Christian Formation Series

In this concluding lecture on Ruth, Mark Lloret expands the story’s themes into a broader reflection on our responsibility toward the vulnerable—widows, the poor, immigrants, and all who find themselves in need. Through a spectrum ranging from exploitation to sacrificial love, he challenges us to examine how we respond, ultimately pointing to Christ as the model of perfect love, truth, and justice...

In this lecture, Mark Lloret traces the story of Ruth from loss and displacement to restoration and hope. Beginning in the darkness of famine, death, and exile, the narrative unfolds through acts of quiet faithfulness—Ruth’s loyalty, Naomi’s perseverance, and Boaz’s generosity. Set against the moral chaos of the time of the Judges, Ruth becomes a striking contrast: a story shaped not by power, but...

In this opening lecture on the book of Ruth, Mark Lloret situates the story within the wider sweep of Scripture, placing it in the turbulent and morally fractured period of the Judges. Against this backdrop of disorder—where “everyone did what was right in their own eyes”—Ruth emerges as a quiet yet radiant story of faithfulness, loyalty, and redemption. Far from a simple or sentimental tale, it i...

In this lecture, Dr. Stephen Bagby explores the unfolding of the plagues in Exodus as more than acts of judgment—they reveal a deeper struggle over sovereignty, as God confronts the powers of oppression and reclaims His creation. Through Moses, this becomes not only a story of deliverance, but an “assault on the consciousness of the empire,” inviting God’s people to see beyond the narratives of po...

In this lecture, Dr. Stephen Bagby continues through the early chapters of Exodus, drawing attention to the deep themes of oppression, deliverance, and God’s sovereign work in history. Through the story of Moses—from his rescue in the waters to his encounter with God in the burning bush—we see a God who hears the cries of His people, reveals His name, and calls His servants into participation in H...

In this lecture, Dr. Stephen Bagby begins an overview of the book of Exodus, presenting it as the unfolding fulfillment of God’s promises first given in Genesis. Through the story of deliverance—from bondage in Egypt to freedom under God—he traces themes of covenant, worship, and the abiding presence of God with His people. As the narrative moves from oppression to redemption, Exodus becomes more...

In this second lecture on Zechariah, Dr. Stephen Bagby deepens the vision of a people returning from exile and being called into renewed covenant life. Through prophetic imagery and reflection on the coming kingdom, he highlights a world defined by justice, mercy, and peace under the rule of God’s chosen King. In contrast to the politics of fear and power that shape much of human life, this vision...

In this lecture, Dr. Stephen Bagby opens the book of Zechariah, situating it within the fragile moment of Israel’s return from exile—a people longing for restoration after generations of upheaval. Drawing on the idea of a “politics of hope,” he invites us to imagine a vision of life shaped not by fear or power, but by the coming kingdom of God. Through vivid, apocalyptic imagery, Zechariah speaks...

In this lecture, Dr. Stephen Bagby reflects on the story of Jacob and Esau, culminating in their unexpected reconciliation—a moment that reveals the deeper arc of Scripture. Engaging Romans 9–11, he challenges readings that divide God’s justice and mercy, instead presenting them as expressions of a single, unwavering love. From Genesis to the New Testament, he traces a vision of God’s work as one...

In this lecture, Dr. Stephen Bagby turns to the Jacob narrative, revealing a God whose purposes unfold in unexpected ways—lifting up the overlooked and working through tension and conflict. Drawing on the theme of coherence, he invites us to see humanity as deeply interconnected, bearing the image of God not in isolation but in relationship. In this light, personhood is not fixed, but living and d...

Father Jordan Griesbeck. Originally recorded on October 12, 2025.

This session covers an in-depth exploration of Genesis, emphasizing covenant, genealogy, ancient Near Eastern context, and the theological arc that connects Noah, Abraham, and the patriarchs to God’s unfolding promise. It also addresses difficult modern questions, encourages honest engagement with the text, and highlights how these early stories shape themes of faith, identity, and God’s redemptiv...

Review Genesis 4–9. What condition do we find ourselves in amidst a post-Fall world? Autonomy ("a law unto oneself") result in pride, shame, anxiety, and disordered relationships with creation. Witness the slow decline of humanity leading up to the Flood.

In this final session, Bp. Brewer opens the floor for questions from the class. Originally recorded on Sunday, 9/28/25.

Why are there two creation accounts between Genesis 1 and 2? What is the "two-ness of Scripture"? Dr. Stephen Bagby continues the conversation. Originally recorded on Sunday, 9/28/25.

In this episode, Bp. Brewer discusses generosity with money — Jesus talked about it a lot, so what did he teach on it? The wise Rabbi knew that use of money is connected to our hearts. Originally recorded on Sunday, 9/21/25.

Walk through the Genesis creation account to glean theological truths from each day that God created.

In this episode of Called to Give, Bp. Greg Brewer teaches on the importance of self-sacrificial giving in a way that benefits others (and not us) — this is uniquely Christian. Originally recorded on Sunday, 9/14/25.

In this next episode of Read, Mark, Learn, and Inwardly Digest, Dr. Stephen Bagby discusses the goal of creation. We see it more clearly when coordinated with Colossians 1:15-17 — "all things were created through him and for him." Originally recorded on Sunday, 9/14/25.

In our Called to Give series, Bishop Greg Brewer, our interim rector, teaches on the Christian's call to live generously as a response to God's generosity shown to us in the gospel of Christ. Book list: The Generosity Project To Love As God Loves: Conversations with the Early Church , by Roberta C. Bondi Fully Alive , by Elizabeth Oldfield Commentary on First, Second, and Third John , by Judith Li...

Our Sunday School series, "Read, Mark, Learn, and Inwardly Digest" begins here with a course on Genesis. Dr. Stephen Bagby, in our Adult Formation department, lays the foundation for understanding the Book of Genesis. Originally recorded on Sunday, 9/7/25.