LENTEN STUDIES PROGRAM 2013
March 10 & 17, 2013

Jesus in Context: Religion, Society, and Politics
Dr. Shane Berg
Fellowship Hall

You are warmly invited to a four-part Lenten series to explore the first-century setting in which Jesus lived. In this series we will examine how history and archaeology can enrich our understanding of Jesus and his mission, how crucifixion functioned within Roman imperial practices, and how the notion of resurrection developed and evolved in ancient Judaism.

• March 10
  • 9:45-10:45 a.m. - Jesus in His Galilean Context. Knowing where a person grew up and lived often helps us understand and know that person better. Dr. Berg will give us an overview of the places in which Jesus lived and worked and a sketch of the society and culture of first-century Galilee.
  • 6:30-8:00 p.m. - Jesus in His Judean Context. The last momentous week of Jesus’ life was spent not in the familiar environs of Galilee but in and around the holy city of Jerusalem, the capital of Judea. In this session Dr. Berg will paint us a picture of daily life in ancient Jerusalem.
• March 17
  • 9:45-10:45 a.m. - Crucifixion. Crucifixion was a cruel and painful way to die. Dr. Berg will explain why the Romans found this form of capital punishment so effective and when they elected to use it, including in the case of Jesus of Nazareth.
  • 6:30-8:00 p.m. - Resurrection. The idea of resurrection had a long and interesting history in the Jewish tradition prior to the time of Jesus. In this final session Dr. Berg will discuss how knowing the history of this idea helps us to understand more clearly the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection.

Shane Berg earned his M.Div. degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and his PhD in New Testament and Ancient Christianity from Yale University. In his teaching and research, Dr. Berg strives to read the New Testament faithfully and well by paying special attention to its context in ancient Jewish thought and culture. His first book, a technical study of concepts of revelation in the Dead Sea Scrolls, is due out later this year. He is currently in the preliminary stages of writing a more popular book that will explore the origins and rise of the idea of “scripture” in ancient Judaism and early Christianity. After serving on the faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary for 7 years as Assistant Professor of New Testament, Dr. Berg has recently become the Vice President of the Macedonian Ministry Foundation. In this new role he is responsible for developing and overseeing a variety of programs that provide resources to help pastors become stronger and more effective leaders. He and his wife Corrie reside in Princeton, NJ and are the proud parents of three boys—Anders, Mathias, and Soren.

Lewinsville Presbyterian Church Lectures to be held in Fellowship Hall

Updated January 30, 2013