Historian, author to speak on early Christian martyr texts

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
September 7, 2010

Historian and religious studies scholar Stephanie Cobb will speak on “Virtue, Violence, and Death: Gender and Language in Early Christian Martyr Texts,” on Thursday, Sept. 16 at Texas State University-San Marcos.

Cobb will speak at 7 p.m. in room 230 of Flowers Hall on campus.

Cobb’s work focuses on martyrdom and persecution, gender and sex constructions in antiquity, and the function of texts in communities. Her book, Dying to Be Men: Gender and Language in Early Christian Martyr Texts, was published by Columbia University Press in 2008 as part of its series on gender, theory and religion and has been recognized as an Outstanding Scholarly Publication by Hofstra University in New York.

A 1989 graduate of San Marcos High School, she holds a B.A. in religion and archaeology from Baylor University, a M.A.R. in Biblical studies from Yale Divinity School, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and early Christian studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at UNC, she also received the Tanner Teaching Assistants Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. In 2002 she joined the faculty of Hofstra, where she is now associate professor of religion and women’s studies.

Cobb will give another lecture “Ancient Texts and Real Life: What has Carthage to do with San Marcos?” on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at the First Christian Church of San Marcos, 3105 Ranch Road 12.

The lectures are part of the Price Lecture Series, begun in 1984 with an endowment from San Marcos philanthropist H. C. Price. This year’s lectures are made possible by the generous support of United Campus Ministry-Wesley (formerly Campus Christian Community), the University Lectures Series and Department of Philosophy at Texas State and the NEH Teaching Professor in the Humanities.

Both lectures are free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception and book signing.