Echoes From the Past, Part II -- Dialogue
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1stU-SBS Meetup: "Echoes From the Past: The Bible's (Undivinely) Inspired Texts" Part II -- DIALOGUE:
Were the Ten Commandments really the original moral law code of the world? If Noah and his family were the only humans to survive the flood, why do other cultures tell us that it was Utnapishtim, Ziusudra, or Atrahasis and their families? Did God create the world by slaying a sea monster and hacking up and dividing its carcass? If not, then why do the Psalms and Isaiah tell us so? Are the "barren wife" narratives of Sarah and Rachel based upon the Ugaritic story of Aqhat? Did God convene with a divine council before making important decisions?
Unbeknownst to many, the Bible was actually quite a latecomer to the literary world. It was preceded by many stories from great cultures such as the Sumerians, the Babylonians, the Akkadians, the Egyptians, and the Hittites, who wrote legends thousands of years before Bible greats such as Moses and King David ever lived. But what's really interesting is that one may find within the pages of the Old Testament traces of myth, narrative, teachings, and law codes from these preexistent societies.
Two weeks ago, Biblical scholar Nate Ramsayer led the way as SBS Members with 1st Universalists unraveled the threads of ancient Near Eastern cultural influence that weave such a vibrant history in the founding documents of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam: the Old Testament.
This week, SBS and 1stU attendees will discuss and share our perspectives on Nate's talk!
Don't miss the meatiest part of SBS's and First Universalist's inaugural 1stU-SBS Joint Meetup -- our opinions! RSVP "YES" today!
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1st U Joins Secular Bible Study to Explore The Bible!
Starting Tuesday, May 10, Secular Bible Study joined members, friends and guests of the First Universalist Church to explore intriguing aspects of the Bible. 1stU is an open and welcoming non-doctrinal fellowship of different believers who would like to participate in SBS's reasoning and facilitative cross-cultural dialogue about the Bible's and Christianity's social, cultural and historical impact.
Even better, our inaugural 1stU-SBS talk presentation was given by none other than Nate Ramsayer!
Our inaugural Meetup was on Tuesday, May 10, 7-8:30 p.m. at First Universalist Church's Cummins Room, for Nate's talk and Q&A. Now SBS and 1stU will Meetup 2 weeks later (on Tuesday, May 24, from 7-8:30 p.m. to discuss and share our perspectives on Nate's prior talk.
For a preview of ALL our planned 2011 1stU-SBS and SBS-only Meetups, see our SBS Calendar!
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Echoes From the Past, Part II -- Dialogue