Dr Tom de Bruin

@tdbiii.bsky.social

871 Followers 98 Following

(he/they) non-binary New Testament & Early Christianity scholar, author, sci-fi fan. Assistant Prof Radboud University | Editor of JIBS

Screenshot of article “The Kingdom and Sodom in the Testament of Benjamin: A Response to JM Na’s “Echoes of the Kingdom” (2025)” by Tom de Bruin. Abstract reads: This article responds to JM Na’s recent “Echoes of the Kingdom” published in this journal. It argues that the parallels Na highlights between 1 Cor 6 and T. Benj. 9.1 are untenable. This article examines the themes of the kingdom of the Lord and the fornication of Sodom in T. Benj., arguing for a different reading. The kingdom of the Lord refers to the ancient Israelite kingdom—not Paul’s eschatological kingdom. Examining the literary and historical context of T. Benj., this article argues that the fornication of Sodom most likely refers to heteroerotic sexual excess driven by the pursuit of pleasure—not homosexuality or homoeroticism.
Email inviting me to join the illuminati.
Photo of my book Fan Fiction and Early Christian Writings
Screenshot of chapter entitled “the Bible and My Little Pony”
Article entitled Animals and demons: Nonhuman beings in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. Abstract reads: The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, usually included in collections of Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, contains descriptions of nonhuman animals in eight of its twelve testaments. This article is the first to examine these descriptions of nonhumans. In this text virtuous humans are protected from nonhuman animals and this protection is a sign of a person's virtue. Furthermore, nonhuman animals plot against human ones and attempt to gain mastery over them, using the same terms as would be used for other nonhuman, demonic forces possessing humans. This article suggests that in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, these types of nonhuman opponents are not neatly distinguished, and that these categories bleed into one another. This suggests that a less strong distinction in the classification and discussion of animals and spirits is beneficial for early Christian text
Proof of article “Animals and demons: Nonhuman beings in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs”. The abstract reads: The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, usually included in collections of Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, contains descriptions of nonhuman animals in eight of its twelve testaments. This article is the first to examine these descriptions of nonhumans. In this text virtuous humans are protected from nonhuman animals and this protection is a sign of a person’s virtue. Furthermore, nonhuman animals plot against human ones and attempt to gain mastery over them, using the same terms as would be used for other nonhuman, demonic forces possessing humans. This article suggests that in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, these types of nonhuman opponents are not neatly distinguished, and that these categories bleed into one another. This suggests that a less strong distinction in the classification and discussion of animals and spirits is beneficial for early Christian texts.
Bill for open access charges coming to £2676,55. Which is like $3600 or €3150.
The Greek word logos, with the accent on the gamma.
Student Bursaries: Liberating Biblical Women? Feminist Afterlives of the Bible in the 21st Century One-Day Symposium, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 1st July 2025 We invite postgraduate students to submit applications for participation in a one-day symposium exploring contemporary feminist reinterpretations of biblical women in modern media. This symposium will bring together scholars to examine how biblical narratives about women are reconstructed, reimagined, and reinterpreted in contemporary cultural products. Contemporary media frequently presents interpretations of biblical women, which are routinely touted as ‘feminist’: from television series like The Chosen to films such as Mary Magdalene and contemporary art by artists such as Nalini Malani. But in these media patriarchal values and judgements of women’s roles in society often still dominate. These media are entangled in normative representations of gender identities in which women cannot be separated from the roles of homemaker, helpmeet, mother, and whore. Two travel grants of up to €250 each are available for postgraduate students to participate in the symposium. Recipients are expected to submit a 5000-word paper by 1st June 2025. The paper will be pre-circulated among attendees and discussed at the symposium. Selected papers from the symposium will be included in a forthcoming edited volume. Application Requirements • Abstract outlining your proposed paper (300-500 words) • Brief biographical statement (150 words) • Institutional affiliation, where you are a registered student
