Published in JSNT
Just received an email saying that my article ‘Named Letter-Carriers among the Oxyrhynchus Papyri’ has been published in JSNT 31.3 (2009), 279-299; and is now available on-line (DOI: 10.1177/0142064X08101525). On-line at:
http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/31/3/279

The abstract: This paper analyses the role played by named letter-carriers among Greek personal letters in the Oxyrhynchus papyri as possible background for Pauline practice, and within the context of recent proposals concerning the role of the letter-carriers within Pauline practice. Around forty letters are discussed, with three examples analysed in more depth (P.Oxy. 113; P.Oxy. 3313; P.Oxy. 3505). It is seen that, when named and identified within the letter, the letter-carrier frequently supplements the written communication with some oral supplement. Against some recent proposals no evidence is found in support of the view that the letter-carrier ever read the letter itself to the recipient.