The Association RBS
Who we are
The raison d'être of the RBS
Founded in Rome, where its headquarters are situated, the "International Society for the Study of Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric" (RBS) is a non-profit organization, under Italian law. It is the only association:
that devotes itself exclusively to the study of Semitic literatures,
especially in the biblical field, both New and Old Testament
but also in other Semitic texts, especially Islamic.
that is consequently committed to listing and describing the particular laws of the specific rhetoric that has ruled the development of texts, whose importance is equal to those of the Greek and Latin world, whose heir is modern western civilisation.
It must not be forgotten that this same western civilisation is heir also to the Judeo-Christian tradition which finds its origin in the Bible, that is to say in the Semitic world.
More broadly, the texts which we study are foundational texts of the three great religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Such a scientific study, the first condition of better mutual knowledge, can only contribute to a rapprochement between those who belong to these diverse traditions.
Several learned societies exist whose objective is the study of rhetoric in general, more particularly of classical Greco-Latin rhetoric. The best known is the «International Society for the History of Rhetoric»; but there are others:
«American Society for the History of Rhetoric», «Société Canadienne pour l’Étude de la Rhétorique», «International Society for the Study of Argumentation», «Nordic Network for the History of Rhetoric», «Rhetoric Society of America», «Rhetoric Society of Korea», etc.
The objective of the RBS
The essential purpose of the RBS is to promote and support:
research projects, whether they are mainly analyses of texts according to the procedures of rhetorical and Semitic analysis or also studies about the laws of this rhetoric;
exchanges among those doing research and universities that work in the domain of biblical and Semitic rhetoric;
publications, which are the fruit of their research.
To attain its objectives, the RBS collects the necessary funds for the financing of its diverse projects.
Besides the RBS Web Site
(www.retoricabiblicaesemitica.org), it intends to promote the exchange of material between the members of the Association and all who are interested in our work and our publications.
The Founding Members
The «Founding Members are» :
Anna Beatrice FEDERICI, Presidente
Roland MEYNET, Segretario
Jacek ONISZCZUK, Tesoriere
Marie HENDRICKX
Nicola RIVA.
Roland Meynet, a French Jesuit, is professor of biblical theology at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University ; Jacek Oniszczuk, a Polish Jesuit, is starting to teach biblical theology in the same faculty. The other members are not Bible Scholars by profession, but friends who wanted to help the foundation of the RBS: Anna Beatrice Federici has graciously accepted to become our first president; Marie Hendrickx, a Belgian-French theologian works at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Nicola Riva, of the Work of Nazareth (Opera di Nazaret), is also secretary of the specialization in Science and Philosophy of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Gregorian University.
Offices of the Association
Honorary President
His Eminence, Cardinal Albert VANHOYE, sj (foto)
All know the role that this scholar has played in the history of biblical rhetoric, in particular with his study of the literary structure of the Letter to the Hebrews.
Honorary Members
Fr. François-Xavier DUMORTIER, Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University
Prof. Marc FUMAROLI, Holder of the chair of rhetoric at the Collège de France, member of the Académie Française
Prof. Laurent PERNOT, Director of the CARRA (Centre d’analyse des rhétoriques religieuses de l'Antiquité), member de l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres
Prof. Michel SERRES, Philosopher, member of the Académie Française
Board of the RBS
Pietro BOVATI, President
Roland MEYNET, Secretary
Jacek ONISZCZUK, Treasurer
Roberto DI PAOLO
Nicola RIVA
Website
Jacek ONISZCZUK, Responsible of the Website
Bernard WITEK, Responsible of the General Bibliography
