A study of the history, archaeology, and culture of Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Syria, Israel and Egypt from the rise of the Sumerian culture to The Roman Empire. Attention is given to the religious views prevalent in the ancient Near East as these views interacted with the culture and faith described in the Bible.
PROFESSOR’S ADDITIONAL COMMENT
The modern discovery of the ancient Near East is no less than a scientific revolution. We can tell today which people lived in the ancient Near East. We know what languages they spoke and what gods they believed. We can examine their culture. What did they eat and drink? How did they dress? How did they understand the world? This study will examine the connection between the Bible and the cultural and historical environment of that ancient time and place.