February 17 Readings Read Mark 7:1-8:21 Myers, Chapters 9 & 10, pages 79-96 Background: The conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities escalates. Jesus’ disciples are accused of violating the purity codes. Jesus accuses the religious authorities of extortion. Myers introduces the “hermeneutic of suspicion,” which is a way of asking questions about… Read more February 17th Seekers Class Assignment and Background
February 24 Readings Read Mark 8:22-10:16 Myers, Chapters 11, 12, 13, pages 97-123 Background: Myers calls this session and the next the “discipleship catechism.” The catechism has five elements. This week we learn about three of them: the way of the cross, prayer, and solidarity. Apocalyptic images come to the forefront as we… Read more February 24 Seeker’s Class Assignment and Background
March 3 Readings Read Mark 10:17-52 Myers, Chapters 14 &15, pages 124-139 Background: Part two of the discipleship catechism focuses on economics and leadership. Myers says that “our addiction to affluence” is the most pervasive and difficult of human addictions. We learn why Jesus is unable to grant the… Read more March 3rd Seeker’s Class Assignment and Background
March 10 Readings Read Mark 11:1-13:37 Myers, Chapters 16, 17, 18, pages 143-180 Background: Jesus entry into Jerusalem is street theater. His strategy is to break “the spell of credulity”—the net cast over all people. Myers invites us to examine “texts of terror”—those biblical stories that are particularly violent—and offers guidelines for… Read more March 10th Seeker’s Class Assignment and Background
March 17 Readings Read Mark 14:1-16:8 Myers, Chapters 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, pages 181-212 Background: Women play a particularly significant role throughout Mark’s gospel and especially so in these last chapters. Most biblical scholars agree that the original manuscript ends with 16:8, or perhaps there were multiple versions of the ending… Read more March 17th Seeker’s Class Assignment and Background