portraits of christ
VIi
An
introduction
to the
four gospels
for
critical minds
&
contemplative hearts
AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY & LECTURE SERIES
with Fr. Vincent Pizzuto, PhD
A 5-WEEK ONLINE COURSE
FALL 2026
August 27 - September 24
Thursdays
11am - 1pm PT
Father Vincent Pizzuto, PhD is Professor of New Testament Studies and Christian Mysticism in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the (Jesuit) University of San Francisco. He received his doctorate in New Testament Exegesis from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium (2003) and has since published and presented internationally in the areas of New Testament christology, ecological discipleship, marriage equality, inter-religious dialogue, Christian mysticism and contemplative Christian spirituality. In 2018 he published his second book, Contemplating Christ: The Gospels and the Interior Life with Liturgical Press; translated in Spanish, Contemplar a Cristo: Los Evangelios y la vida interior, (Desclée de Brouwer) in January 2022. As an Episcopal priest Fr. Vincent serves as Vicar of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church and Retreat House in Inverness, California. Working for the advancement of contemplative Christianity, he has reinvigorated the mission and ministry of St. Columba’s through the introduction of contemplative eucharistic liturgies, public lectures, online courses, directed retreats, thought provoking sermons, an online blog and a weekly online study of his book through the Meditation Chapel.
The Suffering Son of God
In this final semester of our “Portraits of Christ” series, Fr. Vincent will bring our extended study of Mark’s gospel to its dramatic conclusion as we delve into an in-depth study of Mark 14-16, the earliest account of Christ’s passion in the New Testament. Written as one continuous narrative, Mark’s account of Christ’s passion and death is rich with theology and literary ‘brush strokes’ unique to Mark’s portrait of Christ as the “Suffering Servant.” As we will see, it is precisely in his moment of death, the moment the Eternal Word is silenced, that Jesus is at last recognized, indeed proclaimed, “Son of God” (Mk. 15:39). Together we will explore the fateful moments leading up to the death of Christ, and to the enigmatic way in which Mark leaves us not so much with the 'Hollywood ending' of resurrection but with the stark, indeed terrify, confrontation with an empty tomb. We will meditate with Hans Urs von Balthasar, how the Eternal Word becomes, in the very moment of death, the“Unword” (German: Un-Wort), in a self-emptying of the flesh that surpasses all language and defies all theo-logic. For Mark, the silence of the Cross becomes God’s greatest revelation in Christ.
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A fitting end to an enigmatic text, this semester will conclude our exploration of Mark’s gospel as one that is as rich as it is compelling, full of hidden mysteries, messianic secrets, and wisdom teachings that reveal far more theological depth than its brusque simplicity would suggest. This intimate analysis of Mark’s Passion Narrative will explore its verses in fine detail through the interpretive tools of modern exegesis, as we plumb its ancient message for the modern church. Especially designed for contemplatives, this last in our series of classes is designed to aid the Christian in the practice of Lectio Divina on Mark’s gospel, in ways that ground the life and practice of contemplative Christians today.
SCOPE & FOCUS
To interpret the gospel of Mark through modern tools of interpretation in view of the ancient context in which it was written
To uncover the literary ‘brush strokes’ throughout Mark’s gospel that reveal his portrait of Christ as the “Suffering Son of God”
To understand the literary genre of Mark not merely as objective history, but as history told through the lens of theology
To foster for contemplatives the capacity for a more prayerful rumination and "Lectio Divina" on Mark’s gospel
WHAT TO EXPECT
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Media-rich "Captivate Lectures" that also can be watched repeatedly at your own pace.
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Two-hour classes weekly: For presentations and Q&A
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One-hour of office hours weekly: to explore theological, contemplative, and spiritual implications of the lectures on Fridays, August 27th through September 24th from 10am to 11am Pacific Time.​​
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Full access to relevant educational tools, including: charts, graphs, maps, timelines, summaries, published articles, videos, presenter notes, personal journals, prompts for Lectio Divina, and worksheets all designed to engage participants in learning how to interpret the gospels with critical minds and pray them with contemplative hearts​
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I am interested in the course but cannot commit to any or all of the Zoom meetings. Can I still register?
Yes! All of the Zoom meetings will be recorded and made available the following day to all participants whether they are able to attend the session live or not. If you need to miss any or all of the meetings due to scheduling conflicts, you can review the recording at your own pace.
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I wish to take the course but have limited financial resources. What should I do?
Full and partial scholarships are available for those in need of financial assistance in order to ensure that no one is turned away from our programming for lack of funds. If you are in need of financial assistance, simply indicate that in our confidential online application form. If you have any questions about your registration, our administrator, Anna Haight may be emailed here.
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How do I contribute to the Scholarship Fund?
The St. Columba’s Scholarship Fund is an essential way we ensure that no one is turned away from our programing. For those who are able to afford an additional amount toward our Scholarship fund, simply indicate the amount of your contribution in the online form. We very much appreciate your generosity. All monies donated to our Scholarship fund are put into a restricted account to be used solely for the purpose of providing those in need with access to our programming. While our workshops do incur a cost on our staff and facilities, Fr. Vincent does not accept any financial renumeration for any portion of the funds raised by this course. His dedication in producing meaningful content, reflective of our mission and vision, allows us to provide rich offerings to all who wish to participate.
I have not taken the previous four semesters of Portraits of Christ, can I still take this course?
Yes! While these courses slowly build upon previous semesters, each one stands on its own merit. If you have not taken any of the four previous courses in this series, they are now available on our website as self-paced online courses. These may be taken before, during, or after our upcoming Fall 2026 course. Please note that scholarships are available for all current as well as previous courses in this series. Simply indicate your need for a scholarship in our confidential online application form.
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I am unfamiliar with the Bible. May I still take this course?
Yes! Anyone who is interested and willing to put in a bit of effort will learn much. The course is designed to move at a gradual meditative pace with many opportunities for self-paced study throughout the week between the live Zoom presentations.
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What materials do I need to take the course?
Participants should have access to a critical English translation of the Bible. Access to the New Revised Standard Version can be found at Bible Gateway free of charge. Ideally, however, a printed copy of the Bible will be better. Since we are studying the Bible in English, it helps for various participants to have different versions of the Bible as this can illuminate how nuances in translation effect meaning. To that end, Fr. Vincent recommends the purchase any one of the following three versions. Please click on the underlined price for each version to link directly to that edition.
The New Revised Standard Version (Oxford Annotated Edition) Soft Cover: $16; Hard Cover: $34
Benefits: Among the most critical modern English translation produced by the National Council of Churches. This is the version used on Sundays in the Episcopal Church as well as many mainline Protestant churches.
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The New Jerusalem Bible (Study Edition) Hardcover: $73
Benefits: This is the version Fr. Vincent will teach from throughout the series. However, some may not consider this correspondence a ‘benefit’ because having alternative translations helps us to see potential variations in meaning.
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The New American Bible (Anselm Academic Study Edition) Paperback: $36
Benefits: This is the version used on Sundays in the Roman Catholic Church.
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Other Materials Needed:
Computer or other device with WiFi and Zoom access.
A notebook: For those who wish to print and collate the materials presented during the course, we recommend a three-ring binder.
