Finally got there again! I had missed 2 classes to attend other events, and there were 2 weeks without class, so this class was the first one in 4 weeks for me.
This class was not only about the Holy Spirit, it was also about atonement and the various ways it has been misunderstood, and that led into some discussion about other denominations, and how to make sense of things that are hard to figure out.
In this class, I learned:
Read the rest of this news item »
This question stems from the textbook chapter for class #6. It’s not actually the focus topic for that class. (I’m pretty sure the text and pastor would answer “Yes!” - loud and clear - to the question above). But this question leaps out for me from some of the text’s statements. Below, I’ll go through the hot spots in the text, & my thoughts and reactions, and I would be very interested to hear what others think about this question & topic.
Read the rest of this news item »
Another surprise - this class session was kind of enjoyable! I can pick out a few contributing factors.
First, the pastor provided a quite human touch this time (telling personal stories of being a regular guy, calling several people by name - including me - even though we’re no longer wearing name tags) - he was personable, warm, and funny. Last time, he was more serious, more…judgmental, it seemed. (Though this time he might have been chastising one woman student, a church member, in some things he said to a student who seems to be her husband - I couldn’t tell.)
The pastor also said some things in this session that I agreed with and/or appreciated, always a good way for the teacher to get a good rating. (Though there were certainly also some pretty conservative stances stated, and an occasional reminder that we’re all sinners with a pointed glance at me, but I’ve come to expect that.)
This time, there wasn’t any teaching that really surprised me - last week provided quite enough, shifting the groundwork for what I expect to hear in this class. So far the new groundwork is holding steady.
The pastor also gracefully and humorously acknowledged in class my corrections of some of his scripture citations, which was embarassing but (truth be told) did provide some positive feedback for me…which I’m sure will be knocked down next time ;-)
The topic at this class was the Ten Commandments, #6-10 (according to the Lutheran numbering).
Read the rest of this news item »
Wow. I thought I was getting a sense of where this pastor’s, and this church’s, beliefs come from: Bible-based, literal, OK — I thought I knew what that meant. Hoooo boy did this topic toss me a big surprise. This is not what I’d read & heard about the Ten Commandments before. (Read on & see how it compares to your understanding of them…)
Here are the main points that I learned from class #4:
Read the rest of this news item »
Class was a little different this time. My 8-year-old son came with me (he was great, but his being there distracted me) and the main topic was angels — mostly fallen angels (something I’ve not read into or thought much about, so actually a bit more interesting for me, but also harder for me to follow).
There were fewer people there this time; the pastor said several were sick, and some had other commitments, but they’d be back. The student-member who had asked about Old v. New Earth creationism at the last class was not there. We sat in the back corner this time, and I couldn’t hear most of the (few) questions from other students.
One other thing seemed different to me - on several occasions during this class, the pastor made positive or accepting comments about non-Christians. I have no idea whether this was for my benefit, or would have occurred anyway. (Not that he didn’t also say we’re spiritually dead and will spend eternity in hell, but then that’s fact as far as he’s concerned.)
The class structure was: (1) review of the homework questions in the text on God and creation; (2) angels (especially fallen angels); and (3) sin.
Read the rest of this news item »
The second class session had 3 topics: (1) review of the prior week’s lesson, (2) lesson on God, and (3) lesson on creation (actually, anti-Darwinism, discussed in 2 parts below). My after-class discussion with the pastor follows at the end.
One observation, after 2 classes: I can’t begin to share this pastor’s beliefs, but I have been repeatedly impressed (in a positive way) with how certain and content he seems in his faith, and how readily he has answers for questions. Read the rest of this news item »
This article by Eliza was previously posted on this blog as Class #1. Eliza plans to post more about this class on CatE in subsequent weeks.
Well, I did it. Last Thursday night I went to the first (of 15) classes in a series offered at a local Lutheran church. I’ve written up the first class experience below; to cut to the chase (for those who want the Cliffs Notes version) it was educational in exposing me to:
I do plan to go back, though if the pastor stares at me every time he mentions the Devil, it may get uncomfortable. (Truth be told, I have already sinned in his eyes: I have read ahead in the text booklet, which we were warned not to do. But I did it after class.)
The longer version follows:
Read the rest of this news item »
Well, I did it. Last Thursday night I went to the first (of 15) classes in a series offered at a local Lutheran church. I’ve written up the first class experience below; to cut to the chase (for those who want the Cliffs Notes version) it was educational in exposing me to:
I do plan to go back, though if the pastor stares at me every time he mentions the Devil, it may get uncomfortable. (Truth be told, I have already sinned in his eyes: I have read ahead in the text booklet, which we were warned not to do. But I did it after class.)
The longer version follows:
Read the rest of this news item »
I’m thinking about signing up for an autumn “Adult Information Class” offered by a local Lutheran church, and was wondering what advice you all might give me.
Read the rest of this news item »