By Jon Ryskamp
In order to bring to life Old Testament prophet Abraham and to explore the daunting task of the Akedah, a Hebrew word literally meaning 'the binding' that specifically refers to Abraham''s binding and near sacrifice of his son Isaac, The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies will sponsor a conference Saturday, Mar. 6.
'We hope that everyone will benefit from the careful study of the scriptures that has gone into the presentations,' said John Gee, assistant professor of Egyptology and one of the conference organizers, 'and that students will benefit from and add richness to their own scripture study.'
Presenters will cover a variety of topics ranging from archeology and early artistic depictions to the Jewish traditions surrounding the Akedah. More than 12 scholars will present their work and insights regarding Abraham''s sacrifice.
A special presentation will also analyze the Egyptian facsimiles from the book of Abraham.
This conference, titled 'Genesis 22: Latter-day Saint Perspective on the Binding of Isaac,' is just one in a series about the life and times of Abraham.
Daniel McKinlay, a FARMS resident scholar and one of the presenters, said this conference is especially important 'because it deals with one of the most perplexing, puzzling issues in all of the Old Testament.'
The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in 2254 BYU Conference Center.
'We would love to have students. We welcome the general public and faculty and staff who are interested in the subject,' Gee said. 'We welcome them all.'
Admission is free.