The aim of this class is to turn you into an Aristotelian! The Aristotelian view of nature is often derided as simple-minded by students of the modern scientific revolution. In fact, it was a brilliant synthesis of much of the best natural philosophy before the modern era. The Aristotelian world-view is relentlessly rational and coherent, and is in many respects the true foundation of modern science. It is also interesting and delightful in itself. PS: The Aristotelian world-view provides an excellent – and often amusing – way to explain the natural world to your younger grandchildren!

In two sessions, this class will explore why the church Fathers rejected some writings of the New Testament and Rabbis rejected some of the writings of the Hebrew Bible. How did they decide what was canon? What made one writing canonical and another non-canonical? Who were these people, and can they be trusted? What about the rejected books? Is there value in reading them? Do they influence the 66 books we have now as Protestants? Understanding why some writings were accepted and others rejected was the first interpretive decision made about what we call the Bible. All this matters in how we read our Bibles today.

From Sima Qian’s “Dynastic Cycles” in the 2nd Century BCE to Karl Marx’s “Dialectical Materialism” and Arnold Toynbee’s “Challenge and Response” many scholars have made a name for themselves by seeking to reduce human history to tidy, easy-to-understand patterns or “Laws.” These efforts are inevitably imperfect; but by drawing attention to key aspects of history, they have contributed greatly to our understanding of both the past and our own time. This course will examine a selection of these influential, if imperfect, ideas – as well as the fascinating individuals who produced and advocated for them.

How did Jesus of Nazareth, a flesh-and-blood 1st century Jewish teacher, crucified by Roman authorities, come to be viewed shortly after his death as divine, as the "Son of God," and eventually, enshrined in church dogma as the "second person" of a Trinitarian Godhead? Join veteran presenter Tom Buchanan as we explore how the very human Jesus of history was transformed in the eyes of his followers into the divine Christ of faith.