Giving Meaning to Ordinary Time: Exploring the Cycles of our Lives and our Year from a Jewish and Christian Perspective

Beginning with an overview of historical developments within both Judaism and Christianity, we will examine selected holy days, holidays, and life-cycle rituals of these traditions. Selected celebrations will be studied in terms of their development and practice, and their role in expressing a theology and a system of values. We will explore themes such as: the human condition and its challenges; forgiveness, repentance and atonement; salvation; the tension between historical memory and spiritual reinterpretation; and the function of ritual in society will be explored. These will include contemporary issues around gender, emerging practices, and the portrayal of religious celebrations in pop culture.