Interviews

Biblical Time Machine, Episode 48: What Would Jesus Wear?

Interviewed by Biblical Time Machine, a podcast "exploring the people, places, and events of the Old Testament, New Testament, and everything in between". The interview included discussion of how Jewish people living in the Greco-Roman world would have dressed, and why there is so little scholarship on the topic.

The Two Cities, Episode #134

Interviewed by The Two Cities, a podcast about theology, culture, and discipleship, as part of their series on 'Jesus Films'. The interview included discussion of ancient Jewish clothing in the New Testament period, how and why this differs from the typical costuming in Jesus films, and how film costume has an exegetical function.

Ancient Afterlives, Season 3 Episode 2

Interviewed for the second season of Ancient Afterlives, a podcast series on the ancient world and the importance of these ideas for our modern lives. The interview included discussion of the difference between historical clothing and film costume, expectations of "accuracy" in film costume, and some of the difficulties in casting.

The interview is in two parts.

Item List

Biblical Time Machine

What Would Jesus Wear?

There's so much we get wrong about clothing and dress in the 1st Century. Did Jewish people dress differently than gentiles? No. Did most men have long hair and beards? No. Did Jesus and the disciples rock sandals with socks? Yes! Clothing is an essential component of culture, yet it's been woefully ignored by historians. Today we change all that. Helen and Dave are excited to welcome Katie Turner to the podcast. Katie dispels 1st-Century fashion myths and answers our burning questions about ancient underwear, veiling and yes — socks!

Biblical Time Machine

Body and Blood: The Mysterious Origins of the Eucharist

The Eucharist is such a common part of Christian worship that it's easy to overlook how strange it is — drinking wine that represents Jesus's blood, eating bread that represents His flesh. The ritual would have been even more shocking to Jesus's Jewish followers, for whom consuming blood (even metaphorically) was absolutely forbidden. The New Testament says that Jesus himself instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, but earlier writers like Paul describe something more like a communal meal with ritual components. So our question is: where did the Eucharist originate and what did it mean to the earliest Christians?

The Two Cities

Costuming in Jesus Films with Dr Katie Turner

In this episode of our Jesus Film series, we’re talking about costuming with Dr. Katie Turner. Dr. Turner is an independent scholar who completed her PhD at King’s College, London and has a forthcoming monograph, entitled, Costuming Christ (with T&T Clark). Over the course of our conversation we discussed the difference between ancient clothing and modern costuming in Jesus films, what evidence we have for ancient dress in the second temple period and the Greco-Roman world, and how Christian art informs costuming decisions in Jesus films and communicates certain exegetical decisions, some of which have harmful consequences. Team members on the episode from The Two Cities include: Dr. John Anthony Dunne and Brandon Hurlbert.

Ancient Afterlives

Jesus and Film, Clothing on Screen, Part 1 - Katie Turner

Part 1 of our interview with Dr. Katie Turner. Ancient Afterlives discusses research on the ancient world and the importance of these ideas for our modern lives. We talk with researchers about their work and ideas.

Ancient Afterlives

Jesus and Film, Clothing on Screen, Part 2 - Katie Turner

Part 2 of our interview with Dr. Katie Turner. Ancient Afterlives discusses research on the ancient world and the importance of these ideas for our modern lives. We talk with researchers about their work and ideas.

Lectures

To Divide and Disparage: Representing 'Jews' and 'Christians' in Christian Art & Drama

A lecture given to the Council for Christians and Jews: Oxford as part of their Illustrated Art lecture series, introducing some of the key motifs used in Western Christian depictions of "Jews", from the early medieval period to today.

Victorian Palestinians as Biblical Jews: How Long-Standing Christian Bias Impeded Knowledge of Ancient Jewish Dress

A lecture addressing some of the reasons why the biblical past is visualized in the manner we are most familiar with. Given as part of the workshop series "Picturing Jewish Dress: Researching Belonging and Identification Through Historical Visual Sources" (2020).

'The Shoe is the Sign!' Costuming Brian and Dressing the First Century

A lecture on the importance of costume and costume design in so-called 'Jesus films'. Given as part of the Jesus and Brian conference hosted by King's College, London (2014).