"God's Human Future: Overcoming Dogmatic Addiction."  

Christian faith in the twenty-first century is challenging, in part because the writings, images and doctrines about God we have inherited come from a different age and are rooted in notions about God that can be problematic for those of us who want to live fully, and with integrity, in an era dominated by science.  The Church’s debate over the inclusion of those who identify as LGBTQ+ is but one example of the collision between ancient dogmas and modern and post-modern insights and sensitivities.  
 
In the first part of Dr. David Galston’s presentation, which will be based on his book “God’s Human Future,” he will help us to understand where our ideas about God come from, and how we might re-imagine them such that some notion of “God” remains meaningful to contemporary people of faith.  In the second part of his presentation, he will challenge us to work toward overcoming our “addiction” to outdated dogmas so that we might adopt a more open and flexible theology which can speak intelligently and sensitively to our modern culture.
 
Following Dr. Galston’s address, and after an opportunity for some Q&A, we will convene a small panel of congregational leaders intended to explore the pastoral implications of what David has to say.  How might we encourage new understandings about God in our local churches?  How do we help members of our congregations to be released from dogmatic addictions to ideas and expressions of faith that are no longer working?  What might a church that lives into this new freedom look like? And how do we love, challenge and care for each other as we engage in this important-but-perilous work?
 
These are but some of the questions we will explore in our Spring Gathering.  It promises to be an interesting time together, and an important conversation.