I am available to teach classes at churches, schools, and gatherings in central Maryland and the greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metro areas. If you are outside of those regions, contact me to find out if I can travel to your group.

The following are examples of classes and retreats that I have led in various locations:

Dunces, Dogs, and Disciples

Have you ever wondered why Nicodemus seems so dumb? Have you ever wondered why Martha gets such a raw deal? Explore what recent historical and literary biblical scholarship has to say about these and other stories in the Gospels.

This five-hour retreat includes presentations on the following topics:

• The New Testament Gospels: What are Gospels and how do we read them?
• Mary and Joseph: What were the neighbors thinking?
• The Canaanite woman: A dogged mother
• Nicodemus: Dunce or disciple?
• The woman at the well: A literary makeover
• Mary and Martha: More than a personality test

Women in the New Testament

The role of women among Jesus’ disciples and in the early church is a topic that is interesting for historical reasons and also relevant to the life of the church today.  Responsible and creative interpretation of women’s stories enriches Bible study and is crucial for proclamation of the gospel.  This series of five hour-long presentations examines the portrayal of women in the New Testament and explores the relevance of these stories for life and ministry today.

How to Interpret the Bible

What is the Bible? Is the Bible authoritative? What does it mean to say that the Bible is inspired? How do we deal with troubling or contradictory passages? Why do people reading the same Bible sometimes reach very different conclusions on social and theological issues? This one to two hour class introduces a method of reading the Bible that keeps history, theology, and literary elements in balance. It teaches students how to put passages in historical context, while also honoring the modern context of readers today. For a longer series, this class can easily be paired with a topic of interest to a particular group (for example, the Bible and sexuality, the Bible and women, the Bible and slavery, etc.).

Philemon

The shortest of Paul’s letters has often been ignored by scholars and church-goers alike, either because they do not think it contains anything theologically significant, or because they reject it as affirming slavery. But there’s more to this little book than meets the eye. This two to three hour class on Philemon explores both the broad historical background and the nitty-gritty details of this interesting text.

Early Church Communities

This five-session series explores what we know about the early Christian communities founded by the Apostle Paul. It addresses both what we know about the churches, as well as what Paul had to say about how to live in Christian community in his letters to these churches. The letters addressed in the class are 1 Thessalonians, 1-2 Corinthians, Philippians, Galatians, and Romans.

Women of the Pauline Mission

You’ve heard of Mary Magdalene and Martha, but what do you know about Prisca and Junia? Come learn what we know about Paul’s female co-workers. This three hour class also explores what Paul wrote about women in his letters.

James

Famously called an “epistle of straw” by Martin Luther, James is a book people tend to either love or hate. This class seeks to understand it, working through it using my own translation of the book. The class can be done in four or five sessions and is discussion-focused.

Other Possibilities

The above descriptions represent classes I have already taught and would be glad to repeat for your group. However, I would also be happy to develop a new program for your group on a topic of interest to you. For example, if your group is interested in studying Acts, Galatians, Luke, John, Romans, or another book, I can present a lesson or series on any book of the New Testament. If you have an idea for something else, let me know!

For more information or to inquire about my availability and usual speaking fees, please contact me.