Biblical Prophecy in Cross Cultural Perspective

Biblical Prophecy in Cross Cultural Perspective


Three Monday Evenings at Temple Tifereth Israel
March 26, April 2, April 9, 2012
7:15pm - 8:30pm

Instructor: Rabbi David Kudan MAHL, AM

What is a prophet? The biblical record presents many models of prophecy, but essentially all prophets are men and women who bear messages from God that must be delivered. The Biblical prophets left a legacy of powerful teachings that continue to inspire and to call us to according to the highest ethical standards. Some prophetic messages ring out as clearly today as they must have two thousand years ago. Other prophetic utterances are obscure and hard to comprehend. We may gain better clarity about the role of our Biblical prophets and their message if we compare what the Bible says about them with the growing body of non-biblical texts from the Ancient Near East that tell of prophecy in cultures adjacent to the Israelites. We will also look at prophet-like figures in a culture far-removed from the Bible in time and geography – that of the Native American shamans and seers some of whose teachings are preserved by historians and social scientists.

Session 1, March 26:   Prophecy in the Ancient Near Eastern Context
Session 2, April 2:         Prophecy in the Biblical World
Session 3, April 9:         Prophecy in Native American Culture and in the

         Modern Context

This course is open to the public.  Please RSVP to ensure that we have an appropriate number of materials for the class.  Temple Office at 781.322.2794

Lifelonglearning@templetiferethisreael.org  or email Rabbi Kudan at Rabbi@Kudan.net.

TTI is an accessible friendly facility.  If you need special assistance, please let us know and we will accommodate your needs.