Shining Light on Scripture

When: Thursday Afternoons
Time: 3:00 -5:00 pm
Where: The Gathering Place, 3613 Bechelli Lane, Redding, CA 96002
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/931097698?pwd=YzdSdnlsNGxmR0FPY0xCUTdRdldTdz09
Facilitated by Chris Johnson, RScP and Rev. Diana Johnson

Join Chris Johnson, RScP on Thursday afternoons from 3:00 – 5:00 pm for a fun and enlightening study of one of the most read, yet most misunderstood books, or collections of books, in the world. We began with the Creation myths of the Hebrew Scriptures – or Old Testament, looking at each story and character through the lens of mythology and symbolism; within its historical and cultural context; and according to its literary genre and qualities. We are now considering how these stories shaped the teachings of the Rabbi Yeshua of Nazareth and the formation of the early Christian Church.

We are studying the noncanonical gospels, and we are currently reading

The Gospel of Thomas

The Gospel of Thomas: the Gnostic Wisdom of Jesus, by Jean-Yves Leloup

A brief synopsis from bookseller.org (supporting local independent bookstores):

In this translation of the Gospel of Thomas, Jean-Yves Leloup shows that the Jesus recorded by the “infinitely skeptical and infinitely believing” Thomas has much in common with Gnostics of non-dualistic schools. Like them, Jesus preaches the coming of a new man, the genesis of the man of knowledge. In this gospel, Jesus describes a journey from limited to unlimited consciousness. The Jesus that Thomas presents invites us to drink deeply from the well of knowledge that lies within, not so that we may become good Christians but so we may attain the self-knowledge that will make each of us, too, a Christ.

We will begin reading

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene

on Thursday, April 10th

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, by Jean-Yves Leloup

A brief synopsis from bookseller.org (supporting local independent bookstores):

Orthodox theologian Jean-Yves Leloup’s translation of the Gospel of Mary from the Coptic and his thorough and profound commentary on this text are presented here for the first time in English. The gospel text and the spiritual exegesis of Leloup together reveal unique teachings that emphasize the eminence of the divine feminine and an abiding love of nature over the dualistic and ascetic interpretations of Christianity presented elsewhere. What emerges from this important source text and commentary is a renewal of the sacred feminine in the Western spiritual tradition and a new vision for Christian thought and faith throughout the world.

No prior knowledge of the Bible is required… only an openness to learning how to interpret this great Sacred Work for yourself.

This is a drop-in book study group – come whenever you like.

We meet at the Gathering Place, Suite H, and online at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/931097698?pwd=YzdSdnlsNGxmR0FPY0xCUTdRdldTdz09

Donations graciously accepted.

Bible Study Resources

The Beginner’s Guide to the Bible by Jeffrey Kranz
The Bible Project: a website with free Bible study resources and terrific videos
Five Gospel Parallels: Shows parallel passages from the four canonical gospels and the Gospel of Thomas (from the University of Toronto
Metaphysical Bible Dictionary: Provides metaphysical meanings for names of people and places in the Bible (from TruthUnity)
The Gnostic Society Library: a treasure trove of non-canonical Christian gospels and apocrypha, including the Nag Hammadi Library, Hermetic Literature, and more
King James Version of the Bible with Strong’s Concordance: Contains links to the original Hebrew and Greek words for a more in-depth exploration of other possible translations (from godrules.net)
King James Version of the Bible with Apocrypha: Includes the Apocrypha, which are books contained in the Catholic Bible, but not the Protestant Bible (from the University of Michigan)
Revised Standard Version of the Bible with Apocrypha: Includes more Apocryphal books in a more modern translation (from the University of Michigan)

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