St John's College Oxford

St John The Baptist Conference

For nearly two millennia, St John the Baptist has been the subject of veneration. Christians hail him as the Forerunner who announced the coming of Christ, whom he baptised in the River Jordan. As patron saint, the College shares him with a number of other venerable institutions (e.g. the Guild of Merchant Taylors, a member of which founded the College in 1555; the Knights Hospitaller of St John) and places (Genoa, Florence, Puerto Rico, Jordan, French Canada and Newfoundland among others).
 
John the Baptist has two annual feast days, his Nativity on 24 June and Beheading on 29 August. Usually 24 June falls after the end of Trinity Term and the College has not in recent years celebrated the Feast, save for using appropriate music and readings at the Trinity Term Gaudy Evensong. 

In 2011, however, the date fell within term time - a rare occurrence. Furthermore, it has been agreed that Oxford’s archaeological laboratories should carry out scientific testing on the relics recently excavated in an Early Byzantine shrine in Bulgaria, identified epigraphically as those of St John the Baptist. To commemorate both events, a colloquium was held on June 24 2011 in the College on the subject of St John the Baptist and his cults.

Many distinguished scholars kindly accepted to prepare and present short papers on a range of fascinating subjects, punctuated by choral music composed for the College in honour of the Saint, to an audience of academics, clergy and laypersons. A short documentary film, "The Baptism of Jesus Christ: Uncovering Bethany beyond the Jordan", on the recent archaeological rediscovery of the traditional site of the Baptism, was also shown. The day reached its conclusion with a Festal Sung Eucharist in Chapel, which echoed to the songs of the Choir and the strains of the organ.

The day was a resounding success, with audience and speakers alike remarking on the high quality of the contributions and inquiring already about the prospects of holding the event again next year.

The colloquium was planned and executed by Dr. Georges Kazan (D.Phil., St John's), the Chaplain and Tutor in Theology Rev. Dr. Liz Carmichael, and Dr. Marlia Mango (Emeritus Research Fellow of the College). It was made possible by the support of the College.

Some of the papers given on the day have been collected below.

You can also watch the trailer for the documentary "The Baptism of Jesus Christ - Uncovering Bethany beyond the Jordan" via YouTube.