Jocelyn Kellam, Naracoorte Community News
St Paul’s Anglican church in Naracoorte is staging major exhibition of artefacts from biblical and church history, including coins that were in circulation in the Holy Land during Jesus’ life.
“It is so very exciting that the exhibition will include a denarius – a coin that Jesus made famous by pointing to the emperor’s head and instructing his followers to ‘render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s’,” Keith Dalby, the Bishop of the Diocese of the Murray said.
“But the coins are only the first part of the exhibition. There are also documents tracing the development of the Bible from papyrus scrolls to the Bible we know today,” Bishop Keith said.
“There are also Illuminated manuscripts – hand-written books with exquisitely drawn decoration that generally includes precious metals such as gold or silver – that include books of hours, bibles, missals, and choir books from the middle ages.”
The exhibition was the brainchild of Dr Jocelyn Kellam, the Student Minister at St Pauls, who has a close association with the Centre for Coins, Culture and Religious History, a charitable foundation that promotes a deeper understanding of the role of religion in the development of our global human community through the preservation, exhibition, study and publication of coins, icons, manuscripts and other objects relevant to religious history.
“The exhibits are irreplaceable,” said Dr Kellam. “Anyone with an interest in history generally or with religion will not be disappointed.”
Dr Kellam travelled to Queensland to personally collect the artefacts and has been given permission to take the coins to schools following the exhibition to students can examine them in detail.
“These are pieces of history which are 2,000 years old,” Rector of St Paul’s, Fr Wayne Corker said.
“Any teacher who is interested should email me to arrange for us to visit their school on frwaynecorker@gmail.com.”
Lachie Haynes, parish councillor of St Paul’s Naracoorte said it was fitting the artefacts were on show in such an historic church as St Paul’s, that was built in 1880.
“It is enormously important to see an exhibition of this quality come to Naracoorte. It is the first time the exhibits have been seen anywhere in South Australia, let alone in a rural town,” he said.
The exhibition will run during school holidays from 1 to 16 October. The entry fee is $5 per adult while children can visit for $2. Donations are also welcome given the cost involved in getting the exhibition to Naracoorte.
“I hope everyone will visit” Bishop Keith said.
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
