Trinity Presbyterian Church pastor Rev. George Pasley recently organized a campus wide bible study focusing on how inclusion is interpreted in the Bible.
Each week, different scripture and topics will be discussed and participants will be able to share their interpretations with the group.
Pasley said that newcomers were not expected to tell their stories or share with the group until they feel comfortable enough to do so.
A wide variety of topics will be discussed throughout the semester including oppression, outcast, inclusion, racism, classism and so on.
Another central focus of Rev. Pasley’s study group is God’s love for the outcast in scripture and what it says about people who feel like outcasts of the church today.
When asked his motivation for starting a bible study with a key theme being outcasts, Pasley said he wanted to start a program for those who feel like an outcast of the church today.
“I’ve sensed that people feel that way, so I wanted to do something for them, but whether they’ll come I don’t know.”
Through discussing and re-reading scripture, things that once seemed concrete can take on a completely different meaning.
“I was reading the end of chapter one of exodus, when the Pharoh asks the midwives to kill all the baby boys, and it came to me that he wanted to do something else with the girls, a certain kind of slavery. I’ve read that story for 60 years and never thought about it like that until last night, when I was making this lesson.”
The study group meets on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in room 111 of the University Center.
“Each lesson is going to be freestanding, so you won’t get behind if you miss a lesson,” said Pasley.
Any interested students are encouraged to come, for more information contact Trinity Presbyterian Church at 731-587-9718.
