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    Sunday School classes

    I usually attend Sunday School (a.k.a. "Bible Study"). But I am rather disappointed at the typical offering.

    Usually, it seems, all the classes are aimed roughly at the third-grade level.

    I am wondering why nothing seems to be taught at the seminary level--genuine theology, not just warmed-over Bible stories that most of us learned when we were seven or eight years old.

    Of course, anyone uninterested in this (more advanced) learning could always attend one of the other classes.

    Some thoughts on the matter?

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    I usually attend Sunday School (a.k.a. "Bible Study"). But I am rather disappointed at the typical offering.

    Usually, it seems, all the classes are aimed roughly at the third-grade level.

    I am wondering why nothing seems to be taught at the seminary level--genuine theology, not just warmed-over Bible stories that most of us learned when we were seven or eight years old.

    Of course, anyone uninterested in this (more advanced) learning could always attend one of the other classes.

    Some thoughts on the matter?
    Wish I could help, but the churches I've attended were always age appropriate and relationship appropriate.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    I usually attend Sunday School (a.k.a. "Bible Study"). But I am rather disappointed at the typical offering.

    Usually, it seems, all the classes are aimed roughly at the third-grade level.

    I am wondering why nothing seems to be taught at the seminary level--genuine theology, not just warmed-over Bible stories that most of us learned when we were seven or eight years old.

    Of course, anyone uninterested in this (more advanced) learning could always attend one of the other classes.

    Some thoughts on the matter?
    Duly note that if you are not being encouraged think independently, ask the hard questions and find difficult to arrive at conclusions of your own making that there Iikely someone on the opposite side of that finds it in their best interest or good fit for their own agendas likely finds it in their interest that you are muzzled in any way possible


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    Quote Originally Posted by hanger4 View Post
    Wish I could help, but the churches I've attended were always age appropriate and relationship appropriate.
    Interesting. I wonder if that was a perception or reality?

    My guess is that it's a generous helping of each. After all, hypocrisy is a common thread among the differing yet almost the same affiliations

    Just remember, churches have to have a common enemy , a common Savior from said enemy, a list of don'ts that promote a notion of purity in the darkest caves and voids in the minds of man. In this manner you are a nation of one in spirit. It may be a.nation of delusional BS and self righteous pornography but it works. Fear sells but fear of.being socially isolated from one's co- dependants sells even better

    Saved? Again, from what?


    Oh yeah kids. Don't forget I'm supposed to be burning in hell someday for having the gall to question anything that deviates from the indoctrination menu
    Last edited by Cotton1; 05-01-2022 at 07:23 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cotton1 View Post
    Interesting. I wonder if that was a perception or reality?

    My guess is that it's a generous helping of each. After all, hypocrisy is a common thread among the differing yet almost the same affiliations

    Just remember, churches have to have a common enemy , a common Savior from said enemy, a list of don'ts that promote a notion of purity in the darkest caves and voids in the minds of man. In this manner you are a nation of one in spirit. It may be a.nation of delusional BS and self righteous pornography but it works. Fear sells but fear of.being socially isolated from one's co- dependants sells even better

    Saved? Again, from what?


    Oh yeah kids. Don't forget I'm supposed to be burning in hell someday for having the gall to question anything that deviates from the indoctrination menu
    *Interesting. I wonder if that was a perception or reality?*

    Reality

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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    I usually attend Sunday School (a.k.a. "Bible Study"). But I am rather disappointed at the typical offering.

    Usually, it seems, all the classes are aimed roughly at the third-grade level.

    I am wondering why nothing seems to be taught at the seminary level--genuine theology, not just warmed-over Bible stories that most of us learned when we were seven or eight years old.

    Of course, anyone uninterested in this (more advanced) learning could always attend one of the other classes.

    Some thoughts on the matter?
    You’re not talking about adult bible study sessions, are you?
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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    I usually attend Sunday School (a.k.a. "Bible Study"). But I am rather disappointed at the typical offering.

    Usually, it seems, all the classes are aimed roughly at the third-grade level.

    I am wondering why nothing seems to be taught at the seminary level--genuine theology, not just warmed-over Bible stories that most of us learned when we were seven or eight years old.

    Of course, anyone uninterested in this (more advanced) learning could always attend one of the other classes.

    Some thoughts on the matter?
    Your own experience may be different, but in mine adult Bible Study, Sunday School, whatever you want to call it, has consisted mainly of the teacher/leader selecting a relatively uncontroversial passage from the Bible and leading a discussion of how some lesson drawn from it might be applied to our lives. The topic was usually approved ahead of time by the pastor, minister or priest, or - depending on the denomination - it might even be officially scheduled by some central church authority. In any case, it's normally no more "deep" than the average Sunday sermon, if not less so.

