply has a worldview reveals certainty of some kind (not that we can say that all unbelievers or believers have the same worldview).

  • http://thecorner.wordpress.com/ Abdur Rahman

    Peace Patrick,

    An interesting blog. I will have to stop by again, insha Allah (God willing).

    Abdur Rahman

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Thanks for stopping by, Abdur. Welcome! I’m happy to have a Muslim visitor with whom to expand the conversation. I’d be interested in your thoughts on anything that grabs you here.

  • Andrew

    Pat,

    Funny . . . looks like we both follow John Hobbins blog pretty regularly and reside on the same campus. I’m in the NELC dept at UCLA. Let me know if you feel like grabbing coffee sometime! You’ve got my E-mail from this comment. Best wishes! -AC

  • Patrick George McCullough

    Just stumbled across your website, and wanted to let you know, I am also “Patrick George McCullough”. Does appear you are giving our mutual name justice! Like your website.

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Excellent! Thanks for stopping by, Patrick. My wife and I just had a baby boy and named him Declan Patrick McCullough. If you have a son named Declan, then that would really be spooky.

  • http://CafePasadena.wordpress.com Cafe Observer

    Pat, of course I meant unbelievers in your blog’s broad subject context (Christianity).

    I agree everyone believes in sumthing, including God, even if it’s themselves.

    So, are u still in the Pasadena area, or living near ucLA ?

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Cafe, still in Pasadena with my wife and baby boy. It’s a long commute, but I take public transportation and can get some work done along the way.

    (By the way, I still think that we cannot nail down two monolithic categories called “believers” and “unbelievers,” one of which has more questions than the other.)

    Be well :)

  • http://www.williswanderings.blogspot.com/ Ashley Willis

    Pat,

    Read through your blog this evening. Very interesting. My husband and I are currently at Gordon-Conwell. We are interested in your journey into UCLA. (we are originally from Orange County, CA). Is there a way to email you (and your wife) and ask some questions?

    God Bless,
    Ashley

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Hi Ashley,

    Good of you to stop by. I will send you a separate email. I just want to note that your current president at Gordon-Conwell is my former campus pastor. I worked with Dr. Hollinger on his book, Choosing the Good. In fact, if you look in the acknowledgments section, you will see my name! :)

    Much Peace,
    Pat

  • http://patmccullough.com/2009/05/23/updated-about-pat-page/ Updated “About Pat” Page « kata ta biblia

    [...] About Pat [...]

  • Peter Ahn

    Pat, I’ve been frequenting your website & have thoroughly enjoyed reading & your links. It’s interesting… how I’ve been updating Joy about what you’ve been blogging – including your most recent SBL experience. Blessings to you & your family.

    Peter

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Thanks, Peter! I’m glad to have you reading. I’d love to read your thoughts on any posts that catch your interest. Tell Joy I say hi :)

  • http://www.witheringfig.com/this-and-that/this-weeks-links-july-31-2009/ This Week’s Links (July 31, 2009) | Withering Fig

    [...] Pat McCullough created a page devoted to helping undergrads figure out the grad school scene: “Wanna be a Bible scholar…?” A lot of good advice from McCullough there. [...]