Southern Nebraska Register
The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies will offer four 10-week classes – in-person or online – beginning Feb. 20, plus a special seminar on the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI April 15.
The first course, “Creation to New Creation: The Historical Books,” will be taught by Chad Steiner and Vern Steiner Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Feb. 20 through May 1. The course continues a three-year journey through the whole Bible by focusing on the 16 books from Joshua through Maccabees. Students are not required to commit to the three-year program; they may enter or exit at any time.
This stream of courses is designed to familiarize students with the overarching structure and message of the Bible by focusing on how each of its 73 books contributes to the unfolding divine drama centered in Christ. Specifically, the so-called “Historical Books” trace the history of God’s people from shortly after the exodus to the events leading up to the birth of Christ.
“Anything but dry, dusty, and boring, these books are part of Jesus’ story, and so of our story, too,” said Chad Steiner. “They are packed with lessons on faith and faithfulness, surrender and obedience, exile and mission, surrender and hope, worship and prayer, and the centrality of God’s Holy Word.”
On Tuesdays, Feb. 21 through May 2, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Vern Steiner will teach “When God’s People Suffer: A Biblical Perspective on Pain and Evil.” The course will wrestle with the mystery of suffering and will provide biblical answers to many of the questions most people ask at some point: If God is both loving and powerful, why does he allow suffering and pain and evil? What are the causes of suffering, and how does it serve God’s purposes? Why do some Christians suffer more than others, and is it their fault? How should God’s people pray in the midst of suffering? How can suffering be a means of participation in Christ’s redemptive work and an occasion for rejoicing?
One objective of the “When God’s People Suffer” course is to enable God’s people to be less baffled and more consoled while experiencing painful realities, and to be more charitable and mercy-filled toward suffering in others’ lives.
Joshua Burks will teach “Behold the King: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew” Thursdays, Feb. 23–May 4, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The Gospel of Matthew has been called the teacher’s Gospel because of its orderliness and structure, and it’s been called the catechist’s Gospel because of its rich teaching contents. The Gospel of Matthew tells of the incarnate ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, who took on human flesh, preached the good news of salvation, and offered himself on the Cross for the redemption of the world.
“The course will explore the Gospel of Matthew with attentive ears and prayerful hearts, enabling us to encounter the incarnate Lord, the great Teacher and Healer of mankind, and ultimately (to borrow from Tolkien) to behold the Return of the King,” said Burks.
Adjunct instructor Mike Katalenich will present “Latin I C: Introduction to Latin Grammar” Wednesdays, Feb. 22 through May 3, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This in-person-only class is a continuation of Latin I A and B, and is limited to students who have completed the previous courses or their equivalents.
Full course descriptions and registration details are available at www.emmausinstitute.net. Most classes are held in the Emmaus classroom in the Calvert Office Park, 3601 Calvert, Lincoln, unless enrollment requires a larger location as posted on the website and clarified by letter. All classes are available in-person or online except Latin I C. In-person students have free access to the online recordings.
Emmaus will also offer a half-day seminar, “Benedict XVI: The Debt We Owe as Church and Academy,” featuring Dr. Christopher Blum, provost of the Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology, April 15 at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Lincoln. Registration details will follow.
