Events For life-long learners hungry for knowledge
Celebrating 30+ years of learning!
San Diego School of Christian Studies (SDSCS) invites world-class speakers to address matters of spiritual concern. Our purpose is to create meaningful experiences that challenge adults to deepen their Christian faith while broadening their knowledge.
SDSCS is led by a Planning Council composed of members and friends of FUMCSD and chaired by Dr. Kay Gilbert. We offer 4 to 5 lectures and/or events annually on subjects that tie together the Old and New Testament, church history, theology, Christian ethics, world religions, and more. All are welcome!
Dedication
In loving memory of Dr. Ben Christensen and Dr. Kathee Christensen
SDSCS: Fall 2024 / Spring 2025
Join Us For Our Exciting Series: Loving God's Environmental Creations
Are we loving God’s creation? Earth is our one and only home – our Eden – and we’ve been called by God to be its caretakers. Damage has been done by each generation but there IS hope!
Join us as we explore where we are and what we can do to ensure this gift of Eden is passed to generations to come.
Upcoming Lectures and Events:
Nature As Neighbor: Expanding Our Sense of Sacred Community
Professor Peter Bolland In Person & Online: Saturday, October 26, 9:30 AM – 12 PM Lecture followed by light lunch and conversation with other attendees.
If the core Christian message is radical care for all who suffer, and not merely personal salvation, then what happens when we expand the meaning of “neighbor” to include all creation – the plants and animals, and biosphere that supports them? In the face of our current climate crisis, we are challenged more urgently than ever – do our religious ideologies draw our attention to the hereafter, or to the here and now? How might Christianity contribute to the crucial work of natural restoration? What good is caring for others if we do not also care for the world that sustains all of our lives?
About the Speaker
Professor Peter Bolland is the Philosophy and Humanities Department Chair at Southwestern College where he teaches world religions, Asian philosophy, world mythology, and ethics. A columnist for Unity Magazine and author of The Seven Stone Path: An Everyday Journey to Wisdom, Professor Boland is a frequent speaker and workshop facilitator at a wide variety of churches (including FUMCSD), spiritual centers, and learning centers like San Diego Oasis, The Osher Institute of Life Long Learning at SDSU, the Chopra Center, the San Diego Vedanta Monastery, and more. For more, visit peterbolland.com.
The Power to Act: Earth Justice in San Diego
Moderator: Yusef Miller, Co-Chair of The Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice Panelists: Philip Petrie, The Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice; Bee Mittermiller, SanDiego350; Naeem Miller, CleanEarth4Kids; Taarika K. Sethee, SanDiego350 / Youth v. Oil In Person & Online: Saturday, February 1, 9:30 AM – 12 PM Panel discussion followed by light lunch and conversation with other attendees.
How can you get involved in earth justice issues right here in San Diego? Why should persons of faith care? And how are youth stepping up to create a better future for all of us?
In this panel presentation, leaders with SanDiego350 and Youth v. Oil Campaign; the Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice; and CleanEarth4Kids will explore four key issues:
Fossil fuel divestment
Toxic pesticides
Transportation justice
Banning oil extraction in California
We’ll hear personal stories, what inspires these eco-activists to keep going, and concrete steps each of us can take to make a difference.
“There are no passengers on the Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” Marshall McLuhan
About the SpeakerS
Yusef Miller is the Panel Moderator of this presentation. He is Co-Chair of The Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice. His dedication to Earth Justice is rooted in his Muslim religious tradition, finding responsibility and meaning in clean air, soil, and water as a creation steward. As an Equity Advisor/Board Member of CleanEarth4Kids.org, Yusef is honored to mentor and support the youth as they create legislative changes, in both local and statewide matters.
Phil Petrie is an artist and long-time environmental activist. He has been especially active in fighting climate change as a founding member of SanDiego350 and of the Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice. He sees the climate crisis as a key opportunity to put our civilization on a truly sustainable footing – to place it not on top of but within nature. His environmental beliefs are also deeply grounded in his Christianity. At St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral where he worships, he co-founded Simpler Living, a creation care ministry dedicated to “seeking a Christian response to the environmental crisis and our excessive consumerism by living more simply and sustainably in home, church, community, and the world.”
Naeem Miller is a member of Team 5 (Stop Toxic Chemicals and Pesticides) of CleanEarth4Kids, educating city councils and mayors on the hazards of toxic pesticides to all living creatures and how toxins commute due to rain runoff. At 16 years old, he was selected as one of San Diego's 25 Most Remarkable Teens 2022 and honored for his contributions to the community. Naeem was awarded for the Category of Environmental Activist. He is also currently the Vice President of the Youth Council for the North San Diego County, NAACP.
