Join the Higgins Class as we explore what it means to be a thoughtful Christian!

Class Topics for March:

March 1: Worship 101, part 1

March 8: Worship 101, part 2

March 15: The Da Vinci Code

March 22: Shi'ites and Sunnis: Sibling Rivalry in the Muslim Family

March 29: Biblical Accounts of the Crucifixion, part 1

Class Summaries

Worship 101

Why do Christians worship differently? Session one examines what the Bible teaches Christians about worship and proceeds to explore church space and its contents, including tables or altars, stained glass windows, pews, and pulpits. The second session looks at worship practices and where they originated. These include practices such as the offering, music, passing of the peace, and prayer. Participants will discuss their own church worship and what might make it more meaningful.

The Da Vinci Code

This one-session study assumes the participants have read the book or seen the movie before class. It focuses on issues of Christian history and Christian faith that receive attention in The Da Vinci Code. The study does not attempt to generate a discussion about the novel or the movie as a whole but to offer information about matters that tend to catch the attention of Christians and prompt them to explore the foundations of their faith in greater detail. While the study was originally written about the book, the information is just as relevant for the movie as for the book.

Shi'ites and Sunnis: Sibling Rivalry in the Muslim Family

Although Christians are becoming more familiar with Islam in general, they still have relatively little knowledge about the differences between Sunni and Shi’ite Islam. To some extent, this parallels Muslim lack of knowledge about the differences between Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Reformed Christianity. This study provides information about the origins of Shi’ite Muslims and some of the tensions between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims in the past and today.

Biblical Accounts of the Crucifixion

Jesus’ crucifixion invites many kinds of questions. How did it happen? Who, exactly, was responsible? What did his death and resurrection accomplish? What does the execution of an innocent man from first-century Galilee mean for the world today? This two-part study opens the door to deeper reflection upon Jesus’ crucifixion. Its focus is the New Testament, the ways in which selected writings portray or refer to Jesus’ death and, in the process, interpret the meaning of that event. The first session explores the four Gospels’ descriptions of the crucifixion. The second (April 5) looks at language that the apostle Paul employs to understand what God accomplishes through Christ’s death.

The Higgins Sunday School Class seeks to provide adult Christian education to its members in an atmosphere which fosters individual and collective spiritual growth, promotes fellowship and friendship, supports Unity Moravian Church, and increases our understanding and practice of Christian living. Explore possible topics for study on www.thethoughtfulchristian.com – then come and tell us what you’d like to discuss!