Lesson 2
Biblical Metanarrative IV
"I can only answer the question 'What am I to do?' if I can answer the prior question 'Of what story or stories do I find myself a part?"
- Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue
In a sense, the present Christian community is part of this final act - the story of the Church. We'll develop this connection a bit further as we transition to the next phase of the course. But here we'll focus in on this final act in the biblical story as an essential foundation for the main interest of our course: living out Christian values in one's community and vocation.
In conjunction with the epistles or letters in the New Testament, the story of the early church is found in the book of Acts. Below is a three-part tour of Acts, which in comparison to previous lessons is developed in greater detail. The three presentations are actually excerpts from a freshmen-level course on the Bible (Exploring the Bible).
This presentation is 7:35 in length.
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This presentation is 17:50 in length.
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This presentation is 24:59 in length.
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With the story of Acts in mind, we can consider the nature and purpose of the Christian community - the church, even as it continues today.
Looking at the opening verses of the book of Acts, N. T. Wright considers the nature and purpose of the Christian church.