Jackie Wyse-Rhodes, assistant professor of religion, will present the Colloquium “Portrayals of the Natural World in Second Temple Jewish Literature” on March 31.

Her presentation is free and open to the public beginning at 4 p.m. in Centennial Hall’s Stutzman Lecture Hall.  

“For biblical writers, the natural world was a source of inspiration,” says Wyse-Rhodes, “such as when the Psalms invite the reader to join the sun, stars, mountains, oceans and rocks in praise of God the Creator.”

Wyse-Rhodes will consider additional portrayals of the natural world in early Jewish and Christian literature. She says nature is variously depicted as a model of righteousness, a sign of things to come, a giver of testimony, an instrument of judgment, and a heavenly mystery. Such images informed the religious imaginations of early Jewish and Christian communities, and their meaningfulness endures today.