Mondays, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. CT
November 11 – December 2 (4 classes)
TS members: $70 • Nonmembers: $80
Everyone thinks they know the Bible. It is the world’s most widely read book. But it is also the most widely misunderstood. People of all faiths argue about what it says and does not say, whether it is intended to be read as literal truth and whether it is divinely inspired.
In this engaging four-part series, Richard Smoley will delve into the truth about the Bible, both the Old (Hebrew) and New (Greek) Testaments. He will explain what the world’s most eminent scholars have discovered about it, and what remains unknown. The course will also examine the esoteric inner teachings of both testaments, hidden dimensions that are presented indirectly and in often obscure symbolic form.
Over four weeks, Richard will address the four levels of meaning in the Bible and what it has to say in the light of esoteric traditions such as the Kabbalah and esoteric Christianity. He will show that the deepest meanings of this sacred text go past doctrines and dogmas and lie in its application to the inner life and liberation of the individual.
The course will be divided into four parts, covering the following:
- The Old Testament in history and context. This will address the history of the text of the Hebrew Bible, its age and composition, and its relation to the history of Israel in the first millennium BCE.
- The esoteric Old Testament. This lesson will discuss the esoteric meanings of certain parts of the Hebrew Bible, notably the Creation, the Flood, and the Exodus.
- The New Testament in history and context. This will investigate the history of the New Testament text, its dating, and its relations to factual events, emphasizing the question of the historical Jesus.
- The esoteric New Testament. This will focus on the inner meanings of the Gospel texts, the Epistles of Paul, and Revelation. Special attention will be paid to the concept of the Kingdom of God.
Registrants will receive on-demand access to recording(s) that can be viewed for two weeks following the conclusion of the program. Late registrants will receive recording links to all missed sessions.
Richard Smoley is the editor of Quest: Journal of the Western Inner Traditions. His 13 books include How God Became God: What Scholars Are Really Saying about God and The Bible and Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition. He has several widely viewed lectures on YouTube.
Program Format
This is a live, interactive online program that will also be recorded. Registrants will receive on-demand access to recording(s) that can be viewed for two weeks following the conclusion of the program.
Join online via a Zoom link that will be emailed upon your registration. Please download Zoom for free at zoom.us/download and test your connection at zoom.us/test. For further information, check out www.theosophical.org/FAQ or email: webinars@theosophical.org.