Gospels as Quest Course at UUSD to start Oct. 1
The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware announced that Dr. Len Bowman will conduct a five-session course on The Gospels as Quest. The course is an introduction to the Christian religion for those not yet familiar with that tradition. For those already familiar with the gospels, it can provide refreshing and enriching insights into the distinctive worldview and message of each gospel. This course is adapted from a course Bowman taught in the noncredit Odyssey program at Johns Hopkins University.
The course will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Mondays, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 at UUSD, 30486 Lewes-Georgetown Highway, Lewes.
The story of Jesus is at the core of the Christian religion. Jesus was a preacher and healer in Palestine around the year 30 CE. Disciples gathered around him until authorities, both Roman and Jewish, perceived him as a threat. He was arrested and crucified by the Romans. His disciples later testified that he had risen from the dead. Faith in the risen Jesus gradually spread through the Roman empire and beyond. That’s why the story is still remembered and told, and why several short writings emerging from an otherwise insignificant backwater of the Roman empire have managed to survive for two millennia.
In telling this story, however, the gospels present a much more complex picture. Understood historically, they reveal diverse early Christian communities struggling to understand who Jesus was, what he meant, and how they as Christians relate to Jesus. Out of their struggle emerges a spectrum of insights into Jesus, ranging from an earthy apocalyptic preacher to a mystical embodiment of the hidden God. This course pursues that quest, starting with the less well-known (apocryphal) Gospel of Thomas, then entering the world of the earliest “official” gospel, Mark, and moving to Matthew, Luke-Acts, and finally John.
Bowman has taught philosophy and religion for over 40 years, and he currently teaches in the master of liberal arts program of Johns Hopkins University. Bowman’s undergraduate major is philosophy. He holds a master of arts in English literature from the University of Detroit and a PhD in religion and literature from Fordham University.
A one-time $10 donation is requested for the five-week course. Preregistration is not required. Proceeds will support UUSD’s mission to nurture spiritual growth, embrace diversity, work for justice and strive for a loving world. For directions and information about UUSD, go to www.uussd.org. For more information about the course, contact Len Bowman at AdultEducation@uussd.org.
