Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin June 25, 2017

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It tells you a lot about Ireland, that the symbol of the country is a musical instrument (who does that), a harp facing in one direction whilst the symbol of its most famous beer– Guinness is the same harp facing in the other direction— music and beer. While that doesn’t say it all, it tells you a lot about Ireland. And that harp is actually in Trinity College library, in the Long Room.

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Two decades ago, Sean Freyne, a very fine NT scholar who was a professor at Trinity College Dublin, invited me to come and give a lecture there. Sadly, I did not make it during his lifetime, but better late than never. So I gave a lecture which you can find (from another venue) on You Tube, entitled ‘A Singular Jesus in a Pluralistic Culture’. Sean was a fine historical Jesus scholar. It was well received, and was preceded by a fine Italian meal. Thanks so much Prof. Shepherd.

Trinity College is significant for many reasons, not least because it has in its possession some of the Book of Kells, and nearby as well are the Chester Beatty papyri, and in particular p46. Telling a NT prof that those things are there is like waving a piece of steak in front of a starving dog. I couldn’t wait to get there and see the place. The pictures at the top is of the quad at Trinity.

The Long room, the ancient library at Trinity is spectacular, it’s much like the Bodleian in Oxford. ie9ie8ie72017-05-18 11.04.09

I could have spent days in that library, just looking at the books and the statues—
ie13 Later I also gave a day long seminar at the Irish Bible Institute in Dublin as well. But there is much more to Dublin than educational institutes involving the Bible, as we shall see.


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