THE DILEMMAS OF FAITH

Description

Explore the BIG Jewish questions.

Location

ONLINE

Date & Time

Wednesday, 10:00-11:30am (ET), February 19 - April 30, 2025

In an age of radical polarization in modern society, with a rise in religious fundamentalism on the one hand and a rise of atheism on the other, how does Jewish tradition approach dilemmas of faith?

Course Description :

In Dilemmas of Faith, Hartman Institute scholars explore the foundational issue of faith, engaging in broad and deep analysis of some of the many dilemmas that faith in the modern world raises. Based on classical Jewish tradition and contemporary Jewish thought and life, Dilemmas of Faith addresses the big questions raised by the intersection of faith and reason, faith and history, faith and politics, and the faith experience.

Central Themes of Dilemmas of Faith

  • What Does it Mean to Believe? The Challenge of the Rational and the Reasonable
  • Dilemma of Biblical Theology: What is the Redeeming Idea of Monotheism?
  • Dilemma of Theodicy: Where is God in the Midst of Suffering?
  • Dilemma of History: God, Evil and the Book of Job
  • Dilemma of God’s Absence: Grappling with God’s Departure from History
  • Dilemma of Human Responsibility: What Does it Mean to Live a Life of Faith in an Age of Divine Hiddenness?
  • Dilemma of Spiritual Role Models: A Biblical View of Redeeming Personalities: 
  • Dilemma of Faith and Politics: The Role of Ambivalence in Faith
  • Dilemma of Practice: What is the Faith Experience?:
  • Dilemma of Conviction: Do I Have to Believe in God to Be a Good Jew? 

*E-Book link will be sent with zoom link 1 day prior to opening

  

WEDNESDAYS, 10:00-11:30am (ET)
 
DATES:  Feb. 19, 26; Mar. 5, 12, 19, 26; Apr. 2, 9, 23, 30
 
         
 
About the Instructor:
 
 
Dr. Sandra Lilienthal has a Masters in Jewish Studies and a Doctorate in Jewish Education. In 2015, she received the prestigious Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Sandra has over 25 years of experience in Jewish Education working with all ages in both Brazil and the US. For the past 15 years, Dr. Lilienthal has focused exclusively on teaching adults. She is a Melton faculty member and the author of the Pillars of Judaism curriculum. Sandra is currently working on the Living Wisdom curriculum - nine new courses being taught by Melton schools all around the world. She is a guest speaker at many synagogues in the tri-county area, presents at Limmud conferences in the US and Canada and is invited for scholar-in-residence programs around the country.
 
 
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