The John A. Widtsoe Foundation Podcast

Robert Millet is joined today by Craig Blomberg, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. The pair discussed what the book of Acts is about, and spoke about the Day of Pentecost and the story of Ananias as found in Acts 1-2, and 5, which is covered in the New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum on 7/3-9. 

Speaker Bios: 

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Dr. Craig Blomberg is Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado. He holds a B.A. from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, the M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and the Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Craig is the author of twenty books and has co-authored or co-edited ten more, along with more than 150 journal articles or chapters in multi-author works.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation's events, podcast, and programs are made possible by the generous contributions of people just like you. If you've enjoyed any of our offerings, please consider helping us continue to offer high-quality, free events and resources by making a tax-deductible donation on The John A. Widtsoe Foundation website: https://www.widtsoefoundation.org/support-us

Robert Millet is joined today by Peter Huff, Roman Catholic Professor of Religious Studies and Chief Missions Officer at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. The pair discussed Latter-day Saint and Catholic perspectives on the Resurrection, in Luke 24 and John 20-21, which is covered in the New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum on 6/26-July 2. 

Speaker Bios: 

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Peter Huff is Chief Mission Officer at Benedictine University in the Chicago area. He earned his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in historical theology from Saint Louis University. He is the author or editor of seven books on Christian thought, religious pluralism in the United States, and dialogue among world religions.

Our events, podcast, and programs are made possible by the generous contributions of people just like you. If you've enjoyed any of our offerings, please consider helping us continue to offer high-quality, free events and resources by making a tax-deductible donation on The John A. Widtsoe Foundation website: https://www.widtsoefoundation.org/support-us

Robert Millet is joined today by Peter Huff, Roman Catholic Professor of Religious Studies and Chief Missions Officer at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. The pair discussed Latter-day Saint and Catholic perspectives on the words The Savior's spoke while on the cross, in Luke 23, which is covered in the New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum on 6/19-25. 

Speaker Bios: 

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Peter Huff is Chief Mission Officer at Benedictine University in the Chicago area. He earned his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in historical theology from Saint Louis University. He is the author or editor of seven books on Christian thought, religious pluralism in the United States, and dialogue among world religions.

Our events, podcast, and programs are made possible by the generous contributions of people just like you. If you've enjoyed any of our offerings, please consider helping us continue to offer high-quality, free events and resources by making a tax-deductible donation on The John A. Widtsoe Foundation website: https://www.widtsoefoundation.org/support-us

Robert Millet is joined today by Peter Huff, Roman Catholic Professor of Religious Studies and Chief Missions Officer at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. The pair discussed Latter-day Saint and Catholic perspectives on The Savior's time in Gethsemane, in Luke 22, which is covered in the New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum on 6/12-18. 

Speaker Bios: 

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Peter Huff is Chief Mission Officer at Benedictine University in the Chicago area. He earned his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in historical theology from Saint Louis University. He is the author or editor of seven books on Christian thought, religious pluralism in the United States, and dialogue among world religions.

Our events, podcast, and programs are made possible by the generous contributions of people just like you. If you've enjoyed any of our offerings, please consider helping us continue to offer high-quality, free events and resources by making a tax-deductible donation on The John A. Widtsoe Foundation website: https://www.widtsoefoundation.org/support-us

Robert Millet is joined today by Craig Blomberg, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. The pair discussed the signs of the times as found Jesus' Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, which is covered in the New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum on 5-22-28. 

Quotes & references from this podcast: 

Blomberg, Craig: The New American Commentary on Matthew [Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992], 369-70.: https://www.logos.com/product/2048/matthew

Dallin H. Oaks “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign, May 2004. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2004/05/preparation-for-the-second-coming?lang=eng

Speaker Bios: 

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Dr. Craig Blomberg is Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado. He holds a B.A. from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, the M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and the Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Craig is the author of twenty books and has co-authored or co-edited ten more, along with more than 150 journal articles or chapters in multi-author works.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation's events, podcast, and programs are made possible by the generous contributions of people just like you. If you've enjoyed any of our offerings, please consider helping us continue to offer high-quality, free events and resources by making a tax-deductible donation on The John A. Widtsoe Foundation website: https://www.widtsoefoundation.org/support-us

Robert Millet is joined today by Craig Blomberg, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. The pair discussed Jesus' parables of preparation in Matthew 25, which is covered in the New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum on 5-22-28. 

