Education
We have children's Sunday School during the second half of the service, and adult education (tab.edu) after coffee hour (typically 11:45 am to 1:00 pm). Child care is provided during tab.edu.
Children's Sunday School
Tabernacle Sunday School is a small group of young people who explore how God is working in our lives. We begin with a time of sharing, proceed into a story from the Bible with a related activity, and end with prayer.
tab.edu
New Series September 21 - October 26, 2008 : Progressive Christianity 101, cosponsored by the Christian Association
This series will focus on how progressive Christians discern truth, define justice, and hear the voice of God still speaking in our age.
I. Why progressive Christians are not Bible-quoters …and why that is ok!
Who are progressive Christians who take the Bible too seriously to ever take it literally? Who rarely talk about heavenly salvation but are always talking about the issues in the newspaper headlines as part of their faith commitment? Who never seek uniformity of opinion but are very concerned about unity?
September 21 Week one: Why I am a progressive Christian
This discussion will be about how to know God’s voice through our experiences, our consciences and our intellect. We will also ask how progressives can tackle those scriptures which are simply ghastly and unfathomable, if not immoral, like God's mandating the slaughter of Israelite enemies!
Facilitated by Rev. Susan Teegen-Case, Executive Director of the Arts and Spirituality Center and Deb Bucher PhD candidate, UPenn in Religious Studies
September 28 Week two: How Progressive Christians think
Justifying every action with a bible verse and suggesting every political action has a biblical reference is a relatively new phenomenon. But, theologians and thinking Christians who embrace their intellect as part of the faith journey have always taught the importance of using a full and broader range of criteria. We will explore the other ways God’s truth and God’s word is discerned and revealed with a framework by which to determine a Christian stance on issues and social problems
Facilitated by Rev. Dr. Beverly Dale, General Minister and President of the Christian Association at the University of Penn
II. What Progressive Christians care about and why
October 5 Week three: Gay rights
No other issue gets as many Bible quotes as this one. Progressives however open their doors to the sexual minority communities? Why? What is the biblical basis for this kind of open-arms inclusion especially when some folks think the Bible is very clearly against it? How do they address those biblically-based arguments?
Facilitated by Chris Paige, former editor of The Other Side magazine who is a transgender-identified lesbian and Christopher William Purdom, former Co-coordinator of the Interfaith Working Group, a Philadelphia based lgbt advocacy organization
October 12 Week four: Abortion Rights
We all know that for some Christians all abortions constitute murder but other Christians have an opposite theological view for opposing keeping this as a legal medical procedure. Between the two are a range of nuanced perspectives informed by science and society, as well as faith. But what is the rationale for such a supportive stance? What are the biblical mandates that would support it?
Facilitated by the Rev Dr. Katie Day, theologian at Lutheran Theological Seminary
October 19 Week five: Racial Justice and Civil rights
It has been said the 10:00 hour on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in the entire week. Progressive Christians however are very concerned about the racial disparities and injustices of our society and our world. We will address how and why this is so but also ask ourselves what are current racial or class issues that are the result of the history of racial divisions in the US?
Facilitated by Rev. Dick Fernandez, former director of the Northwest Interfaith Movement and civil rights activist with Dr. Martin Luther King
October 26 Week Six: Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation
If the Bible says Jesus is the way and many Christians interpret this as "the only way," then why do progressive Christians engage in interfaith discussions and even cooperate with other faiths but not even try to convert them??!! Are we just disregarding the Bible?
Facilitated by the Rev. Nicole Diroff, Program Associate at the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia and
Vic Compher, one of the founders of the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia.
