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Jan
26
Written by:
Different Voice
1/26/2009 7:00 AM
 Here's the final part of our 3-part series on great sources for progressive-friendly Christian education resources.
You can read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series on our website. We'll no doubt run this series again when more progressive-friendly sources are available, but here for now are a few more recommendations for resources worth checking out!
- Television-related websites - It won't come as a surprise that some of the best documentaries and series about Christianity are produced for broadcast. Many of these wonderful studies can be enjoyed for years by purchasing the DVDs from the educational division of the stations that broadcast them. Typically, the curriculum that comes with them will be minimal, but often these series work best when used as a way to supplement other topics you are already studying. Two sources I have most appreciated in the past are Shop PBS and The History Channel Classroom.
- The Teaching Company - Ever wished you could go college just to listen in on some great lectures? You can with the resources from The Teaching Company, which tapes lecture and makes them available in both audio and video formats. They will be generally be most enjoyed by adults with a strong proclivity toward "head (or sage) spirituality," and the lecture series also work very well as items for checkout from your library. As is often the case with video companies, they have different pricing for individuals and for libraries; you'll generally need to order the library versions to have the license to show them in a classroom setting.
- Nooma - Rob Bell is the popular author of books like Velvet Elvis, and he is the creator of (and teacher in) these wonderful videos. His books are filled with footnotes which reference books on every end of the theological spectrum, but on the whole he seems to typically embrace a pretty progressive understanding of Christianity. The short Nooma videos are great for young adult groups and for others who are seeking something which communicates well in a visual way, and they introduce important terms and cultural aspects of ancient Israel so in such a subtle way, you never feel as if the learning is being forced on you.
- Living the Questions - I've saved the best for last, mostly because so many of our readers are already regular users of LTQ's tremendous materials. LTQ2 is the single best study on the market today for congregations that wish to study the basics of Christianity from a progressive perspective, and their other studies are equally recommended. They are unfortunately fairly pricey (they have an annual licensing fee for many of their multi-week studies), but they are well worth the cost, and most resource centers do carry their studies.
~ Tim Gossett
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