An important part of our Christian vocation is growing in our understanding of the mystery of God.
To that end, a series of study groups, lectures, and courses exploring the Christian faith would usually be organised by our parish each year. We would also usually aim to use the cultural and artistic resources of the wonderful city in which we live to explore our Christian faith by organising visits to exhibitions, galleries, and museums.
Because of the continuing Coronavirus crisis, however, and the high likelihood that Covid restrictions may be in place for much of the autumn, our programme of Christian formation in the second half of 2020 will take the form of a series of online Zoom seminars. This means that they can take place whether people are able to meet physically or not.
Each seminar will be no more than an hour long, and will be led by Fr Peter. There will be a presentation, followed by a time for questions, and then discussion. In order to participate, simply be in touch with Fr Peter to get the password needed to access the Zoom meeting.
What is Anglo-Catholicism?
Wednesday 16th September 6.00 pm
St Benet’s Church has always worshiped in a way that people describe as “high church” or “anglo-catholic.” Our liturgy is quite formal, we use incense, and vestments, we frequently pray for the wider Catholic Church, and we celebrate the sacraments often. Why is this the case? What does it mean? And where did this theological tradition come from? Join us online to learn more about this movement within the Church of England and the rich theological, missional, and liturgical tradition we stand in.
Reflecting theologically on lockdown through literature.
Thursday 8th October 2020 6.00 pm
All of us have a lot to process from the time of lock down, the “new normal,” and continued anxieties about Coronavirus.
One thing a lot of people seemed to have more time for during lockdown was reading. This seminar will be an opportunity to share insights we gained about life and faith from what we read and witnessed happening around us in lock down.
There may be books you found particularly helpful, or films and poems that especially spoke to you in a new way. Bring your experiences and share with others at this seminar as we seek to make some sense of where God was at work in our lives through this difficult and curious year.
What do Christians believe happens when we die?
Tuesday 3rd November 2020 6.00 pm
In early November we spend a lot of our time remembering the dead. All Souls’ Day is closely followed by Remembrance Sunday, as we commemorate those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.
What marks out a specifically Christian understanding of death and our hope for new life? What do we believe happens to us when we die? And what exactly do we think is happening when we pray for the dead?
Join us for a seminar to think about the one thing in life we cannot avoid apart from taxes – death!
What do the gospels tell us about the birth of Jesus?
Thursday 3rd December 2020 6.00 pm
With so many saccharine Christmas images bombarding us from every side at this time of year, it’s good to reflect on what the gospel narratives actually tell us about the birth of Jesus.
In this seminar, we will seek to explore how the birth narratives were written, by whom, and how they were interpreted in the early church.
The Gospel of Mark
Wednesday 20th January 2020
As we begin the weeks of Ordinary Time again after Christmas, we start working through the Gospel of Mark in 2021. Each year we read from a different gospel on Sunday mornings, and this is the year of Mark.
This seminar will explore the key themes of his gospel, when it was written, and for whom. We will seek to learn more about the image of Jesus that Mark seeks to convey to us through the pages of his extraordinary narrative, and the theological originality of his literary creation.
Join us as we seek to encounter the Lord through the pages of the first gospel to be written.
