On a recent Tuesday, a group of 15 students, ranging in age from their 20s to their 80s, were gathered around a table in St. Stephen’s Eastminster Room. They were comparing the Book of Job in the Bible to Archibald Macleish’s brilliant poem/play JB. How did Macleish’s post World War II rewrite of the biblical book that asks why God allows suffering give us insight into Job? How did they differ? The discussion was lively and insightful. At the table were a varied group–a faithful older lady who is a dedicated volunteer, a PCUSA missionary, a young man who teaches English at a high school, a middle-aged administrator on his lunch break, an older couple, one of whom is in a wheelchair, and a formerly homeless woman originally from the Bahamas. The energy is palpable.
Every Tuesday a dedicated group of students gathers in St. Stephen’s Eastminster Room, midway down the first floor hall of our education building, to participate in a lively discussion about how the Bible applies to their lives. The Tuesday Bible Study was initiated by Dr. Ritsch eight years ago. The composition of the group has changed over the years. Many of our earliest members have died, or their work schedules have changed; but that hasn’t slowed down the energy or lowered the participation level. In fact, almost every week we welcome a new member into the study! At the same time, though, we have a core of dedicated folk who’ve been there from the beginning. One of them is Sharon Curry, our church’s PCUSA missionary to the Republic of South Sudan, who is on furlough due to violence there. She has been part of the Bible study, along with her mother Pat Curry, from its inception.
The Bible study has become a way for many visitors to find their way into the church. An older couple attended the class recently joined the church. They have commented that, having attended a very large Chicago church in the past, they especially appreciates that the pastor personally leads the class.
One of the things that draws people to St. Stephen is our dedication to intelligent faith. One of our oft-used mottos is “Don’t check your brain at the door.” Dr. Ritsch introduces students to the resources of modern scholarship, including literary and historical criticism, but in the context of truly and faithfully viewing scripture as God’s Word.
Over the past eight years, we’ve studied Mark, John, Exodus, Genesis, Galatians, James, and Romans. Study is intensive; people will often joke if they’ve missed a couple of weeks, “Have we moved to the next chapter yet?” but key to the process is that everyone participates in the discussion, and every insight is weighed. We abide by the Reformation principle of “The Priesthood of All Believers.”
We’ll continue our study of Job Tuesday, August 21st. You are of course welcome to join us then, or anytime. Please do!