Using the work of John Dominic Crossan and others from the Jesus Seminar, John discussed how some scholars have observed that the Gospel of Thomas and the Q material, as contrasted with the four canonical gospels, are similar in their emphasis on the sayings, or life of Jesus rather than the passion of Jesus.

As a class, we talked about the sharing of spiritual gifts (healing) and the sharing of physical gifts, (symbolized by eating) all as representative of God’s Creation.

“the Kingdom of God is open to anyone brave enough to live it.”

The Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life develops space for religious-specific programming, facilitates interfaith dialogue & work, coordinates educational opportunities which delve into ethical, religious, philosophical, & spiritual subjects, engages in conflict transformation, and more. The Dean works with a wide variety of spiritual communities to best provide for the needs of Rollins’ diverse campus. Accordingly, the Dean is also active in representing Rollins in conversations with the greater community of Winter Park and Orlando.

After reviewing our Core Values, Debbie spoke on her role within the church, and ways the NU class can become more involved.

She introduced REALM – a database and tool which allows churches to reach out in fresh new ways. REALM has something for everyone and will provide modern ways to stay connected as a church family, and within small groups.

Presented by Frank Gilbert

In the past few decades, the wages of most workers have stagnated, even as productivity increased. Social supports have been cut, while corporations have achieved record profits. Downward mobility has produced political backlash.

Can Democracy Survive Global Capitalism? argues that neither trade nor immigration nor technological change is responsible for the harm to workers’ prospects. According to Robert Kuttner, global capitalism is to blame. By limiting workers’ rights, liberating bankers, allowing corporations to evade taxation, and preventing nations from assuring economic security, raw capitalism strikes at the very foundation of a healthy democracy. Is today’s poisonous alliance of reckless finance and ultranationalism inevitable? Or can we find the political will to make capitalism serve democracy, and not the other way around

Allen Vang serves as a member of the Speakers Bureau for Florida Abolitionists. Prior to moving to Orlando in 2018, he studied Business Management at Lakeshore Technical College. He distinguished himself as Vice President of Membership in Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, which led him to collaboration with other organizations helping to dismantle the infrastructure of Human Trafficking. Allen transferred to Herzing University to pursue his bachelor’s degree and continues to speak about and work towards ending all trafficking.

Ms. Leeanna Mims has over 30 years of experience in Public Safety. In 2015, she retired as Fire Chief for Seminole County. Leeanna has a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security and Defense from the Center of Homeland Defense and Security, Naval Post Graduate School, as well as a Bachelor’s in Management from the University of Phoenix. A graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, she is also a Florida certified paramedic. She began volunteering to help grow awareness of human trafficking after realizing how many people in the community were unaware of the scope of the problem. She is a resident of Lake Mary, Florida.

The goal of our discussion on George Washington was to create a fresh portrait that made him real, credible and charismatic in the same way that he was perceived by his contemporaries.  By gleaning anecdotes and quotes from others, we attempted to make him vivid and immediate, rather than the lifeless waxwork he has become for many Americans, and thereby elucidate the secrets of his uncanny ability to lead a nation.  His unerring judgment, sterling character, rectitude, steadfast patriotism, unflagging sense of duty and civic-mindedness were exemplary virtues he achieved only by his ability to subdue the underlying volatility of his nature and direct his entire psychological makeup to the single-minded achievement of a noble cause.

Presented by John Richard and Debbie Hill: This episode featured John Dominic Crossan.