Theology

[close] Students use this group to share what they have been reading either for class or for their personal growth.

[close] Our title is a playful nod to C.S. Lewis’s 1944 lecture, "The Inner Ring." In it, Lewis warns against the subtle temptation to chase ever‑smaller, more exclusive circles — the “in crowd” — at the cost of integrity and joy. The “Outer Ring” flips that idea on its head: we welcome the mix of familiar and unfamiliar voices, valuing curiosity, honesty, and genuine connection over status or secrecy. Here, the only ring worth joining is the one that stays open.

[close] This is a group for all followers of Christ who accept the Bible as authoritative revelation from God, and who can affirm the original form of the Apostles' Creed: I believe in God the Father almighty; and in Christ Jesus His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, who under Pontius Pilate was crucified and buried, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father, whence he will come to judge the living and the dead; and in the Holy Spirit, the holy Church, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the flesh, and the life everlasting. It exists as a venue for civil and constructive discussions of questions about theology, Bible interpretation, Christian thought, life and ethics, Christian response to current cultural, socio-economic and political issues, and literature and history in Christian perspective. We expect some or all of these topics to be controversial, and anticipate disagreement; but we expect all participants to treat each other with love and respect, conducting a conversation in shared pursuit of truth. While it is not intended that the group should take the place of the local church as a focus for teaching and discussion, it is our hope that it can serve as a place to foster broader intellectual interaction and unity in the Church as a whole.

[close] A place to read books by or about the Puritans and discuss what we learn from them.