Autumn Lecture Series
For eight weeks in the fall of 2020, the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation hosted a "journey around the world" through the pages of church history in a weekly lecture series. A number of fantastic historians joined us as we explored Community of Christ global roots in an 8-week online lecture series. Featured lectures included church history around the globe: Korea, India, England, Southeastern Nigeria, Canada, and the Holy Land.
Preserving the Historic Sites, One Lecture at a Time
Although the online lectures were free and open to the public, donations received from the lecture series go to support the ongoing preservation and maintenance of Community of Christ historic sites. Click "Donate" at the top of the page to learn more about how you can help support the historic sites.. Thank you for your generosity.
Although the online lectures were free and open to the public, donations received from the lecture series go to support the ongoing preservation and maintenance of Community of Christ historic sites. Click "Donate" at the top of the page to learn more about how you can help support the historic sites.. Thank you for your generosity.
Miss a Lecture? We Got You Covered
Did you miss a lecture from the "Church History Without Boundaries" Autumn Lecture Series? No need to worry. All of the lectures were recorded and are made available thanks to the generosity of our donors. Click on the blue box located next to each of the lecture summaries to view the online program of your choice.
Did you miss a lecture from the "Church History Without Boundaries" Autumn Lecture Series? No need to worry. All of the lectures were recorded and are made available thanks to the generosity of our donors. Click on the blue box located next to each of the lecture summaries to view the online program of your choice.
Heard the lecture but want more? Check out the interviews on Project Zion Podcast!
A number of the Autumn Lecture Series speakers sat down with Karin Peter from the Project Zion Podcast and talked about their lectures. The PZP interviews go into greater detail about the church history covered in each of the lectures. Follow the interview buttons next to the lectures to hear the fascinating behind-the-scenes interviews with your favorite speakers.
A number of the Autumn Lecture Series speakers sat down with Karin Peter from the Project Zion Podcast and talked about their lectures. The PZP interviews go into greater detail about the church history covered in each of the lectures. Follow the interview buttons next to the lectures to hear the fascinating behind-the-scenes interviews with your favorite speakers.
|
October 1 Lecture:
“A Global Family": Strategies for Visualizing and Narrating Community of Christ’s Global History with John-Charles Duffy Doctrine and Covenants 161:6b challenges Community of Christ to "heed the urgent call to become a global family...." Part of becoming a global family is developing a shared story of who we are as a worldwide body, along with shared images of our worldwide community. In his presentation, John-Charles Duffy will share ongoing efforts to develop such a story and image. John-Charles will explore such questions as: How can we tell our story in a way that pulls back from the "Center Place" in the US to capture more prominently what is happening elsewhere in the globe? In what different ways can we literally map--and thus visualize--Community of Christ's history at a global level? This is a lecture you don't want to miss! |
|
October 8 Lecture: The Story of Community of Christ in India with David Howlett Join David Howlett as he explores the historic people and places involved in the beginning of the RLDS/Community of Christ in India. David will discuss the complex details of Christianity in India and the significant sacrifices made by some of the earliest Community of Christ converts. |
|
October 15 Lecture: The Story of Community of Christ in Southeastern Nigeria with Dima Hurlbut This lecture examines the expansion of the Community of Christ in Southeastern Nigeria during the 1960s and 1970s. It analyzes why Nigerians wanted to become members of the Community of Christ, and the impact that the global expansion of the church had on its theology and mission policy. |
|
October 22 Lecture: Community of Christ History in the Holy Land with Barbara Walden Join Barb Walden as she shares the stories behind a wide variety of Latter Day Saints from the 19th and early 20th centuries who traveled to Palestine. A highlight of the lecture will include the history of women involved in the Palestine Mission (RLDS/Community of Christ) from 1910-1935. |
|
October 29 Lecture: Latter Day Saint British Isles Missions, 1837-1863 with Andrew Bolton Missionary work began in Canada in 1833, but it was the 1837 British Isles mission that really launched Latter Day Saintism as an international movement. By 1851 over 50,000 people had been baptised, and W. H. G. Armytage, a British social historian, called it “The most spectacular harvest of souls since Wesley’s time.” Why this amazing growth and what happened next? |
|
November 5 Lecture: The Church Encounters Asia. Beginnings: Korea with Steve Shields The first baptisms of indigenous church members in Asia took place in November 1954 in Korea. Japan followed the next year, and India about 5 years later. In Korea, the church grew under the leadership of US military personnel stationed in the country after the end of the Korean War and was modeled on the typical congregation in the USA. In the succeeding sixty-six years, the Korea Church has been challenged with missional relevance, been led by a mix of local and World Church appointee leaders, has enjoyed periods of numerical growth, and has maintained a small but stable membership population. |
|
November 12 Lecture: 1830s Latter Day Saint Missiology with Seth Bryant The ordination prayers over the first apostles and seventies (ordained in 1835 in Kirtland) reveal the orientation of our early missiology. Repeatedly, they were called to go, as apostolic representatives, to the edges of the globe. In their conception of the world, islands served as a rarefied space beyond the domestic, and were the ultimate realm of their apostolic calling. In this presentation, Seth will explore early Latter Day Saint missiology, and how it shaped the identity of the church. |
|
November 19 Lecture: Bishop R.C. Evans of Canada: From the RLDS First Presidency to Schismatic Church Leader with John Hamer Join John Hamer as he explores the life and legacy of R.C. Evans. Evan was born and raised in Canada, a convert to the RLDS church who wore a variety of hats: convert, seventy, apostle, counselor in the First Presidency, and bishop over Canada. John will discuss Evan's 40+ years in leadership, the reasons for his sudden departure, and the founding of an opposition church. |
|
Bonus Lecture! Saturday, November 21 Lecture: The Power of the Church Seal in the Life of Community of Christ with Andrew Bolton Join Andrew Bolton as he explores the story behind the Community of Christ peace seal. The church seal has functioned as “visual theology” in the life of Community of Christ for years. The seal has taken us from a past of violence to a people pursuing peace. It is greatly beloved by church members and is used all over the world. In this lecture, Andrew will take a look at the Isaiah 11:1-10 scripture and a hymn that inspired the church seal. This is an educational presentation of both history and theology, that includes art, color, and design drawn from the use of the peace seal historically and internationally. The lecture begins at 12 pm (Central USA) and will conclude with the Daily Prayer for Peace starting at 1 pm. |