Miriam Jane De Cock
Dr
Miriam De Cock is an Assistant Professor in Biblical Studies (New Testament and Early Christianity). She joined DCU in the fall of 2022. She was formerly a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Theology at Aarhus University in Denmark. Miriam’s PhD in Early Christianity is from McMaster University’s Department of Religious Studies (conferred in 2019), where she also did an MA in Early Christianity (2012). She recently published an edited volume of essays titled Patristic Exegesis in Context: Exploring the Literary Contexts of Patristic Biblical Interpretation with CUA Press (2024), and her PhD thesis as Interpreting the Gospel of John in Antioch and Alexandria (SBL Press, 2020). Recent articles include “Origen’s Sources of Exegetical Authority: The Construction of an Inspired Exegete in the Pauline Lineage” (New Testament Studies) and “Travel and the Making of a Pseudepigraphical Hero in Ancient Jewish and Early Christian Literature” (Early Christianity). She teaches courses in the New Testament and its reception and researches in early Christian exegesis and exegetical culture.
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Miriam DeCock (2021) 'Theodoret of Cyrus and His Exegetical Predecessors: A Study of His Biblical Commentary Prefaces'. Open Theology, 7 (1). [Link] https://doi.org/10.1515/opth-2020-0175 | |
| 2021 | Miriam DeCock (2021) 'Angels, Scripture, and the Exegesis of Origen'. Patristica Nordica Annuaria, 34 . [Link] | |
| 2015 | Miriam DeCock (2015) '“The Jewish Gospels: The Story of the Jewish Christ: A Review Article,”'. Journal of the Jesus Movement in its Jewish Setting, 2 . [Link] | |
| 2023 | Miriam De Cock; Elisa Uusimäki (2023) 'Travel and the Making of a Pseudepigraphical Hero'. Early Christianity, 14 (4). https://doi.org/10.1628/ec-2023-0031 | |
| 2024 | Miriam De Cock (2024) 'Origen's Sources of Exegetical Authority: The Construction of an Inspired Exegete in the Pauline Lineage'. New Testament Studies, 70 (2). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0028688523000395 | |
| 2024 | Miriam De Cock (2024) 'Origen on the Homiletic Exegete as Physician of the Soul'. Patristica Nordica Annuaria, 38 . [Link] | |
| 2025 | Miriam De Cock (2025) 'The Nature of the Homily in the Corpus of Origen: Insights from the Greek Homilies on the Psalms and Jeremiah'. Vigiliae Christianae, . https://doi.org/10.1163/15700720-bja10100 | |
| 2024 | Miriam De Cock (2024) 'Narrating ‘Home’ in Early Christian Biography: Athanasius’ Life of Antony and Its Literary Predecessors'. Religions, . https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111375 | |
| 2024 | Miriam De Cock (2024) 'The Pastoral Usefulness of Female Scriptural Speech in Origen of Alexandria'. Open Theology, . https://doi.org/10.1515/opth-2024-0026 | |
| 2021 | (2021) 'Reception of the Biblical and Patristic Heritage: Case Studies and Reflections on Theory and Method, Topical Issue'. Open Theology, . https://www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/opth/7/1/html?lang=en&srsltid=AfmBOooUX7pf5E8qKAu3kLsltuzkwQZvzBkY2L30P9r1FQZiyl_WkV3e |
Conference Publication
Book Chapter
Online Article
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Miriam DeCock (2021) Publication Preview, Miriam DeCock, Interpreting the Gospel of John in Antioch and Alexandria. ELEA [Link] |
Book Review
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Miriam DeCock (2021) Review of Exegeting the Jews: The Early Reception of the Johannine “Jews” by Michael G. Azar. | |
| 2021 | Miriam DeCock (2021) Review of Scripture as Real Presence: Sacramental Exegesis in the Early Church by Hans Boersma. | |
| 2020 | Miriam DeCock (2020) Review of Genesis and Cosmos: Basil and Origen on Genesis 1 and Cosmology by Adam Rasmussen. | |
| 2019 | Miriam DeCock (2019) Review of In the Image of Origen: Eros, Virtue, and Constrain in the Early Christian Academy by David Satran. | |
| 2022 | Miriam De Cock (2022) Review of The Bible in the Early Church by Justo L. González. [Link] | |
| 2025 | Miriam De Cock (2025) Review of Sofia Puchkova, Re-envisioning Theodore: Theodore of Mopsuestia’s Biblical Exegesis in His Catechetical Homilies. Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae 185. Leiden: Brill, 2024. |
Blog
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Miriam De Cock (2024) Place, the Restful Human Heart, and the Holy Spirit (Conf. Book 13). BLOG [Link] |
Research Interests
I am interested in early Christian exegesis and exegetical culture, specifically within the Greek tradition. I am also interested in the reception of the New Testament, particularly Paul and the canonical Gospels. A new and secondary interest relates to ancient Christian travel and ideas about 'home,' belonging, and identity formation.
I am happy to take any enquiries of prospective students who wish to work in these areas as well as more traditional New Testament topics.
Research Projects
Teaching Interests
Gospels; the letters and life of Paul; Women in Scripture; New Testament; early Christian exegesis; New Testament reception (Late Antiquity); religion and gender in late antiquity