Lectures, talks, etc.

Josef Mario Briffa SJ

Pontifical Biblical Institute
(of the Pontifical Gregorian University)
Associate Professor, Biblical Faculty
Director of Academic Programmes (Jerusalem)

Curriculum Vitae

Lectures, talks, etc. (by topic)

Iron Age figurines
  • [13.11.2025] Judahite figurines as bodies. Session as part of an online International MA Seminar entitled on Ingredients of Love on the Songs of Songs and archaeology.
  • [26.06.2025] Horses and riders: figurines, ritual and prestige. Sessione on Iconography and Biblical Studies. Special session on Visual violence. EABS / ISBL joint conference, Uppsala, Sweden.
  • [17.07.2024] Gendered Figuration: Ancient Representations, Modern Readings of Figurines from the Iron Age Southern Levant. Session on “Iconography and Biblical Studies, special session on Gender”. EABS conference, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • [24.11.2022] Figurines and Cult? The Case of Jerusalem and Judah. Session as part of an International MA Seminar on Cult in the Hebrew Bible and in Archaeology.
  • [10.01.2022] Figurines of Iron Age Jerusalem and Nativity Scenes. A question of interpretation. Session as part of a seminar led by Prof. Yossi Garfinkel, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
  • [05.03.2021] Lost in translation: Biblical teraphim and the interpretation of figurines. BANEA Annual Conference, Bournemouth University (online).
  • [22.02.2021] Azekah: The Iron Age figurines in their Judahite context. Seminar entitled: Azekah at the Faculty of Theology, University of Heidelberg (invited by Prof. Dr Manfred Oeming)
  • [02.01.2020] The Figural World of Judah: Archaeology and Interpretation. [Youtube] École biblique et archéologique française, Jerusalem.
  • [07.11.2019] Beyond Asherah. Rethinking Paradigms in Figurine Research. Bible Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
  • [29.11.2018] “When we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven.” Artefacts and Bible in Ancient Jerusalem.’  Annual Jesuit Lecture, Jesuit Centre for Catholic Studies of St Paul’s College, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg (Canada).
  • [26.11.2018] Archaeology, archives, and semiotics. Interpreting figurines from ancient Jerusalem. Lecture for the Dubé Chair for Catholic studies, St Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (Canada).
  • [12.03.2018] “Through a Glass Darkly:” The Figurines of Jerusalem as a Window on the Past. Invited lecture by the Maltese Oriental Society, University of Malta.
  • [05.01.2017] Figurines: meaning and performance. BANEA Annual Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.
  • [26.04.2016] The Figural World of Judah in the Late Iron Age. ICAANE 2016, Vienna.
  • [07.01.2016] The Figurines of Iron Age Lachish: A Case Study. BANEA Annual Conference, Lampeter, Wales.
  • [10.06.2015] Beyond Asherah. Deconstructing Archaeological Interpretations. Seminar entitled: Gott-weiblich? Göttinnen- und Götterbilder im Alten Testament at the Faculty of Theology, University of Heidelberg (invited by Prof. Dr Manfred Oeming)
Teleilat Ghassul
  • [23.01.2023] Searching for Sodom. The Legacy of Teleilat Ghassul. Invited lecture to the Tall el Hammam Excavation Project, Jordan.
  • [23.03.2022] (with Dr Peta Seaton AM), Rome, Sydney, Jerusalem and Teleilat Ghassul: Pioneers of Chalcolithic Research in the Southern Levant, online lecture, Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation (Sydney).
  • [11.01.2020] Searching for Sodom. The Legacy of Teleilat Ghassul at 90. BANEA annual conference, Oxford.
  • [03.12.2019] The Legacy of Teleilat Ghassul. 90th Anniversary Lecture. Pontifical Biblical Institute, Jerusalem.
Archaeology, Bible, Azekah
  • [31.01, 02.02, 07.02.2025] Short lecture entitled David u Ġonatan: Annotamenti dwar ir-rakkont bibliku fil-kuntest tal-Lvant Nofsani Antik (= David and Jonathan. Annotations on the biblical narrative in its Ancient Near Eastern Context), followed by Q&A session, as part of the theatre production Id-Dnub tal-Magħżulin (=The Sin of the Chosen), produced by Adrian Buckle and Tyrone Grima, directed by Tyrone Grima, at the Valletta Campus Theatre, Malta.
  • [21.01.2025] Seminar session entitled Scavi recenti a Gerusalemme: evidenze e interpretazioni as part of the annual refresher seminar for lecturers and researchers on Sacred Scripture, entitled this year Prospettive storiche sull’Antico Testamento, 20-24 January 2025, Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome.
