It is with sorrow—and yet gratitude for a life extraordinarily lived—that the family of David J.A. Clines announce his death.

David J.A. Clines (born 1938) died on Thursday 08 December 2023, peacefully, at home.

David was emeritus professor in Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield where he was first appointed in 1964. A short academic obituary has been published.

Details below about:
– the Memorial Service in Sheffield 29 April.
– the in-person Memorial Symposium in Sheffield 28/29 April;
– the funeral which has taken place;
– the Celebration of David that occurred at the virtual SBL on 30 March 2023.

Memorial Service 29th April 2023

A memorial service to celebrate David J.A. Clines’s life and work will take place at St Mark’s, Broomhill, S10 2SE, in Sheffield on Saturday 29 April at 2 pm. (with refreshments afterwards).

Video link: this is provided via Zoom (meeting number 8416 2289 557).

Travel: The 120 bus stops down the hill from the church 200m away, the 51 and 52 buses stop in Broomhill with a steep downhill walk to the church 300m away. This parking page, has an option with buttons at the foot of the page to view car parks and street parking. On foot, the main entrance is on Broomfield Road, on the north side of the church, you go down 15 steps from road to church door.

NB Taxi drop off and level access: enter via the church car park on Beech Hill Road (S10 2SA).

Memorial Symposium 28th-29th April 2023

See here for all details about locations, travel, refreshments and the papers that will be given.

Overview
Prior to the memorial service there will be a David J.A. Clines memorial symposium at the University of Sheffield from 2pm to 5pm on the afternoon of Friday 28 April and 10am to 12.30pm on Saturday 29 April, including invited papers from J. Cheryl Exum, Christl M Maier and H. G. M Williamson. 7 papers, each of 30 minutes will be given. The event will be in person, and papers given in person.

Intention to attend form
Please indicate your intention to attend the symposium on this form, precise location / arrival details will be sent to all who complete the form.

Locations
Friday 28th, we will have 3 papers on 28th April plus a session, facilitated by Heather A. McKay of recollections about David. Friday afternoon, 2pm to 5pm, at the Alfred Denny Conference Suite at the University of Sheffield, S10 2TN, entrance 112 on the downloadable version of the campus map (not the interactive map). The entrance is also signed ‘Disability and Dyslexia Support Service’.

Travel: the tram stop ‘University’ is a 400m walk away, buses 51, 52 and 95 stop 100m away, and the 120 bus 200m away. This parking page, has an option with buttons at the foot of the page to view car parks and street parking.

NB arriving by taxi and on foot. The shortest walking route is 100 metres, from the pedestrian crossing 1/3rd of the way up Western Bank, to the Alfred Denny conference entrance. The crossing is close to the 51/52 bus-stop. This crossing is adjacent to the Arts Tower (large tower / skyscraper) car park, across the road from John’s Van. You need to be on the same side of the road as the Arts Tower. Look for the large 7 storey red brick Alfred Denny building and walk parallel to Western Bank, keeping the Alfred Denny building on your right hand side.

Saturday 29th, we will have 4 papers on the Saturday morning 10am to 12.30pm. These will be given at the same location as the Memorial Service, St Mark’s church, Broomhill, S10 2SE (which takes place at 2pm). Between 12.30pm and 2pm there are places nearby to buy lunch, and packed lunches will be available for those who do want to just stay at the church for the 90 minute pause. Refreshments will be provided after the service.

Travel: The 120 bus stops down the hill from the church 200m away, the 51 and 52 buses stop in Broomhill with a steep downhill walk to the church 300m away. This parking page, has an option with buttons at the foot of the page to view car parks and street parking. On foot, the main entrance is on Broomfield Road, on the north side of the church, you go down 15 steps from road to church door.

NB Taxi drop off and level access: enter via the church car park on Beech Hill Road (S10 2SA).

Timings and Papers

Friday 28 April Alfred Denny Conference Room (see above for more details)

2pm
Arrivals and coffee

2.30pm
Christl Maier, “What we Have (and Have not) Learnt from David with Regard to Feminist Biblical Interpretation”

3pm
Walter Houston, “Exhortation or expression of purpose? Amos 5:24 revisited.”

3.30pm break

3.45pm
Hugh Williamson, “Hebrew Philology and Lexicography.”

4.15pm
We had planned to have a paper by Jim Aitken on contemporary linguistics and the Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. It is with deep sorrow that we inform those attending the Symposium that Jim died on 07 April 2023 after a heart attack. A beloved colleague, scholar, teacher, supervisor, and friend, Jim was held in high esteem and affection by all who knew him, including David. He will be sadly missed—the shaping of this symposium was in no small part Jim’s work.

In place of this the 4.45pm session will begin earlier.

4.45pm
Reflections on David, chaired by Heather McKay, will begin with invited first contributions from Graeme Auld and George Brooke.

5pm close.

Saturday 29 April (location St Mark’s church, Broomhill)

10am
Arrivals and coffee

10.15am
Hugh Pyper, “The Book of Job and the PhD Viva”

10.45am
Loveday Alexander, “Into the Woods: The Acts of the Apostles and the Art of Screenwriting”

11.15am
J Cheryl Exum, “The Clinesian Challenge to Biblical Studies (with reference to David’s notes,‘Ten Things I Have Been Saying [but no one was listening]’)

11.45am
Katharine Dell, “David JA Clines: Commentary (With a Focus on Job)”

12.15pm
Jeremy Clines reads extracts from David’s writing 

12.30pm
Close

Funeral 6th January 2023

A simple funeral took place at Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium, Sheffield, on Friday 06 January  2023 at 1.30 pm. People may still take the opportunity to send condolences via this link.

Celebrating David Clines 30th March 2023

On 30 March there was a virtual session Celebrating David at the Virtual SBL that started at 0755h EDT.