Biblical Scholar to Discuss ‘Two Jerusalems’ August 14

Old Testament scholar Ellen Davis will deliver the Stern Lecture on Saturday, August 14, at 9 a.m. at St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave. The public is invited.   The Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible at Duke University, Dr. Davis is a scholar, teacher and preacher with an ability to make the Old Testament come alive with power and spiritual depth for both scholarly and general audiences.   Her topic will be ‘The Two Jeru’salems.’ The religious imagination of both Jews and Christians dwells between ‘two Jerusalems,’ the remembered Jerusalem of David, Isaiah, and Jesus, and the future Jeru’salem, the city of peace that God will bring.   In the 21st century, as in ages past, Jerusalem is to the minds of many, the stuff of dreams’and a place of tragedy and oppression. Davis will explore these different faces of Jeru’salem as they appear in the Bible, and also in modern hymns, poetry and prayers written in North America, Europe, Israel, and Sudan.   Davis is interested in theological interpretation of the Old Testament, with particular concern for how the Bible is used to address urgent pub’lic issues. Her current work focuses on developing an exegetically based response to the ecological crisis.   A lay Episcopalian, Davis has been involved in interfaith dialogue for 40 years. Her previous teaching appointments were at Union Theo’logical Seminary in New York, Yale Divinity School and the Virginia Theological Seminary.   The Stern Lecture regularly in’vites leading scholars to Saint Mat’thew’s to deliver in-depth presen’ta’tions on Biblical, theologi’cal and spiritual topics. The Lecture honors the memory of Eliza’beth Naffziger Stern, who was an unstinting worker in the community, and founder of the Meals on Wheels of West Los Angeles. Known as Libby to her friends, she was a lifelong member of the Episcopal church, junior warden of the Parish of Saint Matthew, and member of its Altar Guild and that of the Diocese of Los Angeles. A Memorial Fund established in 1989 supports the Elizabeth Naffziger Stern lectures.   All are welcome to hear a world-class Biblical scholar.