Week 1: Scriptural Imagination and the Heart of Methodism
Introduction
Scripture offers us incredible hope as we await Christ’s return. How might the New Creation shape our vision of what life in the here and now could look like? This week, you’ll begin to consider what it means to have a “scriptural imagination” by looking more closely at the astounding hope to which we have been called, how it shaped John Wesley’s vision for ministry, and how it might help us rediscover the heart of Methodism.
This Week's Presenter
The Rev. Dr. J. Warren Smith, Professor of Historical Theology at Duke Divinity School, is interested in the history of theology and especially patristic theology. A United Methodist minister in the North Carolina Annual Conference, his interests include playing with his English bulldog, walking in the Western NC mountains, and reading Victorian literature. His work has been driven by his concern for the question of realized eschatology: how can we in the present age live into the eschatological reality inaugurated by Christ’s resurrection?
What You'll Learn
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Define a “scriptural imagination”
- Give examples of ways that John Wesley’s scriptural imagination influenced the Methodist movement
- Describe how faith and hope are related
- Explain how Christ’s humanity and our baptism give us reason for hope
- Plan one small step you can take to broaden your familiarity with Scripture
Key Terms
Enigma: something that is difficult to understand or explain
Eschatology: a branch of theology that deals with what will happen in the future when Christ returns to usher in the New Creation. The term is derived from a Greek word meaning “last”.
Video Lesson
Use the spaces provided in your workbook to record your responses to the prompts that appear during the video.
You can download a Spanish transcript for Scriptural Imagination and the Hearth of Methodism to accompany your viewing.
Puede descargar una transcripción en español de La Imaginación Bíblica Y El Corazón Del Metodismo para acompañar su visualización.
Optional Resource
Forming Scriptural Imagination (Duke Divinity School)
For a more in-depth look at the concept of a scriptural imagination, watch this one-hour discussion featuring Richard Hays, Ellen Davis, Stanley Hauerwas, and Greg Jones (recorded in 2013).
