“We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in the church. Not since the Reformation five centuries ago have so many Christians come together to ask whether the church is in sync with their deepest beliefs and commitments. These believers range from evangelicals to mainline Protestants to Catholics, and the person who best represents them is author and pastor Brian McClaren.
In this much anticipated book, McClaren examines ten questions facing today’s church-questions about how to articulate the faith itself, the nature of its authority, who God is, whether we have to understand Jesus through only an ancient Greco-Roman lens, what exactly is the good news that the gospel proclaims, how we understand the church and all its varieties, why we are so preoccupied with sex, how we should think of the future and people from others faiths, and the most intimidating question of all: what do we do next? Here you will find a provocative and enticing introduction to the Christian faith of tomorrow.”
This class, led by Ernie Hess, will meet on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in the Dennison Room. While reading McClaren’s book is certainly recommended, the essentials ideas will be presented for discussion each week, so reading the book is not necessary to participate in the class.
BRIAN D. MCLAREN is an author, speaker, pastor, and networker among innovative Christian leaders, thinkers, and activists. His groundbreaking books include A New Kind of Christian, A Generous Orthodoxy, The Secret Message of Jesus, and Everything Must Change. Visit the author online atwww.brianmcclaren.net.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS:
8-29 – What Is the Overarching Story Line of the Bible? ch 4, pp. 33-45
9-5 – NO CLASS – Labor Day Weekend
9-12 - The Biblical Narrative In Three Dimensions ch 5-6, pp. 46-66
9-19 – How Should The Bible Be Understood? ch 7-9, pp. 67-97.
9-26 – Is God Violent? ch 10-11, pp. 98-118.
10-3 – Intergenerational Event
10-10 - Who Is Jesus and Why Is He Important? ch 12-13, pp. 119-136
10-17 – What Is the Gospel? Ch 14-15, pp. 137-160
10-24 – What Do We Do About the Church? Ch 16, pp. 161-172
10-31 – Can We Find A Way To Address Human Sexuality Without Fighting About It? ch 17, 173-190.
11-7 – Can We Find A Better Way Of Viewing the Future? Ch 18, pp. 191-206
11-14 – How Should Followers of Jesus Relate to People of Other Religions? Ch 19, pp. 207-224.
11-21 – How Can We Translate Our Quest into Action? Ch 20 - 22, pp. 225-260