Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, will host its winter Lay Bible Institute with a focus on cultural conflict. Dr. David Adams, associate professor of exegetical theology and director of education technology, will present "The Church in the World: Christians in the 21st Century Culture Wars." Four sessions will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Jan. 31, and Feb. 7, 14, and 21 in Sieck Hall, Room 201.

Some questions that will be addressed include "Where do Christians (individually and the church) stand in the culture wars in which our society is engaged at the beginning of the 21st century?" "Are we in the fight?" "Are we part of the battleground on which the war is fought?" "Or are we innocent bystanders in danger of being crushed by the warring parties?"

Dr. David Adams, former executive director of the Office of Government Information of The Lutheran Church=E2=80=94Missouri Synod, will examine what the Bible teaches about the place of the church in the world and how that teaching is applied in Lutheran theology. He will consider several of the major battlefields in the current culture war, will ask how they will affect both the culture itself and the church in the world, and will look at the extent to which the church has a stake in these battles and how they effect Christians who must live in the world without being part of the world.

Topics for the sessions are: "Why Is the Bible's Teaching on the Relationship between the Church and the State So Hard to Understand?" (Session 1); "The Culture of Death vs. the Culture of Life" (Session 2);"It Takes a Village vs. It Takes a Family" (Session 3); "A Pluralist Society vs. a Particularist Faith" (Session 4).

To register for the Lay Bible Institute classes, call (314) 505-7105. The cost is $15 per person and includes course handouts and breaks. Concordia Seminary is located at 801 DeMun Avenue in Clayton, Mo.