USPG study courses: Exploring the Bible with the world church
By offering insights into how our church partners are putting their faith into practice, we hope these courses will inspire you and your church to engage more deeply with local and global mission. You can read the courses on this page or click here to order printed booklets.
Who is our neighbour?‘Who is our neighbour?’ This is a key question that is at the heart of the Parables in Saint Luke’s Gospel. The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us not to ask but to answer the question, ‘Who is our neighbour?’ My neighbour is not just the focus of my compassion and concern; my neighbour also teaches me what it means to serve. To be a good neighbour, I need to both give and receive, as Christ both gives and receives. The Church is both the giver and the receiver in mission. In identifying and serving the needs of others, we find not only who our neighbours are, but they too welcome us as neighbours. We become Christ-like, as we should, for as the Church we are the Body of Christ. There are six studies in this study guide from Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Caribbean, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and the Diocese of Europe. Our theme for this guide is informed by the Parable of the Good Samaritan, but you are invited to draw on other readings too, offering shared experiences in the Church, in all its diversity, of what it is to be a good neighbour today. Pwy yw fy Nghymydog? (Welsh version) Living Stones, Living HopeThe title of this new course for 2022 is from 1 Peter 2, ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’. 1 Peter is the text of the Bible study for the Lambeth Conference in July 2022: so, in basing our study on this text we are in solidarity with our sister and brother bishops preparing for this important meeting in the life of our communion. The metaphor of the Christian community in 1 Peter 2 as living stones is rich and evocative. We, the Church, are the living stones, and we are called to bring living hope in our diverse situations, though faith in the one who is the cornerstone of our faith, Jesus Christ. In each context this will be lived out differently, and will be underpinned by a range of theologies, yet our bedrock in Christ remains our constant. ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’ explores this from the perspective of five partner churches around the world, inviting us to reflect on our own experience of being ‘living stones’ bringing ‘living hope’ in our own situations, in the light of the experiences of others. Living Stones, Living Hope (PDF)
A Heart for MissionWhat is mission? Anglican Churches hold a range of views ranging from an emphasis on personal salvation, to an emphasis on development and social change. The Anglican Consultative Council recognised that neither evangelism nor development alone did justice to the Great Commission given by Jesus in Matthew 28:19 – ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth.’ Following much debate, study and prayer the council identified the Five Marks of Mission - five intertwined parts that together comprise a holistic understanding of mission: For such a time as thisThe world is in crisis; Creation is groaning. People and the Earth have been crying out for many years. But for too long, many people - particularly those in the global North - have chosen not to listen, instead remaining complicit in destruction and continuing to increase inequalities. In such a time as this, what have Christians got to offer? Our doctrine of creation suggests that it was never meant to be like this, but that human nature is tarnished or fallen. The biblical narrative of salvation provides a remedy and challenges us to play our part in the process of redemption and re-creation. This is the journey that we will take together over the six sessions looking at the implications for our daily lives both as individuals and as communities of faith and hope. We are here for such a time as this. Called to respond with words and actions. USPG partners with churches across the world in their mission of transforming lives through education, health care and justice for all. USPG’s partner churches offer us insights, hope and encouragement in the ways that they are confronting the issues of ecological justice in their own context: and in doing so, challenge us to respond: are we ready to accept the challenge? Ar Gyfer Amser Fel Hwn (For such a time as this - Welsh)
Living with a world of differenceA five session study course celebrating diversity within the Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is extraordinary. It is the world’s third largest Christian community, a worldwide family of tens of millions of Christians, from more than 165 countries stretching around the globe. Within the Communion there is an enormous breadth of cultural diversity. Hundreds of languages are spoken. Anglicans and Episcopalians live in modern cities and rural heartlands. And yet, in spite of this wealth of difference and diversity, the Communion shares many aspects of its life and faith in Jesus Christ. Byw mewn byd o wahaniaeth (PDF)
|