David Beadle is studying for a PhD on the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) at the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Exeter, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.  He was awarded a BA and then an MA also at Exeter, before travelling south for a year to work for the Chaplaincy at the University of St Mark and St John (Marjon) in Plymouth.  He has coordinated the St Michael’s Lectures for the past four years, and thought it was time to get off his backside and contribute a talk.

Although fear of death and dying persists in contemporary Europe, talk of death is frequently taboo.  Those on the margins of life are often hidden away, and the dead are rarely considered to play an active role in the lives of the living.  However, the cultures in which the Bible was written had no such reticence in speaking of the dead and the dying among the living.  How can exploring biblical texts about death and dying, in their social and historical contexts, challenge our understanding of these subjects today?

The free, monthly, Wednesday evening St Michael’s Lectures explore contemporary issues connected with faith, Christianity and society. A warm welcome is extended to everyone. For more information contact David Beadle dnb201@exeter.ac.uk