Excision as Exorcism Some Possible Demonic Roots for Jesus's Sayings in Mark 9:43-48 Tom de Bruin Abstract In Mark 9:43-48, Jesus suggests amputating an eye, hand or foot in response to sinfulness. This article contextualises Jesus's sayings among ancient Jewish traditions of the body and the demonic. Several ancient Jewish texts associate demons with specific body parts. The author here argues that it is not unreasonable to propose that Jesus's command to auto-amputate was an exorcisti suggestion. In some ancient Jewish and early Christian contexts, sinfulness was understood as a demonic force that has gained control over a specific organ, and excision would have been a viable therapeutic solution.
Chapter 6 THE BIBLE AND MY LITTLE PONY Tom de Bruin I sat alone on the couch next to my Rainbow Dash plushie doll. The doll was sitting on a small table next to my couch while I watching My Little Pony Friendship is Magic on the television. [...] I loved Applejack and Rainbow Dash so much. [...] I couldn't take it anymore. I reached over and picked up my Rainbow Dash plushie doll and squeezed it so tightly against my chest. [...] I looked at the table and removed [sic] some papers around. There on the table was my old Bible that I hadn't picked up in years.' In this introduction to their ten-thousand word piece of semi-autobiographical fiction, a fan author highlights how their fandom of the TV show My Little Pony is replacing their Christian faith. In this section the author creates a dichotomy between the Christian Bible and My Little Pony. Their once-beloved Bible lies disused under old papers, whereas the dolls from the show sit next to the author on the couch.
Anti Wilders Sticker.
Board full of points students made in class.
Screenshot of proofs of article “excision as exorcism” written by Tom de Bruin, to be published in Novum Testamentum.
Photo of covers of a book “Fan fiction and Early Christian Writings” by Tom de Bruin. The cover has a picture of a sassy Jesus petting a dragon.
Tom de Bruin contributes "Demons and Vices in Early Christianity," examining the concept of "vice-spirits," that is, examples of vices hypostasized as spirits or demons. Although there are antecedents to this phenomenon in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Judaism, de Bruin finds the equation of vices as spirits to be a development in the second century CE, first appearing in Shepherd of Hermas and Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. After tracing the early origins and development of the concept, de Bruin examines how Origen systematizes the concept of vice-spirits in his Homilies on Joshua. De Bruin concludes by arguing that the vice-spirit illustrates an "ontological shift" in attention from the nature of demons as physical agents to ethical agents of a divided self. With such a clear conceptual analysis, de Bruin manages to isolate and trace an important innovation in the conceptuality of a demon in early Jewish and Christian literature.
Picture of street art that reads “s/o naar Chistus”. An obvious misspelling of Christus. Someone later painted 666 over this.
Festive Channuka candle with some dodgy design decisions.
Front page of my book Fan Fiction and Early Christian Writings
Colourfully decorated thank you card signed by students with some Dutch words.
Various stages of zine design from pencil sketches to final printed booklet.
Table of contents, which roughly reads as follows: Contents Acknowledgements Introduction ‘I am a Jesus Fanfic Writer’: Ancient Fans, Early Christian Derivative Works and Anne Rice Chapter 1 Fascination, Frustration and Fixing the Gospel of Mark: Why Write a Derivative Work? Chapter 2 Nostalgia, Novelty and Textual Authority in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs: What Power Does a Derivative Work Have? Chapter 3 Canonicity and the Politics of Canon: How Do People (De-)Authorize Derivative Works? Chapter 4 Gatekeeping, Heresy, Infantilization and Feminization: How Do People Police Derivative Works? Chapter 5 Headcanon, Fanon and the Christian Transmedia Storyworld: Why Do Derivative Works Matter? Epilogue ‘I couldn't get these legends out of my mind’
Picture of crafting supplies to make zines for Greek Verbs. Also my bad handwriting.
An ak47 (or something I don’t know guns) made of ice cream.