Speaker Bios: 

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Dr. Craig Blomberg is Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado. He holds a B.A. from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, the M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and the Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Craig is the author of twenty books and has co-authored or co-edited ten more, along with more than 150 journal articles or chapters in multi-author works.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation's events, podcast, and programs are made possible by the generous contributions of people just like you. If you've enjoyed any of our offerings, please consider helping us continue to offer high-quality, free events and resources by making a tax-deductible donation on The John A. Widtsoe Foundation website: https://www.widtsoefoundation.org/support-us

Robert Millet is joined today by Peter Huff, Roman Catholic Professor of Religious Studies and Chief Missions Officer at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. The pair discussed Peter's Confession as found in Matthew 16, and The Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17 and Mark 9, which are covered in the New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum on 4/10-16. Quotes & references from this podcast: “The Lord’s People Receive Revelation,” Conference Report, April 1971.): https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1971/04/the-lords-people-receive-revelation?lang=eng The Gospel According to Matthew, Eerdmans, 1992, 422: https://www.eerdmans.com/Products/6498/the-gospel-of-matthew.aspx Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 195: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/36481_eng.pdf "Upon this Rock,” Ensign, May 1981: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1981/04/upon-this-rock?lang=eng Speaker Bios: Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths. Guest Peter Huff is Chief Mission Officer at Benedictine University in the Chicago area. He earned his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in historical theology from Saint Louis University. He is the author or editor of seven books on Christian thought, religious pluralism in the United States, and dialogue among world religions. Our events, podcast, and programs are made possible by the generous contributions of people just like you. If you've enjoyed any of our offerings, please consider helping us continue to offer high-quality, free events and resources by making a tax-deductible donation on The John A. Widtsoe Foundation website: https://www.widtsoefoundation.org/support-us

Robert Millet is joined today by Peter Huff, Chief Missions Officer at Benedictine University. The conversation focused on passages from John 3-4, part of the upcoming week's New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum (2/6-12).

They discussed Latter-day Saint and Catholic views on the meaning of being "born again," and the necessity of baptism, as well as the highs and depths of Spiritual life as a Christian. Brother Millet described a period in his life where depression made it challenging to have the Spirit present, and how that impacted him in his calling, and life. They also discussed the contrast between the identities and social statuses of both Nicodemus and the Woman at the Well, and how Jesus met both of them where they were to help them understand His doctrines, and how He does the same for us.

Speaker Bios: 

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Peter Huff is Chief Mission Officer at Benedictine University in the Chicago area. He earned his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in historical theology from Saint Louis University. He is the author or editor of seven books on Christian thought, religious pluralism in the United States, and dialogue among world religions.

Robert Millet is joined today by Mark Maddix, Dean of Theology and Christian Ministries at Point Loma University. The pair discussed the definition of a "gospel" and why we refer to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as "Synoptic Gospels" in the New Testament, as well as the differences between the four works. They also jumped into two passages from two upcoming weeks of the 2023 New Testament Come, Follow Me curriculum in January:

John 1: 1-19 (In the beginning was the WORD, corresponding with CFM 1/16-22). 

They pondered together whether Protestants believe Jesus was the creator of other worlds, the way John contrasts light and darkness, and why it is so crucial that Christ "lived among us."

Matthew 3 (John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus, corresponding with CFM 1/23-29). 

They discussed the separation of the wheat from the chaff; the baptism of fire; justification vs sanctification; and differences in the importance of baptism between Latter-day Saints and Protestants.

Speaker bios:

Conversation host Robert L. Millet is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at Brigham University. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from BYU in Psychology and his PhD from Florida State University in Religious Studies. During his 31 years at BYU, he served as Chair of the department of Ancient Scripture, Dean of Religious Education, and Richard L. Evans Professor of Religious Understanding, a chair that focuses on interfaith relations. During the last thirty years he has been involved in academic dialogues with Evangelical Christians, the Church of the Nazarene, and Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He is the author or editor of many books and articles dealing with the doctrine and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its relationship to other faiths.

