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Nathan MacDonald

@nathanmacdonald.bsky.social
1K followers 584 following 23 posts

Professor of the Interpretation of the OT, University of Cambridge. Fellow, St John’s. Pentateuch, ritual, cult, priesthood, temple. Views my own.

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Nathan MacDonald @nathanmacdonald.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
If you are interested in thinking about borders and the Bible, here’s a new article. It traces a complex history between the Bible and the borders of modern nation states. So it’s relevant to the challenge of Christian nationalism. It’s also open access so take a look. doi.org/10.1093/jts/...
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Ancient Israel and the Modern Bounded State
Abstract. The rediscovery of Ptolemy in the early modern period altered the representation and understanding of boundaries between territorial states. From
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Nathan MacDonald @nathanmacdonald.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Congratulations @andrewtimkeenan.bsky.social
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Nathan MacDonald @nathanmacdonald.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
I recently did an interview on the book of Genesis with Jon at the History Sessions podcast. The link is here if you’re interested and worth subscribing to Jon’s show eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
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The Book of Genesis | Nathan MacDonald (History Sessions Podcast)
The Book of Genesis is a foundational document in the history of civilisation, and a source of spiritual meaning for many millions around the world, with characters and narratives that have had a profound effect on world culture. But what do historians say about the Book of Genesis and its composition, and to what extent are its stories a variation on other mythologies found in the Ancient Near East? This week I'm delighted to be joined by one of the UK's top Hebrew Bible scholars to interrogate Genesis and separate history from myth. 📚 About Our Guest: Dr. Nathan MacDonald is Professor of the Interpretation of the Old Testament and Fellow and College Lecturer in Theology at St John's College, Cambridge, and a leading scholar in Hebrew Bible studies. 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to like & subscribe for more in-depth interviews with the world’s leading historians! © 2025 The History Sessions Podcast. All rights reserved
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Nathan MacDonald @nathanmacdonald.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
Reminder to self: your casual asides responding to questions at an online conference with 300 scholars on the line can come back to haunt you.
Extract from Mark Brett, Debating the Nation

I have heard it said in jest that the idea of an ecumenical Abraham was invented by genial Swiss scholars who see the biblical ancestor in their own image.
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Nathan MacDonald @nathanmacdonald.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
So…looking forward to SBL in a week’s time and just wondering how many attendees are going to take up the special conference offer of a 10% discount on a midweek wedding while we’re in San Diego.
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Nathan MacDonald @nathanmacdonald.bsky.social · 23/10/2023
Exciting opportunity of a permanent post in Second Temple Judaism at Cambridge. www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/43152/
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Nathan MacDonald @nathanmacdonald.bsky.social · 28/09/2023
Look what came in the post today!
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