    Please note that although I currently identify as an atheist, I have a wide experience of evangelical and mainstream Protestant churches, and was most recently - if you can call forty-five years ago "recently" - instructed in and received into the Catholic Church. I make the following observations as a matter of my own personal experience; they are in no way drawn from or influenced by any personal animus I might hold for organized religion in general - the extent of which is, honestly, nowhere near as great as some of you seem to believe.

    "Seminary level" discussions of a theological nature are, quite honestly, not something the leadership of any church want to see happen, let alone sponsor or encourage. For one thing, the class leader is, except in very rare cases, not going to be qualified to speak authoritatively on matters of church doctrine or teaching that may arise in such discussions. Also, the potential for confusion, misinformation, even bad personal feelings arising from such discussions is very real. Also very real is the possibility - more like a certainty, really - that members of the group will disagree strongly on any number of topics - from which Bible passages are to be taken literally or allegorically, to how closely one should adhere to certain church teachings, etc. - and from those disagreements can arise the aforementioned bad feelings.

    As much as one may be interested in pursuing a more in-depth education about ones Faith, and in discussing those things with others, most churches - again, in my experience - are more focused, as perhaps they should be, on simple faith and fellowship, and try to avoid any activity that is likely to result in division.

    "...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind." - Philippians 2:2

    Aside from those times when I felt the need to discuss something privately, one-on-one with a pastor or deacon, I think the most in-depth and freewheeling, no-holds-barred discussions of the Faith that I ever experienced were in connection to my study in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I was in the Navy at the time and most of my instructors were Navy or Air Force Chaplains. Those guys were amazing; they had heard it all, and there was nothing they were hesitant or afraid to discuss.


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    Quote Originally Posted by pjohns View Post
    I usually attend Sunday School (a.k.a. "Bible Study"). But I am rather disappointed at the typical offering.

    Usually, it seems, all the classes are aimed roughly at the third-grade level.

    I am wondering why nothing seems to be taught at the seminary level--genuine theology, not just warmed-over Bible stories that most of us learned when we were seven or eight years old.

    Of course, anyone uninterested in this (more advanced) learning could always attend one of the other classes.

    Some thoughts on the matter?

    I think Sunday School classes are usually as in-depth as the understanding of the people teaching them.

    Depending on the size of your community, you could probably find independent study groups that are going into more depth.
    ""A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul" ~George Bernard Shaw

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tahuyaman View Post
    You’re not talking about adult bible study sessions, are you?
    I am speaking of the only classes being offered--all of them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Standing Wolf View Post
    Please note that although I currently identify as an atheist, I have a wide experience of evangelical and mainstream Protestant churches, and was most recently - if you can call forty-five years ago "recently" - instructed in and received into the Catholic Church.
    I admit that I have a rather serious problem with Catholicism--not so much because of the doctrines taught by the Catholic Church, as because of the requirement to accept those doctrines, blindly and unquestioningly.

    And I also have a problem with the idea that the "clergy" is more devout, and closer to God, than the "laity" typically is. (In fact, I do not even accede to any clergy/laity distinction.)

    Quote Originally Posted by Standing Wolf View Post
    "Seminary level" discussions of a theological nature are, quite honestly, not something the leadership of any church want to see happen, let alone sponsor or encourage. For one thing, the class leader is, except in very rare cases, not going to be qualified to speak authoritatively on matters of church doctrine or teaching that may arise in such discussions.
    I strongly disagree with the implication that one should merely accept "church doctrine" as correct. I often disagree with church teaching on a particular subject; and I am not at all bashful about saying so, and specifying the "why."

    Quote Originally Posted by Standing Wolf View Post
    Also, the potential for confusion, misinformation, even bad personal feelings arising from such discussions is very real. Also very real is the possibility - more like a certainty, really - that members of the group will disagree strongly on any number of topics - from which Bible passages are to be taken literally or allegorically, to how closely one should adhere to certain church teachings, etc. - and from those disagreements can arise the aforementioned bad feelings.
    There are, of course, some interesting questions that can arise--is Jesus's command as regarding foot washing to be taken literally, or is it just an instruction to be humble and hospitable? should women wear a covering over their heads during worship (as Paul appears to command in I Corinthians 11)? should Christians greet one another with a holy kiss (as Paul also instructs, several times, with the apparent force of a command)?

    But I was always taught that it is quite possible to disagree without being disagreeable.

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