Weds Class: Crises in Early Christianity
Wed, May 15
|Trinity Cathedral Portland
In its first five centuries, the Jesus movement faced a number of critical questions and had to contend with differing ways of living out the faith. Drawing from early sources, we will look at a particular critical point and consider how the response of Christians would shape the church. (Hybrid)
Time & Location
May 15, 2024, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM PDT
Trinity Cathedral Portland
About the Event
(This Hybrid class is taught over six sessions; April 10-May 15; taught by Corbet Clark.) In its first five centuries, the Jesus movement faced a number of critical questions and had to contend with differing ways of living out the faith, all while trying to navigate a challenging relationship with the Roman Empire and the traditional religions—Judaism and the various “pagan” practices—that surrounded it.
Register in advance: https://onrealm.org/TrinityEpiscopalpdx/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=ZDZhMGY3NWItOGRiNi00YjIyLTk1YmQtYjEzNzAxODY5NGY3
Drawing from early sources, each week we will look at a particular critical point and how the response of Christians would shape the church going forward. We will also explore how these particular crises relate to issues for the modern church and what we might learn from them about our own faith experience and developing understanding of the church.
The course will assume participants have some basic knowledge of the New Testament writings, especially the Gospels and St. Paul.
This class will comprise six sessions over both Easter Terms I & II, with each session exploring one moment in Christian history. Sessions are best experienced in sequence, but participants may also join for a single term.
About the presenter: The Rev’d Dr. Corbet Clark was ordained in the Diocese of Olympia in 1977, served parishes in Seattle and Tacoma, worked as a civilian Chaplain at Ft. Lewis, and taught at several schools in the Puget Sound area before moving to the Portland area. He served as teacher and chaplain at Oregon Episcopal School in Portland since 1988.
Dr. Clark received his A.B. degree from Harvard College and an M.A. from Yale University, before going on to receive his Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree from the General Theological Seminary in New York. In 2011, he earned a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria.
He serves on the faculty of the Academy for Formation and Mission of the Diocese of Oregon and is a member of the Commission on Schools for the Diocese of Olympia, where he continues to be canonically resident.