Jesus Wasn’t So Original and Paul Wasn’t So Radical

Join us for our Spring 2026 5-week course at the Schubach Library taught by Dr. Joel Willitts.

This course introduces key bodies of ancient Jewish literature that shaped the intellectual, theological, and imaginative world of the New Testament. By situating Jesus and Paul within the diverse literary culture of Second Temple Judaism, the course highlights continuity, debate, and development within Jewish thought rather than rupture or replacement. Students will encounter apocalyptic, sectarian, diaspora, and psalmic texts in order to read the New Testament as a Jewish collection emerging from within an already vibrant and contested Jewish literary world.

Dr. Willitts will begin with an overview (free and open to the public) on Sunday, April 19th, as an introduction to his four-week class (registration required) meeting on Monday nights at 6:30pm, starting April 27 through May 18th.

Free parking is available.

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Host or Publisher Schubach Library & Study Center