FIU presents lecture on the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls

WHAT: Discovered by mere coincidence in 1947 at the end of the British Mandate of Palestine and just before the establishment of the State of Israel, the Dead Sea Scrolls include the oldest known surviving copies of the Hebrew Bible. The scrolls, found in the caves of Qumran, date back to the time of the Second Temple and also contain writings that did not go into the Bible (apocryphal) and writings that pertain to the rules, beliefs, and experiences of the group that penned them (the Jewish sect of the Essenes). Exploring the Dead Sea Scrolls, FIU’s Middle East Society will present a lecture by Erik Larson, who will discuss the content of the scrolls, their significance to biblical history and the time period in which they were written, and the more modern political history of these scrolls after their discovery.

WHO: Larson is an associate professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Florida International University. He is an expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls having been invited in 1991 to join the original team editing the text. His edited works of the Scrolls have appeared in a publication series published by Oxford University Press. He has also written a study on the Book of Enoch, one of the most important of the early Jewish apocalyptic works. The study is published by E.J. Brill.  For more information about Larson visit http://religion.fiu.edu/People/Faculty/larson.htm    

WHEN AND WHERE: March 28, 2010 at 2:30 p.m. in the Academic 1 Building, Room 194 at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, 3000 NE 151^st St., North Miami.  The event, which is open to the public, and parking are free.   

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please call the Middle East Society at 305-919-4389.

Media Contact:  Lissette Lanza  at 305-348-2232.

-FIU- 

About MES:
MES is a component of the School of International and Public Affairs at Florida International University. Headquartered on FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, MES is an organization dedicated to attracting high-profile speakers and hosting interactive events related to the Middle East.  The MES provides its members with a unique opportunity to discuss and debate matters related to the region with top experts from around the globe in an academic setting. MES’ ultimate goal is to help secure FIU’s place as a center of debate and learning on matters concerning the Middle East. In addition, through its outreach to the local community, MES is an important funding source for student scholarships. Our speakers have included published scholars, featured pundits, and award-winning reporters. As an MES member you not only support our students and programming in international relations, but you also help secure a future for the university as a thriving center of learning. For more information about MES go to http://international.fiu.edu/uploads/index.php?name=middle_east_society   

About FIU:
Florida International University was founded in 1965 and is Miami’s only public research university. With a student body of more than 38,000, its 12 colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. More than 100,000 FIU alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a “High Research Activity University”. In August 2009, FIU welcomed the inaugural class of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu.