I teach a men's Bible study every Monday morning. We're a mixed group. Catholics and several Protestant denominations are represented. Ages 65 - 81. About a dozen of us.

We try to find a 6 to 8 week study that includes a 20 minute video. The video isn't a requirement.

We're due for a new study to begin in September. This morning one of the guys suggested we do a shorter study focused on current events. Basically how should we, as Christian men, be responding to social, political, religious issues occurring right now.

I realize that's a pretty broad topic. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

If it doesn't create division like njohn87 suggests, it will create pride. Talking about social, political, and religious issues (meaning issues of other people) shouldn't be in the scope of Bible study meant to sanctify each other.

From this position, the mischievous and corrupting effects of preached crusades against organized social systems which are supposed to be evil, receives a facile explanation. Christianity and its true ministers make it their main business to address the individual; and their topics are his own duties and sins. They separate him, they tell him his spiritual necessities; they say: "Thou art the man"; they teach him to make his own spiritual amendment his chief care. Thus, by sanctifying each individual, human society is effectually regenerated; and organic evils easily disappear. But when once the pulpit is perverted to declaim habitually against the public sins of communities, and to agitate for their reform, the individual is encouraged to lose sight of his own errors (the only ones he is responsible for, or able to reform), and to occupy himself with the wrongdoings of others. But these are of course, painted in constant contrast with his own rectitude; so that this preaching, instead of inculcating humility and sanctity, is nothing but a ministration of spiritual pride, arrogance, and hatred. And hence its popularity. It is much more agreeable to an evil heart, to be reminded of its own superior excellence, and to be invited to the work of reviling its opponents, than to be summoned to the toils of self-discipline, the mortifications of personal contrition, and the crucifixion of carnal affections.
R.L. Dabney, The Crimes of Philanthropy, Discussions Vol. 4

TRD-Ferguson said:

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I teach a men's Bible study every Monday morning. We're a mixed group. Catholics and several Protestant denominations are represented. Ages 65 - 81. About a dozen of us.

We try to find a 6 to 8 week study that includes a 20 minute video. The video isn't a requirement.

We're due for a new study to begin in September. This morning one of the guys suggested we do a shorter study focused on current events. Basically how should we, as Christian men, be responding to social, political, religious issues occurring right now.

I realize that's a pretty broad topic. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

---

Charlie Kirk said it best:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14nXxh4wViG/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Just do it biblically.

Thanks everyone. Fair points!

I do a study with a group of guys and we just started Twelve Ordinary Men. I don't recall the author but it's been fairly easy for us to connect the study with things going on in our lives and in our world.

Thank you!

I would suggest in the future men of this age consider how to share their faith with their grandkids.
Leaving your family wealth but leaving them wisdom and faith is bigger.
I just finished a book about a grandfather teaching how six Old Testament Kings point to the King of Kings.
He gently confronts his grandsons desires to be their own kings.

It is is written in such a way that protestant or catholic, would find meaningful.

I would be happy to supply you the books at no charge to your study. Seize The Story

The danger is when the salt looses its saltiness as Jesus exhorted the disciples in his day.

You are right that we (Christians) are not to be transformed by this world, but that does not mean we bury our heads by refusing the talk about current events.

Jesus said to be not afraid and to me that means talking about the issues of the day and trying to understand them in the light of Christ's words.

Being the hands and feet of Christ in the world is what he was talking about. Other parables about burying one's treasure out of fear, and on.

Agree that we must strengthen our faith with Christ through worship and study. But to keep it all to ourselves is not what Jesus commanded. I'm speaking more to your claim that Christians "need no regular update on social events."

PabloSerna said:

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Being the hands and feet of Christ in the world is what he was talking about. Other parables about burying one's treasure out of fear, and on.

Agree that we must strengthen our faith with Christ through worship and study. But to keep it all to ourselves is not what Jesus commanded. I'm speaking more to your claim that Christians "need no regular update on social events."

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I guess I'm confused where you're coming up with the keep it all to ourselves? No one said or implied anything like that.

I feel like you're coming with a perspective whole cloth that's not otherwise a part of this chat and I'm just trying to understand it.

I just don't want to derail the OP's thread going down a completely different subsection of something that you are honing in on that I haven't figured out what your point is.

I am simply offering, in reply to the OP, that the life of a Christian does not change with the times. That the Kingdom is ever present etc…

If your conversation is in regards to my reply AND THE OP then please clarify what it is that you are asking or saying.

