You may have noticed that I recently led another Perkins Immersion Trip to Israel and Palestine. One of the most valuable aspects of this trip is being able to experience firsthand the geography of the Bible — to experience the ways in which land mattered millennia ago and the ways in which land matters today.
Understanding the geography of the Bible has a direct impact on interpreting its meaning. As I insist my students repeat and memorize, the mantra is “All geography is theology” when it comes to the Bible. Once you start thinking about it, all kinds of questions spring to mind:
- Why are the disciples known as Galileans?
- Where is the Decapolis, and why does it matter that Jesus ministers there?
- Why highlight that the woman at the well is from Samaria?
- How does ancient Joppa intersect with modern Joppa, and why should contemporary Christians care?
Are you interested in learning more about the ways in which land matters for interpreting the Bible?
Join me for my upcoming one-day course “Land Matters: Geography and the Bible” as part of the Perkins Theological School for the Laity event. I will be teaching the “Land Matters” course on Friday, March 23, 2018 from 9:30am until 4:00pm.
There will also be several other excellent courses offered during the entire 2 1/2 day Perkins Theological School for the Laity event held March 22-24, 2018 on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
Check out this video for a preview of a few of the Perkins Theological School for the Laity courses, including my own:
Find out more information about my one-day “Land Matters” course — and about the entire event — by visiting this link or by downloading the following PDF: Perkins Laity Brochure 2018 Print. You can register online for any of the courses that are part of the 2 1/2 day event, including “Land Matters.” Advanced online registration ends March 15, 2018.
