2024-25 Lecture Series: "Archaeology, Theology and the Bible"
Title: "The Hebrew Bible, its Text and Interpretation in the Dead Sea Scrolls."
Lecturer: Professor Dr. Lawrence Schiffman
Date: 28.04.25 via Zoom
Brief Overview: Professor Schiffman is a specialist in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Judaism in late antiquity, the history of Jewish law, and Talmudic literature. His many publications include From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism; Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls; Qumran and Jerusalem: Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the History of Judaism; The Temple Scroll (with A.D. Gross); and more than 200 articles on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Rabbinic Judaism. He coedited the Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the award-winning Outside the Bible: Ancient Jewish Writings Related to Scripture, and the five-volume series, An End to Antisemitism. He is also a highly respected and frequent guest lecturer at the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel.
Without question, for many scholars the Dead Sea Scrolls are the most significant archaeological discovery of our time. The scrolls are a living voice from early Jewish thought in late antiquity. For decades, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman has been at the forefront of Dead Sea Scroll research with his deep understanding of Jewish faith, practice, and halakhah. We were honored with this very special presentation.
Fraternally Yours,
Brad H. Young, PhD
ETRFI President
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Lecturer: Professor Dr. Lawrence Schiffman
Date: 28.04.25 via Zoom
Brief Overview: Professor Schiffman is a specialist in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Judaism in late antiquity, the history of Jewish law, and Talmudic literature. His many publications include From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism; Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls; Qumran and Jerusalem: Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the History of Judaism; The Temple Scroll (with A.D. Gross); and more than 200 articles on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Rabbinic Judaism. He coedited the Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the award-winning Outside the Bible: Ancient Jewish Writings Related to Scripture, and the five-volume series, An End to Antisemitism. He is also a highly respected and frequent guest lecturer at the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel.
Without question, for many scholars the Dead Sea Scrolls are the most significant archaeological discovery of our time. The scrolls are a living voice from early Jewish thought in late antiquity. For decades, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman has been at the forefront of Dead Sea Scroll research with his deep understanding of Jewish faith, practice, and halakhah. We were honored with this very special presentation.
Fraternally Yours,
Brad H. Young, PhD
ETRFI President
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Title: "In Memory of Professor Adam Zertal: The Mystery of the Ancient Israelite Foot Structures"
Lecturer: Aaron Lipkin
Date: 27.03.2025 via Zoom
Brief overview: This presentation was a very stimulating and cutting-edge analysis of archaeological and material finds relating to the conquest and settlement period of Israel's history. The discussion of the archaeological evidence invited fresh analysis, new perspectives, and active discussion.
Aaron Lipkin is an Israeli Bible scholar who specializes in archaeology of Israel and lectures in many churches, synagogues, university classes, TV and radio stations. Aaron is also a film maker and has created several videos that incorporate Biblical text, Archaeology, the geography of Israel, and stunning drone videos. He is a member of the Manasseh Hill Country Survey team founded by Prof. Adam Zertal of the Haifa University.
Aaron presented a lecture for the ETRFI on the material remains and inscriptional evidence of the Israelite altar discovered on Mount Ebal. The lecture on the Altar of Joshua son of Nun was presented for the ETRFI's Webinar on Nov. 20th 2024. This was the follow up lecture everyone was wanting to hear. I had the privilege of visiting the Israelite foot structure sites with Aaron.
This presentation highlighted the life and the rich legacy of Prof. Adam Zertal as well as connected the physical archaeological remains and the geographical setting of the land with the Bible. Aaron gave us the factual evidence, the setting in life, and the cultural application which made us feel like we were with him there on location in Israel.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Lecturer: Aaron Lipkin
Date: 27.03.2025 via Zoom
Brief overview: This presentation was a very stimulating and cutting-edge analysis of archaeological and material finds relating to the conquest and settlement period of Israel's history. The discussion of the archaeological evidence invited fresh analysis, new perspectives, and active discussion.
