A People of Hope

Fee:  $30
Three Weeks

Check the course schedule for future offerings of this course.

featuring video with Fr. Michael Himes

The Christian story the metanarrative of salvation history is shaped by biblical figures that continue to inspire us, guide our faith, and ground our hope and our lives as believers.  Inspired by the Jesse Tree, this course unpacks the Advent theme of hope as lived out by our forebears in faith.  Using Scripture, videos with Fr. Michael Himes, and essays by the late Fr. Raymond Brown and Dr. Colleen Griffith, we look at some of the people in Matthew's genealogy and others people of hope who readied the way for Jesus and for us.  With these stories in view, participants are invited to reflect on what it means to embrace and live out Christian hope today.

Topics

Getting Started Week: A Cloud of Witnesses

Week 1: Deep Remembering with the Gospel of Matthew

Week 2: Living into Hope with Friends of God and Prophets

Special Features

• This course includes:
• Weekly Introductory Comments for each new topic;
• Two video presentations by Fr. Michael Himes;
• Transcripts of the video presentations;
• Downloadable pdf essays by Raymond Brown, S.S., and Dr. Colleen Griffith;
• Weekly questions for reflection and discussion; and
• A regularly updated Resources page for further study of topics discussed in this course.
  
  

All STM Online: Crossroads courses include these features:

• Participants have access 24 hours/ 7 days a week to the course's password-protected web site. 
• Each participant belongs to a small Community for Conversation and faith sharing guided by a facilitator.
• Site is usually available to participants at least three months after the course.
  
• An orientation on how to navigate the web site is always available.
• Technical assistance is easy to contact and prompt in returning a message.
• A Certificate of Active Participation is awarded to those who post at least three messages of substance for each week of content.
  
  

Additional Materials Needed:

All materials are available on the course site. Links to an online Bible are provided, but participants may also wish to have their own Bible available in hardcopy.

Time Commitment:

A participant can expect to spend approximately 3-4 hours each week. This commitment includes both preparation and interaction online.

Content Scholars: The late Rev. Raymond Brown, S.S. (text), Dr. Colleen M. Griffith (text), and Rev. Michael J. Himes (video)