Professor Finkel's Assignment - Preface & Day One

 

Preface

 

    This interactive guide is designed to induce thought and conversation among friends or study partners. In most cases there are no wrong or right answers. If you discuss the questions in a group setting you may be astonished by the different views, traditions, and/or cultural differences within your peer group. Don’t judge. Don’t be shocked by someone else’s answers. Be brave enough to answer honestly and not what you feel others want to hear. Think for yourself. Ask God to guide your own thoughts and conclusions instead of trying to convince others of yours.

 

    From here you’ll travel the journey with Loren and her friends in their research as if you're with them.

 

“Dear Team,

You’re embarking on a journey so powerful it’ll either divide or bind your group as friends forever. Each must answer the following questions: How much do I love my friends, God, and myself? Do I love my friends enough to endure hours of them challenging my beliefs? Do I love myself enough to keep an open mind in learning truths even if it goes against what I’ve been taught? Do I trust God enough to ask him to show me what I need to learn and accept it? Am I brave enough to pray in my mind, and out loud?” If you don’t think you can, no one will think less of you if you excuse yourself from this project.

 

Pause here and give everyone a few moments to digest the letter, “Everyone in?”

 

 “If anyone left, judge them not. They leave knowing they’ve been honest and are fearful. It’s no accident you were born. It’s no accident you’re here working on this project. It’s no accident you’ve been invited to partake in this adventure with this particular group of people. Nothing’s ever coincidental. God planned it all. Life’s a test, and I pray everyone passes.

 

Each time you work on this project, whether alone or in a group, please bow your head and pray this prayer:

 

Lord, I come to you in your special place to seek your wisdom, to learn your word, your works, and your future plans for me. Guide my lips as I speak what you need me to say, guard my mind as I discover disturbing things in your word I wasn’t prepared to read. Encourage my heart to seek You fully. Thank you for calling me to know You better. Thank you for wanting to know me. Amen.

 

My prayers are with you as your journey progresses.

God bless and may you pass the test by proving the truth.

Yours Truly,

Professor Jeffery Finkel

 

 

You are now a part of Loren’s assignment from Professor Finkel. Class begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week One

 

The Assignment

 

 

 

 

Day 1

 

Read the first chapter of The Library Room

 

Do you feel Jesus/Yeshua is the Messiah/Mashiach/Christ?

 

 What have you been taught to believe?

 

What religion do you call yourself or follow?

 

When did you start learning about God?               When did you start understanding what you were learning? 

               

Where did you learn about God?           Church   Synagogue   Home   Mosque   School   Friend   Relative   College

               

Did you accept the teachings of faith blindly, or did you rebel against them, or were you skeptical?

               

How do you feel now? (Don’t write it down – just be honest with yourself.)

 

Are you comfortable talking about God?

 

Are you comfortable praying in front of others?

 

If you’re Jewish, what do you know about Christianity other than they believe Jesus is the Messiah?

 

If you’re Christian, what do you know about Judaism other than they don’t believe Jesus is their Messiah?

 

Are you interested in learning more about the other faith?

 

List three things you hope to learn or gain from The Library Room & the Interactive Guide?