NEW YORK (PRWEB) December 09, 2020
Now that the transition to a new administration has begun in America, an innovative digital movement is bringing together Jewish, Catholic and Evangelical Christian thought leaders in an effort to help America overcome the fractures that divide us, from flawed political leaders and racial injustice to Covid-19 and much more.
The Joshua Project is a new digital media platform focused on disseminating the wisdom of the Hebrew Bible -- The Old Testament -- the original collection of scriptures that form the basis of the world’s monotheistic religions and also played a central role in inspiring America’s moral framework.
“The election may be settled, but there remains much contention in America,” said Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm, founder of The Joshua Project and chief executive of Bnai Zion, a nonprofit organization that has supported educational and humanitarian projects in the United States and Israel for over a century.
“This contention has given us a golden opportunity to teach people about the heart of America’s moral nature: the Hebrew Bible,” Lamm added. “This is the Bible that played a major role in the birth of America; it inspired the Pilgrims and the Founding Fathers. It is our founding moral document no less than the Constitution is our founding political document, and we are excited to bring it to Americans young and old in a way that is relevant for them today,” added Lamm.
When the platform fully launches in late December, The Joshua Project will include an array of content -- videos, podcasts and more -- exploring how the Bible continues to inform our lives on a range of issues from politics, psychology, pop culture, the importance of community, love and relationships, alcohol use, higher education, peace in the Middle East, and much more. Current content includes a weekly podcast, Good Faith Effort, a curated video series about the Bible and Politics, as well as a series of Compelling Conversations with notable speakers including:
- Bishop Kenneth Ulmer: will speak about Black Lives Matter and faith, and how the covenantal tradition can elevate our fractious national conversation about race
- New York Post editor and Catholic thinker Sohrab Ahmari will discuss how faith can facilitate personal, political, and national rebirth
- Acclaimed author and professor Karen Swallow Prior will talk about how to remake our culture and our politics
“We know that the Bible continues to transform the daily lives of many Americans; six out of ten say that being engaged with it has greatly improved their relationships and the way they treat others,” said Lamm. “Yet, the number of Americans who use the Bible is decreasing by double digits. That is why we are launching The Joshua Project: when people are engaged with the Bible, good things happen.”
The Joshua Project is named after Joshua, the central figure in the sixth book of the Bible, who became the leader of the Israelites after Moses’ death. “We chose to name this initiative after Joshua because there is a strong parallel between his story of bringing about the re-foundation of his people and America’s current challenge. We are at a crossroads and it's time for us to renew the covenant and re-declare our commitment to our founding values. It's this energy of rebirth and excitement -- entering a new land, starting anew – that The Joshua Project hopes to capture.”
Anyone interested in learning more can sign up at https://thejoshuaproject.com/.
About The Joshua Project:
The Joshua Project is a new user-supported-digital platform designed to offer a scriptural point of view on American life, culture, history, and politics to a wide array of audiences. Featuring compelling videos and podcasts by some of the most original thinkers and teachers active today, it offers an entertaining and edifying take on how the Hebrew Bible, America’s moral founding document, continues to impact every aspect of our lives today, bringing together Americans from different faith traditions and creating new coalitions and collaborations.
About Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm
Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm is the founder of The Joshua Project and the creator and host of its Good Faith Effort podcast. He’s one of the youngest leaders of a major Jewish organization in the country, serving as chief executive of Bnai Zion, which has supported educational and humanitarian projects in the United States and Israel for over 112 years. Rabbi Lamm is a Princeton-trained historian of religion (Ph.D.), whose writings on faith and the public square have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Tablet Magazine, The Jerusalem Post, and The Jewish Standard.