Lesson Two: Land Justice Scripture: Genesis 2:7; Leviticus 25:23; 25; 26–27; 28; Deuteronomy 20:16–18; Joshua 6; 1 Kings 21:1–16; Psalm 24:1–2; Isaiah 5:8 Recognizing Our Forebears As we all know, […] The post <i>Let Justice Roll Down</i> Introduction/Lesson Two appeared first on Presbyterian Women ..read more

Lesson One: Environmental Justice Scripture: Ezekiel 33:21; 34:8; 17; 18–19 It has been over ten years since my first environmental Bible study, Inhabiting Eden: Christians, the Bible, and the Ecological […] The post <i>Let Justice Roll Down</i> Introduction/Lesson One Copy appeared first on Presbyterian Women ..read more

Lesson One: Environmental Justice Scripture: Ezekiel 33:21; 34:8; 17; 18–19 It has been over ten years since my first environmental Bible study, Inhabiting Eden: Christians, the Bible, and the Ecological Crisis was published by WJK Press. It has been read by thousands of individuals and studied together by dozens, if not hundreds, of churches and groups. Since much has happened, both encouraging and discouraging, regarding nature and climate change since 2013, I would have considered the book outdated by now. Interestingly, one change has been a greatly increased concern about climate change ..read more

Lesson Nine: People Encounter Jesus Through the Work of the Disciples Scripture: Acts 9:36–43 The community of faith relies on the power of Jesus Christ in times of crisis. The following text is adapted from Fontaine’s article, “Faith in times of crisis.” The citation and link to the article are below. No matter how devastating, irreversible, or hopeless things seem when you are facing a major setback or a life-threatening situation, people of faith can choose to actively trust in the loving and saving grace of Jesus, and refuse to let go of that abiding trust. Faith is not the absence of f ..read more

Lesson Eight: Lydia Encounters Jesus in Worship Scripture: Acts 16:11–15 Baptism connects us to God and the community of faith. The following text is adapted from “How Remembering Your Baptism Can Get You Back on Track,” written by Caitlan Ranger. The citation and link to the article are below. When was the last time you thought about your baptism? If you were baptized, it is likely that this rite was celebrated when you were an infant, so you have no memory of the event. Baptism is not an aspect of our identities that we hold up very often—for most of us, it’s a background fact, like the p ..read more

Lesson Seven: An Ethiopian Eunuch Encounters the Good News of Jesus Christ Scripture: Acts 8:26–40 The Word of God is an essential tool for expanding the reign of God. “We all know the history of the Jews in Egypt and that Joseph and Mary fled there to avoid the wrath of Herod. Most of us also know about the “Ethiopian Eunuch” in Acts 8:27 who was “a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,” and baptized by Philip on his way back to Africa,” writes Rowland Van Es, Jr., educator at St Paul’s University in Limuru, Kenya. The following text is adapted from Van Es’s article, “Afric ..read more

Lesson Six: A Person with a Physical Disability Encounters Jesus Scripture: Acts 3:1–10 “God calls us to affirm that each person is a child of God who should be treated with dignity and equity.” The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990, and, for many, served as an introduction to understanding the challenges persons with disabilities encounter when society fails to see them or to take their needs into account. Over thirty years later, many communities of faith still have much to learn about creating sacred spaces for all. When we are teaching, preaching, and leading, our w ..read more

Lesson Five:A Person with Leprosy Encounters Jesus Scripture: Luke 17:11–21 “Jesus challenges us to overcome our prejudices, embrace others, and invite them into the community of faith.” The Samaritans have lived in the Land of Israel for 3,600 years. Some of us may be familiar with references to the Samaritans in the New Testament, but few of us know who they really are. A new multi-faceted project by the Yeshiva University Center for Israel Studies introduces the Samaritans to a wide and varied audience and explores how they have managed to survive for millennia despite efforts by conquerin ..read more

Lesson Four: Mary and Martha Encounter Jesus Scripture: Luke 10:38–42 “Jesus calls us to value the role of each person in the community of faith” Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675) was a Dutch artist known mainly for his paintings of people in their homes. You may know of his paintings Girl with the Pearl Earring and Young Woman with a Water Pitcher. Vermeer’s genius lay in his ability to capture the soul and inner life of his subjects. He could transfix images in suspended silence, and transform ordinary, everyday images into eternal reflections of feeling and passion. The people in Vermeer’s pain ..read more

Lesson Three: A Bleeding Woman Encounters Christ Scripture: Luke 8:43–48 “Jesus calls us out of the shadows and claims us as his own” Miriam was bleeding. Her wounds, however, were invisible. They were wounds of heartache, fear, and emotional torment. Miriam is a refugee who fled Iraq to the relative safety of Jordan, where her troubles followed her. Miriam’s husband drank. He hit her. Once, in a rage, he tried to stab her to death. Her husband’s family controlled what she ate. Sometimes, she resorted to stealing bread or tomatoes to survive. When she got pregnant, her thin frame could hardly ..read more