Bloy House (Episcopal Theological School at Los Angeles) is offering several new online four-week noncredit classes this fall for church members.
The fee for each course is $50, and all will be held via Zoom.
Course offerings and presenters are:
Gabriel Ferrer and Gary Hall
TUESDAYS, SEPTEMBER 7, 14, 21, 28, 7 p.m.
One Nation, Under God: Understanding Christian Nationalism
The Rev. Gabriel Ferrer and the Very Rev. Canon Gary Hall
Christian nationalism can be defined as a belief that the United States is largely shaped by its Anglo-Protestant past, that the government should take active steps to ensure that Christianity continues to hold a privileged position in the public square, and by the fear that the country will lose both its identity and its freedom if it does not preserve its religious and cultural inheritance. In four weekly one hour discussions, the class will examine some of the historical roots and current thoughts of this world view, and how, with the help of technology, it has come to play a significant role in both current political thought and religious culture.
Gabriel Ferrer is dean of Deanery Two and rector of St. Martin’s in Winnetka. Gary Hall is interim dean of Bloy House and former dean of Washington National Cathedral.
Robert Lee
THURSDAYS, SEPTEMBER 9, 16, 23, 30, 7 p.m.
For Such a Time as This: Modern Public Theology
The Rev. Robert W. Lee, MTS
The rise of modern public theology and the voice of progressive faith leaders can be directly traced to the election of Donald Trump and subsequent events. This course seeks to help learners create a space for conversation in their parishes for both conversation surrounding faith and policy issues while also giving tools for having those conversations beyond the platitudes of polarizing conflict. Borrowing from Diana Butler Bass, William Barber, and Jack Jenkins, we will trace the roots of modern public theology along with what the movement means for the future.
Rob Lee is an ordained Methodist pastor pursuing a Ph.D. in Theology. He is nationally prominent through his social media posts, podcasts, and appearances on MTV.
Susan Brown
THURSDAYS, OCTOBER 7, 14, 21, 7 p.m.
Aging and Ageism
Susan Brown, Episcopal Communities and Services
What are the assumptions we make about aging? Are those assumptions cross-cultural, or do they differ within the very diverse Diocese of Los Angeles? What are the facts of aging from the perspectives of employment, health and medicine, spirituality, charitable giving? What does ageism look like and to what degree might we have “introjected” biases about both younger and older people? What is the connection to “ableism”? What would a cross-generational, diversely-abled Jesus Movement” look like, and how might we get there?
This four-week, one hour course will explore the questions above and probably many others, as we survey together both our attitudes about age and the particular picture of our own communities. It is the first of a series to be offered from Fall 2021 through Spring 2023, with additional topics to include Dementia; Ministry to Older Adults; Death and Dying.
Susan Brown administers the By Your Side program of Episcopal Communities and Services.
Kirk Smith
TUESDAYS, OCTOBER 5, 12, 19, 26, 7 p.m.
Medieval Women Mystics
The Rt. Rev. Kirk Smith
Bishop and medieval scholar Kirk Smith brings his class on medieval women mystics previously taught at Yale, General Theological Seminary, and Virginia Theological Seminary to Bloy House in October. Each week will focus on a woman mystic from the Middle Ages. The perfect course for those who want to explore the roots of Christian mystical prayer practice or deepen their understanding of the life of prayer.
Kirk Smith is retired Bishop of Arizona. He holds a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Cornell. In retirement he has taught at Berkley Divinity School at Yale, General Theological Seminary, and Virginia Theological Seminary.
To register for any of the above classes, click here.