These classes explore a temple theology perspective on early Christianity, arguing that its origins and core beliefs are deeply rooted in the practices and concepts of the ancient Jerusalem temple, particularly the First Temple. This viewpoint suggests that figures like Jesus were understood within this temple context, as the high priest and the embodiment of divine presence, and that many New Testament themes and images, including the Kingdom of God and the Book of Revelation, are best interpreted through the lens of temple rituals, symbolism, and mystical traditions. The sources further propose that later religious developments, including the formation of the Hebrew canon, may have obscured these original temple-centric understandings of early Christian faith.
Jewish Temple Theology: An Introduction
The Covenant and Temple Theology