“Why did Jesus seem to spend so much time with Pharisees? Why does the gospel writer note that Mary, Joanna, and Susanna provided for Jesus out of their resources? Who is the little child that Jesus places in his disciples' midst? Asking these questions and more, this seminar will explore the message and ministry of Jesus through the perspectives of those with whom he lived and ministered.
Bringing to the forefront various age, gender, social, ethnic, and religious identities and their intersections, participants in this seminar will not only learn more about
who
Jesus lived and ministered among, but also how their identities intersect and inform Jesus' own identity as well as his message and ministry.
Using specific texts as a spring-board, participants will practice first seeing and hearing the ancient people implicit in the gospel accounts and then giving voice to these diverse characters in their teaching and preaching. By making connections with the identities and personhood of the people in Jesus' audience, participants will also learn to connect with people at the intersections of their identity and personhood in their own audiences today.”