The Biblical author Luke and his books, "The Gospel of Luke" and "Acts of the Apostles," were examined in depth at "The Pastoral Vision of Luke: Preaching and Teaching the Gospel and Acts," Oct. 23 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Offered in both English and Spanish, the program was sponsored by the Diocese of Dodge City and St. Dominic Parish in Garden City. Noted speakers included Father Dennis Hamm, S.J., Ph.D., and Dr. Rafael Sanchez-Alonzo.

Luke, an associate of the Apostle Paul, probably wrote the Gospel between 59 and 70 AD. While presenting the facts of Christ’s life, the Gospel is far from a simple historical text. The Gospel makes reference to Old Testament prophesies; it confirms Christ’s mastery over evil, death, and illness; and it contains examples of his control over nature, as well as his power to forgive sins, to bless people, and to offer them eternal life.

The Acts of the Apostles, a kind of continuation of Luke’s Gospel account, offers a biblical history of how Christ’s teaching was spread through the land by the efforts of his representatives. Luke discusses and describes the growth of Christianity from its birth in Judaism to its blossoming as a religion accepted worldwide.