Lecture Series: "In Search of Ancient Israel"
Led by Gary Rendsburg (Rutgers University)
About the series: Two centuries of archaeological exploration in the Near East has revolutionized our understanding of the world that produced ancient Israel and its abiding text, the Bible. These three lectures – all amply illustrated via PowerPoint – proceed in chronological order, as Dr. Gary Rendsburg reveals the history of Israel from its earliest origins through the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E.
About Gary Rendsburg: Gary A. Rendsburg is a professor of biblical studies, Hebrew language, and ancient Judaism at Rutgers University. He is a distinguished professor and serves as the Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair of Jewish History at Rutgers University.
Cosponsored with VOSJCC.
“In Search of Israelite Origins"
Wednesday, Nov. 5 | 7 - 8:30 PM AZ time | Zoom
About the lecture: Learn about the literary and archaeological evidence from both Egypt and Israel relate to ancient Israelites. Biblical accounts concerning the slavery, the exodus, the wandering and the settlement in Canaan are treated against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern evidence, with an attempt to dovetail Israel’s own narrative with the data emerging from two centuries of archaeological exploration in the Near East.
“In Search of David and Solomon"
Wednesday, Nov. 12 | 7 - 8:30 PM AZ time | Zoom
About the lecture: The two great kings of ancient Israel are well known to readers of the Bible, but are they to be found in the archaeological record? Neither name appears in any contemporary document, so how can one determine whether or not the descriptions of their reigns in the Bible have any historical value? This lecture will survey the archaeological evidence from Jerusalem and elsewhere to answer these questions.
“In Search of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah"
Wednesday, Nov. 19 | 7 - 8:30 PM AZ time | Zoom
About the lecture: The death of Solomon resulted in the establishment of two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Both entities are mentioned in contemporary documents from Aram, Moab, Assyria and Babylonia. In two texts the kingdom of Judah is called not “Judah,” but rather “the House of David”! Our tour of these artifacts will bring us to the world’s great museum collections: the Louvre, the British Museum, and the Israel Museum.