Atonement: Do we really need to be redeemed?

Date: Thursday, January 29 @ 7:00pm
Location: The Table Public House
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83219357817
Curriculum: Coming Soon!
Password: brew

Grab one of the tasty pints on tap at The Table Public House, this one is going to get fun... Let's he honest, there is nothing like discussing the sacred nature of humanity on a Thursday night!

Atonement sounds like a heavy theological concept—and it can be—but at its root it’s surprisingly simple: making things right when they’ve gone wrong. The very word comes from “at-one-ment,” the process of restoring unity where there has been rupture. Traditions across the world explore how the broken might be repaired: Judaism sets aside Yom Kippur for fasting and repentance, Islam calls believers toward secret acts of charity to heal harm, and Christianity offers a banquet of atonement theories—from moral example to ransom to the victory of resurrection. Then, there are religions where humanity isn’t seen as fundamentally broken at all. Confucius, for example, might chime in and politely ask, “Redeemed from what, exactly?”

This week, we’ll explore how different spiritual perspectives understand human nature, separation from the divine, and what (if anything) bridges that distance. Do we need sacrifice, prayer, benevolence, reparations, or maybe just a really heartfelt apology? Bring your curiosity—and a good sense of humor (because we're all a little flawed, ha!)—as we examine whether humans are cracked vessels needing repair or sacred beings who somehow forgot their original shine.

Whether you come from a tradition that emphasizes an original sin concept, believes humans are innately good, or just hope there’s a cosmic glue gun somewhere holding it all together, join us for a conversation that promises some depth, nuance, and some mystery. Together we’ll ask if at-one-ment is possible, and how communities across time have tried to find their way back to wholeness.