Hebrew Bible scholars to discuss “The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero”

Historical David cover imageNew Haven, CT—Hebrew bible experts Joel Baden and John Collins will discuss Baden’s new book, entitled The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero (Harper Collins, 2013) at Yale Divinity School on January 28th.  The scholars will discuss and debate the implications of new biblical research on the modern understanding of scripture and religious principles, and explore topics ranging from historical data to scandal and political intrigue.

The discussion will take place in the Yale Divinity School Common Room at 409 Prospect Street, 5:00-6:00 p.m.. The event is free and open to the public.

The lecture will be also webcast live through Yale Divinity School’s Livestream channel at: new.livestream.com/yaledivinityschool.

John Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School, has published widely on the subjects of apocalypticism, wisdom, Hellenistic Judaism, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. His most recent book is The “Dead Sea Scrolls”: A Biography (Princeton University Press, 2012), an account of the complex history and scholarship of the scrolls. An interview about his book can been heard on NPR’s Fresh Air.

Joel Baden, Associate Professor of Old Testament, is a specialist in the Pentateuch, Biblical Hebrew, and disability theory in biblical studies. In addition to his four previous books, Baden is a frequent contributor to academic journals and popular publications, including The Daily Beast, CNN Belief Blog, and the Los Angeles Times.

The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero offers a controversial look at the history of King David, the founder of the nation of Israel whose bloodline leads to Jesus, challenging prevailing popular beliefs about his legend. Baden makes clear that the biblical account of David is an attempt to shape the events of his life politically and theologically. Going beyond the biblical bias, he explores the events that lie behind the David story, events that are grounded in the context of the ancient Near East and continue to inform modern Israel. Read more about the book from the publisher: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Historical-David-Joel-Baden/?isbn=9780062188311.

Press contact: Jared Gilbert, jared.gilbert@yale.edu, (203) 436-8379

January 15, 2014
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