Taarika K. Sethee is part of Youth v. Oil, a youth branch under SanDiego350 that fights to end oil extraction in California. As a Volunteer Outreach Coordinator, she focuses on recruiting and welcoming new youth volunteers. She is currently a freshman at Canyon Crest Academy. From her early youth, she has been passionate about nature and animals, and, along with her achievements in public speaking and love for teaching students, she has embraced environmental activism. She believes it is vital for children from diverse backgrounds to be involved in climate justice, since it is the youth who will roam this world in the future.
Bee Mittermiller has been a volunteer at SanDiego350 since 2017. Her focus is on transportation as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and also, on the problem of inequity in San Diego's transportation system.
San Diego’s Water Supply: Conservation Techniques, Pure Water Technology, and Regional Challenges
Pure Water San Diego City of San Diego, Public Utilities Department In Person & Online: Saturday, March 8, 9:30 AM – 12 PM Lecture followed by light lunch and conversation with other attendees.
Please join several team members of the City of San Diego as they share information about the City’s Pure Water program, which will provide nearly half of San Diego's water supply locally by the end of 2035. The Pure Water San Diego Program will use proven water purification technology to clean recycled water to produce safe, high-quality drinking water. This lecture is open to anyone interested in learning more about San Diego’s water supply and the water challenges currently faced by our region. In addition to explaining the need for a multi-faceted approach to mitigating these challenges, City team members will provide an update on the construction projects underway to make this program a reality.
About the Speakers
The Pure Water Team handles the operations, maintenance, engineering program management, and finances for the new Pure Water assets. Team member experience ranges from 25+ years to new team members who are just starting to learn about the City of San Diego’s newest assets. The team brings together a broad range of individual experience from other City Departments, local governmental agencies, and the private sector to create a cohesive team with a wide variety of knowledge and skills. The team is united by a collective interest in providing a safe, reliable drinking water supply to San Diego residents through this first-of-its-kind treatment system in California.
Field Trip – The Conservation, Importance, Research, and Restoration of Southern California’s Largest Coastal Wetland: The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center 3rd Street & Caspian Way Imperial Beach, CA
Saturday, April 26, 1:30 – 3 PM (Arrive by 1 PM to ensure we begin on time!)
The Tijuana River NERR was established in 1982. Since then, it has been a role model of salt marsh restoration and multi-agency collaboration. This nature walk includes the conservation history of the Tijuana Estuary, its important environmental functions, as well as its research and restoration. Join State Park Interpreter Jessie Looney as she leads you through the trails around the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center.
About the Visitor Center
The Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center is located at 3rd Street and Caspian Way in Imperial Beach, the most southwestern city in the United States. There is no entrance fee. The Visitor Center has information and displays that pique the interest of adults and children alike. Find out how plants in the estuary get rid of the salt they take in and which birds are threatened and endangered.
Important:
Please arrive by 1 PM to begin on time.
Bring layers and a hat as Spring weather on the coast is changeable. Wear closed-toed shoes. The approximately one-mile walk will be on flat, accessible trails.
Directions to the Visitor Center (from I-5 South / North):
Take exit 4 – Coronado Avenue (not Coronado Bridge).
Head West on Coronado Avenue for approximately 2.5 miles (around 13th street, Coronado Avenue will turn into Imperial Beach Blvd; continue straight).
Turn left on 3rd Street at the stop sign.
Turn left on Caspian Way, which leads into parking lot (parking is free).
SDSCS relies on funding from donors and donations taken at each event, as we are not a part of FUMCSD's annual budget. Help us continue our work by becoming a sponsor: Faith – $25 | Hope – $50 | Love – $75 | Kathee & Ben Christensen Fan Club – $100
Send to the church office; include "SDSCS" on the memo
Past SDSCS Lectures & Events
Cultivating the Critical Component of Being a Neighbor
The San Diego School of Christian Studies invites you to get to know Dr. Andre J. Branch. He is President Emeritus and a very active member of the San Diego NAACP and an Associate Professor of Multicultural Education, Ethnic Identity Development, and Valuing Human Diversity at San Diego State University. As such, he will lead us through what he believes is critical to being a neighbor and how to develop being a neighbor to all.
