ADULT EDUCATION

Genesis

Genesis is a book of beginnings -- the beginning of human beings, the sun, moon and stars, the beginning of sin. It is also a beginning for God -- a new story in God's life. On Sunday, March 3 we will finish our study of Genesis using a nine part video series by Dr. Terence Fretheim, Elva B. Lovell Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary, Fretheim Explores Genesis, Luther Productions, St. Paul. 2000. The video series will then be available from the church library for review and self-study.

Who was Jesus of Nazareth?

Who was Jesus of Nazareth? How did Jesus conceive his relationship to God and his mission to the world? How did the early church envision Jesus' life and mission? Were there differences between Jesus' understanding of himself and that of the early church? On Sunday, March 10, we will begin to explore these issues using Father Raymond E. Brown's (Auburn Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Union Theological Seminary NYC) An Introduction to New Testament Christology, Paulist Press, 1994. Father Brown's goal is to enable "readers to understand the issues and why there is a debate, and thus to gain the biblical background to read further and reflect with discrimination on modern proposals." We will also bring to the discussion the revisionist views of Marcus Borg, a member of the Jesus Seminar, and the traditional views of N. T. Wright, presented in their book The Meaning of Jesus : Two Visions, Marcus J. Borg, N. T. Wright, Harper and Row, San Francisco, 2000.

Lenten Series on the Resurrection

What actually happened at the Jesus' Resurrection? Did the Jews of Jesus' day believe in a resurrection? How did Paul and the gospel writers understand the Resurrection? Is their witness credible? And how should we in the 21st century understand Jesus' Resurrection? What does it means for us personally? Wednesday evenings during March we will continue to explore these issues using the six part video series, Jesus' Resurrection: Then and Now, featuring N. T. Wright, Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey.

Adult Education Schedule

• Sun., Mar. 3, 2002: Genesis Part 9: A Family Reconciled (Genesis 37-50)

• Wed., Mar. 6, 2002: Jesus' Resurrection Part 3. The First-Century Jewish Understanding of Resurrection

• Sun., Mar. 10, 2002: Who was Jesus of Nazareth? An Introduction to Christology Part 1

• Wed., Mar. 13, 2002: Jesus' Resurrection Part 4. Paul's Understanding of Jesus' Resurrection

• Sun., Mar. 17, 2002: Who was Jesus of Nazareth? An Introduction to Christology. Part 2

• Wed., Mar. 20, 2002: Jesus' Resurrection Part 5. The Gospel Writers' Understanding of Jesus' Resurrection

• Sun., Mar. 24, 2002: No meeting (Palm Sunday).

• Sun., Mar. 31, 2002: No meeting (Easter).

Our meetings are held in the Parlor. Sunday meetings run from 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. The Resurrection series is part of the Wednesday evening Lenten program of supper and worship, which begins at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome!

The St. John in the Wilderness Adult Education and Formation web site at www.StJohnAdultEd.Org has information on past, present and upcoming series, the latest schedule, and downloadable handouts and overhead transparency sets.

Anyone with any comments, questions or suggestions, please feel free to talk with me or drop me a note, David Monyak, monyak@pipeline.com.