Guest Mark Maddix is Professor of Practical theology and Dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries at Point Loma Nazarene University. He completed his Ph.D. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is a frequent speaker in the areas of Christian education, spiritual formation, ministry, and online education. He has published several articles in the Wesley Theological Journal, Christian Education Journal, and authored or coauthored a dozen books. His most well-known text is "Understanding Faith Formation: Theological, congregational, and Global dimensions.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presented a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, a Widtsoe Foundation board member or friend hosted a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. We hope that this series has served to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities.   In this conversation, we talked about Malachi with our returning special guest, Rabbi Robbie Harris.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, a Widtsoe Foundation board member will  host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.

For this live event, we'll talk about the book of Jonah from a Jewish perspective with our special guest Marvin Sweeney, Professor of Hebrew Bible at Claremont University, and Jared Ludlow, BYU Religious Studies Center Director.

Widtsoe Foundation Chairman Larry Eastland recently sat down with Church Historian Keith Erekson, and discussed several of the most influential events in modern Church history, and why understanding Church history is important.   Keith A. Erekson is an award-winning author, teacher, and public historian who currently serves as the director of historical research and outreach for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also sits on the editorial board of the Church Historian’s Press.  Learn more about Keith Erekson at https://www.keitherekson.com/about/

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, the Widtsoe Foundation will host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. . This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.

For this live event, we'll talk about Isaiah's message of comfort and victory (Isaiah 40-45) from a Jewish perspective with special guest Rabbi Josh Garroway, and Widtsoe Foundation Board Member Laura Redford.

Dr. Rabbi Joshua Garroway is the Sol and Arlene Bronstein Professor of Judaeo-Christian Studies at HUC-JIR in Los Angeles. He holds a Ph.D. from the Religious Studies Department at Yale and an ordination from HUC-JIR in Cincinnati. He is the author of, The Beginning of the Gospel: Paul, Philippi, and the Origins of Christianity.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, Widtsoe Foundation Director Dr. Jacob Rennaker will host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. . This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.    

For this live event, we talked about the book of Job (Job 1-3, 38-40) from a Jewish perspective with Dr. Shon Hopkin, Chair of Religious Studies at BYU, and Dr. Sarah Emanuel, Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University. 

Dr. Sarah Emanuel is Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. Sarah holds a PhD with distinction in biblical studies from Drew University’s Graduate Division of Religion, with foci in New Testament, ancient Jewish-Christian encounters, and contemporary critical theory. In addition to writing a number of peer reviewed articles, book chapters, and public-facing works, she has published two books: Trauma Theory, Trauma Story: A Narration of Biblical Studies and the World of Trauma, with Brill's Research Perspectives in Biblical Interpretation short-monograph series; and Humor, Resistance, and Jewish Cultural Persistence in the Book of Revelation: Roasting Rome, with Cambridge University Press. Her third book, Left Behind: The Apostle Paul on Jews, Gentiles, and Who Gets Saved is under contract with Fortress Press, with an expected publication year of 2024.  

Dr. Shon Hopkin is currently the Chair of the Ancient Scripture department at BYU and he has also served as Chair of the Book of Mormon Academy and as Chair of the BYU Religious Outreach Council. He is one of the principal organizers of the ongoing Jewish & Latter-day Saint Academic Interfaith Dialogue project. He has authored, co-authored, and edited numerous books and articles on Isaiah, the Hebrew Bible, Latter-day Saint beliefs, and medieval literature, including Opening Isaiah: A Harmony (with Ann Madsen); Abinadi: He Came Among them in Disguise (edited, Book of Mormon Academy); Mormonism: A Guide for the Perplexed (with Robert Millet, as part of Bloomberg Press’ Guide for the Perplexed series); and the forthcoming Understanding Our Jewish Neighbors (with Rabbi Mark Diamond, as part of The John A. Widtsoe Foundation’s upcoming series). He and his wife have four children and one grandchild.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, a Widtsoe Foundation friend or board member will host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities.

For this live event, we talked about the story of Elijah (1 Kings 18-19, 2 Kings 2) from a Jewish perspective with BYU Religious Studies Center Director Jared Ludlow and special guest Dr. Kristine Garroway.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, a Widtsoe Foundation Board Member will host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.

For this live event, Widtsoe Foundation Board Member Laura Redford discussed the story of Ruth from a Jewish perspective with Dr. Ora Horn Prouser.

