Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies

Prof PF Craffert

College of Human Sciences
School of Humanities
Department: Biblical and Ancient Studies
Professor
E-mail: craffpf@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • BA, BD, DTh

NRF Rating

B2

Fields of academic interests

  • Historical Jesus
  • Religious experiences
  • Consciousness
  • Altered States of Consciousness

Field of Specialisation

  • Neuroscience of consciousness
  • Religious experiences: spirit possession, revelations, visions.
  • Out-of-body and near-death experiences
  • Ghosts, spirits, angels and ancestors as apparitional figures
  • Historical Jesus research

Books

  • Craffert, P F 2024. The fabric(ation) of consciousness: A neuro-ecological perspective. Cape Town: Aosis. [https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2024.BK500]
  • Craffert, P. F., Baker, J. R., & Winkelman, M. J. (eds). (2019). The supernatural after the neuro-turn. London: Routledge.
  • Craffert, PF 2008. The life of a Galilean shaman: Jesus of Nazareth in anthropological-historical perspective. Eugene (OR): Cascade Books. (ISBN 978-1-55635-685-6)
  • Craffert, PF 1999. Illness and healing in the biblical world: Perspectives on health care. Pretoria: Biblia.
  • Craffert, PF 1999. Mediating divine power: Perspectives on religion in the biblical world. Pretoria: Biblia.
  • Craffert, PF 1999. Meeting the living among the dead: Perspectives on burials, tombs and the afterlife. Pretoria: Biblia.

Book chapters

  • Craffert, PF 2019. “The Supernatural: A Range of Neurocultural Phenomena in Craffert, PF, Baker, JR and Winkelman, MJ (eds) The Supernatural After the Neuro-Turn, 12-28. London: Routledge.
  • Craffert, PF 2019. Embodied Experiences and the Neurobiological, Cognitive and Psychological Production of Ghosts” in Craffert, PF, Baker, J R and M J Winkelman (eds) The Supernatural After the Neuro-Turn, 107-126. London: Routledge.
  • Craffert, PF 2018. Re-Visioning Jesus' Resurrection: The Resurrection Stories In A Neuroanthropological Perspective, in Verheyden, Joseph & Kloppenborg, John S. (ed) The Gospels in anthropological perspective, Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck). 2018.
  • Craffert, PF 2014. What actually happened?: Miracle stories in anthropological historical perspective in Kollmann, Bernd & Zimmermann, Ruben (ed) Hermeneutik der frühchristlichen Wundererzählungen: Historische, literarische und rezeptionsästhetische Aspekte, 405-424. WUNT-Band (Mohr Siebeck). 2014
  • Craffert, PF 2010. Altered states of consciousness: Visions, Spirit Possession, Sky Journeys, in Neufeld, D. & DeMaris, R. E. The social world of the New Testament. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis. 126–146.
  • Craffert, PF 2007. Neutestamentliche Forshung nach der Revolution in den Neurowissenschaften: Ungewöhnliche mensliche Erfahrungen ins Bewusstsein rufen. In Erkennen und Erleben: Beiträge zur psychologischen Erforschung des frühen Christentums, hrsg G. Theissen and P. Van Gemünden, 92–117. Gütersloh: Gütersloh Verlaghaus. (ISBN 978-3-579-08026-0).
  • Craffert, PF 2006. Multiple realities and historiography: rethinking historical Jesus research, Breytenbach, C; Thom, J C Punt, J (eds), The New Testament interpreted: Essays in honour of Bernard C. Lategan, 87-116. Leiden/Boston: Brill. (Novum Testamentum Supplement 124). (ISBN 90 04 15304 7).
  • Craffert, PF 2005. What on Earth (or in Heaven) is a Resurrected Body? The Outline of a Historical-Anthropological Answer. In Chatelion Coumet, P & Berges, U (eds), One text, a thousand methods: Essays in memory of Sjef van Tilborg, 227-253. Leiden: Brill. (ISBN 0-391-04230-0).
  • Craffert, PF 2002. Religious experiences and/as (alternate) states of consciousness from a biopsychosocial perspective. In Du Toit, C W (ed), Brain, mind and soul: Unifying the human self, 53-97. Pretoria: Unisa.
  • Craffert, PF 2001. An exercise in the critical use of models: The `goodness of fit’ of Wilson’s sect model. In Social scientific models for interpreting the Bible: Essays by the Context Group in honour of Bruce J. Malina, ed. J. J. Pilch, 1-46. Leiden: Brill. (ISBN 90 04 12056 4).
  • Craffert, PF 1998. Some prospects for interdisciplinary teaching programmes at Unisa. In De Beer, C S (ed), Unisa as distinctive university for our time/Unisa as eiesoortige universiteit vir ons tyd, 175-201. Pretoria: Unisa.
  • Craffert, PF 1994. Reading and divine sanction: The ethics of interpreting the New Testament in the New South Africa, in Porter, S & Olbricht, T (eds), Rhetoric Scripture and theology: Essays from the 1994 Pretoria conference, Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
  • Craffert, PF 1996. On New Testament interpretation and ethnocentrism, in Brett, M C (ed) Ethnicity and the Bible, 448-468. Leiden: Brill.