Aaron Lipkin is an Israeli Bible scholar who specializes in archaeology of Israel and lectures in many churches, synagogues, university classes, TV and radio stations. Aaron is also a film maker and has created several videos that incorporate Biblical text, Archaeology, the geography of Israel, and stunning drone videos. He is a member of the Manasseh Hill Country Survey team founded by Prof. Adam Zertal of the Haifa University.
Aaron presented a lecture for the ETRFI on the material remains and inscriptional evidence of the Israelite altar discovered on Mount Ebal. The lecture on the Altar of Joshua son of Nun was presented for the ETRFI's Webinar on Nov. 20th 2024. This was the follow up lecture everyone was wanting to hear. I had the privilege of visiting the Israelite foot structure sites with Aaron.
This presentation highlighted the life and the rich legacy of Prof. Adam Zertal as well as connected the physical archaeological remains and the geographical setting of the land with the Bible. Aaron gave us the factual evidence, the setting in life, and the cultural application which made us feel like we were with him there on location in Israel.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Title: "Go Now to Shiloh: Have we Found God's House?"
Lecturer: Dr. Scott Stripling
Date: 26.02.2025 via Zoom
Brief overview: Dr. Scott Stripling is the Director of Excavations at ancient Shiloh in the heartland of Israel. According to the Talmud, Shiloh was the home of the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle for 369 years. Dr. Stripling has served as the Director of Excavations for the Associates for Biblical Research leading the extensive digs at Shiloh from 2017 to the present.
Dr. Stripling also serves as the Provost and the Director of the Archaeology Institute at The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas. Previously, Dr. Stripling directed several other excavations in Israel. He also serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Near East Archaeological Society and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, popular magazines, and books. He is a popular speaker at churches and conferences around the world and a guest on numerous television programs and documentaries.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Lecturer: Dr. Scott Stripling
Date: 26.02.2025 via Zoom
Brief overview: Dr. Scott Stripling is the Director of Excavations at ancient Shiloh in the heartland of Israel. According to the Talmud, Shiloh was the home of the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle for 369 years. Dr. Stripling has served as the Director of Excavations for the Associates for Biblical Research leading the extensive digs at Shiloh from 2017 to the present.
Dr. Stripling also serves as the Provost and the Director of the Archaeology Institute at The Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas. Previously, Dr. Stripling directed several other excavations in Israel. He also serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Near East Archaeological Society and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, popular magazines, and books. He is a popular speaker at churches and conferences around the world and a guest on numerous television programs and documentaries.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Title: "The City of David in Jerusalem and its Phoenician Connections"
Lecturer: Ronny Reich, Israeli Archaeologist and Scholar
Date: 29.01.2025 via Zoom
Brief overview: Ronny Reich is the legendary Israeli archaeologist, field excavator, and esteemed scholar of the ancient remains of Jerusalem. The City of David is central to biblical research and understanding of the spiritual history of ancient Israel. The history and culture of ancient Jerusalem is so much better understood in the light of recent disciplined excavations. Discoveries in the City of David give meaningful insight from archaeology and material remains.
To download the poster click HERE. To download the invitation click HERE.
Lecturer: Ronny Reich, Israeli Archaeologist and Scholar
Date: 29.01.2025 via Zoom
Brief overview: Ronny Reich is the legendary Israeli archaeologist, field excavator, and esteemed scholar of the ancient remains of Jerusalem. The City of David is central to biblical research and understanding of the spiritual history of ancient Israel. The history and culture of ancient Jerusalem is so much better understood in the light of recent disciplined excavations. Discoveries in the City of David give meaningful insight from archaeology and material remains.
To download the poster click HERE. To download the invitation click HERE.
