Lives of Jesus

For Sunday, July 5 we will continue the LTQ2 series with the chapter on the Lives of Jesus. Here's the introduction to the reading:

"From apocalyptic firebrand to mystical faith healer to political insurrectionist, the various images of Jesus are celebrated and defended by true believers of every theological and political stripe. Walk into the narthex of any number of Protestant churches and you’re likely to find the sentimental blue-eyed, pink-skinned Jesus of artist Warner Sallman gazing beatifically upon your comings and goings. Enter the neighboring Catholic church and you’ll probably find the image of a beaten, bleeding, emaciated man suffering on a cross.


From the Gospels to illustrated Bible storybooks to portrayals in film, Jesus has been the subject of considerable “spin” over the ages. Each tradition and each individual puts their own emphasis on this remarkable figure. For many middleclass Americans, the ideal Jesus is the gentle, upstanding, right-thinking (and often somewhat androgynous) suburbanite with good posture. The notion that Jesus might have been a short, dark, Middle-Eastern peasant rabble-rouser is so far from many people’s capacity to comprehend, that all reason is rejected in favor of the gauzy Aryan visions of early childhood. A blond-haired, blue-eyed Jesus, meek and mild, is such a stalwart icon of Western culture, that to suggest anything contrary or corrective to that image is tantamount to heresy."

Please join us. We'll be glad to see you.

Torture is a Moral Issue

Nancy Barrigar will be our presenter next Sunday, June 28.

Here's her synopsis of her talk:

Can torture be justified in certain circumstances? Do "harsh interrogation techniques" make Americans safer? Can cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of prisoners be morally justified?
A recent poll by the Pew Research Center showed that support for torture actually increased among those who attended church more frequently. With a brief PowerPoint presentation we will look at the results of the survey. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is a member of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. We will view and discuss an 18-minute video from NRCAT entitled "Ending U.S.-Sponsored Torture Forever"

Ending US-Sponsored Torture Forever from Steven D. Martin on Vimeo.

And here's Nancy's brief bio statement:

An Elizabethton native, I have been a member of First Presbyterian since the early 1980s. My undergraduate degree is from King College with a major in psychology, and I received a Master of Arts in Teaching from ETSU. I spent 20+ years as an educator, the great majority of that in early childhood education. Since its inception, Gary and I have been co-moderators of the Peacemaking Committee here at First Pres. Peace, environmental and social justice issues are important in my life. Raising awareness regarding these topics seems to keep popping up on my to-do list.

Please join us for the Adult Forum, Sunday morning at 9:45. We'll be happy to see you.

The science of religion: a modern and ancient offering

Next Sunday, June 21, our guest speaker will be Hap Cawood, visiting from Dayton, Ohio. Hap comes to us by his connection with Harriet Baker.

Here's his synopsis of his presentation:

"My talk will be "The science of religion: a modern and ancient offering." This presentation aims to make the case that the Jesus' teachings, rightly understood, are in harmony with science, the Bhagavad-Gita and Pantajali's Yoga Sutras, and that one can prove this by direct experience. This talk will draw from Paramahansa Yogananda's works, such as "The Second Coming of Christ -- Resurrecting the Christ Within You," and will concentrate mostly on the methods and experiences of attaining divine realization, as noted in a number of esoteric Biblical passages. "

And a brief Bio from Mr. Cawood:

"After receiving my B.A. in English from Union College (Ky.), I taught in my hometown Harlan High School and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone. I then earned my M.A. degree in Journalism at Ohio State and worked for the Dayton Daily News 34 years as an editorial writer and editorial page editor. My Johnson City connection is that my younger daughter, Shuly, married Harriet Baker's son, Preston McKee."

Please join us for what promises to be an enriching presentation. The Forum starts at 9:45.

The Prophetic Jesus

Next Sunday, June 14, we will continue our series on Living the Questions2. Our lesson will focus on the section called "The Prophetic Jesus". This section addresses the questions of "what does it mean to prophesy?" "what do prophets do?" and, "what was the prophecy of Jesus (which has nothing to do with the rapture)?"

When Ghandi was asked the difference between himself and most Christians, Ghandi quietly replied, "I think he really meant it." (refering to Jesus' prophecy).

The voice of the prophet calls the people to remember who they really are, to act in ways that truly reflect their deepest convictions, and to discover what those convictions are.

As we explore this image of Jesus, I'll try to draw some connection to why Susan Boyle's videos from "Britain's Got Talent" have been viewed more than 100 million times. It'll be a stretch but I think it might work.

There are reading materials with the section, and if you would like copies in advance, just send me an e-mail.

As always, please feel warmly invited to join us at 9:45. There are reading materials with the section, and if you would like copies in advance, just send me an e-mail.

Blessed are the poor in spirit...for theirs

This coming Sunday, June 7, our presenter will be 1st Presbyterian's very own, Rebecca Nunley. Rebecca's talk will focus on early transcriptions of the beatitudes. Here's her synopsis:


"For over 25 years Dr. Neil Douglas Klotz has pursued studying the Middle Eastern cultures and languages. His work translating original Aramaic scripture to English has been particularly fruitful. On June 7, I will introduce the first beatitude for discussion and comparison. The KJV translation "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

Rebecca Nunley was introduced to body prayer in 2000 and soon found the Dances of Universal Peace where she began training as a supervised leader in 2002. Rebecca is also a student of the Abwoon Interspiritual Leadership Program with Neil Douglas Klotz and Wisdom University of California. Rebecca leads dances with the Asheville Dance Cirle, annual URI meetings, and every other month in Elizabethton.

Please know that you'll be warmly welcomed to join us at 9:45