So, this will be a "virtual" study group--
instead of meeting at the church
on a particular day
at a particular time,
we'll be "meeting" here
whenever we are able to check in.
The idea is
we'll study the same material,
during the same week,
and process it together-- here.
The first thing to do is to go to www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/dimensions and check out the study called "Creation, Covenant and Kings." We're beginning at the beginning with Genesis. Register for the free course-- you can download the first lesson and set aside some time this week to listen to the first lecture.
6 comments:
Anybody out there?
Hi, Alison
I am interested in participating in
discussions of the Old Testament.
I expect to start my Gordon-
Conwell course this week which is
a challenge---Doug Stuart sets a
high standard. However, I'll also
download and read the free
material you've suggested.
Woody Sunday September 30th.
Hi to all,
Last night I went to Boston University to hear Elie Wiesel,
the Nobel Peace winner, speak on
aspects of Jewish religious
beliefs and practices. Very interesting to learn how they
approach an understanding of their
religious wisdom. Basically they rely more on the telling of stories
about people's experiences and
their encounters with God and his
representatives (angels). This emphasis on verbal teaching with stories of human activities as differentiated from the written word of the Bible was new to me and
I enjoyed being exposed to it.
Next Monday night, at 7 pm, Prof.
Wiesel is speaking again on the
"Jewishness" of Jesus and I plan
to go. Please join me if you are
interested---it is free.
Woody Pratt
Hi,
Had a good week with the Old
Testament and plan to write
something further next week.
Woody
Hi,
It was very interesting to hear
Professor Wiesel speak about Jesus
and his personal perception that
Jesus,in His day and time, was a
practicing Jew. There is no need
to argue this point as we all know
that the natural,human heritage of
Jesus is as fully described in the
Old Testament which we are
studying.
The important thing to appreciate
is we, Christians, now clearly see
Jesus as the long promised
Messiah, the Son of God, as
presented to us in the New
Testament and which,in turn, has
brought us to declare ourselves to
be Christians!
Professor Wiesel, and those of the
Jewish faith, have accepted Jesus
as Jewish but have not taken the
step of accepting His divinity as
the Messiah,which would lead to
their becoming Christians.
Nevertheless, in my mind, this
makes me feel as if we ought to
acknowledge the Jews as related to
us in a special way----somewhat
like cousins of ours.
As Christians we should claim this
strong Judeo-Christian heritage of
ours and, thru study of both the
Old and New Testaments learn how
to best live out our lives out in
honor of God.
Woody
Hi,
This past weekend, in lieu of wading thru the snowstorm to church, I listened to Doug Stuart, a professor of the Old Testament at
Gordon-Conwell Theological School,
talk (on a CD disc) on the some aspects of the Old Testament. I found his comments enlightening.
Point One: It is Professor Stuart's interpretation that tithing of 10% of one's income is not a New Testament requirement but is a person's choice What
he has found though is that those who do adopt tithing as an expression of their committment to our Christian Way become better, stronger, more solid Christians as they accept the discipline and sacrifice required to tith consistently. In other words, while tithing is not required it has a very positive effect on those that do. I'd enjoy hearing from those who have had this experience.
Point Two:
Professor Stuart indicates that he
interprets the two major commnandments to love God and to love our neighbors as meaning to be loyal to God and loyal to our neighbors. I felt this was a very
helpful slant on these Christian
Commandments. It gave me a better
sense of why Job behaved as he did---he was being loyal! It makes me
feel better when I think about some
neighbors I have had who were not
loveable people---I certainly did
not "love" them and yet I could be
loyal to them as fellow citizens of
my community. This emphasis on being loyal to God and to his people, and to all that God has created, is a refreshing way of looking at life for me. What do
you think?
Woody Pratt
Thursday, December 20th, 2007
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