Adult Education

Ladue Chapel’s Adult Education Program offers a vibrant and welcoming space for lifelong learning, spiritual growth, and community engagement. Classes meet on Sunday mornings before worship and are typically offered in four-week sessions. Organized into four tracks—Bible & Religion, Contemporary Issues, Arts & Literature, and Personal Growth—these courses provide opportunities to explore faith, culture, and life’s big questions with the guidance of experienced instructors and the fellowship of others.

What you'll Learn and Experience

Bible & Religion

Explore Scripture, Christian theology, and world religions through engaging courses led by scholars from local seminaries and universities. This track invites thoughtful reflection and dialogue on matters of faith and spirituality.

Contemporary Issues

Connect your faith to the world around you. Classes in this track examine timely topics—from local community concerns to national debates and global challenges like climate change—led by experts and practitioners in the field.

Arts & Literature

Celebrate creativity through courses that explore religious and secular works of art, film, literature, and music. Instructors from local arts organizations and schools bring rich cultural insight and spiritual depth.

Personal Growth

Deepen your understanding of yourself and your relationships through classes on health, wellness, parenting, aging, and more. Sessions are taught by trusted professionals from the medical, counseling, and consulting communities.

Current Series
February 1,8,15, 9:15 AM

Presentation: Declarations That Shaped Conscience and Community

Speaker: Dr. David Greenhaw

Location: Fireside Room

About the Presentation:
Across history, certain “Declarations” have given voice to profound convictions about human dignity, freedom, and faith. In this three-week series, Dr. Greenhaw will explore three pivotal statements—the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), and the Barmen Declaration (1934)—each born in times of moral and political crisis. Together, they invite us to consider how faith, reason, and courage shape our shared life and moral vision.
Week 1 – February 1: “Created Equal: The Declaration of Independence”
We begin with America’s founding declaration, exploring its bold theological and philosophical claims about human equality and rights. We’ll trace how its ideals faded from national discourse after the Constitution’s adoption, only to be revived by Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address. What light does this founding text still shed on our understanding of justice and human worth?
Week 2 – February 8: “Human Dignity for All: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights”
In the wake of World War II’s horrors, the United Nations—guided by Eleanor Roosevelt’s moral vision—proclaimed a universal standard for human dignity. We’ll examine the Declaration’s grounding in shared moral values, its echoes of religious ideals, and its continuing relevance in a world still struggling to honor every person’s rights.
Week 3 – February 15: “Christ Alone: The Barmen Declaration”
Our final session turns to Germany in 1934, where the Confessing Church declared its allegiance to Christ in defiance of Hitler’s totalitarian claims. The Barmen Declaration stands as a powerful witness that faith cannot serve any earthly power. We’ll explore its context, courage, and lasting challenge to the Church today: whom do we truly confess as Lord?

Current Series
February 1,8,15, 9:15 AM

Presentation: "George Herbert"

Speaker: Dr. Robert Wiltenburg

Location: Leutwiler Room

About the Presentation
George Herbert is the best poet you've (probably) never read. Born to a noble family, he gave up academic and court careers to become the "parson" of a small country parish. His poems of religious devotion, celebration, and self-examination are collected in The Temple -- about as many as there are Psalms, and as complete an expression of the various joys (and sorrows) of the Christian life. We'll read as many as we can.

Fireside Chat Series

Exploring faith. Engaging ideas. Enriching community.
The Fireside Chat series offers a welcoming space for open and engaging conversations about faith, spirituality, and contemporary life. Reflecting Ladue Chapel’s call to welcome all, deepen faith, and serve God and neighbor, these gatherings invite thoughtful exploration of how Christian belief connects with the world around us.
 
Through inspiring presentations and honest dialogue, the Fireside Chat series seeks to:
  • Deepen understanding of Scripture, theology, and lived faith
  • Explore the intersection of faith, culture, and daily life
  • Encourage respectful conversation across differing viewpoints
  • Nurture community through curiosity, reflection, and shared learning
Our first Chat was on Nov. 5 and featured Dr. John Hendrix.  Our next Chat is planned for April 29.