October 2024 Course Descriptions

Adult Catechesis and Formation
The primary focus of the class is on the ancient and modern catechumenate, especially in terms of preparation for baptism and confirmation. The course will also look at other formation issues for adults, particularly vocational discernment and spiritual direction.
Required Texts     
  • Bass, Diana Butler. Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening. HarperOne, 2012.
  • Everist, Norma Cook. The Church as Learning Community: A Comprehensive Guide to Christian Education. Abigdon Press, 2002.
  • Fowler, James W. Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian: Adult Development and Christian Faith. Jossey-Bass,  2000.
  • Westerhoff, John H. III. Will Our Children Have Faith? Wipf & Stock, 1999.
Recommended, but not Required Text     
  • Tickle, Phyllis. The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why. Baker Books, 2008.
Your Instructors
  • The Rev. Dr. Bill Fasel

Anglican History
This course provides students an introduction to Anglican thought in historical context from the Reformation of the sixteenth century to the present. We will see how major reformations shaped a global communion.
Required Texts     
  • Moorman, J. R. H. A History of the Church in England, 3rd ed. 1980.
  • Kwok Pui Lan, The Anglican Tradition from a Postcolonial Perspective. Seabury, 2023.
Your Instructor
  • The Very Rev. Dr. Don H. Compier (Ph.D. in theology, Emory University) is retired as  Dean of the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry. Previously, Compier taught Master’s and Ph.D. courses in theology, philosophy, and modern church history at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. He has also offered classes at Saint Paul School of Theology and Eden Theological Seminary. He led the graduate program in religion at Graceland University from 2002 until 2014, developing an innovative online curriculum and travelling all over the world. He is currently conducting research on the history of the Daily Office. He is a guide and teacher at the Ignatian Spirituality Center of Kansas City, MO.

Doctrines of the Second Person
This course will explore biblical, historical and contemporary interpretations of the person and work of Christ. This course will explore biblical, historical, and contemporary interpretations of the person and work of Christ. 
Required Texts
  • McGrath, Alister.  Christian Theology: An Introduction, 6th edition. Wiley Blackwell, 2016.
Your Instructor 
  • Anthony (Tony) and Charmaine Chvala-Smith live in Independence, Missouri. They are both ordained ministers in Community of Christ, and much of their shared ministry involves teaching scripture and theology courses at Graceland University and Community of Christ Seminary. Charmaine serves the seminary as Chaplain and Focus Session Coordinator, and Tony serves as Paul E. Morden Seminary Chair of Religion and Associate Professor of Religion.
     
    Charmaine is a practicing Spiritual Director, trained through Souljourners, Sophia Center, Atchison, KS, and an ordained Evangelist in Community of Christ, a role focusing on spiritual formation.
     
    Tony's theological studies have taken him to Princeton Theological Seminary (M. Div., 1983), the Toronto School of Theology (Advanced Studies in New Testament), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Religious Studies, 1993). Tony is trained as both a New testament scholar and a historical theologian.

New Testament
The course is a study of the Gospels, Epistles, and other writings of the New Testament that gives consideration to 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.
Required Texts
  • Harper Collins Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version. 978-0-06-122840-7 or the Oxford Annotated Bible. New Revised Standard Version. 978-0190276089.
  • The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to Early Christian Writings, seventh edition, by Bart D. Ehrman. 978-0190909000.
    • Be SURE to have the SEVENTH EDITION. An e-book version is acceptable.
Your Instructor
  • Dr. Lynne Moss Bahr is assistant teaching professor of theology and religious studies at Rockhurst University. She is also the director of the Thomas More Center for Catholic Thought and Culture and the Rockhurst University Press. She specializes in the New Testament and early Christianity, with special interest in the use and development of cultural concepts in early Christian literature, such as messianism, time and temporality, and in her new project, forgiveness. She holds a M.Div. degree from Union Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity from Fordham University. As a student at Fordham, she received the Elizabeth A. Johnson Endowed Distinguished Fellowship and was a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in 2019-2020. She has also taught at Manhattan College and St. John’s University. She is the author of “The Time Is Fulfilled”: Jesus’s Apocalypticism in the Context of Continental Philosophy (T & T Clark/Bloomsbury). She has contributed articles to Currents in Biblical Research and Ancient Jew Review, as well as the publications of the Centre for the Critical Study of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements and the online academic resource the Jesus Library.


Old Testament I
Old Testament I will focus on methods for biblical study, major topics like covenant, law, and prophecy, and will provide students with a clear sense of historical and cultural context for these materials. While this is a survey, it will emphasize those “must know” concepts, personages, events, and literary genres essential to a basic knowledge of the Old Testament.
Required Texts
  • Matthews, V. & Moyer, J. The Old Testament: Text and Context, 3rd edition. Baker, 2012.
  • Matthews, V. & Benjamin, D. Old Testament Parallels,  5th edition. Paulist, 2023.
Your Instructor
  • Dr. Victor Matthews is an Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies and retired 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!

October Overview
  • Classes begin on Monday, September 16.  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  October 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, November 8.
  • Grades due November 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 for October Courses