Does Archaeology Contradict Old Testament Stories? | Lecture 3

Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation

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Does Archaeology Contradict Old Testament Stories? | Lecture 3

Friday Night Lecture

September 13, 2024 • Geoffrey E. Ludvik

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Have archaeologists “disproved” the historical reliability of the biblical texts? These concerns are as common as they are serious for believers, whether confronting flashy news articles or hearing well-articulated, challenging claims from scholars.

This lecture aims to contextualize such questions by describing what biblical archaeology is and why it is important for understanding the biblical world. By considering three brief case studies (the Hyksos, “Solomonic Stables”, and the siege of Lachish), we will examine how archaeology interacts with the Old Testament. This enables a perspective in which, rather than “proving/disproving” historicity, biblical archaeology properly applied can illuminate the background of Scripture and render its stories more understandable and more vivid.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Dr. Geoffrey E. Ludvik, an active field researcher, Geoffrey is currently co-director of archaeological excavations at Tell el-Hesi, Israel (occupied 2800 BC through the Persian period). His interests include early Canaanite trade and technology, the cultural world of the Patriarchs, the Iron Age kingdom of Judah, and the Old Testament period generally.

He earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology (Archaeology) with an emphasis in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 and is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on Biblical and Mediterranean archaeology. Geoffrey is also an instructor at St. Ambrose Academy in Madison, WI, and a research fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at Mississippi State University. Geoffrey lives in Madison, WI, with his wife and son.

Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit 2024 | Preaching Class - Rev. Dr. Danielle L. Brown

October 10, 2024 • Danielle Brown

Rev. Dr. Danielle L. Brown is the 10th Senior Pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Plainfield, New Jersey, the first woman to hold this position since the church’s founding in 1908. An increasingly sought-after preacher and workshop leader with the ability to communicate across generations, Dr. Brown has shared the Gospel throughout the U.S. and in South Africa. She holds a Master of Education and Bachelor of Science Degrees from Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, and both a Master of Divinity Degree and Master of Arts Degree from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey. She earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Palmer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, where she studied Leadership and Church Renewal. She has a passion for mentoring and assisting in the development of faith and community leaders and is a site supervisor in the Princeton Theological Seminary, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and Pillar College Field Education Programs, has taught on the adjunct faculty of New York Theological Seminary, and served two terms on the Board of Trustees of New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Through the years, Dr. Brown has received multiple awards and recognition for her work in the church and community. In 2022, she was inducted into the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit 2024 | Preaching Class - Rev. Dr. Phillip Pointer, Sr.

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Rev. Dr. Phillip Pointer, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Saint Mark Baptist Church, one of the largest Baptist churches in the state of Arkansas. Raised in the Greater Washington D.C. area, Pastor Pointer is a fourth-generation Baptist pastor from lines of Baptist pastors that run on both sides of his family. Over the years, Pastor Pointer has worked to inspire and empower God’s people to grow in contextual understanding of God’s Word, to apply it, and to spiritually mature in Jesus Christ. Under Pastor Pointer’s leadership, Saint Mark’s ministry has grown by leaps and bounds, achieving major installments of community outreach offerings such as job fairs, financial stewardship classes, record expungement seminars, and food drives. He also led a campaign for a Children & Youth Center and led the formation of the Tendaji Community Development Corporation, which provides outreach programs and initiatives that support the entire Little Rock community. Pastor Pointer earned a Master of Divinity degree with honors from The Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. His doctoral study emphasis was “Preaching Prophetically in a Postmodern Culture: Communicating with Contemporary Audiences.”

Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit 2024 | Preaching Class - Reverend Dr. Charles E. Goodman, Jr.

October 9, 2024 • Charles Goodman

Reverend Dr. Charles E. Goodman, Jr. is the Senior Pastor/Teacher of The Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church of Augusta, Georgia. In his role, he established “one church in multiple locations” that serves a TAB Global audience with multiple weekly services, virtually and in-person. Pastor Goodman is also the author of four books: You Can’t Run from Purpose, Road to Recovery, The Flip Side of Favor, and It’s Complicated. In 2023 Dr. Goodman was selected as a Preaching Exemplar in the inaugural cohort for the Compelling Preaching Initiative, which is advancing the sacred tradition of African American Preaching through scholarship and mentorship. He serves on many community boards and as an adjunct professor/mentor at institutions of higher learning. He is also a content contributor to publications concerning ministry methodologies and contemporary preaching. Dr. Goodman earned a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and his Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. An avid learner, he also earned a Master of Management with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Cambridge College and was a practitioner of the Clergy Scholars Program hosted by Yale University. In 2023, he successfully defended his research on the Black Church and Leadership in Times of Crisis, earning a Ph.D. in Leadership from Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina.