Areas of Interest:
In teaching biblical courses at the School of Theology and Ministry, Fr. Frechette emphasizes the link between theological interpretation of biblical texts and understanding the history and cultures from which those texts emerged.  Currently, Fr. Frechette’s research in the languages and cultures of the ancient Near East focuses on the topics of psalms, ritual, myth, and blessing.

About:
Father Christopher Frechette, S.J., is a member of the California Province of the Society of Jesus. He is a native of Hammond, Indiana and the youngest of 11 children.  Prior to receiving the Th.D. from Harvard, he earned a B.A. from Rockhurst University, an M.Div. from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, and an S.T.L. from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology.  In addition to his academic activities, Fr. Frechette has worked in prison ministry and spiritual direction.

Courses:
FALL 2012
TM 515- Core Narrative of OT: Genesis to 2 Kings
TM 708- Depictions of God in the Bible

Spring 2013
TM 514- The Psalms: Prayer of Israel, Prayer of Christians
TM 821 - Grief and the Bible

Other Courses
TM 641- The Prophets from Moses to Jesus
TM 711- Seminar: The Book of Isaiah
TM 826- Introduction to the Old Testament

Recent Publications:

Mesopotamian Ritual-prayers of “Hand-lifting” (Akkadian Šuillas): A Investigation of Function in Light of the Idiomatic Meaning of the Rubric. Alter Orient und Altes Testament, no. 379. Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2012. http://www.ugarit-verlag.de/aoat-379.htm

“Blessing 1: Ancient Near East.” In The Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception, edited by H.-J. Klauck, B. McGinn, P. Mendes-Flohr, et al., 4:130–33. Berlin: de Gruyter, 2012.

“The Catholic Biblical Association of America.” In The Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception, edited by H.-J. Klauck, B. McGinn, P. Mendes-Flohr, et al.,  4:1067–68. Berlin: de Gruyter, 2012.

"The Ritual-prayer Nisaba 1 and its Function.” With an edition of Nisaba 1 by Ivan Hrůša. Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 11 (2011): 70–93.

Lenzi, Alan, Christopher Frechette, and Anna Zernecke. “Introduction.” In Reading Akkadian Prayers and Hymns: An Introduction, edited by Alan Lenzi. Ancient Near East Monographs, no. 3. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2011, 1–68.

“A Shuilla: Nisaba 1.” In Reading Akkadian Prayers and Hymns: An Introduction, edited by Alan Lenzi. Ancient Near East Monographs, no. 3. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2011, 351–66.

On the Road:

From February 1–3, Father Frechette will participate in the Old Testament Biblical Colloquium XXVI, held at St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN, where he will respond to a paper on how certain biblical texts offer an apt means of addressing experiences of disaster and trauma.

On March 4, 2013, Father Frechette will speak on the theme of “Reading Exodus as an Invitation to Freedom” at a Lenten retreat for the parishioners of St. Francis Parish, Dracut, MA.