SJC Assistant Professor wins Humboldt Research Fellowship

SJC is excited to announce that our very own Dr. Lorne Zelyck has won a prestigious Humboldt Research Fellowship. We sat down with him to learn a bit more about this opportunity.

29 March 2017

SJC is thrilled to share the news that Dr. Lorne Zelyck, our Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, recently received the prestigious Humboldt Research Fellowship. Soon he will be off to spend a year in Germany, working on a commentary on the Egerton Gospels. We'll certainly miss him, but we're so excited about his accomplishments, and the opportunity he has received to dive into his research.
He spoke to us about the adventure ahead:

Best wishes on your journey, Dr. Zelyck! You'll be in our thoughts and prayers.

SJC: Tell us a little bit about the Humboldt Research Fellowship.

Dr. Zelyck: The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants research fellowships to international scholars that allows them to conduct research at universities in Germany. I was awarded a 14-month fellowship at the University of Regensburg.

SJC: What kind of research will you be completing in Germany?

Dr. Zelyck: I am primarily interested in the canonical gospels, but recently I have explored the apocryphal gospels from the second and third centuries. While in Germany, I will complete a commentary on the Egerton Gospel. This is one of the earliest apocryphal gospels (written around 200 AD), and Jesus appears quite recognizable. He gets into disputes with Jewish authorities, heals a leper, and performs a miracle near the Jordan River. The unknown author of this text also appears to use, and alter, passages about Jesus from the canonical gospels.

SJC: What part of going to Germany are you most excited about academically?

Dr. Zelyck: I am excited about having the time to finish the commentary, and work under the guidance of the Chair of Catholic Theology at the University of Regensburg, Tobias Nicklas. We have been friends for a number of years, and I am sure that he will offer helpful critiques of my work.

SJC: What part of going to Germany are you most excited about personally?

Dr. Zelyck: I am looking forward to living in a relatively small town in Bavaria, wearing Lederhosen to work, Glühwein at the Christkindlmärkte, and weekend trips around Europe with Kristin and the children.