Getting started

Read the introduction and prepare to describe the challenge to the traditional creeds posed by the Renaissance and Enlightenment.

Review popular religious beliefs in America in the twenty-first century and describe them to the group.

• Jesus was born of a virgin.
• Jesus will actually return to earth someday.
• There is a devil.
• There is life beyond death.
• Satan actually exists.
• Heaven actually exists.

Discussion should center on how these beliefs fare in the light of human reason.

Discussion/Quiz Questions — printout

1. Can continuity be maintained with ancient beliefs?
2. In what ways does the Bible present diverse views of God and Jesus?
3. How were creeds and canons used to minimize diversity and establish “orthodoxy” in the church?
4. “What happens to traditional faith when the old creeds and confessions can no longer be squared with an empirical worldview?” 
5. What are the four options available to those who face challenges to traditional faith?

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