Dr Tom de Bruin
LightNews LightNews
banner
tdbiii.bsky.social
Dr Tom de Bruin
@tdbiii.bsky.social
860 followers 98 following 220 posts
(he/they) non-binary New Testament & Early Christianity scholar, author, sci-fi fan. Assistant Prof Radboud University | Editor of JIBS
Posts Replies Media Videos
tdbiii.bsky.social
Excited to see my book pal’s book next to mine in the book hall! @siobhanjolley.bsky.social’s book is cooler because it has pictures!
November 24, 2025 at 7:19 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Had loads of fun at my first paper on The Chosen today. One more tomorrow at 9am, on The Chosen fanfic (slashfic) that imagine sexual relationships between the disciples. Thanks to @siobhanjolley.bsky.social for the HQ action pic! #aarsbl2025 #sblaar25
November 23, 2025 at 11:11 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Very much looking forward to the book review panel of my book at 4pm today! It’s S22-336 if anyone’s interested. With superstars @drmjcwarren.bsky.social @brownsmith.bsky.social and Acacia Chan. #aarsbl25 #sblaar25
Photo of my book Fan Fiction and Early Christian Writings
November 22, 2025 at 11:47 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
I think the comments on YouTube are the best.
September 23, 2025 at 7:48 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
My chapter on Christian fans of My Little Pony and their fan texts is now open access via my university! Really happy with how Dutch copyright works for academia! [link in first comment]
#fanfic #MLP #fanstudies #fan #fanfiction #fanfic #MLP #fanstudies
Screenshot of chapter entitled “the Bible and My Little Pony”
July 25, 2025 at 2:31 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Awesome way to start the day! My article on nonhumans (animals and demons) in an early Christian text has been published in the Journal for the study of the Pseudepigrapha! It’s open access, so free for all to read!
Get it here: doi.org/10.1177/0951...
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
May 31, 2025 at 8:25 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Proofs day! Coming soon in open access to Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha.
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.
May 9, 2025 at 3:22 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Open access is such a scam. Glad my uni covers it…
Bill for open access charges coming to £2676,55. Which is like $3600 or €3150.
April 29, 2025 at 12:44 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Excited to be able to visit an awesome symposium on utopia, race and nation (and a bunch of scifi!) at Waseda university in Tokyo.
March 17, 2025 at 1:10 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
When you can’t remember where the accent goes, but you’re sure there is one. (Spotted on board from previous prof’s lecture)
The Greek word logos, with the accent on the gamma.
February 13, 2025 at 12:40 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Just finished my slides for my presentation, really looking forward to this!
January 16, 2025 at 2:17 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
The best part is that it's in a former Augustinian nunnery. We do have a couple of spots still available to attend, so if you're interested, do hit us up.
January 15, 2025 at 12:17 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Together with @siobhanjolley.bsky.social, I'm organising a symposium this summer in Nijmegen (NL). We have the opportunity to support 2 PGRs with travel grants to attend and participate. Feel free to share and hit us up with questions.
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
January 15, 2025 at 12:16 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
When did the word limit for SBL proposals become 150 words? Did I miss something 😮
January 14, 2025 at 11:10 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Next week I get to share a bit of my book by presenting on #twilight, @sandiegocomic-con.bsky.social and 1 Clement in Glasgow. Looking forward to good times with @garrickvallen.bsky.social and @kelsbot.bsky.social
January 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Matthijs! You’re on social media! I don’t know you had joined BS, or I would have thanked and tagged you (like I did in the article)!
January 8, 2025 at 11:26 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
So. Freaking. Excited.
My article on Jesus saying “rip out your eye” in Mark is out! I’m suggesting that Jesus is totally serious, because #demons. Demons taking over body parts is a thing, and amputation would help.

doi.org/10.1163/1568...

It’s also open access!
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.
January 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
December 26, 2024 at 1:13 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Super chuffed to see my article on Christian My Little Pony fanfic out in print! I think I wrote this in 2019... The book's full of epic people like @siobhanjolley.bsky.social @drrebekah.bsky.social @davidtollerton.bsky.social (& others not on bs). doi.org/10.5040/9780567702227.ch-006 DM for access
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.
December 16, 2024 at 7:41 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
It’s always a pleasure to present in the Ancient Fiction seminar at #aarsbl24. Sadly, hardly anyone thought my presentation cover slide was as funny as I did…
Thanks to Gillian Glass and @evandeneykel.bsky.social for accepting the paper!
November 26, 2024 at 3:26 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
I have made it to #aarsbl24
November 22, 2024 at 7:44 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
November 22, 2024 at 1:39 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
November 16, 2024 at 10:14 AM
tdbiii.bsky.social
Super excited to be presenting at #SBL2024 with my pal Rachel Miller. Come for Jezebel, stay for fans! … Now I just need to finish writing this paper….

[screenshot of session info edited for size reasons]
November 15, 2024 at 1:30 PM
tdbiii.bsky.social
After my Judaism class, where we also discussed judeophobia and the far right, one my students shared some highly applicable contraband to stick on my laptop.
Anti Wilders Sticker.
November 15, 2024 at 12:38 PM