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| Ruins at Ras Shamra |
When: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 9:30-noon
(Sign in and "coffee and" begins at 9:00)
Where: St. Thomas Seminary, Room 2A
(Click here for directions.)
Presenter: Mr. Paul Sansone, life-long biblical educator
Since 1929 when the first Canaanite (Ugaritic) texts were found at Tel Ras Shamra in northern Syria, a steady stream of publications has made us aware of the religious beliefs of the people who wrote these texts. The people of Canaan shared a common culture with the people of Israel. These writings shed light on the religious language of the Old Testament (and indirectly on some important New Testament imagery).
During this session, we will discuss examples that illustrate how the biblical authors drew on their cultural background to forge a rich and textured language about God (including various divine titles used in the Old Testament) and God's interaction with human beings. We will also consider how these cultural forms of expression influenced Israelite worship and look at some of the theological debates presented in the Old Testament through the lens that this language provides us in order to gain a better understanding of the biblical authors' meaning and message.
