The Book of Chronicles and the Church
Elizabethtown College, Susquehanna Room
500 Cedar St
Pennsylvania
40.147561
-76.592739
Taught by Steven SchweitzerPanel responses by Robert Neff and Christina BucherThe book of Chronicles contains an alternative vision of Israel’s past, one that promotes innovation while remaining faithful to the people’s heritage. While the book of Kings explains why the people ended up in exile (“how we got into this mess”), the book of Chronicles was written after the exile in the midst of significant cultural shifts to provide a way forward for a new opportunity to follow God faithfully (“where do we go from here”). Schweitzer proposes that Chronicles is highly relevant to the Church as it attempts to imagine its future. In the sessions, we will explore several central themes in the book and think about how Chronicles may help us answer questions about being faithful in the midst of cultural change, being innovative while remaining authentic and consistent with the past, and how the centrality of worship and seeking God provide a core message to those who participate in God’s Kingdom. Old Testament scholars Bob Neff and Christina Bucher will respond to Schweitzer's proposals and dialogue together about its possibilities for the life of the Church. Steven Schweitzer is Academic Dean of Bethany Theological Seminary and holds graduate degrees in both theology and biblical studies. Christina Bucher is Carl W. Ziegler Professor of Religion at Elizabethtown College and teaches courses in biblical literature and languages. Robert Neff is professor emeritus of Old Testament at Bethany Theological Seminary, former general secretary of the Church of the Brethren, and president emeritus of Juniata College.