with Dr. Mike Hegeman
Sundays | Aug. 25 – Dec. 15 | 9 am | Chapel Library

Faith statements are hard won, borne out of conflict and passion. Throughout the history of the Christian Church, people of faith have sought to express what they believe in difficult and challenging times. In the midst of war, social upheaval, and revolution Christians have articulated the core and continuity of their faith by writing documents known as “confessions.” There is blood on the pages of these confessions; join us as we explore God’s power and hope as blood turns to ink. This fall we will be focusing on the historical context and theology of the confessions adopted by the Presbyterian Church. A few Sundays we’ll have expanded classes at 11:15 am over lunch.

Click here to full schedule, as well as recordings of confessions.

EXPANDED CLASSES:

Looking Deeper into the Confessions: The Apostles’ Creed
Sunday, Sept. 8 | 11:15 am | Fellowship Hall, Rm. 2
In the first two centuries of the Christian church, people of faith faced persecution from without and divisions from within. Arguments about what to believe about God, Jesus, and the Bible nearly tore the church apart. This creed sought to unify Christians around a core understanding of faith to find unity to survive chaotic and dangerous times. There is a big story here, join us to learn more!

Looking Deeper into the Confessions: Confession of 1967
Sunday, Oct. 13 | 11:15 am | Fellowship Hall, Rm. 2
The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was both tumultuous and painful. The strain on our nation and our churches was great and took us close to a breaking point. Throughout history, the church finds itself standing in the midst of chaos with an attempt to declare faith against threatening evil. This was the first confession of faith in three centuries born out of the turbulent time where churches were encouraged to restate their faith in standing up to injustice. The key insight of this confession is “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself.” Join us to learn more about this important statement of faith and its application for us today.

Looking Deeper into the Confessions: Belhar Confession
Sunday, Nov. 17 | 11:15 am | Fellowship Hall Rm. 2
Apartheid in South Africa feels like it was in the long distant past and seems somewhat shocking to our modern consciousness. How did a confession come out of that time, and why is it a part of our church today? The Belhar Confession was written by church leaders as a way to respond to the sinfulness of apartheid that disrupted the church’s unity, created division among the children of God, and constructed unjust systems that steal life from God’s creation. The result is a striking declaration of faith which is as relevant today as it was when it was written.