Did you know that there's a lively scholarly debate going on right now about virtually every major doctrine in the Christian faith?

Pastor Shelli will resume our Tuesday Discussions this academic year, focusing on major topics in systematic theology. One session will be offered each quarter, and each session will last four weeks.

In the fall, we discussed the doctrine of God. We explored divine attributes such as omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, and eternality. We also talked about God’s relationship to the world, including questions of divine providence and human freedom. Here’s a link to the full discussion series!

In the winter, we turned to the doctrine of the Trinity, with all of the different and intricate ways it has been imagined over the centuries. Did you know there’s a doctrine of the immanent Trinity, a doctrine of the essential Trinity, and a doctrine of the economic Trinity? We learned about what the differences are, along with what it means to say that there are three “persons,” how these “persons” are related to one another, and what it means to say that there are “processions” and “missions” within the Trinity. Here’s a link to the full discussion series!

In the spring, we talked about Jesus of Nazareth. What does it mean to say that he is the incarnate God? What is his relation to the doctrine of the Trinity? And how do people think about his person and work? In other words, how does he actually bring about salvation or redemption or recreation? Here’s a link to the full discussion series!

In the summer, we’ll discuss the Holy Spirit. Who or what is the Holy Spirit, and how is “she” or “it” related to God, Christ, and the Church? What is the function of the Holy Spirit, and how are we Christians indwelt, comforted, and led by the Holy Spirit? These discussions will take place every Tuesday evening from May 20 to June 10. Sign up here!

Pastor Shelli gave a brief talk on her Christianity for a Jewish school group as part of an interfaith program. Watch it here!

Please make plans to join us for these online discussions and invite your friends. Systematic theology is Pastor Shelli’s academic expertise, having written a book on the doctrine of the Trinity and a book offering a systematic presentation of Friedrich Schleiermacher’s theology in relation to constructive theologies. If you or your friends are interested in learning some of the basics of Christian theology, you won’t want to miss these discussions.