Have you ever wondered what other Christians believe? Why are there so many different flavors of Lutheran? How does the Pentecostal Church compare with the Lutheran Church, or the Baptist Church, or the Catholic Church? What do Seventh Day Adventist, Mormons or Christian Scientists believe? How do you have a good discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness at your door? As fellow Christians we have much in common, but we often fail to understand one another. We are curious about others who worship the God of Abraham through the Jewish and Muslim traditions. Where do we differ and where can we find common ground? Do our prayers all go to the same place? And what about those who faithfully practice world religions unrelated to Christianity, like Buddhists or Hindus? Worshiping idols or believing in reincarnation are very different from our experience. Is one wrong and the other right, or might there be differing ways to be faithful? We will consider these and many more questions as part of the Thursday morning Women’s Bible Study led by Pastor Marla.
Each week we’ll reflect on different faith traditions, noting similarities and differences with the Lutheran faith. We’ll ask questions about how these differences came to be and what they mean for us today. We’ll explore the challenges of living in a pluralistic country – where people of many faiths and no faith live side-by-side, and we’ll consider how we honor one another’s beliefs while being faithful to our own understanding of God. We will occasionally welcome guest speakers from other faith traditions and will also take some field trips to visit other places of worship and learn first-hand about an interesting mix of beliefs and practices.
We invite you to join us in-person on Thursdays at 10 AM or follow along on Facebook. Our primary resource, Honoring Our Neighbor’s Faith, compares and contrasts more than 30 faith traditions with ELCA Lutheran perspectives. Copies of this book will be made available to participants.
So, join us as we explore a wide range of faith traditions in a setting of fellowship and mutual support. Enjoy the delicious treats, prayer, music and supportive community that the Women’s Bible Study provides. We hope to see you there.
- Schedule for “Honoring Our Neighbor’s Faith” series
- Family Tree of Denominations
- November 21, 2024 Women’s Bible Study Agenda
- December 5, 2024 Women’s Bible Study Agenda
- December 12, 2024 Women’s Bible Study and Iconography Handout
- December 19, 2024 Women’s Bible Study Agenda
- January 16, 2025 Agenda – Quaker
- January 23, 2025 Women’s Bible Study Agenda – Seventh Day Adventist
- February 6, 2025 Women’s Bible Study Agenda – Mormon
- May 1, 2025 Women’s Bible Study Agenda – Assemblies of God (Pentecostal)
- May 8, 2025 Women’s Bible Study Agenda – Salvation Army
- May 15, 2025 Women’s Bible Study Agenda – Judaism
- May 29, 2025 Women’s Bible Study Agenda – Islam