Joseph F. Kelly | Lightnews

Joseph Ryan Kelly

@josephkelly.bsky.social

580 followers 250 following 190 posts

Hebrew Bible PhD. I'm interested in the many ways ancient people would have answered the question, "Is God good?"

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Joseph Patrick Kelly is a scholar, editor, and professor of English at the College of Charleston. He earned his B.A. from the University of Dallas and received his Ph.D. in English in 1992 from the University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Kelly was born in 1962 and resides in Charleston, South Carolina. .. more

History 53%

Philosophy 27%

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Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 3d

It did this for hours! All down by the end of the day.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 6d

NYTimes pitch: 2025 Democratic Candidates were Doing Politics the Right Way

Am I doing this right?

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 6d

And did I mention these were first-year students?!? They've been real champs this semester with such interesting but difficult material beyond just reading the Hebrew Bible--Atrahasis, Ludlul bel Nemeqi, Homer, Hesiod, Plato's Republic, Laws, Timaeus, and, soon, The Secret Book according to John.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 6d

Next, we'll be reading @lianemfeldman.bsky.social translation of P's primeval history and exploring its relationship to J and to the Timaeus. I suspect students will see a much stronger relationship with Timaeus, but who knows!

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 6d

One takeaway in the first of these two days of class on Gen 2-3 is that it sits very neatly in between Atrahasis and Timaeus. The students are seeing the longue durée of divine goodness/morality, which is the focus of our course.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 6d

Most think J's primeval history is closer in thought to Atrahasis, as do I, but my students arguing for a closer relationship to Timaeus are making really thoughtful arguments, especially connecting divine boundary crossing and 41c (contra 29e) and moral formation in 42b-d.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 6d

For the past 2 classes, I've had students argue whether they think Genesis 2-3 and Genesis 4-11 (J/non-P texts) are closer in thought to Atrahasis or Plato's Timaeus, both texts we've treated previously in class. I can't express how thoughtful and creative these students responses have been.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · 12d

@maklelan.bsky.social coming in clutch once again with a video for me to add to my slides for the day we review 1 Enoch to explore the evolving attitude of the origins of evil in the biblical and post-biblical tradition.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Oct 6

The whole thread in one tweet!

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Oct 6

Another article on Genesis 2-3 that recognizes the core of the story centers on the acquisition of divine knowledge.

Yale Classics Library @yaleclassicslib.bsky.social · Oct 6

New issue of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Vol. 87, No. 3 (2025) muse.jhu.edu/issue/55660
@cua-press.bsky.social @projectmuse.bsky.social @catholicbiblical.bsky.social

Reposted by Joseph F. Kelly

Yale Classics Library @yaleclassicslib.bsky.social · Oct 6

New issue of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Vol. 87, No. 3 (2025) muse.jhu.edu/issue/55660
@cua-press.bsky.social @projectmuse.bsky.social @catholicbiblical.bsky.social

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Sep 23

I heard a version of this paper nearly a decade ago, and it was such a great paper. Looking forward to revisiting it!

Mark McEntire @markmcentire.bsky.social · Sep 23

New open-access article.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Sep 23

I've printed it out and will reply as soon as I get it read!

Reposted by Joseph F. Kelly

Mark McEntire @markmcentire.bsky.social · Sep 23

New open-access article.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Sep 11

So, um, www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/o...

Opinion | Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way

www.nytimes.com

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Sep 11

But listen now. We must not go and fight,
Or we will bring more ruin on our heads.

καὶ νῦν ὧδε γένοιτο. πίθεσθέ μοι ὡς ἀγορεύω:
μὴ ἴομεν, μή πού τις ἐπίσπαστον κακὸν εὕρῃ.

The Odyssey 24:461-62

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Sep 3

By his logic, the 1918-20 Great Influenza epidemic isn't over.

Image of an FAQ page from the Cleveland Clinic answering the question, "Can people still get Spanish flu? The initial response is highlighted, "People can still get different versions of influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic."

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 18

I reread Amusing Ourselves to Death because of this tweet, and then started thinking about a 21st century equivalent...Scrolling Ourselves to Death. I looked it up on Amazon and, sure enough, Evangelicals with the Gospel Coalition have coopted Postman's title to promote the gospel. 🤦‍♂️

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 7

Called out some local stupidity.

Opinion: Tennessee legislators lob insults but lack ideas

Opinion: Tennessee legislators lob insults but lack ideas for Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

dailymemphian.com

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 5

I'm pretty sure this is a desk reject!

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 4

Very happy and willing to be said representative!

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 4

Love the story and how chance encounters can lead us down productive paths! BTW, let's plan to talk about those poisonous mushrooms in November! (Wink)

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 4

The link to @blindscholar.bsky.social new book is now working. Get your free copy TODAY!

Eric J. Harvey, Ph.D. @blindscholar.bsky.social · Aug 1

It's out, and now free to download for the next 2 weeks!
Go give my new book a read (it's short enough to finish in a sitting) and then share it far and wide to your friends who live for the connections between myth, ritual, and economics (all of them)!

Reading Creation Myths Economically in Ancient Mesopotamia and Israel

Cambridge Core - Archaeology: General Interest - Reading Creation Myths Economically in Ancient Mesopotamia and Israel

www.cambridge.org

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 3

I teach an Ed Tech course as part of my day job. We mostly critique ed tech and learn media literacy pedagogies, but when we do cover teaching with technology, our book makes this same point about engagement and lists three concrete practices that count as engagement in her teaching framework.

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Aug 1

This is really exciting! Just FYI, I'm not yet showing the free access to the PDF. I think @vox-magica.bsky.social element did the same thing a few weeks ago, was supposed to be available but the download link wasn't immediately available.

Reposted by Joseph F. Kelly, Andrew Jacobs

Eric J. Harvey, Ph.D. @blindscholar.bsky.social · Aug 1

Reading Creation Myths Economically in Ancient Mesopotamia and Israel

Cambridge Core - Archaeology: General Interest - Reading Creation Myths Economically in Ancient Mesopotamia and Israel

www.cambridge.org

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Jul 29

I'll keep my eyes peeled for this. Very happy to see this framed as a study of allusion!

Joseph Ryan Kelly @josephkelly.bsky.social · Jul 29

Have you seen Jon Paul's Balls? The guy hand sews soccer balls for a living. I think he's big on short form video social media. share.google/tXGp7t0VCwYG...

@jonpaulsballs - A website featuring Jon-Paul's balls

Experimental ball design and development. A collection of recent experiments from ball designer, Jon-Paul Wheatley.

share.google

Reposted by Joseph F. Kelly

Dan McClellan @maklelan.bsky.social · Dec 10

Genesis 1 was intended to correct Genesis 2
#maklelan2437
youtu.be/yBKkoLgV06s

Genesis 1 was intended to correct Genesis 2

YouTube video by Dan McClellan

youtu.be

Reposted by Joseph F. Kelly

God @thegodpodcast.com · Dec 20

Billionaires have more money than they could ever need but never enough to fill the holes in their souls. They would send every last one of you into an early grave if it meant paying one cent less in taxes.

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