August 2023 Course Descriptions

Homiletics for Lay Preachers
This course provides students an overview of basic homiletical principles as these pertain to the ministry of lay preaching. Students will offer practice sermons.
Required Text     
  • Long, Thomas G. The Witness of Preaching, third edition. Westminster John Knox Press. 2016.
Your Instructor
  • The Rev. Dr. Bill Fasel is a retired Episcopal priest. During his career as a priest, he served small churches with a primary goal of developing ministry teams of lay and ordained leaders. Fasel holds a D.Min. in Congregational Development from Seabury-Western.

Introduction to Scripture
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the Bible, both Old and New Testaments and begin to answer some fundamental questions, such as: Where did the Bible come from? What are its sources of development? What do we believe about authorship? What is the cultural context of our sacred scriptures? And much more…!
Required Texts           
  • Arterbury, Anthony E.; Bellinger, Jr. W.H.; and Dodson, Derek S.. Engaging the Christian Scriptures: An Introduction to the Bible (Second Edition). Baker Academic Publishing, 2021.
  • Gonzalez, Juston L. The Bible in the Early Church. Eerdmans Publishers, 2022.
  • The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (including the Apocrypha), preferably a study edition
Recommended, Not Required
  • Wright, Nicholas. Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship. Eerdmans Publishing: 1994.
Your Instructor
  • The Rt. Rev. Michael P. Milliken is the 5th Bishop of the Diocese of Western Kansas (Resigned). As a priest for almost 5 decades, Bishop Milliken has served parishes in Kentucky and Kansas. He holds degrees from the University of Kentucky; The Episcopal Theological Seminary in Kentucky; and Xavier University in Cincinnati. Over the years, in addition to parish work and serving the wider church in many ways, Bishop Milliken has taught Contemporary Theology at Xavier University as well as courses in Old & New Testament; Morals and Ethics; and Comparative Religion at the Hutchinson Community College.  He has served as the Interim Bishop of Kansas, and more recently, as the Interim Rector of St. Stephen’s in Wichita.  Currently Bishop Milliken is the Assisting Bishop in Western Kansas.  He oversees the work of the Commission on Ministry and education for ministry in the diocese.  Bishop Milliken sits on the Board of Directors for BKSM, having served as Vice-chair, and Chair.

New Testament
The  course is a study of the Gospels, Epistles, and other writings of the New Testament that gives consideration to the their historical, literary, and theological dimensions. After taking this course, students will have gained a general understanding of the major stories and theological ideas of the New Testament, a basic familiarity with the variety of methods scholars use to interpret the New Testament, a basic sense of the origins and historical development of the New Testament, and an appreciation for variation and similarity within interpretations of the New Testament.
Required Texts
  • Barr, David L. New Testament Story: An Introduction. 4th ed. Cengage Learning Press, 2008.
Your Instructor
  • Dr. Arminta Fox is Associate Professor of Religion and Director of Peer Ministry at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. She earned her PhD in Biblical Studies from Drew University Theological School in Madison, New Jersey in 2015. A New Testament scholar, Dr. Fox’s primary areas of research include the complex development of identity in biblical texts and early Christian history, feminist biblical scholarship, contextual hermeneutics, and material culture. Her first book, Paul Decentered: Reading 2 Corinthians with the Corinthian Women, was published by Lexington/Fortress Academic in December 2019. This work analyzes how Paul’s letters, particularly 2 Corinthians, witness to complex debates between Paul and the communities in which he worked. It argues that women played an important role in the development of the Christian community in Corinth.

Old Testament 2
The intention of this course is to do a close reading of the portions of the Hebrew Bible which include the major and minor prophets. Methods will be demonstrated for study and analysis of these materials, including the use of sociological, anthropological, historical, and literary criticism. Cross-cultural and comparative study of prophecy in the ancient Near East will also be addressed.
Required Texts
  • Chalmers, Aaron. Interpreting the Prophets. IVP, 2015.
  • Matthews, V. H. 101 Questions & Answers on the Prophets of Israel. Paulist, 2007.
  • Any one of the modern translations of the Bible, preferably the Annotated New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society Version, or New International Version. Do not use the King James Version. Although it is a beautiful literary translation, it is hard to understand for most modern students and is outdated. I will use the NRSV in class.
  • On-line concordances featuring several biblical translations: http://bible.gospelcom.net and http://bible.crosswalk.com/
  • An on-line version of the NRSV translation: http://www.godweb.org/nrsv.html
Your Instructor
  • Dr. Victor Matthews is a Professor of Religious Studies and Dean of the College of Humanities and Public Affairs at Missouri State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, specializing in the social world of ancient Israel. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Examining Chaplains for the Diocese of West Missouri.
BKSM welcomes you to take courses with us for personal enrichment or continuing education. Classes are richer with occasional students around the table.  We encourage you to experience this remarkable, uplifting community of learning, worship and fellowship for yourself!

August Overview
  • Classes begin on Monday, July 10.  You will receive an email and syllabus directly from your instructor. If you have  not received anything from your instructor by Tuesday, please contact us.
  • The in-person Focus Weekend meets  August 12-13, on Saturday from 7:30 am-9:00 pm and on Sunday from 7:30am-12:15pm.
  • The detailed weekend schedule is here.
  • Classes end on Friday, September 8.
  • Grades due on September 30.

Tuition & Scholarships
  • Tuition is $100 to audit a class in person or online, $240 to take a class for credit in person, which includes  overnight accommodations at Upton Hall &  meals, $165 to take a class for credit on Zoom.
  • Apply for the $100 Jim Upton lay scholarship. Scholarships also available for students on an ordination track.
  • Many hotels are available throughout Topeka. Most are 15 minutes away or less.
Register Now for August Courses