Grace Seminary for a Night -- Roman Judaea and the World of Jesus
April 12, 2010 by Stephen Schneider
A Lecture on "Roman Judea and the World of Jesus" will be given at Grace Memorial by Nigel Nicholson, Professor of Classics at Reed College, on Wednesday, April 21, at 7:00 pm.
We will examine how the world of Jesus and his followers fitted into the Roman empire, and the extent to which the Roman world figured in the their lives. What did Roman rule mean for this group, both in terms of the practical details of their everyday lives, and in terms of symbolism? To what extent does the early Jesus movement define itself against, or even within Roman rule? We will begin with an overview of history of the province and the Roman administrative structure, and then examine places in the gospels where Romans are mentioned. We will also look at some non-biblical texts, including the Roman Historian Tacitus' Histories and the Jewish priest and commander Josephus' Jewish War.
Nigel Nicholson is Walter Mintz Professor of Classics at Reed College. Having received his BA from Oxford, he was awarded the Ph.D. from The University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Aristocracy and Athletics in Archaic and Classical Greece (Cambridge, 2005).
There is no charge for the lecture although an RSVP to mariann@grace-memorial.org is appreciated.
Grace Memorial Episcopal Church is located on Northeast Weidler between 16th and 17th Avenues. Grace is accessible by both bus and MAX. Ample parking is available.