Faith Forum Study of Paul’s Letter to the Christians at Philippi

Facilitated by Blair Pogue; offered over Zoom

Mainline Christians often have a conflicted relationship with St. Paul. If they’ve come from a fundamentalist or more conservative Christian background, they may be more familiar with Paul’s writings than the Gospels. Unfortunately mainline Christians (including Episcopalians) are less familiar with Paul and his writings. And often the teachings or statements they struggle with the most weren’t actually written by Paul.

This coming Sunday, June 21 and Sunday, June 28 I invite you to explore Paul’s letter to the Philippians with me during Faith Forum. Often referred to as “the epistle of joy,” it was written by Paul from prison, possibly in Rome, probably in the early 60s CE. Paul had a long and happy relationship with the Christians at Philippi, referring to them as his “crown.”

The Letter to the Philippians includes some of the most powerful passages in the Bible, including what is thought to be an early Christian hymn in chapter 2. I will provide a brief introduction to the book on June 21, and the group will then proceed to read through the letter together, verse by verse, stopping periodically to share what captured our imagination and any insights or questions you may have. Please have a Bible (any translation) with you.

Image: Rembrandt van Rijn, St. Paul in Prison (1627).