The Scriptures are full of symbols, metaphors and ideas that don't make a lot of sense to our modern ears. From the evil of the oceans and living water to temples and gods, much of the language we find in the Scriptures points to a worldview very different from 21st century America. In this class, J…
What's the Big Idea concludes by exploring what New Creation looks like in the face of Apocalypse. We learn what it looks like to live between Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
How does Jesus reenact both the Exodus and the Exile? And what does that mean for those of us living in the wake of the American Dream today?
Exodus and Exile. Beginning and End. Creation and Apocalypse. How do these two events frame and shape Israel's story?
What does it look like to share Jesus' Table well? And what are we really tempted to worship in our culture today?
How did sacrifices frame the worship of the ancient Israelites? The metaphor of the Table helps us understand God's desire for the lives of his people. We look at idols, other gods and who really gets all the glory.
What happens to the symbol of the Temple in the New Testament? And how is talking about the Temple relevant in today's world?
For Ancient Israel, the Temple was a microcosm of the whole universe. It also represented the house and the body. Why? How did worship at the Temple help Israel stay faithful to God?
The Sea in the Ancient World embodied the danger of a world grounded in combat. Today, the culture around us tells a story of an indifferent, hostile world. Where does this story come from? Where does it show up in popular culture? And how can...
What did the Sea mean to an ancient person? What kinds of ideas and emotions were connected to the symbol of Sea?
What is a Symbolic Universe? What kinds of symbols do we live in? And how can we begin to understand the symbolic world of the Bible?