SPEAKING INQUIRIES

To invite Rebekah to speak at your event, please use the speaking invitation form below. Rebekah enjoys speaking on a broad range of topics related to the Bible and theology. Some of her favorite areas of discussion include: 

  • The Image of God
  • Ancient Near Eastern Background of the Bible
  • Food and Identity/Theology of Food
  • Memory and Community
  • The Bible As Story

 

SAMPLE TALKS

Is the Comedian the New Prophet?

Who said it? SNL host or a biblical prophet? We’ll look at biblical examples of prophetic comedy and explore comedy (both ancient and modern) as a prophetic medium with the capacity to critique the myths that hold up the unjust social and political structures of the empire. Scriptures may include: Isa. 40:18-20, 41:1-7, 44:9-20, 46:6-7.

God’s Banquet

Food is huge in the Bible. God’s invitation to humans to eat freely from his garden fruit trees (Gen. 2). The lavish wilderness banquet hosted by God at Sinai (Exod. 24). God’s provision of manna in the wilderness. The tabernacle and temple sacrifices eaten by the priests and worshippers. On a basic level, food meets a physical need, but sharing a meal with someone does more: it creates a social and emotional bond. This talk will look at food and commensal meals in the Bible and explore what it means for us theologically, socially, and spiritually.

Yahweh’s Cult Images? Progeny? Rulers?

Humans as the ‘image of God’ in Genesis 1 is an important concept for biblical anthropology. We’ll dig into some texts and archaeological finds from ancient Mesopotamia to help us think through the different ways people understood divine images, explore how these inform our reading of Genesis 1, and think about what it might mean for us today. 

‘An Artisan Made It’

God as Creator is a well-known theme from Genesis onward. But what about human creativity? This talk looks at examples of human artistry and creativity in the Bible, and unpacks a few of the Bible passages that have been used to discourage Christians from creating visual art. Scriptures may include: Exod. 31:1-11, Deut. 4:9-20, Isa. 44:9-20.

God’s Missing Body

Where is God? A driving question of the Bible is not God’s existence, but God’s location. Will God show up and what does it mean when God feels absent? This talk looks at stories of God’s presence and absence in the Bible and explores what role humans play in mediating God’s presence in the world. Scriptures may include: Exod. 40:34-38, Ezek. 1:1-28, 10:18-22.

 

SPEAKING INVITATION FORM