On successive Wednesdays, August 14 and 21, 10:00 – 12:00Noon, The Rev. Dr. Andy Dearman will present a seminar entitled “How Judaism, Christianity and Pagan Religions Lived Together in Ancient Syria.” The seminar will take place at San Gabriel Presbyterian Church, 5404 Williams Drive, in Georgetown. This event is free and open to the public.

According to Dr. Dearman, Dura Europos was a bustling, multicultural city on the Euphrates River that came to an abrupt and complete end in 256 C.E. as a result of a hostile siege, never to be rebuilt.  The tragically quick fate of the city became a great gift to the work of an archeological team from Yale University in the 1930’s, who spend several years uncovering the sealed remains of the city.

Dr. Dearman will use photographic records from the archeological work on Dura Europos to visit the ruins of a synagogue with stunning, one-of-a-kind frescoes depicting Old Testament scenes; an early Christian house church with baptistry and New Testament scenes; several pagan temples and shrines representing a cross-section of religious practices of the day; and well-preserved examples of the art and culture of the city.