“The Gift of Black Biblical Interpretation will be explored in this year’s Janzen Lectureship in Biblical Studies March 23-25, 2023, at Fresno Pacific University.
Lisa M. Bowens, Ph.D., will unpack insights from her book African American Readings in Paul: Reception, Resistance, and Transformation to explore the important contributions of Black biblical interpretation in communities of faith. Bowens is associate professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, the first African American woman to earn tenure in the seminary’s Bible department. She earned degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Duke Divinity School and Princeton Theological Seminary.
The first two events will be on the FPU main campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, and the third one at Westside Church of God. Admission is free to all events.
Thursday, March 23
6:00 p.m. | “African American Readings of Paul”
Wiebe Educational Center Room 114
Friday, March 24
10:00 a.m. | “God Talk: Character of God in Black Biblical Interpretation”
North Hall Room 132
Saturday, March 25
9:30 a.m. | “Use of Scripture in Black Protest Traditions”
Westside Church of God, 1424 W. California Ave., Fresno
More information and links to individual events at fpu.edu/Janzen-lectureship-2023
The Edmund Janzen Lectureship in Biblical Studies promotes scholarship in biblical interpretation as well as the witness of the Christian church. The lectures are intended for university faculty and students, pastors and lay leaders. Lectures occur in spring alternating annually between scholars of the Old and New Testaments. The lectureship is possible through an endowment established in 2005 to honor the 35 years Edmund Janzen served Fresno Pacific University as president and faculty member. These lectures reflect the value of biblical study for the mission of the church Janzen taught his students. Support the endowment with a gift online at fpu.edu/give/giving-opportunities or call 559-453-2080 or email giving@fresno.edu
FPU’s Biblical & Religious Studies Division (BRS) of the School of Humanities, Religion & Social Sciences (HRSS), which sponsors the lectureship, prepares students for a life of service to God and the world through majors and minors in biblical and theological studies, intercultural and religious studies (missions) and Christian ministry and leadership as well as through general education courses.