A newly endowed annual lecture on biblical archeology and historical geography will debut this fall at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. The inaugural presentation of the “These Stones Will Shout” Annual Lecture in Biblical Archaeology and Historical Geography of the Holy Land is set for 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, in Werner Auditorium.

The lecture will be presented by Dr. Jodi Magness, the Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“Scripture is eminently tangible and historical. Physical people lived in physical places at specific points in time. The Christian faith is built upon the historical people and events that are evidenced in the archaeological record,” said Dr. Kevin Golden, dean of Theological Research and Publication. “I look forward to this inaugural lecture from Dr. Magness and the future lectures in this series as opportunities to deepen our understanding and appreciation of the historical, tangible foundation of the faith.”

During her presentation, “Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus,” Magness will survey the history and archaeology of Jerusalem in the Late Second Temple period ending with the city’s destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70. The lecture will focus especially on Herod’s reconstruction of the Second Temple and sites related to Jesus’s final hours on earth.

The annual lecture is endowed by Tom and Linda Ray, whose personal experience with archeological digs in Greece and Israel inspired them to offer a broader awareness of archeology and its relation to the time and events of the Bible.

“We established this endowment to bring biblical archaeology and historical geography to Seminary students, clergy and interested laity,” said Tom Ray. “We hope believers will receive archaeological and geographical information from these lectures to better inform their understanding and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and help make the Bible come alive for them!”

The Rays also established the W.G. Ray and Louis J. Rechtzigel Endowed Chair of Biblical Studies at the Seminary in 2021.

“Archaeological discoveries illumine the historical and cultural context of ancient Israel, our Lord Jesus, the early church and the sacred Scriptures, and they help to remind us that the story of God and His people has unfolded in concrete times and places,” said Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger. “We are so grateful to Tom and Linda Ray for their generosity, enthusiasm and expertise in establishing this annual lecture series, and we are grateful for the leadership of Dr. David Adams, the Ray-Rechtzigel Professor of Biblical Studies, in planning this inaugural lecture. Concordia Seminary is glad to open this lecture series not only to our students but also to the broader St. Louis community.”

The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Continuing Education at 314-505-7286 or ce@csl.edu.

About Concordia Seminary

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit csl.edu.