03/23/2021
Good Morning All!
Hope everyone is doing well, and that everyone has had an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather we've had recently! Just a reminder that tomorrow evening, March 24, will be our next Pub Theology session ... it will be at 7PM at Brew Nation!
Although we're a week late, our focus tomorrow will be about St. Patrick's Day. Along with the celebration, we'll dig a little deeper into the historical accuracies of Patrick, as well as how at times Christianity has spread by incorporating and adopting other cultural traditions. Should be quite interesting! A sneak peek of the questions are at the bottom of the page.
Hope to see you tomorrow evening!
Todd
ICE BREAKER: Do you typically celebrate St. Patrick's Day? If so, how?
Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick’s life became exaggerated over the centuries—spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life. Given that much of the Bible was oral tradition before it was written down, at what level do you imagine that biblical stories were exaggerated, modified or even made up at a later date to serve the purpose of the author(s)? Does this take away from the inspiration or holiness of the writings of Scripture?
Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. How do you feel about this style of mission work? Does it still happen today? Should it?
Discuss the process of assimilation of one culture into a foreign religion or tradition: Is any religion free of this adaptation and borrowing from other traditions? In other words, does a 'pure religion' exist?
Is hell real? If not, do you imagine some other sort of reckoning for all the injustice that has occurred throughout human history?
Prominent evangelical author and speaker Beth Moore announced she is leaving the Southern Baptist Church. The famed Bible study teacher said she no longer feels at home in the denomination that once saved her life. Have you had to leave a tradition in which you were raised, and what was that journey like?
