Buried for ages in the backwaters of allegory and simplistic preaching, the parables of Jesus have lost their edge for modern listeners. But, as recent scholarship has demonstrated, Jesus’ parables would have shocked and even outraged his original listeners. Jesus played on the stereotypes and tensions in his world to construct stories that called into question the very world his audience thought they knew. This program will explore the artistry of Jesus’ parables in the context of the biblical lands, and offer an opportunity to consider their meaning for his day and ours.