M2. Biblical Tour of Persia in the Ancient Near Eastern Gallery

Persia was arguably the most important cultural influence on the writing of the Bible. Following his 2013 field expedition to Iran, Dr Ron Choong devloped a series of lectures which will culminate in this museum tour.

Ever wondered about the Ancient Near East where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived in? What were the contemporary cultural, political, and social contexts from which Israel emerged as a nation? Understanding the geohistorical, philosophical, and scientific contexts of the Old Testament is instrumental to study the Word of God.

In this field trip, we will look at the Metropolitan Museum’s Persian collection of artifacts to examine the parallel writings of the Ancient Near East and the Old Testament. Each of the artifacts in the museum clarifies or affirms the texts of the Bible.

The religions of ancient Israel evolved into the monotheism of YHWH worship through a long period of evolving shifts in moments of geohistory and socioeconomic politics. The question raised by ancient Israel that prompted the writings of the OT was, “Are we still YHWH’s people?” The answer was a resounding “Yes”.

Every Christian who seeks to evangelize and proclaim the Gospel faithfully is responsible to read the Bible with integrity. This includes a need to be aware of the contexts that make up the cultural matrix. Then we may more accurately discover the message conveyed through the medium we call the Holy Bible.

Sun, April 30, 2017

2.00–3.00 PM: Lecture at Central Presbyterian Church, Park Avenue and 65th Street.

Registration (FREE): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/l4-the-ancient-near-east-the-bible-tickets-30748183645?aff=erelexpmlt

4:00 PM — 5:00 PM EDT at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near East Gallery, 82 Street and Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028

Registration ($20): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/m2-biblical-tour-of-persia-in-the-ancient-near-eastern-gallery-tickets-30773996853?aff=erelexpmlt