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Many Different Venues - One Approach
Kevin Saunders and his Arizona Bible Class strive to create "educated readers" of the Bible who are fully capable of engaging the Word of God in all its historical, cultural, and religious contexts. Properly speaking, Bible teaching is explication; Bible preaching is application. Kevin Saunders is a Bible teacher. Kevin brings his gifts as knowledge of the Bible and its cultural world to life in his classes. Arizona Bible Class students can (and do!) study every book in the Bible, page by page, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in a lecture based format lasting an hour and a half each session.
2018 - 2019 Class Venues
Mon. - 9:30 to 11:00 AM
St. Andrew Catholic Church
Chandler - 480.899.1990
Mon. - 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Tempe - 480.839.0906
Tues. - 10:00 to 11:30 AM
Love of Christ Lutheran Church
Mesa - 480.981.6199
Tues. - 7:00 to 8:30 PM
St. Patrick's Catholic Church
N Scottsdale - 480.998.3843
Wed. - 8:30 to 9:15 AM
St. Maria Goretti Church
Scottsdale - 480.948.8380
Wed. - 10 to 11:30 AM
Franciscan Renewal Center
Scottsdale - 480.948.7460
Wed. - 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish
Tempe - 480.967.8791
Thurs. - 10 to 11:30 AM
St. Joan of Arc Parish
Phoenix - 602-867-9171
Thurs. - 7:00 to 8:30 PM
St. Theresa Roman Catholic Parish
Phoenix - 602.840.0850
There are many approaches to studying the Bible and all of them offer valuable insights in understanding the sacred text. The Arizona Bible Class draws on insights gleaned from the study of Historical Geography and Middle Eastern culture to inform the systematic study of the Bible in each of its classes.
Historical Geography is an academic science holding the position that the physical geography of any land can affect that lands history. This academic discipline was developed and applied to Biblical studies by (among others) Dr. James Monson who taught this subject at the Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem. Dr. Wayne Stiles, a current teacher and proponent of this Historical Geographical method writes that, "The more someone understands the land of the Bible, the more one understands the Bible itself. Its message is enabled to have a more profound impact on one?s spiritual life and ministry...the land of Israel serves as the basic canvas onto which the message of the Bible can be painted in vivid reality." This is the approach the Arizona Bible Class brings to the Biblical text in each teaching venues.
Middle Eastern culture provides additional insight in our study of the Bible. The Bible is set in the Middle East and its unique cultural world. Jesus was a man of the Middle East and his teaching reflects this fact. In each Arizona Bible Class session students are provided with cultural keys that open meanings to texts that have otherwise been obscured by cultural bias or lack of cultural knowledge of the Middle East. Over time Arizona Bible Class students learn how the culture, language and customs of the Biblical Middle East inform the careful study of the Bible.
The Arizona Bible Class is an open enrollment program that welcomes students from all denominations to join a nearby class at any time during the year. There is no pre-registration and a pleasant folk at our welcome table will fill you in on current class details. This website provides additional access to previous lectures and can be used to "catch up" with your class. Any time spent in an Arizona Bible Class venue will be beneficial to your understanding of the Bible be it a week, a month or even years. It?s never too late to get started.
