Genesis 1-3 and its Ancient Near Eastern Context

Lectures: Thursdays, 12:00-1:30pm Eastern Time

Cost: $129 

Recorded Lectures: Yes

Description

Studying the opening chapters of Genesis requires an examination into how people in the ancient world understood both themselves and their surrounding environment. Join us this summer as we explore cosmogony, God and his creation, human origins and relationships, the beginnings of evil, and the geographic realities preserved in Genesis 1-3. The course is a brief survey of these topics in their ancient Near Eastern context with the aim of deepening appreciation and understanding of God and His Word. 

Lecture Schedule: “Genesis 1-3 and its Ancient Near Eastern Context” 

• July 16 – Dr. Oliver Hersey “Genesis 1-3 and its Ancient Near Eastern Context”
• July 23 - Dr. Jim Hoffmeier “Origins in Genesis and Ancient Egyptian Thought” 
• July 30 – Dr. Richard Averbeck “Origins in Genesis and Ancient Mesopotamian Thought”
• August 6 - Dr. Oliver Hersey “Genesis 1-3 and its Ancient Near Eastern Context"

Instructors

Dr. Oliver Hersey: Dr. Hersey began serving as the eleventh president of Jerusalem University College in 2021. Having been shaped by his own experiences in the Holy Land, Dr. Hersey desires to help students better understand the Bible by providing them with opportunities to study in Israel the geographical, cultural, and historical contexts of God’s Word. He is a pastor in the Reformed Church of America, previously serving as the Director of Discipleship and Teaching at Calvary Church in Orland Park, IL. With over 20 years of combined experience in fields related to education, research, pastoring, coaching and management, Dr. Hersey is driven to help grow both people and organizations for service in God’s kingdom.

Dr. Hersey earned his B.A. in Secondary Education: Mathematics and Spanish from Calvin College; his M.A. in Biblical Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Languages (Summa Cum Laude) from Trinity International University; and his Ph.D. in Theological Studies: Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern History and Languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Throughout the course of his education, he received multiple awards for his leadership and academic research.

Dr. Hersey is married to Andra Hersey, who is an LCSW with over 15 years of experience serving in schools and private practice. They are the proud parents of two children. As a family, the Herseys enjoy playing sports, dancing, hiking, and exploring new places.

Dr. Jim Hoffmeier: Dr. Hoffmeier is Emeritus Professor of Old Testament and Near Eastern Archaeology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Born and raised in Egypt, he earned degrees from Wheaton College and the University of Toronto, specializing in Egyptian studies, Old Testament, and Near Eastern archaeology.

Hoffmeier taught at Wheaton College (1980–1999) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (1999–2019). He directed the North Sinai Archaeological Project and currently participates in archaeological research at the Taharka pyramid complex in Sudan.

A leading scholar in biblical archaeology and the ancient Near East, Hoffmeier has authored or edited twenty books and published more than one hundred scholarly articles. His notable works include Israel in Egypt, Ancient Israel in Sinai, Akhenaten and the Origins of Monotheism, and The Prophets of Israel.

Since retiring in 2019, he has remained active through archaeological research, teaching, lecturing internationally, and leading Bible Land study tours to Egypt and Turkey.

Dr. Richard Averbeck: Dr.  Averbeck is Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He earned his bachelor's degree from Calvary Bible College, a Master of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Ancient Near Eastern Studies and Biblical Hebrew from Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning (now the Annenberg School of Judaica at the University of Pennsylvania).

Averbeck taught Old Testament Studies at Grace Theological Seminary from 1980 to 1990 and at Dallas Theological Seminary from 1990 to 1994. He then joined Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he has taught Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies for more than three decades.

His scholarship spans Hebrew and Old Testament studies, particularly the Pentateuch, biblical theology, Ancient Near Eastern history, languages, literature, and religion, including Sumerian, Akkadian, and Ugaritic studies. He has also written extensively on the relationship between the Ancient Near East and the Old Testament, as well as spiritual formation and counseling.

Averbeck is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books, including *The Old Testament Law for the Life of the Church: Reading the Torah in the Light of Christ* (2022). He is currently writing a commentary on Genesis and contributing essays to a variety of scholarly publications.

In addition to his academic work, Averbeck remains active in teaching, lecturing, and mentoring students. He and his wife, Melinda, reside in southern Wisconsin and enjoy spending time with their children, grandchildren, and longtime friends.