The Bethlehem Seminar
An introduction to public theology
The Bethlehem Seminar
Spend a weeknight or Saturday morning for a “how-to” crash course about what public theology is all about. Marcia will host an agape meal/dinner with a “table-chat” sermon and communion. We can pray, listen, learn, and break bread together, although we may be physically apart due to COVID-19. The Spirit brings us together. The group fully participates by discussing the gospel reading together. Members of the group will read our Bible passages aloud and lead the prayers of the people.
After our service, we will explore our First Amendment rights of free exercise of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Afterwards, we explore what churches groups can say and do in the public square. Small groups will review case studies involving the IRS rules for charities and political activities.
We need to understand our call to public mission. We will discuss the call of Moses in the Hebrew Testament. Following that, we will explore Jesus’ call to public ministry on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection.
Next, we will talk about what it means to work together as the Body of Christ. Each of us has a call, special gifts of the Spirit, skills, aptitudes, knowledge, and training. Understanding what these are individually and collectively empowers us to do exponentially more to usher in the reign of God.
Your take-aways from The Bethlehem Seminar:
- You will be able to give a definition of political theology that is easy to remember to anyone who asks.
- You will be able to describe two foundational biblical stories about the primary political theologians of the Bible, Moses and Jesus. You will be able to explain our call to political theology by applying the Call of Moses, and Jesus’ Call to the followers on The Road to Emmaus.
- You will be able to describe what rights the First Amendment gives us and how we can use them as individuals and through charitable work.
- You will be able to explain why it is vital that we understand our personal and group sources of power through personality inventories and asset-mapping.
- You will be able to identify a special skill that you bring to Christ’s table to do mission through political theology.
In Bethlehem, our Savior was born thus beginning God’s incarnation on earth.
In The Bethlehem Seminar our mission as political theologians begins . . .