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On Thursday, January 19, 2017, The ��������ϲ����� welcomed Mark S. Smith to the Tangier Global Forum to give a lecture titled, “The Birth of Monotheism.”

Smith is the Helena Professor of Old Testament Literature and Exegesis at Princeton Theological Seminary and formerly the Skirball Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at New York University. His lecture, which was covered by several major news organizations, including Moroccan newspaper, Hespress, described the origins of the belief in one god in religion.

Smith addressed the various factors that contributed to Israel’s vision of one god for the world. He said the monotheistic discourse found in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament served as a means to preserve and assert Israelite identity in the face of the colonizing power of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires. This monotheistic discourse was grounded in traditional Israelite practice and thought and developed fully under the impact of both internal socio-political stresses and external influence from the Assyrian and Babylonian empires. This was a contrast to the function of monotheism in modern times, which has served to advance Christian claims to “western” superiority.

Founded by ��������ϲ����� scholar Anouar Majid, Ph.D., the Tangier Global Forum is an annual lecture series devoted to critical examination of the burning issues facing the global community in the 21st century.

Watch the full lecture.

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