Sunday, 10 December 2023: Building Your Own Theology, Volume 2, Session 1

Almost every sect, that has ever been, makes Christianity rest on the personal authority of Jesus, and not the immutable truth of the doctrines themselves, or the authority of God, who sent him into the world. Yet it seems difficult to conceive any reason, why moral and religious truths should rest for their support on the personal authority of their revealer, any more than the truths of science on that of him who makes them known first or most clearly. It is hard to see why the great truths of Christianity rest on the personal authority of Jesus, more than the axioms of geometry rest on the personal authority of Euclid, or Archimedes. The authority of Jesus, as of all teachers, one would naturally think, must rest on the truth of his words, and not their truth on his authority.

— Theodore Parker, The Transient and Permanent in Christianity (1841)

This Sunday we will continue our religious education program with Exploring, volume 2 of Building Your Own Theology. In session one we will explore Truth and Authority — what do we know for sure? The course description and schedule are here.

We will open with a very brief service and chalice lighting, after which Robert will guide us through the course of study and discussions.

Please note that you are welcome to participate whether or not you have been keeping up to date on the sessions. We are using the course plan as a guide for discussion, not as a formula to arrive at any specific educational goal — we are, after all, working on *our own theologies*, not learning anyone’s official doctrine. All are welcome to participate. The reading for session one is here; the accompanying diagram is here.

** NOTE: If you wish to join us through ZOOM, please let us know before Sunday, so we can be sure to have the equipment in place Sunday morning. **

Please Join us for Worship.

Our services are Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on ZOOM and in person at the Progressive Women’s Association Event Center, 305 Washington Ave. in downtown Clarksburg, behind the Courthouse.

Children are welcome. The building is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible restroom. You may park in the lot on the west side of the building; DO NOT PARK in the Washington Avenue pay lot. Please enter through the door on the west side of the building.

Map

Note: If you wish to join on ZOOM, please let us know so we can be sure the equipment is ready on Sunday morning. If you prefer not to be seen, video is optional. If you would like to participate, please email westforkuu@gmail.com for details and a link, or for help with using ZOOM.

A coffee hour, a time for discussion and socializing (including ZOOM participants), follows from the end of the service until 12:00 noon. More about us.

If you are a regular attendee, we have added you to our Google Group if we had an email address. If you have not gotten a group email already, please email westforkuu@gmail.com so that we can add you to the group, which we will be using for staying in touch with each other. Public announcements will continue to be posted here on the website and on our Facebook page and Twitter account, as usual.

Email westforkuu@gmail.com or use our contact form for more information or write to us at PO Box 523, Clarksburg WV 26302