Stay tuned for an announcement of our Fall 2013 theologically-based Permaculture Design Certificate Institute led by Chris Grataski!

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 Bartimaeus Institutes are study opportunities in the beautiful coastal hills of the Ventura River watershed in southern California.  Ranging from 3-7 days and held in the village of Oak View in the Ojai Valley, they are intensive explorations of scripture and social justice, facilitated by Ched Myers, Elaine Enns and friends. 

Limited scholarships are available (at most Institutes participants under 30 years old qualify for a discount).  Space is limited to 35 persons per Institute.  CEU and academic credit are often available by request.  For more information on pricing and registration, email  inquiries@bcm-net.org or call 323-449-5170.

  Transportation Guide to Bartimaeus Institute

Past Institutes:

Feb 18 - 22, 2013:  “There was a rich man who...” The Occupy Critique, Sabbath Economics and Luke 12-19

This mid-winter Institute scripture intensive offered a theological response to the Occupy Movement, and a conversation with Cornell West and Tavis Smiley's recent manifesto on wealth and poverty, The Rich and the Rest of Us (2012). Led by Ched Myers, over 30 people explored selected texts from Luke's "special section" that appear in the Year C gospel lectionary. We looked at how the third gospel uniquely articulates the problem of social and economic disparity, how Jesus envisions the church as a new society in the shell of the old, and how these texts challenge First World Christians to practice Sabbath Economics.  You can see the basic syllabus here.

July 2012 Report: “Rooting Faith:  Theology and Practices of Bioregional Discipleship" 

Feb 2012 Report:  Reading Mark's Gospel Politically

Feb 2011 Report: Watershed Seminary

Jan 2011 Report:  The Sermon on the Mount from Anarchist, Anabaptist and Antiracist Perspectives  

Jan 2010 Report: “Ambassadors of Reconciliation”: A Theology and Practices of Restorative Justice and Peacemaking.

Feb 2009 Report:  Transgressing Social Boundaries of Race, Class & Gender (Mark 4-8)

Jan 2009 Report:  Jesus as a Practitioner of Nonviolent Action (Mark 1-3)

Feb 2008: Jesus as a Teacher of Restorative Justice in Matthew

Jan 2008: Matthew’s Gospel between Seminary, Sanctuary & Streets

Jan 2007: Luke’s Gospel and Sabbath Economics