Paul Flesher at Sat U- Jesus Reading Scripture: Archaeology of Worship in 1st Century Synagogues

Paul Flesher, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Wyoming, presented Jesus Reading Scripture at Nazareth: The Archaeology of Worship in First-Century Synagogues at the Fall 2017 Saturday U at Sheridan College in Sheridan.

In the study of ancient Judaism, our portrayal of worship largely derives from textual evidence, from the Bible to the Dead Sea scrolls and rabbinic literature, and everything in between. Missing from the picture has been the archaeology of synagogues where such worship took place. This talk takes what we know about synagogue worship in the first century CE and portrays it in the archaeological remains of actual first-century synagogues. This move highlights the dynamics of worship and social interaction different synagogue plans encourage, and casts different interpretative perspectives on the Gospel of Luke’s story of Jesus reading Scripture in the Nazareth synagogue.

Saturday University is a collaborative program connecting popular University of Wyoming professors with Wyoming residents who have a desire to learn. Saturday University is sponsored by the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Humanities Council. The program was held at the Whitney Academic Center and is sponsored locally by Sheridan College. Saturday U is free and open to the public. For more information about Saturday U, visit the website at

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Copyright 2017