Thomas Tops

EDUCATION

• 06/2021 Doctor in Theology (KU Leuven) /?Doctor (PThU), Joint PhD at KU?Leuven, Belgium, and PThU Groningen, Netherlands, Specialty in New Testament, Cum laude (the highest obtainable distinction in the Netherlands), Thesis:?“A Historical-Hermeneutical Study of παροιμ?α and?παρρησ?α in the Gospel of John: A Contribution to the Interpretation of Johannine Language in Its Ancient Rhetorical?Context”,?Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Reimund Bieringer (KU Leuven) and Prof.?Dr. Annette Merz (PThU Groningen),?Examinors: Prof. Dr. John T. Fitzgerald (Notre Dame, US), Prof.?Dr. Susanne Luther (G?ttingen, Germany), Prof. Dr. Hector?Patmore (KU Leuven, Belgium), Prof. Dr. Arie Zwiep (VU Amsterdam, Netherlands), Prof. Dr. Klaas Spronk (PThU?Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 2016?– 2020 9 Courses (41 ECTS) in Ancient Greek and Greek Linguistics,? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?2 Courses (8 ECTS) in Classical Hebrew, Faculty of Arts, KU? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Leuven, Belgium
• 10/2019 Certificate University Teaching Qualification in Higher?Education (2018-2019),?University of Groningen, Netherlands
• 06/2016 Research Master, Master of Advanced Studies in Theology and
  Religion (2015-2016),?KU Leuven, Belgium,?Magna cum laude
• 06/2015 Master in Theology and Religious Studies (2014-2015),?KU Leuven, Belgium,?Summa cum laude
• 09/2014 Specific Teacher Training in Religion (2012-2014),?KU Leuven, Belgium, Magna cum laude
• 06/2014 Bachelor in Theology and Religious Studies (2012-2014),?KU Leuven, Belgium,?Magna cum laude
• 08/2012 Master in Philosophy (2011-2012),?University of Antwerp, Belgium,?Cum laude
• 06/2011 Bachelor in Philosophy (2008-2011),?University of Antwerp, Belgium,?Cum laude

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 10/2021?– 03/2022?Research Fellow,?Centre for Advanced Studies “Beyond Canon_”,?University of Regensburg, Germany
• 04/2017 – 04/2021 Assistent to the Chair of New Testament,?Prof. Dr. Annette Merz,?PThU Groningen, Netherlands
• 2014 – 2016 Teaching Assistent for Biblical Greek,?Prof. Dr. Reimund Bieringer,?KU Leuven, Belgium

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• WiSe 2020 “Communities with Impact”, social-scientific approach to
  Pauline communities, together with Prof. Dr. Henk de Roest (Practical Theology)
  PThU Groningen, Netherlands
• 01/2020?Post-academic course for pastors, “The Passion according to John”
  PThU Groningen, Netherlands
• WiSe 2019 “Communities with Impact”, social-scientific approach to
  Pauline communities, together with Prof. Dr. Henk de Roest (Practical Theology)
  PThU Groningen, Netherlands
• SoSe 2019 and 2018 “Exegesis 1”, exegetical methods applied to the parabel theory?of Mark 4,?PThU Groningen, Netherlands
• WiSe 2017 BibleWorks-Workshop,?PThU Groningen, Netherlands
• 09/2016 –?03/2017 Gymnasium (high school) Teacher for Roman Catholic Religion (part-time), Koninklijk?Atheneum Emanuel Hiel, Schaarbeek, Belgium

VISITING RESEARCHER

• 11/2019 – 12/2019?Notre Dame University, USA,?Supervision: Prof. Dr. John T. Fitzgerald
• 06/2018 Notre Dame University, USA,?Supervision: Prof. Dr. John T. Fitzgerald

List of Publications

Monograph

• Tops, T. Paroimia and parrēsia in the Gospel of John: A Historical-Hermeneutical Study.?WUNT II/565. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2022, XVIII+497 p.

[Review:?The Revealing and Hidden Language of the Gospel of John – Theology Research News (kuleuven.be)]

Articles

• Tops, T.?"Johannine Question-and-Answer Exchanges: A Historical-Rhetorical Study of John 2,18-22; 8,46-59; 10,30-36."?Biblica: Commentarii Periodici Pontificii Instituti Biblici (forthcoming).
• Tops, T. "A Historical-Comparative Study?of the Authorisation of παρρησ?α in Philo’s Quis rerum divinarum heres sit and Quod omnis probus liber sit.” Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period?(forthcoming).
• Tops, T. “Jesus' Authority over All His Flesh: A Linguistic and Literary-Historical Study of ?ξουσ?αν π?ση? σαρκ?? in John 17,2a”. Revue Biblique (forthcoming).
• Tops, T. “A Philological Study of the Reflexive-Possessive Use of Personal Pronouns in the?Fourth Gospel”. Novum Testamentum 64 (2022) 18-35.
• Tops, T. “The Challenge of Ideological-Critical Interpretation in Biblical Studies: From?Modern Historical to Historically Effected Consciousness”. In Theology in a World of?Ideologies: Authorization or Critique?, edited by Hans-Martin Kirn and Wolter Rose.?Beihefte zur ?kumenischen Rundschau 133, 188-201. Leipzig: Evangelische?Verlagsanstalt, 2021.
• Tops, T. “The