This online class introduces biblical Hebrew for the sake of Old Testament preaching, teaching, and personal study. Students will learn the Hebrew alphabet, essential Hebrew grammar, and important theological vocabulary, and they will become familiar with online tools and resources. The class will be fun, engaging, and enriching for all who desire a deeper understanding of Hebrew Scripture in its original language.

This course addresses the theological questions prompted by the experience of mental health
issues, as well as the practical pastoral concerns involved in addressing psychological disorder. It
will consider broad theological themes of embodiment, experience, language, healing, and the
church, deepening concepts of what it means to be human in order to better address the complex questions raised by mental health issues. These discussions will frame engagement with particular modes of suffering including depression, anxiety, psychosis, bipolar, addiction(s), and eating disorders. Readings will be drawn from leading theologians as well as clinical literature, and lectures will add a further level of reflection by introducing key philosophical concepts and questions from the field of phenomenological psychopathology.

This course fulfils either the theology or practical ministry elective for students in the Priesthood or Diaconate Certificate.

This course is for all pastoral caregivers, for those who are fulfilling a call to tend to the sick, and those who make pastoral visitations in your congregation.

The New Testament is clear that the proclamation of God’s Reign (or Kingdom) is at the heart of the Good News. But what exactly did Jesus mean when he preached that message? And what connection (if any) is there between what Jesus preached and the communities of Jesus followers that Paul established? What can our study of this teaching mean for our churches today? These are the questions that we will explore in this class by reading key passages from the Gospels and Paul’s letters, as well as current scholarship related to these questions.

This ten-week course, taught by Dr. Joshua Davis, will be offered via Zoom on Mondays from 5:30 – 6:30 pm EST beginning June 3rd and ending August 5th. The enrollment fee is $150 to audit or $375 to receive course credit.

This course will explore concepts of race and ethnicity in the Hebrew Bible in three ways: 1. Analyzing concepts of race/ethnicity in biblical materials in the context of the ancient world. 2. Reading biblical interpreters who foreground ethnic identity in their interpretation of biblical texts. 3. Histories of how the Bible has been used in discussions of race in the US. Throughout the course, students will have opportunities to reflect theologically on how race impacts their own reading of the Bible and the theological resources of the Bible for racial reconciliation.

In this course, we will look again at what key parts of the New Testament have to say about the assemblies of Jesus’ disciples, which we call the church. We will explore what these assemblies were, what they did, and why they did it. Throughout our time together, we will ask the question: What does this mean for the issues our churches are facing today?

This four-week course, taught by Dr. Joshua Davis, will be offered via Zoom on Wednesdays from 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST. The course will meet May 8, 15, 22, and 29.

Register on the People’s Theology Eventbrite

Scripture counsels Christians to pray without ceasing. However, finding a practice of prayer that works, that draws us closer to God, can be difficult. This series will explore four Christian practices of prayer. We will explore the scriptural, historical, and theological underpinnings of each form of prayer and then have a chance to pray together using the practice. The goal of this series is not only informational, but practical.

• Jan. 17 – The Daily Office: How to pray like a monk in everyday life
• Jan. 24 – Lectio Divina: How to pray with scripture
• Jan. 31 – Ignation Contemplation: How to enter into scripture through prayer
• Feb. 7 – The Daily Examen: How to see God’s presence in everyday life

Register on the How to Pray Eventbrite

Sacred Ground: A Film-Based Dialogue Series on Race & Faith

Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity.

The 11-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.

The sessions will be held on Thursday evenings from 7-8:30 pm eastern. The orientation and introduction will be on Thursday, January 4. The 11-sessions are: January 11, 25, February 8, 22, March 7, 21, April 4, 18, and May 9, 23, 30. Meetings will all occur on the same Zoom link. The resources, readings, and discussion guides will be sent out before the Zoom session.

Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is open to all, and especially designed to help white people talk with other white people. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.

Register on the Sacred Ground Eventbrite.

This Sacred Ground offering is co-sponsored by the Stevenson School for Ministry, the Dismantling Racism Commission of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, and the Bishop Nathan Baxter Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians.