Those of you interested in gaining insights into the Bible from its historical, geographical, and literary contexts will want to consider attending the Shepherd, Flocks, and Kings conference sponsored by the Institute of Biblical Context this June. I attended the first IBC conference last June and it was outstanding. I expect that this one will be better (and I plan to be back).
You can get all of the details at the Institute’s website, but here are a few of the talks that particularly interest me:
- Strength and Savviness of Shepherds
- Personal Experiences on Aspects of Sheep, Goats, Flocks and Shepherds
- Psalm 23 from a Judean Perspective
- Pharaoh as Shepherd in The Exodus Confrontation
- Understanding Those Bethlehem Shepherds
The faculty this year includes:
- George DeJong
- Doug Greenwold
- Brad Gray
- Stacie Post
- Danielle Parish
- Randall Smith
There’s an early bird discount if you register now, and this year they also have a student price. I expect that they’ll sell out before the early price expires.
One benefit you might not expect: when you go to a conference with a narrow focus like this one, you’ll connect with people of like mind, and you may well make lasting relationships.
The website has all the details and registration links.