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From Her Hands Graduate Program Update explore a residential area of the city. Another aspect of our From Her Hands excavations—just one of those “facts of life”—was also to dig by John T. Strong through the archaeological dump of previous archaeologists (from the early 20th century and the 1960s and 70s). n the early morning, she would pull this bowl of uneven, So, what did we find … reddish color from the shelf, fill it with some of the fruits of I A city wall—continuing on west of the walls we found the season, such as dates or figs, and hand it to her husband, last season (2006), and which seems to have been rebuilt, who would take from it first, and then pass it down to his perhaps after an enemy attached and destroyed it (e.g., children, each taking from it in their own order. It wasn’t a Tiglath-Pileser?). A foundation/rampart outside the city special bowl, exactly, but every morning, it was there, doing walls that helped to fortify Gezer against attack. A layer of its job, feeding her family before they left to travel the small destruction that may be the violent work of Tiglath-Pileser, by-ways of the city, exit the city gate, and work in the fields and of significance to us because it may of their family’s inheritance. Upon their have sealed in a rich layer of residential return, in the evening, she would then finds below … perhaps to be revealed place her warm, freshly baked flat bread next summer (2008). A “torpedo” store in this reddish bowl, again handing it first jar, in situ, dating to the 8th century BCE . to her husband, who would pass it on. A cylinder seal, displaying a Persian king Nothing special, but very functional and (or god?) astride a winged lion. utilitarian. Just a part of life in ancient And we found the broken potsherd Israel. from the reddish-colored bowl passed to Finally, she handed her bowl to me. her husband and children by the mother At least, she handed a part of it to of the Israelite family, imagined above. me—but I’m getting ahead of myself. And perhaps that’s the most intriguing For the past two summers, I have traveled find of them all. All the potsherds found to the central part of Israel to participate in all the layers have behind them some in the renewed excavations of Tel Gezer. forgotten, hazy story of human life and Ancient Gezer was occupied from interaction. To us 3000 years later, that roughly 3300 BCE (=BC ) until the first potsherd recovered from the dirt of Tel century CE (=AD ). Gezer doesn’t look like much—even During these many millennia, it when washed. It becomes just one more often served as an administration center shard passing through our hands. But a for this region of Palestine. Sitting at With the city gates as their backdrop, moment’s reflection takes us back to that the intersection of the coastal plain, volunteers begin exploring Gezer’s family and that mother, who sat together which runs north and south connecting forgotton past in the early morning. and ate figs and bread, who laughed, Egypt and, eventually, Mesopotamia, cried, fought, and loved, and who strove and the Aijalon Valley, which runs east to survive and thrive in a city on a hill in to Jerusalem and the central highlands, Gezer controlled the land of ancient Palestine, far from Springfield and the 21st a strategic location, bringing with this all the trouble that century. comes with such a position. Its kings, we learn from the El From her hand we touched the story of her life. Amarna tablets, found in Egypt, were harassed by pesky Habiru. Later, the Egyptian Pharaoh Merneptah brags that he destroyed it. Solomon, upon receiving Gezer as a gift on the occasion of his marriage to the Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings Graduate Program Update by Mark D. Given 9:15), made it one of his fortress cities. The Assyrian bully- king, Tiglath-Pileser III (mid-700s BCE ), destroyed it. t has been ten years since an article in the department And now, we are excavating it. The excavation is Inewsletter reported on the state of our M.A. in Religious directed by Dr. Steven Ortiz, professor of archaeology at Studies. Having just become the Graduate Program Director Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Dr. Sam and General Graduate Advisor, I am pleased to report that Wolff, of the Israel Antiquities Authority (and lifelong Cubs the program is thriving. This semester we have twenty- fan!). This year, roughly 60 volunteers and 10 staff worked nine students registered for courses and our total current as a team to uncover remnants, ruins, and secrets of the Late enrollment in the program is about thirty-five. The present Bronze Age (1400-1200 BCE ) and Iron Age (1200–587 BCE ) success of the program owes much to the able leadership occupations of Gezer. of the previous department head, Dr. James