Five Sundays in August – Five Big Questions
11:30
am
in the Meade Room
Sundays in August, the clergy
and lay staff will be offering a forum series called
The Big
Questions. What does our faith have to
say about issues of marriage, money, or life after death? What does
Christian tradition have to say about war or our relationship to people
of other faiths? Come hear what the Bible, the Church Fathers and
Mothers, and contemporary theologians have to say about these issues
that have been so important throughout history and that continue to
challenge us today. Bring your thoughts and your questions to these
conversations, and together we will explore some possible answers to
these questions – as well as all of the additional questions that those
answers raise.
Aug.1
‘Til
death us do part.’ Really? Where is God when we say, ‘I do’?
Why do more than 50 percent of marriages fail? What
does the church say about marriage? What can you tell about a marriage
from the outside? What makes a marriage healthy and long-lasting? And
what does God have to do with all of it? Come with your spouse (or to
find one!) and we'll explore the role of spirituality in marriage today.
Aug. 8
Is
money
really
the root of all evil?
Scripture tells us that the love of money is the root
of all evil. The 5,000 advertising messages we receive each day tell us
we need more of something, or we need a better something, or we need a
particular name brand of something. And yet, we strive to be good
stewards of our resources and conserve and protect the world around us.
How can we make sure our spending is in line with our values? How can we
take the mystery out of money and go from the tightly closed-hand
clenching our dollars to the open hand of abundance and generosity?
Aug. 15
Should
Christians participate in war?
The New Testament and teachings of Jesus seem to
answer this question in the negative. However, human experience does not
necessarily allow for such a definitive answer. Integral to Christian
discussions about the morality of violence and warfare is the “just war”
tradition. But is it the only, best, or most faithful Christian
response? From President Barak Obama’s favorite “philosopher” to an
African bishop in a back-water town, we’ll hear a variety of Christian
voices, explore our own, and struggle to hear God’s will.
Aug. 22
What about
them? What does the church say about
other faiths?
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me” (John 14:6) and the classic position of
Christian theology has been that non-Christians would end up in hell.
Christian thinkers throughout history have challenged this belief and
offered us alternatives ways of understanding different faiths. Should
we be working to convert people of other faiths? Are we all on different
paths to the same goal? We’ll explore these questions and seek to
understand our responsibility and relationship to non-Christians.
Aug. 29
What
happens when we die?
Our Christian faith is grounded in the belief that
Jesus Christ has offered us eternal life in the gift of our baptism. But
what will that eternal life look like, and when does it start? Come
learn what the Bible, Christian tradition, and contemporary theologians
have to say about life after death.