Liberal Bible studies and devotionals?

[GreenPartyVoter]

Hubby and I have been doing the Bible-believing ones he likes. I want something else to go with.

[StoryTeller]

1. More details?

I'm not sure what you mean by "Bible-believing" ones. As opposed to...??? :)

I can probably give you some good ideas if you tell me what sort of studies you're interested in. Are you looking for studies arranged by book (like a study on Romans, for example) or by topic?

If you're feeling really intrepid, you might want to ditch the prepackaged studies and devos and instead try working through a book that explains how to study/interpret the Bible. Something like Gordon Fee's How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth.

Or you might want to try reading some theological works. My favorite theologian at the moment is N.T. Wright.

Just give us a little clearer idea of what you are looking for, and I'm sure we can come up with some great ideas for you.

[Critters2]

2. Look for things by

Chalice Press, Pilgrim Press, Cokesbury, Abingdon. There's a good alternative to Alpha that my congregation keeps trying to find a time to use (even my church is over-scheduled!). I'll look it up.

[RevCheesehead]

3. or Logos.

I like their stuff, for the most part. :)

[Critters2]

4. Oh, yeah, Logos is good, too nt

[Critters2]

5. The Alpha-like liberal series is "Living the Questions"

but it's probably more than you'd want for private devotions. Most of the mainline denominations put out daily devotionals. The UCC and PCUSA have "These Days". The Disciples and American Baptists have "The Secret Place" (or words to that effect). United Methodists have "Upper Room". For daily devotions, these ought to work.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. The Episcopalians have "Forward Day by Day"

for daily devotions. You can pick up a copy in the literature rack at just about any Episcopal church.

Their super-duper Bible study course is actually a four-year program in Bible, church history, and theology, called Education for Ministry, or EFM.
It's usually offered in one or two churches per city at any given time, and members are supposed to make a commitment to learn as a supportive community.

They also have a program called Via Media ("Middle Way"), which is less intensive and meant to be studied in a congregational context.

[Critters2]

7. I sat in on the Via Media program at the Episcopal Church here

They're our next-door neighbors, so we do a lot of things together. I liked Via Media, and would use it if it weren't quite so Episcopalian-specific. Ya know, a lot of "why I'm an Episcopalian" stuff. But well-done.

Oh, and thanks for the info about "Forward Day by Day". I figured the EC had a devotional, but didn't know the title.

[Lerkfish]

8. one of the best group bible study programs I went through was a

workbook on parables. unfortunately, I just tried to search for it for you, and there are so many of these its like a needle in a haystack, and we used it over ten years ago. It had a pumpkin-colored cover and it was a paperback workbook.

at any rate, it got more out of the discussion about the meaning of the meaning of the parables than any study group I've ever been in.

I would consider it liberal only in that it encouraged you to explore what they meant and how you felt about them.

not sure if this is what you meant, and doubly sorry I can't locate it on the web, having forgotten the author.

[RevCheesehead]

9. Do you mean "Parables from the Backside"?

There's a series of study books by Ellsworth Kalas, that takes a new and refreshing look at the parables. Those I have seen are well done.

[Lerkfish]

10. thanks, but that's not it, however, it does look like a good book.