Previously: New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – First Lecture by Bart Ehrman, Genesis: An Introduction to the Key Scholarly Debates as a primer (2) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Dan McClellan and Ron Hendel (3) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lecture by … (Conclusion) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Joel Baden and John Collins and Esther Hamori

Binding of Isaac: Why Abraham’s Test Changed Everything By Dr. Kenton Sparks Throughout the ancient world, child sacrifice was a grim reality, a desperate transaction to bribe the gods for rain, victory, or protection. But in the shadow of Mount Moriah, the narrative shifted forever. The Akedah, often referred to as the “Binding of Isaac,” … (4) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Kenton Sparks and David Carr

Before “In the Beginning”: The Creation Myths That Shaped Genesis By Megan Lewis Where did the ideas in Genesis come from? Why do its creation stories sound strangely familiar—and familiar to what? In this lecture, Megan Lewis explores ancient Mesopotamian creation myths and places Genesis alongside stories like Atrahasis, Enuma Elish, and Epic of Gilgamesh. Rather … (3) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lecture by Megan Lewis

(1) Genesis at the Crossroads: Where Hebrew Bible Scholarship Has Been and Where It’s Going By Dan McClellan In this opening keynote, Dan McClellan takes a wide-angle look at Hebrew Bible scholarship through the lens of Genesis. He reflects on how the field has changed over the past century, why historical-critical study matters now more … (2) New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – Lectures by Dan McClellan and Ron Hendel

Bart’s primer lecture was a brief overview of Genesis and some of the key scholarly debates like the various sources for the two creation myths and the historicity of the patriarchs I am especially looking forward to Kenton Sparks’ lecture on the binding of Isaac. My take is with the story of Isaac, we get … New Insights into the Hebrew Bible Conference 2026 – First Lecture by Bart Ehrman, Genesis: An Introduction to the Key Scholarly Debates as a primer

Last Time Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (2/2) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (Conclusion) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? Jesus in History: Transition from New Testament Studies to Hebrew Bible Studies (Announcement) Now Finishing the Transition For … (2/2) Jesus in History: Transition from New Testament Studies to Hebrew Bible Studies (Laying to Rest the Christ Myth Theory)

Previously in This Series: Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (2/2) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? (Conclusion) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul? Now, the Transition: Jesus was viewed as a messianic claimant who was specially chosen by God … Jesus in History: Transition from New Testament Studies to Hebrew Bible Studies (Announcement)

We’ve been thinking about the risen Jesus in Paul as ghost sightings. The concept of ghosts (phantasma in Greek) was well-known in the ancient world. In the gospels, when Jesus walked on water (Matthew 14:26) and when He appeared after His resurrection (Luke 24:37-39), the disciples initially panicked and thought they were seeing a ghost. … (Conclusion) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul?

As I said last time in a note, a minority of New Testament scholars like Tabor and Carrier think the earliest Christians believed Jesus left his old body of dust behind like shed clothes and received a new spiritual body. It would make sense resurrection wouldn’t mean a resuscitated corpse because what of bodies burnt, … (2/2) Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul?

In 1 Corinthians 15:5–8 (NRSVUE), Paul writes that Jesus appeared to Cephas, the twelve, over 500 believers, James, all the apostles, and finally to Paul himself I’ve noted previously Paul is suggestive of strong ties to stoicism, such as being from the birthplace of the stoic enlightenment Tarsus, his appropriation of the stoic concept of … Secular Reflections: Why was Jesus Appearing to Everyone According to Paul?