Archbishop of Canterbury in online Advent course

Christians are being invited to get more out of the Bible with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, through a new free online course which is being made available during Advent.

The Advent course is being made available by ChurchNext, which “creates online Christian learning experiences that shape disciples” and is supported by the Presiding Bishop of the US-based Episcopal Church and the Bible in the Life of the Church project.

The online course, The Big Class: Getting More Out of the Bible, will be available from Advent Sunday (27 November) to Christmas Eve and will help “everyone to draw closer to God through the Bible,” ChurchNext said.

“We are living in divisive and complex times where honing abilities to live peaceful, wholehearted lives is increasingly difficult,” they said in a statement. “The Bible regularly proves to be the inspiration behind lives of kindness, authenticity, and reconciliation.”

Welby commented: “A key message of the Bible is transformation. And now, more than ever, our lives, communities, and society will all benefit from the re-discovery of the Bible as a source of transformation.”

ChurchNext say that the online course will take an average learner some 45 minutes to complete. It contains a series of video lectures, quizzes, and discussions. It can be completed by individuals and ChurchNext are making resources available for congregational use.