Why did Jesus happen when he happened? Why the tiny, obscure villages around the Sea of Galilee? What were the priorities of Jesus’ original message? How does Roman imperial theology continue to subvert Jesus’ message to this day? The consideration of these and many other questions feature in the discussion series, First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom of God at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church. Twelve evening sessions will begin on Thursday, November 29th at 6:30pm and will continue each Thursday (with a break for Christmas) through the end of February.
Travel Back in Time to Jerusalem and The Galilee
First Light is a 12-session series focusing on the historical Jesus with two of the world’s leading Jesus scholars and members of the Jesus Seminar, John Dominic Crossan and the late Marcus Borg. Each session includes DVD segments filmed on location throughout the Galilee and Jerusalem and is supported by a participant reader by Dom Crossan, who says: “[First Light] is all I have to say about Jesus after half a century of study — in succinct summary.”
Pastor David Felten, one of the co-creators of the series, will facilitate this in-depth study aimed at exposing participants to Biblical and historical details that are taught in our seminaries but which seldom trickle down to congregations. Sessions will be held in the sanctuary of The Fountains at 15300 N. Fountain Hills Blvd. Suggested tuition for this twelve (12) week series is $20. Contact the office to register: 480.837.7627. Those who register ahead will receive a participant guide via email or mail so they can prepare for the first session.
Join us for stimulating input, great conversation, and a liberating view of Christianity. Childcare is available upon request – call the office (480.837.7627).
Schedule for First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom of God (Thursdays at 6:30pm):
- Nov. 29th 1. The Matrix of Jesus
- Dec. 6th 2. The Advent of the Messiah
- Dec. 13th 3. God’s Great Cleanup
- (break for two weeks)
- Jan 3rd 4. Collaborative Eschaton
- Jan 10th 5. The Lake as the World
- Jan 17th 6. Parables as Lures
- Jan 24th 7. Jesus as Lord
- Jan 31st 8. Substitutionary Atonement?
- Feb 7th 9. Demonstrations in Jerusalem
- Feb 14th 10. The Crowd & the Crucifixion
- Feb 21st 11. Resurrection as Resistance
- Feb 28th 12. America as the New Rome