Rabbi Fuchs Asks ‘What’s In It For Us’ In New Class

provided to Santiva Chronicle

Rabbi Dr. Stephen L. Fuchs will present classes offering an in-depth study of one of his books, What’s in It for Me: Finding Ourselves in Biblical Narratives, from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. every Thursday from Feb. 6 to March 26 in the Fellowship Hall of the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ, 2055 Periwinkle Way. Everyone is welcome to attend.Contact Ellen Feingold at ellenfeingold@gmail.com or 302-345-7187 to indicate your interest.

Participants are asked to read the relevant chapter of the book before each class, based on the outline Rabbi Fuchs will provide, and bring their questions and comments. The class will follow a seminar, rather than lecture, format.

What’s in It for Me, one of several written or co-authored by Fuchs, is available from Amazon in either a paperback or Kindle edition, and some copies will be available from the Rabbi directly.

According to Fuchs, “The world is rapidly dividing between those who take biblical narratives as the literal word of God – claiming that they are historically and scientifically true – and those who dismiss those narratives as quaint or even foolish fairy tales.” In What’s in It for Me, he invites the reader to discover a middle ground that takes biblical narratives seriously without regard to their historical or scientific truth.

He writes, “The ‘truth’ of these stories has nothing to do with, ‘Did this really happen?’ Their truth emerges in the valuable lessons these stories can teach all of us. As we walk the rich middle ground of biblical narrative, we shall keep one question constantly in mind: Where am I in the text? In other words what do these stories teach me that can help me to be a more self aware, caring, and compassionate human being?”

The Fellowship Hall is on the building’s second floor and is accessible by stairway or elevator.