Forums: Way of the Cross
Our forum series in Lent unpacks Christian doctrine related to the journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday
Our clergy leads this four-part series helping us walk the way during Lent, with sessions on repentance, atonement, judgment, and resurrection. Our Lenten reading selections are below.
Sunday, March 1: Way of the Cross--Repentance
The Rev'd Geoffrey Hoare begins with a discussion of repentance: what is its biblical meaning and what does it mean for us today?
Sunday, March 8: Way of the Cross--Judgment
The Rev'd Emily Griffin unpacks the meaning of judgment in the Bible, from the Old Testament to the book of Revelations in this second session of our Lenten series.
Sunday, March 15: Way of the Cross--Atonement
The Rev'd Jim Quigley explores the biblical understanding of atonement and the role it plays in today's world.
Sunday, March 22: Way of the Cross--Resurrection
The Rev'd Yoimel Gonzalez leads this final session in our Lenten series, which looks at the resurrection and our understanding of it in our lives.
Sunday, March 29: Lenten Book Groups
We’ve chosen four books for the season of Lent this year. During the adult forum hour on March 29, readers will gather to discuss the texts they have read. Purchase these books by your own means (titles link to Amazon) and e-mail Jim Quigley with your choice so that we can determine the appropriate size meeting places to accommodate the discussions.
Holy Envy: Barbara Brown Taylor
The renowned and beloved New York Times bestselling author of An Altar in the World and Learning to Walk in the Dark recounts her moving discoveries of finding the sacred in unexpected places while teaching the world’s religions to undergraduates in rural Georgia, revealing how God delights in confounding our expectations (An obvious choice for us as BBT will be with us on March 7!).
A Lens of Love: Jonathan L. Walton
A Lens of Love helps Christians to read and interpret the Bible morally and confidently as they engage society's pressing issues. Walton provides interpretive tools to help understand the context of the Scriptures along with the Scriptures themselves in order to engage the richness of the Bible as they strive to live in the world in a biblically grounded, theologically sound, and socially responsible way. A Lens of Love will be a great read for those who have participated in St. Alban’s Sunday and Wednesday morning Bible studies.
Being Human: Bodies, Minds, Persons: Rowan Williams
Because we were recently graced with the presence of the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, this too was an easy choice for a Lenten discipline for the people of St. Alban’s. In Being Human, Rowan wonders: What is consciousness? Is the mind a machine? What makes each of us a person? How do our bodies relate to our minds? In this deeply engaging exploration of what it means to be human, Rowan Williams addresses these frequently asked questions with lucid meditations that draw from findings in neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, and literature. Then he presses on to ask, might faith be necessary to human flourishing? If so, why? And how can a traditional Christian practice—namely, silence—help us advance on the path to human maturity?
This Child of Faith: Raising a Spiritual Child in a Secular World , by Sophfronia Scott and her son Tain Gregory
This Child of Faith is of particular interest to parents and all who are invested in the faith lives of young people. It is a relatively quick read, provides an easily relatable narrative, and offers a number of suggestions for nurturing the faith of the children in our lives. Whether or not you agree with every suggestion or insight of the authors, the book does help us to reflect on our own faith histories and the experiences of our children. Join parishioner Jennifer Gartin on Sunday, March 29 (location TBD) for a discussion of the book and a sharing of ideas.