David is the hero of the Hebrew Bible: the great warrior, the great poet, the king against whom all others are measured, the “man after God’s own heart.”

From Goliath to the Psalms, David’s name and story have inspired generations, and continue to be deeply embedded in modern culture. Even his failings are held up as proof of his humanity: after all, what is a hero without a tragic flaw (or two)?

But how much of this story is true? What can we know about David, and how, at a distance of three thousand years, can we know it?

For many Christians, the Bible has long been treated as a moral instruction manual—offering clear, timeless, universal rules for right and wrong. But what happens when the text doesn’t behave like a rule book? When it contradicts itself, feels outdated, or refuses to give us the clarity we crave?

Why is Christianity in the United States so deeply entangled with white Christian nationalism, political extremism, and racism today? Led by Dr. Jemar Tisby, this class will confront hard truths about how race and power shaped Christianity in the United States and how we can come together to imagine a better path forward.

How do stories told by and about Jesus help us ask the right questions about the issues fracturing society today? Are the Gospels even valuable to people who don’t believe in G-d, miracles, or final judgement? AJ Levine explains how Jesus’ parables, healings, instructions, and debates help readers navigate both community responsibility and personal ethics on topics such as health care, economics, ethnicity, slavery’s legacy, and family values.

More and more of us look at our global ecological crisis, our pervasive political division, our intensifying economic inequality, and our deep-seated racial and religious bigotry… and we feel hope draining away. Brian McLaren is grappling with this growing cloud of doom descending on millions of us… seeking to bring “wisdom and courage to a world falling apart.” He invites us to explore motivations deeper than hope and explore practices of realistic resilience in this short course for the B4NP community.

The “Doctrine of Discovery” is a philosophical and legal framework dating to the 15th century that gave Christian governments moral and legal rights to invade and seize indigenous lands and dominate Indigenous Peoples.

What is the religious justification for this doctrine? Led by Sarah Augustine, this class will explore a theological framework for decolonizing the Doctrine of Discovery and identify concrete steps toward seeking repair.

What does the American flag have to do with the cross? To adherents of Christian nationalism, the answer is everything. Join Sam Perry for a glimpse into the sociocultural phenomenon of white Christian Nationalism and how the Bible is being used to support ideologies that are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus.

Class focused on the biblical message about Jesus’s treatment of women in contrast with the church’s historical misogyny. Facilitated by Jennifer Garcia Bashaw.