Comparative religious studies and how it informs theology topic of talk on Nov. 6

A presentation on how comparative religious studies informs theology will be the focus of a program presented by the CSUSB History Club/Phi Alpha Theta, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Department of Philosophy on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
 
The program is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will take place in the John M. Pfau Library, room PL-4005.
 
“Fully Human and Fully Divine” is the title of the talk to be given by Christopher B. Hays, the D. Wilson Moore Associate Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.
 
“This event has been completely organized by our outstanding students in the History Club/Phi Alpha Theta, especially Nathanael Gonzalez,” said Jeremy Murray, associate professor of history and the club’s co-adviser. “The club has done excellent work reaching out to world-class scholars like Dr. Hays, and we are fortunate to have such a wonderful event on our campus.”
 
Hays’ talk will tackle various questions, such as: Where did the Old Testament come from? Did it break with its neighboring cultures and condemn them? And is faith just as irreconcilable with comparative historical scholarship today?
 
Hays joined the Fuller faculty in 2008 as the D. Wilson Moore Chair of Ancient Near Eastern Studies. In 2013, he was one of ten scholars around the world to receive the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise. Hays served as president of the Pacific Coast Region of Society of Biblical Literature in 2017-18.
 
As an author, he has published “Hidden Riches: A Textbook for the Comparative Study of the Old Testament and the Ancient Near East,” “Death in the Iron Age II and in First Isaiah,” and “The Origins of Isaiah 24–27: Josiah’s Festival Scroll for the Fall of Assyria.” He translated the book of Isaiah for the Common English Bible, and is working on a commentary on Isaiah for the Old Testament Library series.
 
Hays earned his undergraduate degree from Amherst College, his master’s in divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. from Emory University.
 
In addition to the CSUSB History Club/Phi Alpha Theta, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and CSUSB Department of Philosophy, the presentation of “Fully Human and Fully Divine” is co-sponsored by the CSUSB Department of History and the John M. Pfau Library.
 
For more information, contact Nathanael Gonzalez at nathangonzalez11@gmail.com.