LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 28, 2007) – Dr. Robert Jewett, guest professor at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, will lecture on “The Mystery of Troas: Archaeology and the Pauline Mission” in the William M. Hollis Seminar Room on the Florida Southern College campus on March 13 at 7 p.m.  The event, sponsored by the Department of Religion and Philosophy, is free of charge and open to the public.

Alexandria Troas was a rendezvous point in the early Christian mission and the place where Paul departed for Europe for the first time. Yet the complex mystery of this site remains unresolved. The illustrated lecture reports the archaeological discoveries of the "The Troas Project," working in cooperation with the archaeological team excavating the city under the direction of Professor Elmar Schwertheim from the University of Münster. Recent discoveries in the city will be reported, along with plans to investigate the function of the harbor and the itineraries in Acts by reconstructing a replica of a Roman coastal merchant vessel. Modern survey techniques and a form of experimental, nautical archaeology promise to throw light on the mystery of Troas and help in understanding a crucial center in the development of early Christianity.

After 20 years at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Robert Jewett became a guest professor at the University of Heidelberg in 2000, where he directs a bibliography project related to Paul's letter to the Romans. He also teaches courses in the Heidelberg Center for American Studies, an interdisciplinary program of the university. Among his 19 books are “Paul’s Anthropological Terms” (1971), “A Chronology of Paul’s Life” (1979), “Paul the Apostle to America” (1994), “Captain America and the Crusade Against Evil” (2003) and “Romans: A Commentary,” in the Hermeneia Series (2007). He has directed the Troas Project since 1997 and has led groups through Asia Minor in "Crossroads of Early Christianity Tours."

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 13:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 25 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelor’s institutions and by the Princeton Review as a “Best Southeastern College.” Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.