The Biblical-Theological Continuing Education Course (CABT) organized by the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum is being held at the St Saviour Convent in Jerusalem from 23rd to 26th April 2019. "Prophetism and Apocalyptics” is the subject chosen to be studied by the one hundred and thirty participants of the course.
Conceived by FatherBellarmino Bagatti, the course was initially for the continuing education of religious but was then extended to include teachers of religion and lay experts on Biblical subjects, especially since when the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research approved it as a course for continuing education, authorizing it to issue certificates of attendance valid for scholastic credits. "Last year we concentrated on the Old Testament, to show that Prophetism goes beyond the Holy Scripture,” said Fr. Rosario Pierri, Dean of the StudiumBiblicumFranciscanum, "and this year we have taken two angles: Prophetism and Apocalyptics” to show how Apocalyptics has evolved and how it has its roots in Prophetism but looks to a different future, to an intervention by God."
The lectures in the morning are alternated with archaeological excursions in the afternoon, in order to let everyone know and understand the topics discussed by the lecturers, by stepping into the archaeological reality of the time. The scholars propose different topics of the focus in their lectures: from apocalyptic prophecy and the reaction to the crisis, to an in-depth study of the book of Amos and Hosea, via the book of Zachariah and Ezekiel to the Twelve minor prophets, to end with the book of Daniel, the origin of evil in the book of Enoch and the analysis of the characteristics of the community of Qumran.
"For us, imparting what we study to a wider public is a pleasure; it is one of our missions and I see that the echoes are positive,” concluded Fr. Pierri. "We really thank the Lord for this.” The course comes to an end on Friday 26th April, with the final excursion to Afek-Antipatris, Strato’s Tower and Caesarea Maritima.
Giovanni Malaspina
