Greetings fellow Explorers:

The way most of us understand our Christian heritage was shaped very much by the events that happened in the 4th Century, three hundred years after the crucifixion of Jesus. However very little is known about the ‘historical’ Jesus, particularly his life before he began his teaching ministry, and even during the brief period of his ministry, most accounts of which have been passed down largely by word-of-mouth and only written down decades after his death.

Next Monday, 2 May (yes, Labor Day in Queensland!) we will listen to Professor Bart Ehrman’s DVD talk about The Historical Jesus, the third chapter of his Great Courses series From Jesus to Constantine: a History of early Christianity. Ehrman outlines what we know, with at least some degree of confidence, about the very early stages in the development of Christianity which he describes as becoming ‘..the most powerful religious, political, social, cultural, economic and intellectual institution in the history of Western Civilisation’.  Prof Ehrman is Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, USA.

We’ll gather as usual in the Activities Room at the Azure Blue Retirement Centre (91 Anzac Ave., Redcliffe) at 6 p.m. for a cuppa and chat prior to the start of proceedings at 6:30. The Centre management requires that we’re all fully Covid-vaccinated, and of course if you have any Covid or flu-like symptoms you’re encouraged to stay at home. If you’d like to come along but aren’t a regular at our gatherings, please give me a call on 0401 513 723 about access and parking arrangements at the Centre.

Shalom, Ian

oOo