Every conversation begins somewhere. And when it’s a new conversation with new people, it helps to begin with introductions!rnrnIn this session, then, u003cspan class=u0022ilu0022u003eAnnau003c/spanu003e will introduce key terms and themes, ones which will both ground and lace through our entire time together.rnrnSome terms might be unfamiliar, like “proleptic,” and others every day ones, like “God.” But whether we’re fussing with new words or old words in new ways, this hour will invite us into these series of classes, into a way of thinking theologically, and into some fresh ways of thinking too.

A person learns a lot about one’s present when one looks at one’s past. That’s true for individuals, for families, and for countries, but it is also true for denominations like the ELCA.rnrnIn this session, we will look at what is arguably the core principle of Lutheran teaching: that we are justified by faith. Lutherans tend to consider this truth not only to be the gospel truth, but the very gospel itself.rnrnWhile forgiveness is good news, it isn’t, actually the good news.  That’s a different thing altogether. When we re-orient our notion of the gospel to the good news, namely to the news that Jesus is risen, our way of thinking about our identities and our callings and our freedom in Christ changes radically too.

Who we understand ourselves to be determines not only who we are but who we become.rnrnThat’s true of people, but also of congregations and denominations.rnrnIn this final session, we’ll consider three ways of being church. We’ll reflect on whether there’s a profile that might describe the ELCA, as well as your specific congregation.  We’ll ponder why those identities might be, and whether God might be calling the Church to become something new.