Expert to discuss Middle East at Wheaton church

An expert on the Middle East, the Rev. Gary Burge, will present his perspective on the region through the lens of the New Testament during an appearance next month at First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton.

Rev. Burge, formerly of Wheaton College, will speak following an 8:30 a.m. breakfast on May 4 at the church, 715 N. Carlton St. His appearance is sponsored by Abraham's Children, a mission of the church that has been working for conflict resolution in Israel and Palestine for almost 25 years.

Tickets are $15 and available online at http://bit.ly/may4breakfast or at the door. Reservations may be made by calling (630) 668-5147.

Rev. Burge, professor of New Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will examine a key passage in the Gospel of Luke, The First Sermon of Jesus. The presentation's title is "Jesus and the Angry Mob … Upending Nativism in the Middle East."

The discussion will relate to his belief that little has changed in the region between First Century AD and today.

Rev. Burge joined the Calvin Seminary faculty in the fall of 2017 after completing 25 years as professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School. His interests center on the gospels, the historical Jesus, and the contextual and cultural background of the first century Judea as a framework for interpretation.

He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and is a frequent speaker at conferences, retreats and churches. He also leads faculty development workshops at colleges and seminaries based on his 2015 book, "Mapping Your Academic Career."

Rev. Burge says he is deeply invested in the Middle East and its churches from Iraq to Egypt and travels there annually. He has organized pastors' conferences, taught at seminaries, and been a frequent conference speaker in the Middle East.

He is often called on to interpret the Israel-Palestine conflict at American churches and denominational settings

Abraham's Children, meanwhile, focuses its efforts on educating Americans on peace and justice issues in the Holy Land; supporting educational efforts like Mar-Elias Educational Institutions in Galilee/State of Israel and the Nursing School at Nazareth Hospital; humanitarian medical services for West Bank villages; and providing medical equipment through the efforts of Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach.