This course is not just for women! The workshop is about how Christians in different cultures, different time periods, and different social locations have told their faith stories. Amy Oden, professor of the History of Christianity and Dean of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, presents video lectures on six Christian women who wrote about their faith. The workshop explores how we, as members of the Christian family, tell our “family stories.” It also helps us to examine our own faith and to articulate our own experiences of God.
Lessons Include:
- Perpetua: Rebellious Daughter (2nd century Carthage)
- Macrina: Scientist and Pastor (4th century Asia Minor)
- Juana Inez de la Cruz: Intellectual in the Kitchen (17th century Mexico)
- Susanna Wesley: First Theologian of the Methodists (18th century England)
- Jarena Lee: Preaching Pioneer (19th century United States)
- Georgia Harkness: Theologian for the People (20th century United States)
Each week’s study consists of two weekly readings and three or four video segments (under 10 minutes each) plus online discussion for each video. Participants login at the time of day which works best for each one’s own schedule while still interacting with one another and the facilitator of the course. Plan on roughly 2-6 hours online weekly engaging with the materials and the other students. No live or set meeting times are involved.
1.5 CEUs are available.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 8
Price: $80
CEUs: 1.5
Required books: No
Blackboard: Yes
Zoom: No
Certification or Series: Yes (Wesley Academy for Advanced Christian Studies)
Read course description for details.
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Price: $80
Post image: Wildenranna ( Wegscheid / Lower Bavaria ). Our Lady of Sorrows parish church ( 1906 ) – Stained glass window showing Mary Magdalene. Photograph by Wolfgang Sauber.
About the Instructor
Pamela Deck is a UMC Certified Christian Educator who loves to equip disciples to connect faith to real life. She has a passion for spiritual formation through small groups. Her education includes graduate work at Candler School of Theology and Emory University. With 35 years of experience in ministry, she was children and youth ministries coordinator at Spindale (North Carolina) United Methodist Church before moving to the United Methodist Publishing House as Cokesbury Action Team Conference leader and national workshop presenter. Currently she is a consultant and BeADisciple instructor in her ninth year. Pamela is an adult small group leader, lay delegate to Annual Conference, and former praise dance and youth group leader. She is a board member of Western North Carolina Conference (WNCC) Faith Formation Community.
About the Program Director
Michael Beardslee began working for the Institute for Discipleship and BeADisciple in early 2016, developing and facilitating courses for the new Wesley Lay Academy. This was a natural transition for him: He had been the Institute for Discipleship’s Visiting Scholar Southwestern College, then continued the work he began with BeADisciple.
Michael is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary (intercultural studies), working under Pentecostal theologian Amos Yong. His doctoral research concerns the way Christians from different cultural locations relate to one another in a globalized Christianity. His writing was featured most recently in “Breaking the Marriage Idol: Reconstructing Our Cultural and Spiritual Norms” (IVP, 2018), and in the Religion and Theology Journal (Brill, 2017).
In additional to his doctoral studies Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy from Friends University, an M.A. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a Th.M. in systematic theology from Trinity International University.
