​Sunday Adult Formation: A Way into the Heart of Things

Sunday, March 19, 2023, 9:30 AM

Sunday Adult Formation: A Way into the Heart of Things

starting Sunday, Feb 26, 9:30-10:15, library and on Zoom

A way into the heart of things – Part 1: OUR Suffering & Death (Feb 26-Mar 12)

We humans have an inborn desire to avoid suffering and to seek comfort, if not outright pleasure. We resist the pain and anguish caused by the various blows we suffer in life, such as failures, losses, and even the struggles that come with the normal transitions of life. Yet these events and experiences are the primary triggers that mold our characters and expand our spiritual awareness. They are the road for clarifying our values and the opening of our hearts. Without life’s “slings and arrows,” we are likely to remain spiritually small and stilted. This class for the first half of Lent, led by Art France, explores these different troubling experiences and the value of facing them, even in the face of strenuous internal and external protestations. It appears the cliché, “no pain, no gain,” actually does express some wisdom.

A way into the heart of things – Part 2: JESUS’ Suffering & Death (Mar 19-Apr 2)

The class for the second half of Lent, led by Denny Clark, theologically wrestles specifically with Jesus’ suffering and death, and with how that relates to the shared human experience of suffering and death which we ALL encounter. Was Jesus saved from suffering/death? Does Jesus save us from suffering/death? Apparently ‘No’ … and ‘No.’ SO, what do we mean when we speak of Jesus as “Savior,” as we Christians often do? How do we unpack our own theological affirmations and clichés? What is the significance of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection? Let’s talk!