Journal articles

  • Craffert, PF 2024.You are (not) your brain: Incompatible images of human beings in the neurosciences. Phronimon #14813: 1-17.
  • Craffert, PF 2023. Your Brain Makes You Do It: A Critical Reflection on the Libetian Denial of Free Will. Religion & Theology 30 (1&2), 124-153.
  • Craffert, PF 2019. Making Sense of Near-Death Experience Research: Circumstance Specific Alterations of Consciousness. Anthropology of Consciousness30 (1), 64–89.
  • Craffert, PF 2019. Towards a Post-Colonial Reflection on Shaman and Shamanism as Conceptual Tools in Biblical Studies. Religion & Theology26 (3&4), 1–41.
  • Craffert, PF 2018. Spirit Possession In Jesus Research: Insights From The Anthropological Study Of Possession. Religion & Theology25 (1&2),111–29.
  • Craffert, PF 2018. Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in the Bible. In Oxford Bibliographies in Biblical Studies. Ed. Christopher Matthews. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Craffert, PF Coming to (terms with) our senses: seeing, hearing and smelling the gods. Journal of Early Christian History 7(2, 2017) 1-32.
  • Craffert, PF Alternate States of Consciousness and Biblical Research: The Contribution of John J Pilch. Biblical Theology Bulletin 47(2), 100-110.
  • Craffert, PF Nabydood-Ervarings: ’n Kritiese Ontleding Van Buiteliggaamlike Waarnemings Tydens Hartstilstand. Litnet Akademies 13(2), 253-272.
  • Craffert, PF 2015. Do Out-of-Body and Near-Death Experiences Point Towards the Reality of Nonlocal Consciousness? A Critical Evaluation. TD The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa11(1), 1–20.
  • Craffert, PF 2015. What Does It Mean to Be Possessed by a Spirit or Demon? Some Phenomenological Insights from Neuro-Anthropological Research. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, Art. #2891. 71(1), 1–9.
  • Craffert, PF 2015. When is an Out-of-Body Experience (not) an Out-of-Body Experience? Some Reflections About Out-of-Body Phenomena in Neuroscientific Research.” Journal of Cognition and Culture 15 (1-2), 13-31.
  • Craffert, PF 2014. Critical Neuroscience as an interdisciplinary tool for the investigation of neuromatters. Acta Academica 46 (2), 107-125.
  • Craffert, PF 2014. Heavenly Journeys As Neurocultural Experiences: Social-Scientific Interpretation As A Challenge For Traditional Scholarship? Neotestamentica 48(1), 387-403.
  • Craffert, PF 2014. Historical Critical Interpretation Is Not (Necessarily) Critical Historical Interpretation: Taking Account Of The Oral/Aural Conditions Of The First-Century Mediterranean World. Journal for Early Christian History 4(1), 3-25.
  • Craffert, PF2013. Performing “the Duty of Discontent” in Dialogue with Christian Strecker: A Plea for Cross-Cultural Historical Jesus Research. Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus11(2) 281-299.
  • Craffert, PF 2013. Jesus’ Resurrection as a Cultural Reality.” The Fourth R26 (2): 3–14, 17.
  • Craffert, PF 2012. Caretakers, Critics, and Comparativists: A Meta-Analysis of Historical Jesus Research. Journal for the Study of Religion 25 (2): 111–35.
  • Craffert, PF 2012. The Placebo Phenomenon And Well-Being: Notes On The Healing Process As An Evolutionary Adaptive Trait. Religion & Theology 19:3&4: 1-23
  • Craffert, PF 2011. Shamanism and the Shamanic Complex. Biblical Theology Bulletin41 (2): 59–67.
  • Craffert, PF “I ‘witnessed’ the raising of the dead”: resurrection accounts in a neuroanthropological perspective.  Neotestamentica 45 (1), 1-29.
  • Craffert, PF 2011. Medical anthropology as an antidote for ethnocentrism in Jesus research? Putting the illness–disease distinction into perspective. HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 67(1), Art. #970, 14 pages. DOI: 10.4102/hts.v67i1.970
  • Craffert, PF 2010. Beetroot, Garlic, Lemon And Jesus In The Fight Against HIV/AIDS: Historical Jesus Research As An Antidote For Religious And Folk Exploitation. Neotestamentica 44 (2), 292-306.
  • Craffert, PF 2009. Jesus’ Resurrection in a Social-Scientific Perspective: Is There Anything New to be Said? Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus 7: 126–151
  • Craffert, PF 2008. Anthropological-historical research: reflections from the inside. Theologia Viatorum 32(2): 219-273.
  • Craffert, PF 2008. Did Jesus Rise Bodily From The Dead?: Yes and no! Religion & Theology15(1&2):133-153.
  • Craffert, PF New Testament Studies — Preventing Or Promoting A Humane Society? Religion & Theology 14:161-205.
  • Craffert, PF How historiography creates (some)body: Jesus, the son of David — royal stock or social construct? Scriptura 90 (3), 608-620.
