I BELIEVE

AFTER PANEL INTERVIEW. With Pastor Trisha Welstad (The Leadership Center)

Our final panel of the fall semester features Dr. Nijay Gupta, back to answer questions about his lecture on the creedal phrase “born of the Virgin Mary,” as well as our usual cast of guests. Was Jesus a “difficult child”? How do we keep Christmas sacred amidst the profane commercialism of the season?

During this last week of classes for the fall semester, we approach Christmas: the Creed tells us that Jesus was “born of the Virgin Mary.” We’re used to asking and answering the question, “Why did Jesus have to die”—but Dr. Nijay Gupta asks us to consider this instead: Why did Jesus have to live?

We’re back to reflect on Dr. Abigail Favale’s moving lecture on the creedal phrase “who was conceived by the Holy Spirit” (Dr. Favale could not join us today on the panel). We discuss not only some points from the lecture and the virgin Mary, but also a “wild card” set of issues: How would Jesus respond to us if he walked in the door of this room, today? How can Christians love people with pure hearts and not just see sin everywhere? Should we be talking about whether or not God exists?

Through Jesus, God had a mom. What does this mean? In this week’s lecture, Dr. Abigail Favale takes us on a journey through the story of the Annunciation, exploring what Mary’s reaction to God tells us about Jesus, how God works with humans, and how we respond to God.

Our after-panel interview with pastor Kenji Yokoy, from the Japanese International Baptist Church (telling a prayer story)

As we continue to think about the creedal phrase “our Lord,” we welcome back our Monday lecturer Dr. Joseph Clair with a cast of wonderful pastors and thinkers. Can we serve both Jesus and country? Should Christians be in the military? Is our God a God of paradox?

Having professes Jesus as the Christ and God’s only Son, the Creed now moves us into the language of Lordship: Jesus is “our Lord.” What does this mean? Dr. Joseph Clair takes us on a journey to explore the background of lordship and kingship in the Old Testament, the idea of Jesus as king, and how we might begin to think about this in our lives today.

Dr. Sunggu Yang is back to defend and discuss his idea that Jesus had implications for patriarchy. And he’s joined by guest pastor Connie Armerding and professor Nijay Gupta! Hosted by Dr. Leah Payne. Could Jesus have been a woman? What does it mean that Jesus is God’s “son”?

We spend another week on the creedal phrase “his only Son,” to continue talking about the identity of Jesus. This week, Dr. Sunggu Yang weaves together themes of love, marriage, and Jesus’s power to free us from oppression.