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2012 Courses and
Teachers
1
Comparing the Gospels
Mondays 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Each gospel tells Jesus’ story in its own way.
Why
does it only take Mark 16 chapters, while
Matthew
has 28? Why do Mark and John not mention
Jesus’
birth, while Matthew and Luke tell quite
different
versions? No gospel has Jesus’ “seven last
words
from the cross.” Are such things important?
What
do we see when we lay the four texts
side-by-side
to see what they have in common, and how and
why
they differ and ask “So what?” Could
disagreements
among Christians be older than the New
Testament?
Charles Melchert (Yale, Ph.D.) has been a
professor
for over 40 years, teaching in
universities, seminaries
and schools of educational ministry. He has
taught
the D. Min. Seminar as well as courses in
Bible for
Lancaster Theological Seminary.
2
History of the First Century CE
Mondays 1:00 – 3:00 PM
From a political and religious perspective,
this class
will explore the issues and events of the
first century
CE and how they are still affecting us
today. The
repressive aspects of the Roman Empire
changed
much of the status quo and brought about
wholesale
changes in both political and religious
life.
Dan Sikowitz is a second career rabbi
who has been
the spiritual leader of Congregational
Kol Ami for
five years. He began as their student
rabbi and after
Ordination in May of 2007, began serving
as their first
full time rabbi. Dan enjoys the study
and teaching of
Talmud, liturgy and ethics but most of
all, Dan loves
history, especially Jewish history.
3
American Women of Faith
Mondays 7:00 – 9:00 PM
This course presents an overview of the
lives and
spiritual biographies of selected American
women
of faith who lived in the seventeenth
through the
twenty-first centuries. Included are women
of
faith, such as Kateri Tekakwitha, Sojourner
Truth,
Elizabeth Seton, and Aimee Semple
McPherson.
Stephanie Curran is an instructor in
religion at
four different colleges including Frederick
and
Hagerstown Community Colleges. She has
taught
courses in feminist spirituality and women
in the
Christian tradition. She has a B.A and an
M.Div.
Connie Devilbiss is a college professor,
local author,
and retreat leader. She received the M.S.
and Ph.D.
from Purdue University, an M.A. from
Lutheran
Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from
Wesley
Theological Seminary.
4
Science, Faith, and the Bible
Mondays 7:00 – 9:00 PM
This course will examine how science, faith,
and the
Bible may either remain in conflict or learn
how
to coexist and mutually support each other.
How
is religious faith enhanced by science and how
is
science humbled by the great mystery of the
meaning
of life and spirituality? Besides the
Scriptures, we will
examine the work and thinking of John
Polkinghorne,
Alister McGrath and others.
Raymond Moreland is a retired United Methodist
Minister and was Executive Director of the
Maryland
Bible Society for 14 years. He is an adjunct
faculty
member of Frederick Community College. He has
received the M. Div., the D. Min., the M.A.,
and the
Ph.D. degrees. He is an affiliated lay member
of the
Union of Concerned Scientists. *
5
How Do They Celebrate Their
Holidays?
Mondays 7:00 – 9:00 PM
What do Diwali, Pesach, Vesak, Pascha,
Muharram
and Ayyam-i-Ha have in common? They are all
holy days for members of various faith
communities
here in Frederick. As a way of increasing
our
understanding of the religious landscape of
the local
community, we offer this course which will
bring in
representatives of various faith
traditions. We will
experience their holiday traditions as we
hear of
the origins of the selected holidays and
how they
are celebrated through food and activities.
The faith
traditions to be presented include: Hindu,
Jewish,
Buddhist, Orthodox Christianity, Islam and
Baha’i.
Members of the FSR Board are planning and
coordinating the speakers for this course.
6
Genesis and Psalms
Tuesdays 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Psalms reflected David’s heart and his
soul’s yearning
as he tried to walk before God in every
aspect of his
public and private life. Today Psalms, read
and sung,
serve to lift up to God the emotions of all
those who
seek Him. Esther will also continue to be
in our study,
and Genesis will be added as we move ahead
‘to the
beginning’!
Morris Kosman is Rabbi and retired
spiritual leader of
Beth Sholom Congregation in Frederick where
he has
served for over 40 years. He is a graduate
of Baltimore
Hebrew College, and trained at the
Rabbinical College
in Telshe.
.
7
A New Perspective on Paul
Tuesdays 1:00 – 3:00 PM
The traditional Reformation understanding
was
that Paul argued against a legalistic
Jewish culture
that sought to earn salvation through
works. The
“New Perspective on Paul” asserts that
their works
were done to show that they were God’s
covenant
people and not to earn their salvation.
This new
understanding of 1st Century Judaism thus
requires a
reinterpretation of Paul—and Jesus. This
course will
examine both the traditional view and that
of New
Perspective scholars. *
Larry Eubanks is the pastor of the First
Baptist Church
of Frederick, Maryland. He earned a B.S.
from Baylor
University and a M.Div. and Ph.D. from the
Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary.
8
Life As A Muslim in 21st
Century America
Tuesdays 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Since the events of 9/11, Muslim Americans
have
become the subject of endless discussions
regarding
their role in society. This course will not
only equip
you with a new perspective on the Islamic
faith, but
will also allow you to meet a diverse group
of Muslim
Americans who will tell their stories and
speak about
what it really means to live as a Muslim in
America
today. *
Tarif Shraim is the Muslim Chaplain at the
University
of Maryland. For the past 10 years, he has
taught and
lectured widely about Islam, Islamic
theology, and
spiritual development. He has also helped
coordinate
and start a number of inter-faith programs .
9
The Heart of Christianity
by Marcus Borg
Tuesdays 7:00 – 9:00 PM
The first three sessions in this course will
focus on
the author’s acknowledgement and description
of
the concerns of Christians who question many
of the
traditional beliefs about God, Jesus, and the
Bible.
The final three sessions will focus on his
proposal on
how we can still live as Christians in today’s
world
by practicing the timeless elements of the
Christian
faith involving transformation into people
focused
on “loving God and those that God loves.” *
Bill Bennett is an ordained United Methodist
Deacon
at Middletown United Methodist Church with
responsibility for oversight of missions and
adult
ministry activities. He has received the B.S.,
M.S., and
M.A. degrees.
10
A Creative God
Tuesdays 7:00 – 9:00 PM
In this course we will write, paint, and
compose
music all as part of a discussion on “a
creative God.”
The sessions will focus on how we and the
rest of
humanity experience God in the creative
process.
You do not need to be an artist, writer, or
musician
to participate in the class. Though we will
be doing
all of these things, we only ask that you
share your
experiences: frustrations, insights, and
reflections
during the exercises in the class .
Paul Rose is an artist, writer, composer,
and Methodist
pastor. He has done music for various TV
and movie
projects. As an artist, he specializes in
marine based
artwork. As a writer, Paul published the
book, “The
Sweet Taste of the Bilge.”
*TEXT RECOMMENDED FOR CLASS
The text order form is available from both
the FSR
web site and from:
Gail Ellam
301-663-1067
g_ellam1326@msn.com
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