By Jon Ryskamp
How hard would it be to flee your city because it faced imminent destruction? Exactly where in Jerusalem did Nephi and Lehi live? What foods did they eat in 600 B.C.?
These and other questions will be addressed during a symposium Saturday, Feb. 21, that will explore what it was like to live in the ancient city of Jerusalem.
“I think it”s a good thing for us to learn all we can about the Book of Mormon”s times and places and the symposium assists us in putting it into its historical setting,” said Terry B. Ball, associate dean of Religious Education and professor of ancient scripture.
The symposium is hosted by the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. Its intent is to promote the new FARMS book “Glimpses of Lehi”s Jerusalem.”
Both the book and the symposium include information about the political, cultural, social, agricultural, legal historical and religious atmosphere of ancient Jerusalem.
The book”s authors said they believe that an understanding of Jerusalem during Lehi”s time will help the scriptures come alive.
“One of the things about understanding scripture is to understand that they have a material background – they”re real, they really happened, they really have a setting in time and space,” said Jeffrey Chadwick, associate professor of church history and a practicing field archeologist in Israel. “This is what that does. This establishes the reality of the world of Lehi as described by Nephi in the first few chapters of the Book of Mormon.”
More than seven scholars will speak at the event. Many of these scholars are those who have contributed articles for the book.
“Glimpses of Lehi”s Jerusalem” is currently available at bookstores.
The symposium will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library auditorium.
