#45 Why Context Matters — Interview with Dr. Gary Burge

Nov 25, 2021 | Episode Guest: Dr. Gary Burge

Dr. Gary Burge is our special guest once again on this podcast. His experience in teaching the New Testament and leading groups to Israel help us understand why context matters. Gary challenges us to walk across an "interpretive bridge", that is to allow ourselves to be moved intellectually, emotionally and spiritually in order to understand the ancient text. Gaining a grasp on the history, geography and culture of Jesus' day help us decode and recode His teachings.

Links to recommended resources:

Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth Bailey
IVP Bible Background Commentary by Craig Keener
Jesus the Middle Eastern Storyteller by Gary Burge
The Bible and the Land by Gary Burge
A week in the life of a Roman Centurion by Gary Burge

Originally from Southern California, Gary was an undergraduate at the University of California, Riverside, and The American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He attended Fuller Theological Seminary and King's College, The University of Aberdeen, Scotland. In Scotland he studied with I. Howard Marshall earning a Ph.D. in New Testament. He served on the faculties of King College (Tennessee), North Park University (Illinois) and after 25 years at Wheaton College (Illinois) he joined the faculty of Calvin Theological Seminary (Michigan) in 2017.

Gary speaks widely in churches and conferences both in the United States and in various countries. He has traveled extensively, particularly in the Middle East. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church, USA, and served as a military chaplain (USNR). For over 15 years he was a regular teacher at Willow Creek Community Church in S. Barrington, IL.

Featured Site
Jerusalem

Jerusalem (/dʒəˈruːsələm/; Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם About this sound Yerushalayim [jeruʃaˈlajim]; Arabic: القُدس‎‎ About this sound al-Quds [alˈqʊds]),[i] is a city located on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. One of the oldest cities in the world, Jerusalem was called "Urusalima" in the ancient cuneiform, meaning "City of Peace", during the early Canaanite period (approximately 2400 BCE).[5] Significant construction activity in Jerusalem began in the 9th century BCE (Iron Age II), and in the 8th century the city developed into the religious and administrative center of the Kingdom of Judah.[6] It is considered a holy city in the three major Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Learn More at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem

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