  • [12-14.08.2024] Lectures entitled Understanding Fieldwork and Archaeology as a believer. A Theological Approach beyond Apologetics as part of the field school of the Lautenschläger Expedition to Azekah.
  • [07-09.02.2024] What on earth is a Jesuit doing in archaeology? Invited talks to the students of St Aloysius College, Malta. Four talks to the Forms 1-4, two talks to the Sixth Formers.
  • [25.01.2024] Il mondo dei Vangeli nel I sec. d.C. alla luce dell’archeologia oggi, [Youtube] invited paper at the annual refresher seminar for lecturer and researchers on Sacred Scripture, entitled this year Il Nuovo Testamento nel contesto greco-romano, 22-26 January 2024, Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome.
  • [09.08.2023] Archaeology as a believer. How to not confuse an apologetic approach with a proper theological one. Invited lecture in a series on The Relationship between archaeology and biblical studies: Reciprocal Use or Misuse? organised by Prof. Dr Manfred Oeming (Heidelberg University / Azekah expedition).
  • [12.12.2022] Archaeology and Bible: A New Equilibrium. Invited paper presented at the Spirit of Scholarship conference, 12–14 December 2022, University of Notre Dame Jerusalem Global Gateway – Tantur Ecumenical Institute
  • [10.03.2022] Trouble brewing from the North. Excavations in Area N1. Short presentation as part of The Azekah Expedition Online Colloquium entitled A Brief History of Tel Azekah: Towards the Tenth Excavation Season at the Site.
  • [16.11.2021] Beyond the Hype. Archaeology and Bible in 2021. Invited public talk as part of the series Tuesdays at Tantur held at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem.
  • [03.01.2020] Presentation and site visit to Tel Azekah, Bible in Jerusalem 2020, École biblique et archéologique française, Jerusalem.
  • [02.12.2019] Archaeology and Bible: Working in a Faith, Interfaith and No Faith Context, and (with Rabbi Dr Dalia Marx) The Bible in Jewish and Christian Liturgy. Joint Seminar organised by the Israel Rabbinic Program of the Hebrew Union College: Jewish Institute of Religion and the Pontifical Biblical Institute.
  • [30.11.2018] Sacred Text and Trowel: Can we keep together the Bible and archaeological data?  Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg (Canada).
  • [22.01.2018] Culto e riforma: 2 Re 23 alla luce dei dati archeologici. Seminar session as part of the seminario di aggiornamento per docenti e studiosi di S. Scrittura on I libri “storici” dell’Antico Testamento, Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 22-26 gennaio 2018.
  • [16.11.2012] Text and Trowel. Can the Bible and archaeology meet? Manchester Universities’ Catholic Chaplaincy
  • [01.06.2004] La Parola e la Terra. La Palestina del Nuovo Testamento, Auditorium of the Centro Giovanile Antonianum in Padova
  • [16.01.2003] Credo e culto alla vigilia dell’esilio. Testo biblico e ricerca archeologica, Istituto Filosofico Aloisianum, Padova
Holy Land, Archaeology and Pilgrimage
  • [15.12.2024] San Ignazio Pellegrino a Gerusalemme. Invited lecture and formation session as part of the formation programme of Itinerari Ignaziani project.
  • [14.04.2023] San Ignazio Pellegrino tra Gerusalemme e Roma (1523-2023). [Youtube] Invited lecture, organised by the Comune di Campagnano di Roma and the Museo Archeologico del Pellegrino.
  • [13.06.2021] Alle Scoperta del Santo Sepolcro. [Youtube] Presentation as part of a series entitled Pietre Vive – Pellegrinaggio in Terra Santa on the Youtube channel Scherzi da Prete, invited by don Manuel Belli.
  • [18.10.2019] The Holy Sepulchre. A Journey in Time. Presentation and site visit with the Arab Catholic Scout Group of Jerusalem.
Fr Emmanuel Magri and Maltese archaeology
  • [08.05.2025] X’Jgħid il-Malti. Magri’s collection of Maltese lore, and the ancient history of Malta. Invited lecture for the Jesuits’ Church Foundation. Oratory of the former Jesuit Church, Valletta.
  • [31.03.2007] Patri Manwel Magri u l-Kariżma Injazjana [Fr Emmanuel Magri and Ignatian Charism]. Province day, Maltese Jesuit Province.
  • [30.03.2007] The Magri Papers: A Case study in archive archaeology. Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta.
  • [27.03.2007] Unearthing Malta’s Past. Fr Emmanuel Magri’s pioneering work in Archaeology. Heritage Malta Head Office, Valletta.
  • [13.10.2004] The excavation of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum under Fr Emmanuel Magri SJ: new light from letters to the British Museum. Malta Archaeological Society.
L-Iklin
  • [18.06.1995] L-Iklin. Ħarsa lejn l-Istorja. Keynote speaker at the first Jum l-Iklin, local council celebration in my hometown.

