Popular Jesus scholar, speaker to give three public talks March 27-28

Well known writer, speaker and Bible scholar Ben Witherington III will give a series of talks on Jesus for the University of South Carolina’s annual Nadine Beacham and Charlton F. Hall Sr. Lectureship in New Testament Studies and Early Christianity March 27 – 28.

In its 13th year, the lectureship features three talks, all of which are free and open to the public. Witherington, professor of New Testament interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky, is well known for his books, which include “The Jesus Quest” and “The Paul Quest,” his public lectures and his frequent appearances on national radio and television.

Witherington’s primary public talk, titled “What Have They Done with Jesus? Beyond Strange Theories and Bad History,” is based on his latest book and is set for 8 p.m. Thursday, March 27, in the university’s Russell House ballroom. In this talk, Witherington will tackle modern images and interpretations of Jesus, with examples ranging from the DaVinci theories to new-age programs on satellite radio.

“In recent years, we’ve seen modern cultural images of Jesus ranging from an agnostic redeemer to an authentic philosopher,” Witherington said. “These strange ideas aren’t new, but they have re-emerged as the culture has moved in a less Judeo-Christian direction. In this talk, I’ll take the audience on a journey that looks at these images and what they tell us about the historical Jesus.”

Earlier Thursday, Witherington will address clergy from all faiths at 10 a.m. in Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia for a talk, titled “Jesus the Seer,” which focuses on Jesus as a visionary prophet. His concluding talk will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Stavros Lecture Hall at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. Titled “Jesus the Sage,” the talk will focus on the historical Jesus and how Jesus presented himself as an early Jewish sage, using sayings and parables.

Many of Witherington’s books will be for sale at the lecture sites and the University Bookstore during those two days. Witherington is one of the most widely published evangelical New Testament scholars in the world. His books, “The Jesus Quest” (1997) and “The Paul Quest” (2001) were selected as top biblical studies by Christianity Today. His companion books, “Jesus the Seer: The Progress of Prophecy” (1999) and “Jesus the Sage: The Pilgrimage of Wisdom” (2000) are among his popular works. His most recent book is “What Have They Done with Jesus? Beyond Strange Theories and Bad History.”

He has taught at Ashland Theological Seminary, Vanderbilt University, Duke Divinity School and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He conducts seminars for churches, colleges and biblical meetings throughout the United States, Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East. He is a frequent contributor to www.beliefnet.com and has appeared in television documentaries on the History Channel, Discovery Channel and Arts & Entertainment. More information about his books and scheduled appearances are available on his Web site: www.benwitherington.com.

Witherington earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, his master’s degree in divinity from Gordon-Conwell and his doctorate from the University of Durham in England.

The Nadine Beacham and Charlton F. Hall Sr. Lectureship in New Testament Studies and Early Christianity is sponsored by the department of religious studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. It was established by Columbia businessman Charlton F. Hall Jr. in memory of his father, Charlton F. Hall Sr., and his mother, Nadine Beacham Hall.

For more information on Witherington and the 2008 Nadine Beacham and Charlton F. Hall Sr. Lectureship in New Testament Studies and Early Christianity, call the department of religious studies at 803-777-4100. Visit the Web site – www.cas.sc.edu/relg/ – for more information on this and the department’s other events.