Like I said, I want to be respectful of the OP and his topic.

TRD-Ferguson said:

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I teach a men's Bible study every Monday morning. We're a mixed group. Catholics and several Protestant denominations are represented. Ages 65 - 81. About a dozen of us.

We try to find a 6 to 8 week study that includes a 20 minute video. The video isn't a requirement.

We're due for a new study to begin in September. This morning one of the guys suggested we do a shorter study focused on current events. Basically how should we, as Christian men, be responding to social, political, religious issues occurring right now.

I realize that's a pretty broad topic. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

---

Forget about the current events and just take that one dude/anyone else that is willing to be honest friends to share and trade resources for the future collapse. Start prepping now and get an inventory going. Leave all the normies out because they are going to think you are crazy anyways. Not worth the time for now.

Here is what you wrote a couple of posts up:
"I hear this kind of thing and it just feels to me like guys getting together and devolving into loosely associating or interpreting scripture with current events and prophecy, etc."

You followed up by saying that a Christian doesn't need to be up on current events on how to live one's life nor does a Christian accomplish anything through political agitation- I think I have understood you correctly.

My point is that, I believe and my faith as a Catholic tells me as much, that Christ called us to be his hands and feet to this world. He also talked about salt losing its saltiness and being useless. Other points he makes about not being afraid all point to doing exactly what the OP is trying to do- understanding the word of God in this time and in these circumstances (current events).

Not to say a good sabbatical or short retreat to the mountain is out of the question- but if I have heard Christ's universal call to holiness- it means action not just ritual.

Just adding to the discussion.

That's for replying.

I see what you're saying, but I think you're equating
"staying informed on the news" with active Christian charity.


Being the "hands and feet" of Christ and living as the salt of the earth has everything to do with spiritual zeal, personal holiness, and active love of neighbor.

None of that requires keeping up with the 24hour news cycle.

Feed the hungry, visit the sick, love your family and neighbors. Serve your Church or community.

The calling of the Christian does not change whether it's year 33 or 2026.

The world is in a constant state of perceived crisis. I had a close friend go completely off the grid for 18 months. Literally no phone, no pager no nothing.

When he returned and asked what had happened, we spent hours recounting all the "unprecedented" daily outrage and breaking news. His takeaway was: "So nothing actually changed. Same ****"

When you zoom out, the human condition and the fallen world remain the same. The Church calls us to be the rock anchored in the storm, not driftwood tossed by every headline. Christian action is found in the daily calm, ascetic and charitable life with the people right in front of us.

The Kingdom is ever present. That is the focus.

Not in endless commentary on the latest cultural event or headline.

Bobbles of the evil one to deceive and distract you.

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves" Mt 10:6

That must be the difference between our faith walk- Orthodox and Catholic. Without the missionaries who traveled great distances with explorers it is likely many of my ancestors never come to know the true God.

PabloSerna said:

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"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves" Mt 10:6

That must be the difference between our faith walk- Orthodox and Catholic. Without the missionaries who traveled great distances with explorers it is likely many of my ancestors never come to know the true God.

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Again, none of that has to do with current events bible study.

I honestly don't know where to go from here, man.

Just curious? Which of your ancestors wouldn't know Christ.

When the RCC was part of the universal Catholic and Orthodox Church, we covered a s*** ton of ground.

Are you under the perception that only the catholics go out and evangelize now?

A couple of really odd statements, I'm having trouble squaring as they appeared to be unrelated to anything that I said or strange and inaccurate attempted pot shots.

TRD-Ferguson said:

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I teach a men's Bible study every Monday morning. We're a mixed group. Catholics and several Protestant denominations are represented. Ages 65 - 81. About a dozen of us.

We try to find a 6 to 8 week study that includes a 20 minute video. The video isn't a requirement.

We're due for a new study to begin in September. This morning one of the guys suggested we do a shorter study focused on current events. Basically how should we, as Christian men, be responding to social, political, religious issues occurring right now.

I realize that's a pretty broad topic. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

---

I love the idea of doing a Bible study on things that people are curious about or want to know answers to.


I cannot think of a current Bible study in particular that I could post a link too, but here's where I would start.

Start with the questions:
1. What are the current events, social, or political, religious issues, you are curious about?
2. Why do you want to discuss these?
3. What order do you think we should discuss these in?
4. Are you open to having your mind changed, by the Biblical text? If not, why?
5. Are you open to leaning into conflict with truth and love?

