Advent Study - Who will. Not be Left Out?

Some of us learned Bible verses before we learned multiplication tables. Others are still finding the table of contents. Some of us carry a verse that has sustained us through the worst days of our lives. Some carry one that still hurts.

There is room for all of us in this year’s Advent study.

Beginning Sunday, November 29, we will spend four weeks with Who Will Not Be Left Out?, a self-directed study of difficult biblical passages and the people those passages have been used to exclude.

Each week focuses on a different community: Indigenous peoples, immigrants and strangers, LGBTQ+ people, and women. We will consider the world in which these texts were written, how they have been interpreted, and what we hear when we read them alongside other passages of Scripture and our Sunday Advent readings.

At the heart of the study is a question: Who does the incarnation say God will not leave out?

At Christmas, we confess that God became truly human in Jesus Christ. God entered the life we actually live, with its bodies, relationships, vulnerabilities, and complicated histories. That confession has something to say about how we treat one another—and about what happens when we use the Bible to make someone feel that God has no room for them.

We will approach these passages from our parish’s commitment to the dignity and full belonging of every person. We will also take the texts seriously enough to acknowledge their difficulties. Scholars disagree. Faithful Christians reach different conclusions. We can examine those arguments honestly without asking anyone to defend their humanity.

You do not need previous experience studying the Bible. The booklet includes a simple introduction, short daily reading plans, background information, reflection questions, and prayers. Plan on about fifteen to twenty minutes a day, with optional material for those who want to explore further. There is no class to attend, and you can work at your own pace. Nobody will be collecting homework. I have enough paper on my desk already.

Printed booklets will be available at church in English and Spanish. A digital copy will be emailed to everyone on our parish email list, and a weekly reminder email will help us stay connected to that week’s readings and questions.

If these passages touch something painful, you are welcome to pause, skip a section, or read with someone you trust. You can also reach out to one of our clergy. There is no prize for pushing through something you need help carrying.

My hope is that we will arrive at Christmas better able to listen: to Scripture, to one another, and to the God who comes among us.

Pick up a booklet, bring your questions, and join us this Advent.

Father Lee+