Page 24 - 2023 March-April Newsletter

Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership proudly offers:

What Brethren Believe

APRIL 19 – JUNE 13, 2023

8-WEEK ONLINE COURSE

Course Description and Objectives

What do Brethren believe? How do these beliefs translate into practice? This course will an-
swer these questions and others by exploring Brethren beliefs related to a variety of issues, in-
cluding Scripture, the person of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the nature of the church, original
sin, and the end times. We will discuss how these beliefs shape our understanding of Brethren
ordinances, such as baptism, Love Feast, anointing, nonresistance, and nonconformity. Particu-
lar attention will be paid to the Pietist and Anabaptist origins of Brethren beliefs. The course
will also examine how these beliefs and practices have changed over time and consider the di-
versity of beliefs found among Brethren today.

➢ Students will consider Brethren ways of constructing theology.

➢ Students will read about unique Brethren beliefs and practices as well as consider how
Brethren have interpreted beliefs and practices shared with other Christian traditions.

➢ Students will learn to identify the works and contributions of significant Brethren writers on
these topics.

➢ Students will become aware of the range of habits and beliefs in the Brethren tradition as
well as the diversity of their interpretation

➢ and use in the Church of the Brethren today.

➢ Students will reflect theologically on at least one belief or practice found within the Breth-
ren tradition.

Instructor: Denise Kettering-Lane

Denise Kettering-Lane is the Associate Professor of Brethren Studies at Bethany Theological
Seminary. She earned an MTS from Candler School of Theology and then completed her PhD
at The University of Iowa in 2009. She began teaching at Bethany in 2010. Before coming to
Bethany, Denise worked as an archival assistant at the Brethren Historical Library and Ar-
chives in Elgin, Illinois. She teaches courses on Brethren history and theology as well as gen-
eral courses in church history. She also serves as the editor for the journal Brethren Life and
Thought.

Denise and her husband Calvin have 2 children and currently live near Dayton, Ohio.