Bible & Religion
Healing and Christianity
Kristy Christian, M.A.R., visiting Bible scholar
There are at least 40 distinct instances of healing recorded in the four gospels, but this by no means represents the total. Many references summarize the healings of large numbers of people. John’s Gospel concludes with this statement: “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (21:25). This course will explore the importance of healing in Jesus’ ministry and in our own lives. Discover the inspiration that underlies Jesus’ healing work which will enable us to follow more closely his example.
9:05 - 9:55am, two-week course
19th-Century American Religion
Amy Black Voorhees, M.A., visiting Bible scholar
This course will give you an understanding of a core group of major religious trends in 19th-century America. We will consider new and continuing movements such as Mormonism, theosophy, Judaism, Catholicism, liberal and orthodox Christianities, and Christian Science. We will look at each group’s theology, major figures associated with the various movements, and the societal conditions around their development.
10:10 – 11:00am, one-week course,
offered first week only
Christianity in Colonial America
Amy Black Voorhees, M.A., visiting Bible scholar
This course will cover the transatlantic movement of Christianity to the American colonies. You will gain a comprehensive view of the main Christian denominations in colonial times, including Presbyterians, dissenting Anglicans (later called Puritans), Catholics, and many others. We will focus on the basic theologies of these groups, how they interacted with indigenous groups such as the Iroquois and Algonquins, and how they evolved in the Revolutionary era. This course is a helpful precursor to understanding the religious influences in early 19th-century New Hampshire.
10:10 – 11:00am, one-week course,
offered second week only
Christian Science
Institutional Ministry
Michael Hamilton, M.Div., Th.M.,
assistant professor of religion
Be inspired by the pioneer Christian Scientists working in institutional ministries — prisons, the military, and mental hospitals. We’ll learn about the history of these fields. What have chaplains, wartime workers, and others accomplished under challenging circumstances to meet the spiritual needs of men, women, and children over the last 100+ years? We’ll examine the state of these ministries today. What has remained the same? What has changed in institutional work and military chaplaincy? What are the challenges of the 21st century, and how will we respond to them?
11:15am – 12:05pm, two-week course
“Grace Be Unto You”
Kristy Christian, M.A.R., visiting Bible scholar
How often do we read those comforting words in the Bible? The phrase is found many times in Paul’s epistles as part of his greeting to the Christian community. Explore why the quality of grace is so important to a follower of Jesus, and how expressing that quality changes our lives and thus helps to transform the world. This course will look closely at the theme of grace in the Scriptures and help participants gain a deeper understanding of its meaning not only for first-century Christians but for us today as well.
2:15 – 3:05pm, two-week course
Faith and Film
Michael Hamilton, M.Div., Th.M.,
assistant professor of religion
What does faith have to do with film, or film with religion and spirituality? This class will investigate these and other questions while viewing, writing in class, and discussing film. We might ask, Can film be an image translating the divine to human perception? Is it sometimes only a “graven image,” a distortion of perception? It must have something to do with the lens — not on the camera, but the inner camera operative in the hearts and thinking of writers, directors, technicians, designers, editors, and actors. If there’s an angle, a word, a voice — any opportunity for the spiritual to shine through — it will do so, sometimes in unexpected ways.
3:20 – 4:10pm, two-week course
