We will be doing the next book study on Zoom until it is safe to meet in homes again.

New books appear as tabs across the top, with the newest book following the home tab.

To join our Zoom discussions, send your introduction to plutz((AT))sonic.net

This is an extension of the book study group at the Napa Methodist Church. See more about the church at: napamethodist.org.

Welcome, and thank you for coming. We are glad you are here.

Why have this class?

Church is better in small groups.
People become a community of friends.
We clarify our own views as we help others do the same.
The evening format allows for more time, and fewer interruptions.
So far we have studied several books by writers mostly from academia. We have looked at books by clergy people which are somewhat less academic. We have done no books on spiritual growth topics, as there are other groups doing those. This is a group of thinkers.

We hope that some of you enjoyed those studies as much as we did.
This book is again quite academic, but I don't think you will find it dry.

How we see the class going.

Read a chapter or two of the book each week.
Develop / discuss our own questions.
Exchange e-mail or blog comments between sessions.
Group discussion is our main mode.
Very little lecture, although some may feel that others are "lecturing" at times.

Confidentiality. What we say in the group stays in the group! Be careful in blog comments.

I have been reading interesting (and not so....) books about church for many years. While an undergraduate at Willamette University in Salem,Oregon, I tried hard to avoid any religious education. It took years to overcome that prejudice and become interested in what the church had to say and how it says it. I have since become an associate of the Westar Institute, home of the Jesus Seminar, and learned more than most about the history of Christianity. I now make short annotations of my reading that I track at: Reading List Search