Hebrew Class

This final semester of divinity school, I am enrolled in Hebrew one. On today, I love it. Last night I got home from class and spent 2 hours at the kitchen table learning the Hebrew alphabet (aleph-beth) to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy. After Thomas got home from his classes around 10, we ate dinner and then spent until 12:45 learning my first week of vocabulary. What a blessing to have someone who reads Hebrew in my household. I was able to check my pronunciation and he was able to give a final review for me, simply allowing me to review the vocabulary by him reading them out loud to me.

Today in class I had an exciting epiphany about a piece in Genesis that is used out of context to speak down to females in churches. When the Bible says "Let us create man in our image," the word for man is AdAm. Although it can mean man, it also means mankind. The passage goes on to say [Genesis 1:26-27] "...male and female he created them."

I learned this verse in the King James Version when I was in Bible drill as a child. I always thought it was really repetitive. I thought to myself it just said he created man, why does it say he created male afterward? Well, the Hebrew goes on to say not again AdAm but uses different words that mean specifically male and female. In other words, I think it should really read "...create HUMANITY in our image, male and female..." I believe that this would be a more correct egalitarian reading of this verse and would open the door to forget the idea that only males were created in God's image.

You see all too often persons think of God in human terms with male characteristics. However, God does not have gender because we were created in God's image and not God in ours. Each human being is a reflection of God and as such the church should be the place that most embraces each person as equally valuable in God's sight. I fear though, that many of the churches in my part of the country are not only a place where gender causes persons to be valued as more or less than others, but it is a breeding ground for such behavior based on a misunderstanding of scripture.

I pray that I will be a teacher, by word and deed, that every persons is indeed made in the image of God.

Being Baptist

One of the courses I am currently taking is the Changing Face of Baptist. This class is fascinating to me. We began by looking at the rise of the Religious Right and will begin today to dialogue about the conflict that went on the SBC during the 70's and 80's. As I was reading in chapter one of our text by Morgan (The New Crusades, the New Holy Land), I ran across this statement made at the formation of the Sunday School Board (now Lifeway) in 1891.

In conclusion, your committee, in its long and earnest consideration of this whole matter in all its environments, have been compelled to take account of the well known fact that there are widely divergent views held among us by brethren equally earnest, consecrated and devoted to the best interest of the Master's Kingdom. It is therefore recommended that the fullest freedom of choice be accorded to everyone as to what literature he will use or support, and that no brother be disparaged in the slightest degree on account of what he may do in the exercise of his right as Christ's freeman.

It amazes me that this is the basis under which Lifeway was formed, and they recently made this statement. I long to return to historic Baptist ideals.

Preaching Moment

Dr. West always spoke of the preaching moment with such awe and reverence. He told us that this moment should always be approached with silence and when we dared to finally open our mouths, the words we spoke must come from God.

I have been thinking a lot lately about this idea. In March, I will be preaching at Eastside and more and more that thought is intimidating. Not because I have a fear of speaking in front of anyone, but because it is such a special moment, those that listen will be looking for a word from the Lord, and how sad would it be if all they received was a word from me.

I pray that through study and prayer God will share with me a word to give to the people of Eastside. Not so that I receive glory, but so that God is felt and acknowledged.