A brilliant biochemist, Joseph Needham was particularly drawn to Chinese science and the many areas in which its accomplishments anticipated much later Western developments. The first volume of his magnificent Science and Civilization in China was published in 1954 and eighteen volumes were released before his death in 1995. As the lecture unfolds, we’ll take up what’s known as “the Needham question” — why did the meteoric rise of modern science take place in the West, rather than in China? 

For biblical scholars, arguments in support of the historicity of Noah’s flood collapse when we focus on a literary and theological analysis of the story. In this presentation we will look at flood stories from the ancient Near East, and focus, in particular, on the Genesis flood narrative. Some questions we'll explore: What kind of literature is the flood story? What is the point of the story? And what input does archaeology have to offer?

For biblical scholars, arguments in support of the historicity of Noah’s flood collapse when we focus on a literary and theological analysis of the story. In this presentation we will look at flood stories from the ancient Near East, and focus, in particular, on the Genesis flood narrative. Some questions we'll explore: What kind of literature is the flood story? What is the point of the story? And what input does archaeology have to offer?