Richard Cleaves is Minister of Highbury Congregational Church, Cheltenham, UK, and teaches Biblical studies for the Congregational Federation’s Institute of Practical Theology in partnership with the University of Winchester. He and his wife, Felicity, grew up together in Clarendon Park Congregational Church, Leicester, at the time when the NACCC and also the Congregational Federation in the UK came into being. They were both present at the inaugural meetings of the International Congregational Fellowship.
Richard studied Theology at Jesus College, Oxford and then went on to do a PhD with the University of Wales in Bangor on the history of the interpretation of the Bible, studying under one of the foremost historians of Congregationalism, R. Tudur Jones.
Bible lectures:
If the promise in Joshua 1:9 is to mean the world to us, we need to think carefully about the way we read the Bible. In his Bible studies, Richard is going to start on the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24 and open up a way of reading the Old Testament in the company of Jesus. It is as the Lord our God is with us wherever we go in reading the Bible that we shall discover He is with us wherever we go!
1) With us on the way to Jericho – reading the Law – Luke 10:25-37
2) With us on the way to Caesarea Philippi – reading the Prophets – Mark 8:27-9:1
3) With us on the way to the end of the age – reading the Writings – Matthew 5:1-12 and 43-48
Dr. Cleaves will also incorporate one of his workshops into the Tuesday evening closing worship service.
Lecture 1:
Sometimes the theory isn't enough.
The Road to Emmaus - Were not our hearts burning within us while he wa talking to us on the road while he was opening the Scriptures to us?
-feels this story goes to the heart of a major problem in faith within Christians in the 21st Century.
In a world of fundamentalisms, how we read the Bible is a key for us to move forward.
Joshua 6:21 - Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep and donkeys.
-Not really a children's story
How do we read the Old Testament?
A Strategy for Reading the Bible:
Beginning with Moses, and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the Scriptures.
Luke 10:25-37 - the Parable of the Good Samaritan
-Ask questions - verse 26 - what is written, what do you read
How do we read the Bible?
-Remember the questions Jesus asked of the expert in the Law.
-What is written in the Law?
-What do you read there?
-Remember the response Jesus accepted
-Love God
-Love your neighbor
-Remember the story Jesus told and don't limit who your neighbor is.
No comments:
Post a Comment