Words make worlds. Language matters. Culture is shaped by language.   What world are we creating with the language of faith we employ? What is our attachment to particular faith language? How is the culture of Christianity in general and our congregation in particular shaped by the language we use? Speaking faith is an action we take in the circle of community and in the world. How we speak and what we speak reflects the container we believe we are in. New Testament scholar, college professor, and committed church-goer Marcus Borg (now deceased), wrote a book addressing these matters. He writes: “…language is the medium through which people participate in their religion. To be part of a religion means being able to speak and understand its language. Every religion has a basic vocabulary: its “big” words and collections of words, spoken and heard in worship, embodied in rituals and practices…being Christian is about being part of a community and an ethos, a way of life. It is about more than language, but not less.” Dr. Borg invites us to consider the frame, the lens through which we understand our Christian language; in modern times, this has been the lens of “heaven and hell”. He invites us to reconsider this current frame and rediscover meanings of our faith language. Some topics to be covered: Beyond Literalism Salvation The Bible God. The chapters are short, and Dr. Borg writes in a very accessible and easy to understand manner. The book is available for purchase online, paperback, and Kindle from a number of sources. If you would like to participate and need help purchasing a book, let Julie or Mike know. Course participants will gather at 7 pm on Wednesday Oct. 7 for the first of 6 sessions. Classes will be held on Zoom each Wednesday night and conclude Nov. 11. Please register with the church office by calling (909-622-1144) or sending an email.