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One-Day Workshop: Lost and Rejected Books: The Biblical Apocrypha in Context

Learn the history of this unique literature in this one-day workshop at 9:00am Eastern U.S. time on November 30, 2024, featuring experts Dr. John J. Gallagher and Zoe Tsiami.

In this one-day workshop, we will explore the lost, rejected, and unknown books that form the strange body of biblical literature known as the “Apocrypha.” A great variety of texts fall outside the scriptural canon, including books that are not found in any modern Bibles, a handful of works found in only some biblical traditions, and an array of strange but fascinating compositions that claim parity with canonical biblical texts and authors. Apocryphal texts emerged out of Judaism and Christianity, and deal with figures, events, and themes from the Old and New Testaments.

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In this course we will learn about the various kinds of apocryphal texts, and their narratives, history, and purpose. Through a combination of lecture, group discussion, interactive activities, and close textual analysis, this one-day programme will grapple with the historical, theological, and cultural significances of the wide body of Jewish and Christian writings that fall outside the Bible.

This workshop is open to people of all backgrounds with an interest in biblical and apocryphal literature. No academic qualifications are required to participate – our focus is scholarly but accessible. All texts will be provided and read in English translation. Some light preparation will be required in advance of the session.

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What You Will Learn:

  • What was excluded from the Bible.
  • Why the Apocrypha was controversial.
  • Who wrote the Apocrypha and to what ends.
  • Why the Early Church accepted the authority of some books but not others.
  • What made an authoritative biblical text.
  • Why Protestant reformers disagreed with some narratives long after they had been accepted.
  • How the Apocrypha is used today.
  • What the Apocrypha tells us about the Bible.
  • How the Bible was retold in apocryphal writings.
  • How Christians reused Jewish Apocrypha and why.
  • The significance of the Apocrypha to religious history and historical theology.

Click here to sign up 

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