Christian discipleship is a life-long journey, and faith unfolds in our individual and collective lives much like a well-told story. For support and illumination in that journey we all benefit from reflection, study and the insights and encouragement of others. Christian Education, therefore, is not only for children and youth, but also for adults, as they navigate their way through life in this world. We emphasize adult education at Millburn Church, and we invite you to join us.

Periodic Special Programs.  We offer programs throughout the year. Ordinarily we gather on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. We tend to focus on particular topics, but the discussion always evolves in interesting ways. We have entertained questions like: Who is God? What does the Trinity mean? How might we take faith seriously in light of modern science and other disciplines? Where does our Bible come from? What distinguishes religious liberals and conservatives?

We spent several weeks discussing the religious significance of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, and we took up Marcus Borg’s intriguing and provocative work, The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith. During Lent 2007 Pastor Jed led a discussion based on Walter Brueggemann’s new program, “Countering Pharaoh’s Production-Consumption Society Today,” shedding light on how much the secular culture, especially the consumerism of our modern economy, influences our lives and corrupts our spirituality. During the summer of 2007, we enjoyed a three-week dialogue on Christian responses to the global environmental crisis. We watched Al Gore’s popular film, An Inconvenient Truth, and explored the Scriptures and Church theology in search of a specifically Christian way of addressing global warming and other aspects of the environmental crisis. The class evolved into a catalyst group that will help Millburn Church be part of the solution.

During Lent, 2008, Wayne Nowack led a series of discussions of Christian understandings of atonement. Did God need or require the sacrifice of an innocent Son for us to have atonement/forgiveness? We discussed the “how and why” of Jesus’ death and what one scholar terms “the myth of redemptive violence.”  During Summer, 2008, Pastor Jed led a discussion of an excellent book by William Sloane Coffin titled, “Letters to a Young Doubter.” The book, which was published just before Rev. Coffin’s death in 2006, offers fresh insights on faith and belief that might go a long way in kindling, or re-kindling, a fledgling Christian faith.

During Winter, 2009, Paul Meltzer, Pastor Emeritus of Millburn Church, led a discussion of his program, HOUSEWIVES, HARLOTS AND HEROINES: A STUDY OF WOMEN IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES.”   From Paul’s description: “It is not hard to find examples of women who played central roles in biblical stories:  Sarah, Esther and Jesus’ mother, Mary, to name only three.  One of the least expected places for women’s stories in the Bible is the book of Judges.  All but one of the extended stories in the book of Judges (the story of Gideon) depends on the actions of women who play central roles.  Not all the women in the book of Judges are named. They range from strong wives who counsel and support their spouses as equals to victims of abuse.  Some shape history; others are shaped by circumstances.  Some are heroes; some are villains.  Some have no names; some have famous names.  In other words, these women, though separated from us by more than three thousand years and different cultures and circumstances, have much in common with people of our own era.  They struggled with questions of values and faith with which people still grapple.  As we learn more about these women we are also learning about ourselves and how our faith shapes our lives and our world.”

Sunday Morning Bible Study meets October through May at 9:15 a.m. (between worship services) in the conference room of the new education wing. This year Al Sommer is leading an in-depth study of John’s Gospel. Contact Pastor Jed for more information.

Tuesday Morning Bible Study, led by Pastor Jed, meets September through May from 10 a.m to 11:30 a.m.  This year we are studying the Acts of the Apostles.  As always, the focus is on appreciating the text’s relevance to daily living.  Contact Pastor Jed for more information.

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