Biblical formation & Spirituality workshops

  • [19-21.05.2023] Taking our bearings. Biblical formation workshop organised by the Centre for Ignatian Spirituality, and held at Mount St. Joseph Retreat House, Mosta (Malta)
  • [02-08.01.2023] “Pose la sua tenda in mezzo a noi.” Biblical formation workshop for Scout leaders (organised jointly with AGESCI Terrasanta and the Compagnia di San Giorgio), Pontifical Biblical Institute, Jerusalem.
  • [06-09.05.2019] “Taking our bearings. A very general introduction to reading the Bible”, seminar held as the Gonzaga Gonga Jesuit Novitiate, Arusha (Tanzania).
  • [03-05.02.2017] ‘Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: struggling with faith.’ Seminar held at Mount St Joseph Spirituality Centre, Mosta.
  • [2011] Scuola della Parola. Il Libro dei Salmi. A series of Bible reading sessions held at the parish of Santa Maria in Trastevere, May and November 2011.

Scouting Formation and Events

Campi di Formazione

Participated as Chaplain and part of the leadership training team. These camps form part of scout leadership training for the Wood Badge in Italy, organised by AGESCI.

  • Campi di Formazione Metodologica (CFM)
    • [21-26.04.2023] CFM. Branca Lupetti/Cocinelle. Convento SS. Annunziata, Amelia (TR).
    • [21-26.04.2018] CFM. Branca Espoloratori/Guide. Base Brownsea, Soriano nel Cimino (VT).
    • [25.09-02.10.2011] CFM. Branca Esploratori/Guide. Casamari.
  • Campi di Formazione Tirocinanti (CFT)
    • [31.03, 21.04, 19-20.06.2021] CFT. Zona Centro Urbis.
    • [13-15.11.2020] CFT. Zona Centro Urbis.
  • Other workshops
    • [06-07.05.2023] In bottega con la Parola. Biblical formation workshop organised by AGESCI zona Cesena.
    • [07-24.05.2020; 05-26.11.2020] Navigare la Bibbia. Online workshops, in four sessions, for scout leaders, organised by the Lazio Region, AGESCI.
    • [24.02-02.03.2012] Navigare la Bibbia. Orientamenti per una lettura scout. Workshop in two sessions for scout leaders, organised by the AGESCI Regione Lazio, held at Ostia Antica Scout HQ.
Eventi
  • R/S
    • [24-27.04.2025; 25-28.04.2024; 12-14.05.2023; 06-08.05.2022] Non lascerà vacillare il tuo piede (EPPPI). Valle del Treja.
    • [01-04.03.2018] Route dello Spirito. Castel Gandolfo-Roma.
  • E/G:
    • [09-13.06.2018; 17-22.06.2017] Uno spettacolo di fuoco (Campo di Competenza). Base scout, Bracciano.
    • [05-06.05.2012] Campi di Specialità Nautici. Base scout, Bracciano.
    • [18-19.02.2012] Campo di Specialità: Archeologo. Casamari.
    • [06-08.01.2012] Campo per Capi Squadriglia. Borgo Sabotino.
    • [02-03.04.2011] Campo di Specialità: Archeologo. Tuscania.
  • L/C:
    • [20-23.04.2011] Piccole Orme.

updated 26.06.2025