This will be uncomfortable, but what is the price of discomfort compared to being refined or molded into the image of God more?

God has quite a bit to say about these topics so people should be aware and listen to His views for the purpose of knowing Him. Why shy away from the deep or meaningful things? Champion the curiosity and lean in.

Then, dive into the text with exhaustive word studies.

Apartheid/affirmative action always seems popular as a topic.

"Christian action is found in the daily calm, ascetic and charitable life with the people right in front of us."

I guess I am zeroing in on this statement you wrote. This is not what a properly formed Catholic would write. We preach the cross and mission. Its roots are founded on the biblical mission Christ asks of each of us when we follow him. For the lay faithful, it takes on many forms sometimes called movements. In the late 19th century, Catholic Action was a recognized apostolate that was formalized later by Pope Pius XI in 1931.

These movements took on many of the problems facing everyday people from worker rights, public education, and economic suffering- to name a few.

Eventually we see this calling and action find its way into Vatican II exhortations, in addition to other aspects of our universal call to holiness, that become what is termed the New Evangelization. Here's a quick snippet from the USCCB, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, that says it much more clearly,

"The New Evangelization calls each of us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message and go forth to proclaim the Gospel. The focus of the New Evangelization calls all Catholics to be evangelized and then go forth to evangelize. In a special way, the New Evangelization is focused on 're-proposing' the Gospel to those who have experienced a crisis of faith.Pope Benedict XVI called for the re-proposing of the Gospel "to those regions awaiting the first evangelization and to those regions where the roots of Christianity are deep but who have experienced a serious crisis of faith due to secularization."

The New Evangelization offers hope to a world that has none. This hope is rooted in the words of Christ and we believe the gates of hell will not prevail against. Is there a time and place to gather strength through quiet contemplation in a calm and peaceful place? Yes, but that is not our aim.

I don't know anything about the EO, just happy that we are brothers. I do know without this zeal of evangelization by the Franciscan and Dominican friars, my ancestors who were some of the native populations in the South Texas and Northern Mexico region (Coahuiltecan) would likely have remained ignorant of the truth.

I have published journals of these men and they write of this sense of mission that is 180 degrees of what you wrote above. That is why I wrote what I did.

ETA: how does this tie into the OP? Exactly that this begins with understanding the world around you in light of the gospel. We did this on another thread about the immigration crisis facing Ceuta and our southern border. Talk about it, read scripture about who is our neighbor, then pray about it. Lectio Divina.

I mean, why wouldn't I totally just agree with everything that a Catholic Bishop of Rome has to say.

That's never gone wrong.

Quoting a 20th century pope is like quoting protestant preacher quotes to me. That perspective just doesn't really apply to me at all.

I'm not saying it's not valid or wrong but I just don't care about whatever thing the Catholic Church is doing and I'm not gonna go spend time researching it or understanding all the things & politics around it.

I appreciate your point, but you're just getting into deep Catholic dogma that just doesn't interest me. At the same time, I don't want to insult or argue it in the spirit of unity and respect for our shared Faith.

Especially when you believe actions like evangelizing are unique to your Church.

I'm out on this thread.

Just revisited this today. Thanks for all the responses. Some context. This group has been meeting for over 20 years. We choose a 6 to 8 week study from various Christian scholars, authors, etc.

We've used study guides from Catholicism and Protestantism. We've studied many books of the Bible. We try to stay in the "muddy part of the field" to use a football analogy.

We're seeking to deepen our relationship with Christ and share that message with others. This isn't a casual coffee talk and social get together. We do that apart from this.

Looking at current events I think y'all would agree there's a lot more going on than in past years. One of the guys thought there might be a study of some kind we've missed that might help us find strength and direction that perhaps we haven't considered.

I would argue all we've been doing has helped prepare us. That said, we're all over 70 so maybe getting closer to the finish line has you looking for that last "kick".

Spiritual formation never stops.

Give an example topic if inclined.

My mind immediately goes to politics when I hear current events. I'd have to think how to approach that without either creating division within the group or if all are similar in political leanings, it could devolve into just point blame at others. I may be missing what you mean by current events.

An interesting angle would be to add in some quarterly service event, perhaps for 3 months focus on understanding local homeless and then volunteer, in some way, take time to serve and interact with whatever group you are serving. Assuming you could find a religious charity to work with; you could also minister.

We're all involved in local service at our churches. Being retired provides ample opportunities to serve and we do.

As far as the current request we ended up with a Bible Study on the book of Elijah. He lived in interesting times too!