Anglican priest and religion scholar. Senior Lecturer in the School of Theology at Charles Sturt University. Dean, Cathedral Church of Christ the King, Grafton and Rector of the Anglican Parish of Grafton. Formerly Dean at St George's College, Jerusalem. The opinions expressed in my publications, including my blog posts, are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Diocese of Grafton nor Christ Church Cathedral in Grafton.
The twentieth annual Batchelder Conference for Archaeology and Biblical Studies will take place at Thompson Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, on 9 & 10 November 2018. Our plenary speaker is the world acclaimed archaeologist Prof. Jodi Magness. She will present her amazing discoveries at the ancient synagogue of Hukuk in Galilee. Two days of scholarly … More 2018 Batchelder Conference
The dates for the 2019 season at the Bethsaida Excavations Project are May 16 to June 6. During this limited three-week season, participants will be based at Kibbutz Gadot. Further details, including a registration form, will be published here as soon as they are available.
The current (2018) version of the constitution of the Consortium for the Bethsaida Excavations Project is now available online. CBEP Constitution 2018 Institutions considering joining the consortium are encouraged to read the constitution carefully and then contact us about the process for admission.
Israeli film-maker, Yuval Hollander, has produced an informative video about the excavations at Bethsaida. This 52 minute video will be of special interest to staff and volunteers from the dig, as well as the wider community. The secrets of Bethsaida was filmed in Bethsaida in June 2012 – during the annual expedition with people from … More DVD: The secrets of Bethsaida
PUT YOUR BARE HANDS IN HISTORY – JOIN AN INTERNATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION TO THE BIBLICAL CITY OF BETHSAIDA Interested in this exciting exploration and dig? Where? The biblical city of Bethsaida, Israel When? June 21 to July 5 What is Bethsaida? Bethsaida is the third most frequently mentioned city in the New Testament. It … More Register for Bethsaida 2018
The license for the Bethsaida excavation project has been renewed and, as advised previously, we have a new sponsor for Bethsaida. The Hebrew Union College (HUC) in Jerusalem is our new sponsor. HUC has a long tradition of biblical archaeology. Nelson Glick, the eminent president of HUC conducted archaeological surveys and excavations in the Middle … More Bethsaida 2018 Season
New Academic Sponsor Dr Rami Arav, Director of the Bethsaida Excavations Project, has announced that the Hebrew Union College at Jerusalem (HUC) has agreed to sponsor the on-going excavations at et-Tel (Bethsaida). Dr. David Ilan, the Director of the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology in Jerusalem, is excited to sponsor the project at Bethsaida. Along … More 2018 Bethsaida Season
Archaeologists and biblical scholars from around the world will unveil their latest findings at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in November. UNO’s Religious Studies Program will host the Batchelder Conference for Archaeology and Biblical Studies Thursday, Nov. 9 – Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Thompson Alumni Center. Now in its 19th year, the … More 2017 Batchelder Conference
The site, situated on e-Tell and identified with Bethsaida, was founded in the 10th century BCE on a basalt hill extending from the Golan plateau. The size of the city (20 acres), its majestic fortifications, its enormous gate – the largest ever found in southern Levant – and a palace indicates that this site served … More Bethsaida Overview
The 2017 season at Bethsaida has been cancelled due to delays in securing a new academic sponsor following the withdrawal of the University of Nebraska at Omaha from the project. Work is continuing to establish a new “lead institution” for the international consortium and secure a licence for 2018 from the Israel Antiquities Authority. Please … More 2018 Season