Title: "The Benedictus, a Jewish-Christian Amidah? A Study of Luke 1:69-68 in the Light of the Jewish Prayer"
Lecturer: Fr. Dr. Cristóbal Vilarroig, LC Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, Rome
Date: 18.12.2024 via Zoom
Brief overview: As the conclusion of the narrative about John the Baptist’s birth, St. Luke places a prayer in the mouth of his father, Zechariah: the so-called Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79). In Western churches, this prayer has traditionally been recited daily towards the end of the morning prayer, up to the present day. Many authors have noted similarities between the Benedictus and one of the most significant prayers in Judaism: the Amidah (also known as the Shemoneh Esreh, or simply, the Prayer). Through a thorough comparison of these two prayers, I explore if there is a direct relationship of these two prayers, to conclude that the Benedictus is essentially an adaptation of the Amidah to the Christian belief that the Messiah (referred to in both prayers as the Davidic Horn of Salvation and Sprout) has already arrived.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Lecturer: Fr. Dr. Cristóbal Vilarroig, LC Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, Rome
Date: 18.12.2024 via Zoom
Brief overview: As the conclusion of the narrative about John the Baptist’s birth, St. Luke places a prayer in the mouth of his father, Zechariah: the so-called Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79). In Western churches, this prayer has traditionally been recited daily towards the end of the morning prayer, up to the present day. Many authors have noted similarities between the Benedictus and one of the most significant prayers in Judaism: the Amidah (also known as the Shemoneh Esreh, or simply, the Prayer). Through a thorough comparison of these two prayers, I explore if there is a direct relationship of these two prayers, to conclude that the Benedictus is essentially an adaptation of the Amidah to the Christian belief that the Messiah (referred to in both prayers as the Davidic Horn of Salvation and Sprout) has already arrived.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Title: "Mount Ebal and the Altar of Joshua"
Lecturer: Aaron Lipkin
Date: 20.11.2024 via Zoom
Brief overview: His lecture presented the material remains, inscriptional evidence, and historical analysis making interconnections with the book of Joshua. This was a rare opportunity to learn archaeology with fresh perspectives from theology and the Bible.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Lecturer: Aaron Lipkin
Date: 20.11.2024 via Zoom
Brief overview: His lecture presented the material remains, inscriptional evidence, and historical analysis making interconnections with the book of Joshua. This was a rare opportunity to learn archaeology with fresh perspectives from theology and the Bible.
To download the invitation click HERE. To download the poster click HERE.
Professor Jospe, a frequent lecturer at the Fraternity, sent this interesting response to this ETRFI lecture about Mount Ebal by the scholar Aaron Lipkin. Professor Jospe wrote:
"I registered and am looking forward to it. Some 10-12 years ago I twice was on tours of Mt. Eival, the first time with the army, the second time with Ariel University.The first time, with the army, the tour was led by the late Prof. Adam Zertal, who excavated the site. Zertal was a נכה צה"ל who lost the use of his legs in the Yom Kippur War, 1973. He got around easily among all the rocks on his crutches; truly impressive. Subsequently I studied some articles which I attach for your interest."
After Joshua 8:30-35 you might study the following four articles, in chronological order:
"I registered and am looking forward to it. Some 10-12 years ago I twice was on tours of Mt. Eival, the first time with the army, the second time with Ariel University.The first time, with the army, the tour was led by the late Prof. Adam Zertal, who excavated the site. Zertal was a נכה צה"ל who lost the use of his legs in the Yom Kippur War, 1973. He got around easily among all the rocks on his crutches; truly impressive. Subsequently I studied some articles which I attach for your interest."
After Joshua 8:30-35 you might study the following four articles, in chronological order:
- BAS 11:1 – Zertal - Has Joshua’s Altar Been Found on Mt. Ebal Click here to read
- BAS 12:1 - Kempinski – Joshua’s Altar – An Iron Age I Watchtower Click here to read
- BAS 12:1 – Zertal – How Can Kempinski Be So Wrong! Click here to read
- BAS 14:1 – Shanks – Two Early Israelite Cult Sites Now Questioned Click here to read
To receive a link to the lectures on VIMEO write to: [email protected]
