A new television series includes the research expertise of Dr Francesca Stavrakopoulou, a biblical scholar at the University of Exeter.

Channel 4’s series The Bible: A History intends to show how the Bible has played a major role in shaping people’s ideas about the world.

In the second episode Dr Stavrakopoulou is interviewed by presenter Rageh Omaar about Abraham and his role in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). The interview focuses on the biblical claim that God promised Abraham the land of Canaan, the land now claimed by Israelis and Palestinians today. Dr Stavrakopoulou’s research focuses on the worship of the dead as divine ancestors, illustrating how the graves of ancestors marked the territorial claims of their living relatives. Her research suggests that the tomb in Hebron where Abraham is supposed to have been buried represents an ancient attempt to exploit this territoriality in favour of ancient land claims asserted by biblical writers. It goes onto to suggest that these claims continue to be asserted and contested by some Israelis and Palestinians today who claim direct descent from Abraham.

Read it all and you can find a lot more information about this over here.

Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Education • Media • Movies & Television • Religion & Culture • * International News & Commentary • England / UK • * Theology • Theology: Scripture

1. Terry Tee wrote: Note to US readers:  Channel Four here in the UK was given the role of providing alternative, edgy, iconoclastic programming when it was established in 1982, with a special concern for minority interests.  Well, it has certainly done that, but in the process has become tiresomely predictable.  It never misses an opportunity to bash Christianity.  Now, if it ever produced a documentary saying that the scriptures might be true, then that would break the mould. February 17, 5:52 am | [comment link]

2. TACit wrote: By a curious coincidence, #1, I heard this man interviewed today on Australian public radio: http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/richlist/profiles2011/2011/01/23/25-23-lord-michael-bishop-265million-300m-65233-28032331/ It sounded as if he had got Channel 4 started, as well as chairing it.  No particular agenda on his part, I’m sure…. February 17, 6:52 am | [comment link]

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