  • Craffert, PF 2005. Why Jesus could walk on the sea but he could not read and write: Reflections on historicity and interpretation in historical Jesus research (with Botha P J J). Neotestamentica 39 (1), 5-35.
  • Craffert, PF 2003. Mapping Current South African Jesus Research: The Schweitzerstrasse, the Wredebahn and Cultural Bundubashing. Religion & Theology10(3&4):339–377.
  • Craffert, PF Crossan’s Historical Jesus as Healer, Exorcist and Miracle Worker. Religion & Theology 10(3&4):243–266.
  • Craffert, PF 2002. Appropriating historical Jesus research in Africa. Religion & Theology 9 (3&4), 199-224.
  • Craffert, PF 2002. Seeing a body into being: Reflections on scholarly interpretations of the nature and reality of Jesus’ resurrected body. Religion & Theology 9 (1&2), 89-107.
  • Craffert, PF 2002. Historical anthropological Jesus research: The status of authentic pictures beyond authentic material. HTS 58(2), 440-471.
  • Craffert, PF 2001. Vernuwing in historiese Jesus navorsing. Verbum et Ecclasia 22 (1), 1-29.
  • Craffert, PF 2001. Jesus van Nasaret as historiese figuur: Die rol van wêreldbeelde en interpretasiestyle. Fragmente 7, 101-115.
  • Craffert, PF 2000. Digging up Common Judaism in Galilee: Miqvaot at Sepphoris as a test case. Neotestamentica 34(1), 39-55.
  • Craffert, PF 1999. Jesus and the shamanic complex: First steps in utilising a social type model. Neotestamentica 33(2):321-42.
  • Craffert, PF 1998. The Pauline household communities: Their nature as social entities. Neotestamentica 32(3), 309-341.
  • Craffert, PF 1998. Biblical Archaeology as an academic discipline: In search of its academic identity. Religion & Theology 5(3), 335-364.
  • Craffert, PF 1998. From apartheid to ordinary readings of the Bible: Has the ethics of interpretation changed? Scriptura 64(1), 65-79.
  • Craffert, PF 1997. Opposing world-views: The border guards between traditional and biomedical health care practices. South African Journal of Ethnology 20(1):1-9.
  • Craffert, PF 1997. The stuff world-views are made off. Scriptura 61(2):193-212.
  • Craffert, PF 1996. Relations between social-scientific, literary, and rhetorical interpretations of texts. Biblical Theology Bulletin 26(1), 45-55.
  • Craffert, PF 1995. Wie sê jy is Jesus: Die dialektiek tussen Christus vandag en Jesus van ouds. Religion & Theology 2(3), 298-312.
  • Craffert, PF 1995. The anthropological turn in New Testament interpretation: Dialogue as negotiation and cultural critique Neotestamentica 29(2), 167-182.
  • Craffert, PF 1995. Is the emic—etic distinction a useful tool for cross-cultural interpretation of the New Testament? Religion & Theology 2(1), 14-37.
  • Craffert, PF 1994. Through the eyes of a historian: Willem Vorster on historical interpretation. Neotestamentica 28(3), 51-76.
  • Craffert, PF1994. ’n Herdefiniëring van Paulus se konflik in Galasië: Die brief aan die Galasiërs deur die bril van die sosiale wetenskappe. Hervormde Teologiese Studies 50(4), 859-876.
  • Craffert, PF 1994. Taking stock of the emic-etic distinction in social-scientific interpretations of the New Testament. Neotestamentica 28(2), 1-21.
  • Craffert, PF The Pauline movement within first-century Judaism: A framework for transforming the issues. Neotestamentica 27(2), 233-262.
  • Craffert, PF 1993. In discussion with Klippies Kritzinger: Some thoughts on relevance, intellectuals and democracy. Theologia Evangelica 26(3), 31-36.
  • Craffert, PF 1993. Nuwe-Testamentiese studies ─ ‘n paradigma vir saamwees in Afrika. Theologia Evangelica 26(3), 10-21
  • Craffert, PF 1992. More on models and muddles in the social-scientific interpretation of the New Testament: The sociological fallacy Neotestamentica 26(1), 123-144.
  • Craffert, PF Towards an interdisciplinary definition of the social-scientific interpretation of the New Testament. Neotestamentica 25(1), 123-144.
  • Craffert, PF 1989. The origins of resurrection faith: The challenge of a social-scientific approach. Neotestamentica 23, 331-348.
  • Craffert, PF 1989. Die gesprek ussen AB du Toit en EP Sanders oor Paulus en Palestynse Judaïsme: Die pad vorentoe. Hervormde Teologiese Studies 45 (4), 843-863.
  • Craffert, PF 1989. Paul’s Damascus experience as reflected in Galatians 1: Call or conversion. Scriptura 29, 36-47.

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • Alexander von Humboldt Fellow
  • Unisa Chancellor’s Prize for Research: 2003 and 2010.
  • Research fellow: University of Pretoria.

Projects

  • You are your brain and other neuromyths about ourselves
  • Many Ways Of Being Human: A Neuro-Ecological Perspective On Nonordinary Experiences