This Sunday, April 11, I will be giving TWO live Zoom lectures for anyone who wants to come.  They will be recorded for my undergraduate course on the New Testament and there will be a 30-minute Q & A to follow the second one.

There is no charge per se, but I would like to ask for a donation to the blog in exchange, if you can see your way clear to do it.  If not, that’s fine – we all have our circumstances!  But one of the main reasons I’m doing these lectures is to raise money for the Food Bank of North Carolina; as with all food banks right now, it is in desperate need.  Your donation is completely tax deductible. To make a donation now, go to the blog home page and scroll to the bottom to find the blue “One-time Donation” button.

Here is the info you need:

  • Time: Sunday, April 11th, 2:00 pm  and 3:15 pm (EST)
  • The Lectures will last about 50 minutes, with Q&A to follow the second.

First Lecture:  When the End Never Comes.  The Delay of the Parousia in Early Christianity.  The earliest followers of Jesus expected Jesus to return from heaven in judgment right away.  Even twenty years after Jesus’ death, Paul still believed he would be alive at his “parousia” (the second coming).  But it didn’t happen.  This lecture explores the earliest Christian understandings of the imminent End of All Things and considers how the failure of the end to appear affected the later Gospels and their accounts of Jesus’ teachings (did he *really* say the end would happen in his disciples’ lifetime?) and the teachings of Paul — as he grew older and realized it might not happen right away.

Second Lecture:  Is the New Testament Forged?  This lecture takes on one of the thorniest problems in the study of the New Testament.  Since the nineteenth century scholars have argued  that some of the books of the New Testament were not actually written by their alleged authors.  Peter’s letters, some of Paul’s letters, and other books were actually written by people *claiming* to be the apostles, knowing full well they were someone else.  In the modern world we would call this kind of writing a forgery.  Would ancient people call it that? Was it an acceptable practice?  And is there actually any good evidence that, for example, Paul did not write 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus?  If so, why would the real author *claim* to be Paul?  Was he being dishonest?  In this lecture we don’t get down into the weeds, but into the thorns….

As you know, these lectures are meant to raise money for those in need (see below).  Can you donate a bit?  My suggested minimum donation is $10 for one of the lectures and $15 for both together (there is no maximum donation!).

Three participants will be allowed to ask the questions at the end.  These will be the three highest donors.

In weeks past we have had a number of people donate $100; to be among the top three, you’ll probably need to go to about that level.  Whatever you donate, if anything, is completely up to you.  And everyone, donor or not, is absolutely welcome to hear the Q&A.  The last few weeks we have heard some terrific questions.  On these two I expect some toughees.  Bring ’em on!

In case you wondered, I have no plans to make these lectures generally available.  The recordings will be for my class only.

If you want to attend, all you need do is respond by letting us know, here: Register for my Sunday Lectures

As soon as you register, you will receive a Zoom link via email from [email protected].

If you have any questions about how it will work, let me know.