We Learn: Past programs

Lent 2011

Lent began with one of our own, Ruba Gnanaratnam, guiding us through Christian communities in her homeland of Sri Lanka. Then we had an interactive and introspective morning on our personal Lenten practices. Finishing out Lent, we returned to our theme for the year, Evolutions in Christian Theologies, with a week-end visit with Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why. The greater community was invited to attend a Saturday presentation with people coming from as far away as Vermont. Ms. Tickle gave a homily at the Sunday services and continued her thoughts from Saturday at Sunday’s Adult Education forum. The Reverend Thomas Brown’s historical review of the evolution of Holy Week concluded our Lenten forums.

2011 Epiphany mini-courses

 January 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27

A Closer Look at the Gospel According to Matthew: Facilitator The Rev. Thomas Brown

• Embodying Transformative Visions of Faith:  Facilitated by Angela Bauer-Levesque & Carol Watson
• Every Time I Feel the Spirit:  Facilitator Gabrielle Stott   
• Life Passages: Across the Ages: Facilitators The Rev. Roger Nelson and Jay Stott 
• Y’alla: The Quest for Peace in the Holy Land: Facilitators: Marie Lee, Solomon Owayda & Jack Roll

 

Fall 2010: Liberation Theology

Sunday, November 7th began a three-session forum on Feminist Theology by Dr.s Christopher Durainsingh and MT Davila. These sessions build on Liberation Theology and include the imaginative reconstruction of faith that seeks to nurture, nourish, and evoke a consciousness of and  alternative perception of the dominant patriarchal culture around us. Dr. Duraisingh, Visiting Professor in Applied Theology at the Episcopal Divinity School, in the first two sessions will trace the socio-political and theological origins of the Feminist movements; identify some of the enduring questions and challenges that Feminist theologies pose for classical Christian thought; and attend to their distinct tasks and methods. With him we explored some central themes of gender-inclusive and embodied theologies, and identify the rich diversity of Feminist theologies in non-White cultures.

Discussion concluded with Professor Maria Teresa Davila of Andover Newton Theological School. She built upon the fall’s forums by discussing how many religions and cultures in the world have historically undermined the wellbeing and flourishing of half of the human population. Discrimination toward women and girls has received religious sanction that has historically been attributed to a false or mistaken construction of God or the divine as male. Christianity enshrined a gender hierarchy by sacralizing the ordination to the priesthood of men, by shouldering every woman with the sin of Eve, and refusing to accept the possibility that women as well as men are being called to ordained ministry and other roles of social, political, and religious leadership. Feminist theology applies a “hermeneutic of suspicion” to Scripture, history, ecclesiology, theology, ethics, bringing to light the structures and practices that have been built and shaped by a misogynist bias and a sexist agenda. Feminist theology uncovers where faith is violent to women and where it is liberative for all. Important in our understanding of feminist theology will be the strong relationship that exists between the religious grounds for violence against women and violence against other marginalized groups and the environment.

Lent 2010

Greg Mobley, Professor of Christian Bible at Andover Newton Theological School, presented our Lenten adult education series on the Hebrew prophet Elijah. Elijah, Jezebel, “the still small voice,” “a band of angels coming after me,” “passing the mantle,” all of these cultural artifacts and more, stem from the stories about
the prophet Elijah in the Old Testament books of 1-2 Kings. In conjunction with the adult choir as it presents selections of the cantata “Elijah” by Felix Mendelssohn,

Professor Mobley spoke onn:
February 21   Elijah and the Biblical Prophetic Tradition
February 28   Elijah and Social Justice
March 7            Elijah and the Soul’s Journey
March 14          Interpreting the Text of Mendelssohn “Elijah”

An ordained American Baptist minister, Mobley has a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. He has participated in archaeological excavations in Israel, worked on the Dead Sea Scrolls, and taught at Harvard Divinity School and Union Theological Seminary before coming to Andover Newton in 1997. Mobley is active in Jewish-Christian dialogue and is the author of three books,
including The Birth of Satan (with T. J. Wray) (2005) and The Empty Men: the Heroic Tradition of Ancient Israel (2005).

2010 Epiphany mini-courses

January 10, 17, 24, 31 and February 7

• Faith of our Fathers: facilitated by Michael Chesson
• Global Warming in January: Eco Teams: facilitated by David Damassa
• Food and Faith in Today’s Context: facilitated by Susan Youmans
• Healing in the Landscape of Prayer: facilitated by the Rev. Thomas Brown

 

Highlights of our 2008-2009 Adult Education Programs.

Faith and Science Series

For many faith and science are mutually exclusive when considering God or the Divine. For others, religion and science are simply two different ways of knowing. Many theologians and scientists alike profess both have a place. Perhaps science even confirms spirituality. As Christians, how do we think about this ancient conundrum? Adult Education’s Faith and Science Series beginning April 26 for three Sundays will explore the mysteries of human knowing and believing through thought provoking presentations.

April 26: Faith Reason and the Environment

May 3:     Free Will Through the Lens of Modern Neuroscience

May 10:   Fusion Research, Christian Calling?

The Epiphany Mini-Courses in 2008 began on January 13, and ran for four consecutive weeks. The small group setting of these adult education courses allows for sustained discussion, reflection and personal interaction among participants. We offered the following courses:

Labyrinth Journeys, facilitated by Dottie Guiffre and Eliza R. Ragsdale
“Was Abe Lincoln a Christian?", facilitated by Michael Chesson
The Holy Land Today, facilitated by Connie McGrane and Jack Roll