Making Sense of the Bible – A 6-session Series on How Methodists Interpret Scripture
Beginning the week after Easter, we are excited to offer and engage in a church-wide study on the ways Methodists read and interpret scripture. This 6-session series will utilize videos and the 2014 book Making Sense of the Bible by Rev. Adam Hamilton of Church of the Resurrection UMC in Leawood, Kansas—the largest United Methodist congregation in the world.
As denominations all over the world have continued to experience deep divisions over universal and social issues, the underlying debate often hinges on the ways we read and interpret scripture in our theological tradition. In our 6-session series hosted by the AHUMC pastors, we will address challenging biblical themes and wrestle with such questions as:
- How and when was the Bible written?
- Who decided which books made it into the scriptures and why?
- How literally must we read it?
- Why does God seem so violent?
- Why would Paul command women to "keep silent in the church"?
- How does God view human sexuality?
- Is the Book of Revelation a description of the end of the world?
Our prayer for this journey is that we will grow together toward a deeper appreciation of the Bible and the life-changing and life-giving Spirit within.
Beginning with Sunday, April 11th, there will be multiple ZOOM and in-person options through which to participate in the Making Sense of the Bible series. Registration at www.ahumc.org/courses is free and books can be purchased through major online retailers or from pastor Darrell Smith.
Our church-wide study will conclude with an outdoor dinner and round-table discussion with all the AHUMC pastors on Sunday, May 23rd at 6:00pm. If you have questions or need more information about this course, please contact Dr. Darrell Smith at dsmith@ahumc.org. We look forward to partnering with you on this journey!