Ora Horn Prouser is Executive Vice President and Academic Dean at The Academy for Jewish Religion, a pluralistic rabbinical and cantorial school. After studying Bible, ancient Near Eastern Studies, and Education in college and graduate school, including receiving her PhD in Bible, she has been teaching Bible on the graduate school level for twenty five years. Her first book, Esau's Blessing: How the Bible Embraces Those with Special Needs brings together her love of Bible, and her ability to relate the biblical text to contemporary issues in our society. She lives in New York with her husband, and is the mother of three children.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, Widtsoe Foundation Director Dr. Jacob Rennaker will host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities.  For this live event, we talked about the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) from a Jewish perspective with special guest Rabbi Ilana Schwarzman.   Rabbi Ilana is a third-generation rabbi and serves Beth Haverim Shir Shalom in Mahwah, New Jersey. Before coming to BHSS, she spent 8 years at Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City, Utah. She studied Hebrew at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva, Israel, and was ordained from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rabbi Ilana views the contemporary synagogue as a home for prayer, spirituality, social action, study, leadership, and engagement. Her joy lies in the interplay between intellectual Judaism and personal relationships. She also believes that music is a powerful vehicle through which we can connect to each other and God. She resides in Hillsdale, NJ with her husband Art and their young daughter.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, Widtsoe Foundation Director Dr. Jacob Rennaker will  host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. . This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.

For this live event, we spoke about The Passover (Exodus 12-13) from a Jewish perspective with special guest, Rabbi Robbie Harris. Dr. Robert A. Harris is professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at The Jewish Theological Seminary, teaching courses in biblical literature and commentary. Dr. Harris also lectures on biblical narrative and Jewish liturgy in congregations and adult education institutes around the country and frequently lectures about Passover. He has served as a rabbi in several congregations in the United States and Israel, including the Pelham Jewish Center in Westchester County, New York, and Moriah Synagogue in Haifa, Israel. Dr. Harris has continued his love for congregational work for the past 20 years by serving Temple Beth Shalom in Cambridge, Massachusetts on the High Holidays, and frequently visits there during the year as well.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, Widtsoe Foundation Director Dr. Jacob Rennaker will host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.

For this live conversation and Q&A, we talked about the story of Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 42-55) from a Jewish perspective with special guest Rabbi Annie Tucker.   

Rabbi Tucker is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Israel Center in White Plains, New York, having previously served congregations in both suburban Chicago and Princeton, NJ.  A Wexner Graduate Fellow, she did her undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania and then earned a master's degree in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, continuing on in the Seminary's rabbinical program where she was ordained in 2006 with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling.  Rabbi Tucker is the incoming Secretary of the Rabbinical Assembly where she also chairs their Joint Placement Commission.  One of the highlights of her work is teaching Bible BaBoker (Morning Bible), a Shabbat morning class on the weekly Torah portion.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, Widtsoe Foundation Director Dr. Jacob Rennaker will  host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. . This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.  For this live event, we'll talk about the Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22) from a Jewish perspective with special guest Dr. Mark Diamond.

The John A. Widtsoe Foundation is deeply committed to elevating dialogue between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religious communities. This year's Church-wide study of the Old Testament presents a unique opportunity for members to better understand and learn from our Jewish neighbors, who have engaged with these scriptures for thousands of years. Each month, Widtsoe Foundation Director Dr. Jacob Rennaker will  host a live online conversation and Q&A with a leader or scholar from the Jewish community about an upcoming topic from the Church's Come, Follow Me curriculum. . This series will serve to educate Latter-day Saints about the rich history of Jewish scriptural interpretation and application, while at the same time modeling meaningful interfaith conversations and empowering Latter-day Saints to do the same in their own communities. These events will be made available on The Widtsoe Foundation YouTube Channel and podcast soon after the live event.  For this live event, we talked about the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2-3) from a Jewish perspective with special guest Dr. Tamar Frankiel, former provost of the Academy for Jewish Religion, California. Dr. Frankiel has authored several important books on Jewish spiritual life, including Loving Prayer: A Study Guide to Everyday Jewish Prayer and The Voice of Sarah: Feminine Spirituality and Traditional Judaism. Tamar and her husband Hershel have lived in California for more than three decades, mostly in Los Angeles. Hershel was born in Poland and survived the Holocaust as a child, hidden by a Polish family. They have 5 children and 12 grandchildren, who live in Los Angeles, Chicago, Jerusalem, London, and Cincinnati.