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Classes for
Normal People
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Is The Bible Relevant?
Many of us grew up being told the Bible had an answer for every moral dilemma, every political debate, every life decision. When we discovered it didn't work that way, we were left wondering: Is the Bible even relevant anymore?
In this class, theologian Drew G. I. Hart argues that if we're looking for a rulebook, the answer is clearly no. But if we're willing to read scripture as a living conversation of wisdom and inspiration that bends toward justice, liberation, and shalom, then the Bible becomes extremely relevant. Drawing on his own theological traditions, Drew will walk through how different parts of the Bible are healing as well as harmful, yet collectively can inform some of today's most urgent concerns (race, empire, gender, land, and peacemaking) and how we can interpret, wrestle with, and embody scripture’s wisdom for pursuing more just and mutually liberative communities rather than as a weapon to dominate others.
The Bible is Not a Rulebook
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 When it contradicts itself, feels outdated, or refuses to give us the clarity we crave?
American Christianity: How Did We Get Here?
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.
Making of the Modern Mindset: How Did We Get Here?
Where do our views on authority, tradition, ethics, and identity even come from—and how do these views influence the way we interpret the Bible? Together we’ll explore how these cultural shifts continue to impact our understanding of ancient texts and examine how the forces of our time shape the faith we practice today.
Claiming the Promised Land: Dismantling the Doctrines that Shaped the World
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.
The Importance of Womanist Biblical Interpretation
Conversations surrounding Biblical interpretation have been ongoing since the conception of the Hebrew and Christian Bible. Throughout history, different frameworks and strategies have been birthed out of response to human experiences. In the late 19th century, the voices of black female scholars, Katie Cannon, Renita Weems, Delores S. Williams, Kelly Brown Douglas, Jacquelyn Grant & more, emerged in Christian theological discourse. In this class, Rev. Dr. Angela N. Parker will cover the foundations, the fundamentals & the futures of Womanist biblical interpretation.
The S Word: What Sin Is & How It Has Infiltrated Our Systems
What do naked mole rats, the Millenium Bridge, & systemic injustice have in common? Why, in his letter to the Romans, does Paul emphasize sin as more of a person at work rather than individual shortcomings? What is Paul attempting to communicate about sin? In this class, Dr. Matthew Croasmun will explore Paul’s uses of “Sin” language in Romans 5-8 and how we might see the effects of sin at play in our world today.
One Nation Under God?
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.
Reading the Bible from the Margins
Offering insights on how to read the Bible in a way that honors the unique and helpful perspective of people on the margins while also engaging in the best in biblical scholarship.