Shepherds Institute of Archaeology

Illuminating our understanding of the biblical world by recovering and investigating its material culture and ancient texts.

LEARN MORE

CURRENT PROJECTS

Zoar Excavations

(Khirbet Sheik ‘Isa)

Shepherds Theological Seminary, Dr. Titus Kennedy, and Joel Kramer have joined forces with renowned archaeologist Dr. Konstantinos Politis to conduct a dig in the region of the Five Cities of the Plain (Gen 18-19). Of these five cities, four have been positively identified, including Sodom and Gomorrah—all four were covered in ash.

The first phase of this dig took place in January 2025 and the planning for future digs is currently underway. The specific intent of this dig is to identify the location of the ancient city of Zoar/Ghor as-Safi, the city where Lot fled with his family.

MORE PROJECTS

Ancient Ruins

2,000BC

Educational Program

Masters of Arts in Biblical Archaeology

The Master of Arts in Biblical Archaeology (MABA) is offered by Shepherds Theological Seminary and provides graduate level instruction in Biblical Archaeology. Students learn the history, theory, and practice of archaeology, while engaging in a comprehensive study of the Bible and its theology. Students who choose the optional thesis track will be fully prepared to apply to PhD programs in archaeology.

Our Distinctives



Learn From Professors in the Field

The core faculty in the archaeology program spend time in the field, engaging in archaeological work.



Live Dig Experiences

Each student in the program will participate in a live archaeological dig.



Comprehensive Instruction on Biblical Archaeology

Students in the program study the major archaeological findings from Genesis to Revelation.



Bible and Theology Rich

This program supports the work of the archaeologist by grounding them in the teachings of Scripture.

Learn More



Meet Our Director of Biblical Archaeology

Dr. Titus Kennedy serves as the director of Shepherds Theological Seminary’s Biblical Archaeology program. He oversees all aspects of the program and teaches courses within our Master of Arts in Biblical Archaeology degree, equipping students for successful field work and future studies.

Additionally, Dr. Kennedy is a field archaeologist working primarily with sites and materials of the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world.

Learn More