Capernaum: What it Teaches Us about Jews and Christians - Then and Now: A Conversation with Wally Cirafesi

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever visited Capernaum in Israel, you've likely walked through its famous synagogue and stood beneath the octagonal church traditionally associated with Peter's home. But what if those monuments tell a much more complicated story than most visitors realize?In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert sits down with New Testament scholar Dr. Wally Cirafesi to discuss his groundbreaking book, "Capernaum," and what archaeology, history, and architecture reveal about one of the most important villages in the Gospels.Together they explore:• What first-century Capernaum was really like during Jesus' ministry• How the synagogue visitors see today differs from the synagogue Jesus knew• How ancient synagogues functioned as diverse Jewish communities• What Peter's house reveals about the earliest Jewish followers of Jesus• The meaning of the Christaeum and its significance for early Jewish-Christian relations• How the octagonal church and limestone synagogue became competing statements of identity and memory• Why modern visitors may unknowingly encounter a supersessionist interpretation of Capernaum• What Christians today can learn from Capernaum as they seek healthier Jewish-Christian relationshipsWhether you've traveled to Israel dozens of times or simply want to better understand the Jewish world of Jesus and the earliest Jesus movement, this conversation offers fresh insight into one of the New Testament's most significant locations - and what it means for both ancient and modern Jewish-Christian relations.Here's a link to Dr. Cirafesi's book, "Capernaum": https://a.co/d/0fmM0edCBridge Builders ForumAn educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.Bridge Builders Forum Email News and UpdatesDownload the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians" The Weird Apostle Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum