Christian Education

At Saint Paul's


Lent 2008

During Lent 2008, the adult forum will examine several models of salvation. What does it mean to be saved? What do we mean when we speak of salvation? How are we saved? What is it that God accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus? To answer these questions we will examine the theology of salvation (soteriology) using a book written by Marilyn McCord Adams, “Christ and Horrors: The Coherence of Christology” published by Cambridge Press, 2006. Marilyn McCord Adams is Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Oxford, and Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. The book offers a systematic Christology that is biblical and theological. Recognizing that human beings suffer the horrors of unremitting pain, chronic illness, abuse, and genocide, how is it that we can claim to be in Christ? Christ saves us by virtue of being real and really present. Christ is the One in Whom all things hold together.

Handout 1: Doctrine of Salvation

Handout 2: Jurgen Moltmann: The Crucified God

Handout 3: Christology: a theological grounding for understanding salvation (Adams)

Handout 4: A Trinitarian Perspective on Salvation


Fall 2007 The Story of the Bible, the story of the book

Overview of the course, presented by Luke Timothy Johnson

Lesson 2, TaNaK: the Torah, Neviim (the prophets), and Ketuvim (the writings)

Lesson 3, Forms of Jewish Scripture

Lesson 4, Birth of Christian Bible

Lesson 5, Formation of Jewish and Christian Canons

Lesson 6, Before the printing press! Implications of copying manuscripts

Lesson 7, Imperial sponsorship and the Bible

Lesson 8, Texts and Translations – the Ancient East

Lesson 9, Old Latin and the Vulgate

Lesson 10, Other Ancient Versions

L11 Monasteries and manuscripts, L12 Interpretation within Judaism

L13: Interpretation in Medieval Christianity

L14 Renaissance, Printing and the Bible

L15 and 16 the Protestant Reformation and the Bible

L17, 18 and 19 The English Reformation, the KJV


Summer 2007 series on Children's Literature

The Secret Garden, on life and death

The Wizard of Oz, on moral development

Robin Hood, Champion or Outlaw?

A Wrinkle in Time, Love vs. IT

The Trumpet of the Swan


May series on Resurrection

Resurrection discussed in John 20

Resurrection discussed in John 21

Resurrection discussed in Luke

Resurrection discussed in Mark

Resurrection discussed in Matthew

Resurrection Faith discussion


The Lent Adult Forum schedule is tentatively as follows:

Feb 25: Reverend Ann Boyd – Reflections from Kenya

Mar 4: Michelle Ridgley and Jim Harry will share their experience with KERMIT

Mar 11: Robin Taylor will speak about the Mission to Panama

Mar 18: Karen Softy will speak about Rainbow Camp

Mar 25: Melanie Galtieri will speak about Prayer Shawls & Phyllis Weston will speak on the Thrift Shop


Epiphany 2006 adult forum is a study of the writing of Luke. The history, purpose, and content of this important part of the New Testament that includes the Gospel and the Book of Acts.

Gospel of Luke  New Window

December 31 2006 Forum addresses the human and divine nature of Jesus, what we theologically refer to as Christology.

December 31 notes HTML

November 2006 Forum addresses the incarnational nature of our theology. Taking the reality of body, soul and spirit seriously draws us toward the invisible God; the transcendent One. Jesus as the incarnate word integrates the human and the divine, the natural and supernatural.

November Series notes

 

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Fall 2006 Forum concerned our liturgical nature. Sections include worship, life, continuity (from the early Church), and the calendar, all related to the liturgy, especially as suggested by the Book of Common Prayer.

Fall Series on the Liturgy notes

 

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May 7-21 adult forum deals with the subject, Holy Living Holy Dying, taken from the title of Jeremy Taylor's work. The thesis we are exploring is that a person dies the way they live. Therefore, how we choose to live, the values we develop and the faith we nurture informs end of life care decisions. The church bids every member to prepare a will, make decisions about end of life care options through an advance directive, and consider a planned gift to the church. In this way a faithful person makes provision for family and friends in advance of the inevitable terminus of life through which we enter the eternal presence of God.

Women in Early Christianity

MS Word

 

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Holy Living, Holy Dying

MS Word

 

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Here is a list of our previous Adult Education Handouts

Anglican Communion Eames

MS Word

 

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Defining the Role of Bishop

MS Word

 

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Just Health Care

MS Word

 

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Justice in Health Care an Ethical Appraisal

MS Word

 

PDF

Windsor Report

MS Word

 

PDF

Adult forum for the Fall of 2005 is focusing on "what we believe" based on a look at the Nicene Creed. What did the original Greek text say and how is it different from the version in our traditional worship service? The two essential doctrines of the Christian faith are Christology - that Jesus the Christ was both divine and human - and Trinity - that God is experienced as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Nicene Creed offers a section about the attributes of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Using a lecture-discussion format, the class is seeking to understand how our beliefs inform our lives. What is our image of God? Can one image capture the whole truth about God? The Church, in Scripture, tradition and by way of reasoned theological teaching has long used multiple images because God is in one sense beyond our knowing and yet as St. Augustine observed, "our hearts are restless until they rest in God". Keeping the harmony and synthesis of the Father, Son and Spirit is difficult and requires reflection and focused attention. Exploring what it is that the three have in common that we label the essence of God reveals much about our faith in God.

Epiphany Adult Forum Handout

MS Word

PDF

January 8 - Adult Forum Notes

MS Word

PDF

Gender and the Nicene Creed Handout -

MS Word

PDF

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