August 5 (Thursday, 7 PM) Stephen Smoot: “An Egyptian Context for the Book of Abraham”
This lecture overviews and summarizes the recent work of Latter-day Saint scholars that creates an Egyptian context for the Book of Abraham. Drawing from the resources and material on the Pearl of Great Price Central website, it focuses on what is known about the ancient owners of the Joseph Smith Papyri, the texts preserved on the surviving papyri fragments, and few key ways in which the Book of Abraham can be situated in the ancient world.
August 10 (Tuesday) John Thompson: “Symbols of the Egyptian Priesthood in the Tombs of Ancient Egypt”
August 24 (Tuesday) John Gee: “The Gospel and the Egyptians”
When Egypt became Christian, it used the Egyptian language to express that Christian identity. It recognized that certain aspects of Egyptian religion fit comfortably with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and other aspects did not fit so well. The vocabulary for aspects that fit well with Christianity, it simply borrowed, often from the Egyptian temple vocabulary. This borrowed vocabulary illustrates what aspects of the Egyptian religion were compatible with Christianity. Come learn about what parts of the Egyptian temple early Christians found compatible with their own religion.
September 21 (Tuesday) Steve Densley: “Pharaohs, Temples, and Tombs: A Guided Tour Through Ancient Egypt”
We will take a whirlwind tour through 3,000 years of ancient history in the context of the sights we will see in person on the Ultimate Egypt—Interpreter Foundation Tour. Come and learn how to better understand what you will see on the tour, from the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt to the reign of Cleopatra.
September 29 (Wednesday) Kerry Muhlestein: “Ancient Egypt’s Temples, and Parallels”
Egypt built temples for thousands of years. The largest religious buildings ever built were temples in Egypt, and the largest room in any religious structure is the hypostyle hall in the Karnak Temple. Additionally, no one mastered and used symbolism like the Egyptians. Come explore the purpose of Egyptian temples and see how it can deepen your understanding of religious symbols in modern-day usage as well.
October 13 (Wednesday) Daniel Peterson: “What You Need to Know About Egypt’s Most Recent Two Thousand Years”
On the Ultimate Egypt—Interpreter Foundation Tour, we will not only see the holy sites of the ancient Egyptians, but we will also see some significant places in the history of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Come and learn about the traditional site where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph stayed when they fled to Egypt, the traditional site where Moses was drawn from the water as a baby, and the great mosques of the Muslim people in Cairo. Come and find out why some people call Egypt “the other Holy Land.”
Elhamy Naguib Interview
An interview with artist, teacher, businessman, and Egypt guide Elhamy Naguib.
Elhamy is an Egyptian artist and teacher with 45 years of professional experience. He works in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, graphic and interior design, and wooden toys. He is the owner of Graffiti Artistoys, a graphic arts studio located in Maadi, Cairo, Egypt. He also owns a workshop for the production of educational toys and materials, and is co-owner of Box of Wonders (Sandouq el Agab), a shop selling folk-inspired wooden toys and automata in Fustat, Cairo.
Elhamy recently moved to Los Angeles, California, to be near his children (and adorable grandchild) and looks forward to exploring new opportunities.
These lectures will help enrich your tour of an already fascinating and historic land. We look forward to joining you all in Egypt!
