About the Lay Academy
About The Lay Academy of Religion
The Lay Academy of Religion is a cooperative effort between Christ United Methodist Church and the Center for Continuing Education at Duke Divinity School. The Lay Academy typically offers continuing education courses for all interested persons in both the Fall and Winter of the year. In the recent past special short term classes have also been offered.
All courses are offered at Christ United Methodist Church and meet on designated Tuesday evenings from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Registration (either in advance or at the door) is typically required to participate in the studies. Cost is $25 per person; $35 per couple. Childcare is provided upon request at registration. Please see below for details about our next session with Dr. Mickey Efird.
Interested persons can register for upcoming classes by contacting the church office by phone (336-299-1571 or email. You may also download this registration brochure and mail back in to the church office. Click here to download a flyer for the two upcoming sessions to post at your church, workplace, etc.
About Professor Efird
James M. (Mickey) Efird is Professor of Biblical Interpretation at the Divinity School, Duke University. He is author of a number of books, including: The Old Testament Writings, The New Testament Writings, How to Interpret the Bible, and Revelation for Today.
Fall 2010 Session: Genesis
Dates: Tuesdays, October 12 - November 9, 2010
Time: 7:00-8:30pm
Location: Fellowship Center of Christ Church
Registration & Cost: See above or download this brochure.
This is the first book of the Priestly History which includes the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Joshua. It attempts to set Israel's history into the larger setting of God's creation and relationship with the world. There are two parts: Chapters 1-11, the Primeval History; and Chapters 12-50, the Patriarchal History. There are many etiological stories included which give an explanation for why things are as they are, not from a scientific viewpoint, but from a theological/religious viewpoint.
Fall 2011 Session: Gospel of Mark
Dates: Tuesdays, March 1 - March 29, 2011
Time: 7:00-8:30pm
Location: Fellowship Center of Christ Church
Registration & Cost: See above or download this brochure.
The Gospel of Mark is the first of the four canonical gospels to be written. It was used by both Luke and Matthew in the writing of their gospels so the outline and basic teaching of Mark will be found in both of those as well. Mark emphasizes that Jesus is uniquely the Son of God, Messiah, who has come to set loose in the world the power of God's Kingdom which will ultimately bring the Kingdom of Satan to its demise. There is an emphasis on suffering in Mark because it was written to the church of Rome not long after the persecution of the church there by Nero in 64-66 A.D.
Archived Session Materials
For three weeks in June of 2009, Dr. Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, Lucy H. Robertson Professor of Religion at Greensboro College led a special session of our Lay Academy in June. Her topic was "A Thinking Person's Guide to Biblical Truth. Summary notes from her sessions have been requested by many attendees and are located below.