Saving Paradise Book Study

Saving_Paradise_Invite “It took Jesus a thousand years to die...”
 
That is the first sentence of the book called Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker.
 
Rev. Emilia Halstead (Pastor of First Congregational Church, Concord, UCC), sponsored by the Christian Formation Ministry led a transformational 16-week discussion group on Saving Paradise. Download the Syllabus for more detailed information.
 
Update: The discussion group met on Monday evenings from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m., starting on January 6th and going through April 20th (April 13: Chapter Fourteen, Struggling for Paradise; April 20: Epilogue and Debrief).
 
In order to make the class as accessible as possible, folks were able to participate:

  • In person at the conference office (until mid March, when Covid-19  protocols had us to move to all Zoom meetings)
  • Through Zoom on a tablet, laptop, or smartphone,
  • Calling in from a landline,
  • Watching the recordings of the conversations,
  • Engaging in conversation on our Saving Paradise Facebook group
  • OR ALL OF THE ABOVE!

“We enter fully-heart, mind, soul, and strength-into savoring and saving paradise.” (‘Epilogue,’ pg.420) 


Participating in this Book Study via Facebook

Besides the regularly scheduled Monday evening meetings, there was an opportunity to interact or engage in discussion, at any time, via a Facebook Group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/805946859844065/


Watch a Recording of the Weekly Book Study Conversations

  • View a recording of the January 6, 2020 conversation (Welcome, Introductions, and Prologue Reflections) at: https://youtu.be/EF1GIEv_Tf8.
  • View a recording of the January 13, 2020 conversation (Chapter One, In the Beginning...Paradise on the Earth Reflections) at: https://youtu.be/2Bgqp77IEe4 (Note: this is a partial recording of the class session)
  • View a recording of the January 20, 2020 conversation (Chapter Two, In the Beginning...God So Generously Loved) at: https://youtu.be/HoNvWgiM268 (Note: breakout sessions are not recorded)
  • View a recording of the January 29, 2020 conversation (Chapter Three, In the Beginning...So Great a Cloud) at: https://youtu.be/2pGAmYLRZik
  • View a recording of the February 3, 2020 conversation (Chapter Four, The Church as Paradise in this World) at: https://youtu.be/h4pEGGJ-JJM
  • View a recording of the February 10, 2020 conversation (Chapter Five, Portal to Paradise) at:
    https://youtu.be/ws6WfON0JZ4
  • View a recording of the February 17, 2020 conversation (Chapter Six, The Beautiful Feast of Life) at:
    https://youtu.be/x9S9DdxSZGs
  • View a recording of the February 25, 2020 conversation (Chapter Seven, Gods Seeing God) at:
    https://youtu.be/AbWlPstIlrY
  • View a recording of the March 2, 2020 conversation (Chapter Eight, Hidden Treasures of Wisdom) at:
    https://youtu.be/pByWYtV0qjI
  • View a recording of the March 9, 2020 conversation (Chapter Nine, The Expulsion of Paradise) at:
    https://youtu.be/BezvQWZmQeo
  • View a recording of the March 16, 2020 conversation (Chapter Ten, Peace by the Blood of the Cross) at:
    https://youtu.be/cRnrY14DaBw
  • View a recording of the March 23, 2020 conversation (Chapter Eleven, Dying for Love) at:
    https://youtu.be/OEx2mKAaHdA
  • View a recording of the March 30, 2020 discussion on Chapter Twelve, Escape Routes and our conversation with Rebecca Parker and Rita Brock, authors of the book at: https://youtu.be/P8eibTsGsNs 
  • View a recording of the April 6, 2020 discussion on Chapter Thirteen, Weeping Encounters at:
    https://youtu.be/Kh4zC_tAdLU
  • View a recording of the April 13, 2020 discussion on Chapter Fourteen, The Struggle for Paradise at:
    https://youtu.be/v7Bd2-vW0Y4
  • View a recording of the April 20, 2020 discussion on the Epilogue and our debrief conversation at:
    https://youtu.be/Hxi7v964CNc