Who was John the Baptist?

Posted on by jimvondracek
A Two Part Advent Conversation over Pizza and Beer: Thursdays 11/30 and 12/7 6:30 pm

With Mary, the mother of Jesus, as his main competition, John the Baptizer is the biblical figure perhaps most closely associated with the Advent season – he was the new Elijah preparing the way, the herald for what was to follow. Over pizza and good beer, we’ll explore what various written accounts say about John, who he was, what he did, and what the early church thought of him.   

At the first session, we’ll look to the four Gospels, reading and contrasting what those authors have to say about the ascetic in the desert.  The following week, we’ll see what other authors documented – Josephus the Jewish/Roman historian, Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, the Qur’an, and the Mandaeans, who revere John as the greatest and last prophet.  Both nights, we’ll discuss what any of this means for us, as we look at John from both historical and faith perspectives.  You don’t need to attend both sessions, each will stand alone.  

Plus, there will be pizza and beer.  To make sure we have enough of both, please rsvp at this link here or email office@augustanahydepark.org Â