In August at FPC: Thought you heard it all?
Greensboro College religion professor Jennifer Bird will lead a four-part discussion of engaging Biblical texts during August. The series, titled Thought you heard it all?, begins Aug. 2 and meets in Smith 106. Here's a list of topics:
- Aug. 2: "Adam and Eve" -- We will discuss matters such as what this story was intended to tell us, what it does (and
doesn't) actually refer to, and how church tradition has shaped our culture's interpretations of it.
- Aug. 9: "The Golden Calf Incident" -- Far from simply an issue of "worshipping an idol," this passage can offer us insight into the motivations of the Biblical authors as well as challenge our understanding of "righteous anger."
- Aug. 16: "Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael" -- If Ishmael was Abraham's son, don't his descendants count among the inheritors of the promise to Abraham? We will discuss how we have understood these passages and consider new perspectives on them in light of gender and political issues.
- Aug. 23: "The Woman Caught in Adultery" or "The Beheading of John the Baptist" -- Politics and religion have always been intertwined, in particular in Biblical stories such as these two. How much of the political dynamics are you aware of as you read stories about Jesus and his life and mission? These two stories become jumping off points for such discoveries.