Speaker: Dr. André J. Branch Recorded February 24, 2024
Old Seeds, New Ground – Growing Christianity In The Third Millennium
The American religious landscape keeps shifting. Belief in God is down, as is church attendance. When asked to list their religious affiliation, many say “none of the above.” Newly energized conservative movements push their brand of Christian Nationalism in increasingly extreme directions. Meanwhile, Progressive Christians attempt to retain their commitment to the Jesus Movement while reimagining their relationships with scripture, traditional doctrines, and the church. Join Prof. Peter Bolland as he charts these shifts and shares an inquiry into the status and future of Christianity in America.
Speaker: Prof. Peter Bolland Recorded January 20, 2024
Homeless Youth: Neighbors in San Diego County
The San Diego School of Christian Studies invites you to join us as Encanto Elementary educators discuss challenges in teaching homeless children. Profound difficulties exist when educators struggle to teach kids lacking housing, food, learning materials, and sometimes parents. These caring panelists will describe the extremes to which they go to keep the childrens’ bodies and souls together daily. Encanto Elementary services some of the neediest students and families in San Diego.
Panelists:Audra Mandler, Principal; Natasha Lyamu, Family Services Assistant; Monica Martin, Counselor Recorded November 18, 2023
Bridging The Gap Between Neighbors; Especially Those Different From Me
The San Diego School of Christian Studies invites you to join us with Rev. Dr. Soomee Kim as she discusses: How do I approach neighbors with whom I've had little contact for months? or ever? How can I LISTEN for understanding? What can I do to resolve or embrace differences? How does one purposely welcome neighbors, especially anyone new, to my church or group? How can we promote "contagious kindness" in our house of worship & our neighborhoods?
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Soomee Kim Recorded October 14, 2023
Who Is My Neighbor: A Global Perspective
Who is inside the sacred circle, and who is out? And who gets to decide? How do various religions, philosophies, and wisdom traditions frame these vital questions? Join us as we explore this ancient and timely challenge.
Speaker: Professor Peter Bolland Recorded September 24, 2022
About the speaker:
Professor Peter Bolland is the Philosophy and Humanities Department Chair at Southwestern College where he teaches world religions, Asian philosophy, world mythology, and ethics. A columnist for Unity Magazine and author of the upcoming book, The Seven Stone Path: An Every-day Journey to Wisdom, Professor Bolland is a frequent speaker and workshop facilitator at a wide variety of churches, spiritual centers, and learning centers like San Diego Oasis, The Osher Institute of Life Long Learning at SDSU, the Chopra Center, the San Diego Vedanta Monastery, and more. For more information visit peterbolland.com.
Broad Commonalities & Differences Of The Abrahamic Faiths
Join these Interfaith Leaders in discussing what it means to be a neighbor to others & with others in the Islamic, Jewish, & Christian faiths. Addressing the question of who is my neighbor, we will examine sources of faith authority & the impact of that authority.
Panel discussion with: Rev. Trudy Robinson, Imam Taha Hasanne, and Rabbi Jason Nevarez Recorded February 4, 2023
Being Human Takes Practice
Rev. Dr. Carter will have us realize more deeply than ever what it means to be spiritually human with others by diving into the parable of the Good Samaritan told by Jesus.
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter Recorded February 4, 2023
About the speaker:
Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter is an Associate Professor of Theology at the University of San Diego; a Faith in Food Fellow at Farm Forward; and Lead Pastor of The Loft in Westwood, CA. His teaching, research, and activist interests are in Black, Womanist, and Environmental ethics, with a particular focus on race, food, and nonhuman animals. He is the co-creator of Racial Resilience, an anti-racism and anti-bias program that utilizes the combined insights of contemplative practices and critical race theories. His academic publications include The Spirit of Soul Food (University of Illinois Press, 2021), and “Blood in the Soil: The Racial, Racist, and Religious Dimensions of Environmentalism” in The Bloomsbury Handbook on Religion and Nature (Bloomsbury, 2018). He believes that at its broadest level, learning should transform how the student views herself, her neighbor and her worldview.
Yusef Miller is the Panel Moderator of this presentation. He is Co-Chair of 
Phil Petrie is an artist and long-time environmental activist. He has been especially active in fighting climate change as a founding member of 
Naeem Miller is a member of Team 5 (Stop Toxic Chemicals and Pesticides) of 
Taarika K. Sethee is part of Youth v. Oil, a youth branch under 
Bee Mittermiller has been a volunteer at 
