Zoom Bible Study with Pastor Heidi

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Thanks to your input, we’ve set a day and time for our Zoom Bible discussion: Thursday mornings, 9:30–11:00 a.m. We’ll start next Thursday, May 28.

Zoom Link (available by May 27)

Beforehand, I’ll announce which passage of scripture we’ll discuss. If it’s from Matthew, Mark, or Luke, you’ll be able to pick up a printout showing how each gospel tells the story. Comparing what the different writers write (or choose not to write!) can offer new insight into the meaning of the text.

Here’s my methodology: I start by giving you critical and technical information that might be helpful. Then, together, we tell the story so we get it straight in our heads. Then I ask you a lot of questions. Then we explore how the scripture might be relevant to our personal, church, and political lives.

More Information

Throughout my career, I have used this Walter Wink–inspired method to benefit church members (to learn more about scripture and have a chance to talk about it) and me (to learn more about you so I can make my sermons better). Usually, we will focus on the Gospel lesson for that week’s Sunday service, and I typically use the Gospel text suggested by the Revised Common Lectionary.

See the revised common lectionary here

If the text is Mark, Matthew, or Luke, we will look at Throckmorton’s Gospel Parallels: a Comparison of the Synoptic Gospels. (Any edition is okay.) A printout of the page we will use in the study will be available at church on the Sunday before, along with printouts of upcoming lessons.

Walter Wink, who devised this method, was my teacher. It came to him while he was a student pastor, trying to get high school students interested in the Bible. He shifted from top-down teaching to a Socratic method. He asked many questions, and the kids could come up with their own answers. All comments were acceptable! Walter was influenced by Jungian psychology and used the arts to expand our understanding. The arts part is a little hard to do online, but we will try!

When I was at Peace Prez in St. Louis Park, we had a lot of fun with this online class. Gail Hall used to Zoom in and participate. If you have any questions, ask her!