Join Derek Suderman, Assistant Professor in Religious Studies at Conrad Grebel University College
Learn more about The Dead Sea Scrolls and why they matter.

Thursday, September 24, 7-9pm 
“Getting ‘Behind the Printing Press:  Scripture in the Ancient World”
Without realizing it, our understanding of writing and reading often reflects a post-printing press perspective.  Come and explore how texts were made in the ancient world and discover how this informs our understanding of Scripture. We will consider questions like:  How many sheep/goats would it take to make one scroll?  What are the earliest versions of the Bible we have?  How could you accurately copy a manuscript by hand?  If you were to walk into a 1st century ‘bookstore’, how could you distinguish scriptural documents from the Jesus movements from those of other Jews?

Thursday, October 8, 7-9pm
“Rediscovering Jesus’ Scriptures:  What Difference do the Dead Sea Scrolls Make?”
The Dead Sea Scrolls represent one of the most important archeological finds of all time with respect to biblical material.  Come and see some of the types of documents that were discovered.  Discover how this can inform our reading of the New Testament, and particularly the relationship between Jesus and other Jews of his day.

Location:
Conrad Grebel University College
The Great Hall
There is no charge for this event

About the Speaker

Assistant Professor, Religious Studies

(519) 885-0220 ext. 24212
dsuderma@uwaterloo.ca

Derek Suderman has received Bachelor degrees in theology (BTh, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1993), history (BA, Hons., PACS option, University of Waterloo, 1996), and education (BEd, Brock University, 1997), a Master’s degree in theology (MTS, Conrad Grebel University College, 2000), and a doctorate in Bible (PhD, University of St. Michael’s College, 2007). Derek's dissertation demonstrated that most individual lament psalms directly address people as well as God, and focused on the implications of such 'social address' for our understanding of prayer. Before coming to Grebel Derek taught courses in Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew at Emmanuel College (TST). He also continues to lead studies and workshops on various topics in congregational, regional, and conference settings. Derek has translated a book (Calloused Hands and Courageous Souls by R. J. Suderman), published articles in the Catholic Biblical Quarterly and the Canadian Mennonite, and served as project coordinator and writer for the Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia On-Line. He currently sits on the Editorial Council of the Believer's Church Bible Commentary Series and was formerly a member of the Executive of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies. Derek has worked as a conflict resolution trainer in Bogota, Colombia and Waterloo, ON, and as a community service worker in Provincial and Federal Penitentiaries with the John Howard Society in Manitoba.

Special Research Interests: Psalms, Prayer and Lament in the OT, Wisdom, Biblical Methodology, and History of Interpretation.