26Jan
Sunday, January 26, 2025, 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
February: 2, 9, 16, 23
Teacher: SAMUEL L. ADAMS - Mary Jane and John F. McNair Chair of Biblical Studies, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Topic: The Memorable and Surprisingly Enigmatic Books of Ruth and Jonah
Description: In this four session series we will examine the role of God in both stories, gender dynamics in Ruth, and the question of insiders and outsiders. Both stories offer social commentary on what it means to be “foreign,” and this class will consider how Ruth and Jonah might speak to our present-day circumstances. We will also address the role of humor in both stories, particularly Jonah, and what these two biblical books seem to be saying about fate and how much agency human beings actually have. These are two of the most colorful books in the Bible, and our study will clear up some misconceptions and offer some new perspectives for interpretation.
March 2, 9, 16, 23
Teacher: SAFWAT MARZOUK - Associate Professor of Old Testament, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Topic: The book of Exodus: Worship and Liberation
Description: “The book of Exodus describes the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt and the divine liberation from servitude to Pharaoh into worship to the God of their ancestors. This class will explore how the book of Exodus speaks about the rise of tyranny and how to resist it. It will invite participants to think about the tension between divine role and human responsibility in living a life of equity and justice. The study will unpack the relationship between liberation, worship, covenant, and living a life that embodies mutuality and interdependence with human and nonhuman creation. And in case you are wondering, there will certainly be a time to talk about how Egyptian Christian readers of the Bible make sense of how Egypt is portrayed in the Old Testament and what that says to Christians in America.”
March 30, April 6, 13
Teacher: JOHN T. CARROLL - Harriet Robertson Fitts Memorial Professor of New Testament, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Topic: "Four Ways to (Almost) End the Story: The Death of Jesus in the Gospels"
Description: Each of the New Testament Gospels presents a distinctive passion narrative--an account of the events leading to the cross. This series of three classes will explore the way in which each Gospel helps us make sense of the crucifixion of Jesus and what it means for Christian faith and life today. March 30: The Death of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. April 6: The Death of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. April 13: The Death of Jesus in the Gospel of John
April 27 & May 4
Teacher: JACQUELINE E. LAPSLEY - President and Professor of Old Testament in the Walter W. Moore and Charles E. S. Kraemer Presidential Chairs, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Topic: Israel and the Nations in the Old Testament: What do the Scriptures say about how God relates to Israel other nations?
May 11 & 18
Teacher: CHRISTINE LUCKRITZ MARQUIS - Associate Professor of Church History and Director of the Master of Theology Program, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Topic: “Who Is Our Neighbor? Care for the Poor and Sick Among the Desert Mothers and Fathers”
Description: The early Christian desert mothers and fathers are often seen as separate from and uninterested in the larger Christian community, at best fonts of individual spirituality. These classes counter that view, discussing the many ways in which monks living outside the “world” were in fact centrally concerned with their neighbors. In particular, central concern for the poor and the sick are expressed in texts from the early Christian monastic communities. During our time, we will consider how the struggles of these Christian forbearers help us think about what it means to be neighbor in our own time.