Moyer, and the In our second season (the inaugural season being previous Graduate Program Director and General Graduate 2006), we worked west of the famed “Solomonic Gate” Advisor, Dr. Jack Llewellyn. Thanks are also due to Dr. Stan (through which the above-imagined Israelite family traveled Burgess who directed the program from its inception in the daily) in order to reveal remnants of the city wall and fall 1994 semester until his retirement in 2004. page 2 In previous newsletter articles appearing in 1994 and apply for early admission to the Master of Arts in Religious 1997, Drs. Moyer and Burgess explained the basic structure of Studies. Once accepted for early admission, students will be the program, which can be reviewed in the box to the below, able to take up to twelve credit hours at the 500- and 600- “In a Nutshell ...”. More information, of course, is now level that apply to both their undergraduate and graduate readily available on the department’s website, but I would like programs. We already have two MSU students and one to highlight some fairly recent changes and enhancements. Evangel University student taking advantage of this option. In the fall of 2005, the History of Religions area of emphasis The rationale for the certificate program is that ni order to was changed to South serve effectively in various Asian Religions to reflect human professions one must our faculty strengths in that understand the religious and specialization. The other cultural beliefs and values of areas of emphasis, Biblical those with whom one works. Studies, History of Judaism The certificate is designed to and Christianity, and meet the needs of individuals Religion, Self, and Society, who wish to increase both their remain unchanged. The knowledge and appreciation core requirements continue of the religious diversity they to be four Basic Issues encounter. Prerequisites are courses, i.e. one in each of waived for the certificate. the areas of emphasis, and Students must complete four two seminars, one in either three-hour courses at the 500- South Asian Religions or level in the department of Religion, Self and Society Religious Studies. The four plus one in either Biblical courses must represent three Studies or History of Scenes from room 272, the G.A. Office. Here, graduate assistants different areas of specialization Judaism and Christianity. write, study, grade, and walk the path of their own pilgrimage within the department. We We are very excited to be through the life of the mind. L-R: Adam Park, Jane Terry, Jared currently have one student from in the process of searching Chatfield, Meghan Faries, and Joseph Dutko. (Not pictured: the MSU School of Social Work for an Assistant Professor Michael Criger) pursuing the certificate. More of Judaism. The History of details about the requirements for Judaism and Christianity area has never been fully staffed, but the accelerated master’s and the certificate can be found on we hope it will be by fall of 2008. the department’s website. Two very recent enhancements to the program are the One of the most exciting aspects of the M.A. program Accelerated Master’s option and the Certificate in Religious over the years has been seeing the growing number of high Studies for the Professions. Under the Accelerated Master’s caliber students. While we take pride in all our successful option, eligible undergraduate majors in Religious Studies or M.A. students, we are especially gratified by the increasing an equivalent department from an accredited institution may number who have chosen to write theses and apply to Ph.D. programs. One of those students, Brian Doak, is featured in Graduate Assistants, 2007-2008 this issue, and we plan to feature others in the future. Michael Criger, Rogersville, Missouri In a Nutshell ... (Drury University, 1997) Missouri State’s Master of Arts Degree in Jared Chatfield, West Chicago, Illinois Religious Studies: (Evangel University, 2007) The program is designed to provide both a broad understand- Meghan Faries, St. Charles, Missouri ing of religion and a great deal of flexibility to specialize. (Missouri State University, 2006) The program is divided into four areas: Jane Terry, Euclid, Ohio • South Asian Religions (Missouri State University, 2005) • Biblical Studies • History of Judaism and Christianity Joseph Dutko, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Religion, Self and Society (Evangel University, 2006) The degree requires the successful completion of a minimum Adam Park, Springfield, Missouri of 32 graduate hours, including 18 hours of core courses and (Missouri State University, 2006) 14 hours of electives. page 3 Dr. LaMoine DeVries Retires with the Best of Memories by Jared Chatfield Sometimes, a person overthinks life, and misses it altogether.
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