![in person: Spiritual Reading Group, Some insights from Judaism into first century Christianity with Alex Safran, Wednesday 19 July, 10.30am to 12.00pm](https://www.thecarmelitecentremelbourne.org/wp-content/uploads/saul-of-tarsus-300x300-1-e1687255438852-150x150.jpg)
Please note this session will be held in the Carmelite Library in Middle Park.
In this session Alex will focus on Jerusalem in the first century and particularly the political and religious situation of those times. Drawing insight from Judaism he will consider how this atmosphere shaped the lives and ideas firstly of Jesus and then later Saint Paul.
He will also mention the following terms/people:
Sanhedrin
Torah
Talmud
Hillel
Shammai
Whilst it is not essential to understand these terms, a cursory look at them on Google might be helpful in following the discussion.
About the presenter: Alex Safran was born in Melbourne to Jewish parents who had fled Nazi Germany. His introduction to Christianity came following the sudden death of his wife 20 years ago when some friends invited him to an ecumenical Christian spirituality centre. Some time later when in Paris he was particularly touched by a plaque in the Nostra Dame Cathedral prepared by the former Archbishop, Cardinal Lustiger, and which said, inter alia, “……. I was born a Jew, I became a Christian by faith and baptism and yet like the apostles I remain a Jew .…..” Alex has a particular interest in scripture in its historical setting.
COST OF SESSIONS: Would you shout us a coffee and cake?
The suggested donation to say ‘thank you’ for this session is $10 per person per session. That’s less than the cost of a coffee and cake. Kindly make your contribution to the cost of providing these events here. Thank you for helping us continue our work.
The Spiritual Reading Group will continue in 2023 on the third Wednesday of the month from 10.30 am to 12.00pm. All are welcome to join for a particular session or regularly. More details will be given about each of these session closer to the event.
The program for the coming months of 2023 is below:
23 August – Carol O’Connor on Rose Macaulay
20 September – Philip Harvey on The Cloud of Unknowing
18 October – Bata Bardak on Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
15 November – Susan Southall on the Book of Ecclesiastes
Bookings
Bookings are closed for this event.