Since the time of their discovery on a Yale expedition to present-day eastern Syria over 80 years ago, the world’s earliest datable church building and the paintings and artifacts found there have become widely known. But have the subjects of some of the church’s ancient Christian paintings been misidentified? Michael Peppard, M.A.R. 2003, M.A. 2007, M.Phil. 2007, Ph.D. 2009, Associate Professor of Theology, Fordham University in New York, offers a provocative proposal from his new book, The World’s Oldest Church: Bible, Art, and Ritual at Dura-Europos, Syria (Yale University Press, 2016). Generously sponsored by the Martin A. Ryerson Fund, with support from the Yale Divinity School.



Seating is limited. Doors open at 4:30 pm.