Well, it’s been awhile. Years in fact since I began my academic journey (and no foreseeable end in sight I might add). My original goal of obtaining a four year degree so that I could qualify to work for the church was all I had expected to achieve. What I hadn’t counted on was an unshakable addiction to knowledge and the learning process. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from the movie, Oh Brother Where Art Thou which I will paraphrase here by saying that my degree in religious studies has only aroused my appetite without properly bedding it down. My first semester in divinity school likewise did little to satisfy me and much to increase my addiction.
I now find myself in the very uncomfortable position of having to take off from formal studies while I take care of my Aspersers son. Here I sit with all the training and tools to pursue and further my career in biblical studies and not a classroom or professor to guide me. So, I have decided to self-study and in the process (hopefully) I can improve my knowledge and perhaps help others with similar addictions. I have begun to write a book. Oh, not just any book, but a reference book. (Non-academics would call it dry and boring, serious egghead scholars would call it mind candy).
My wife told me I should pick a narrow subject and make it an assignment. As an advocate for the underdogs in life and the overlooked and underwhelmed members of society, I began to look at some of the lesser known figures in the scriptures where I finally landed on a fascinating creature that is rarely discussed; woman. Therefore, I am currently compiling a list of all the women in the Bible and will hopefully soon be making it available to the public in book form.
I would appreciate and encourage any thoughts or input any of you may have on the subject. What would you like to know? What kind of reference would be helpful to you? Which women in the Bible are your favorites or would like to know more about? Feedback on these or any other thoughts are welcome and helpful.
During this process I will be blogging on my progress and on some of the more interesting women I run across in my research. Please visit often and leave you comments.
2 comments:
Mark, it is good to see this. I did not know you had a blog. My heart goes out to you and Renee, your son's diagnosis is very hard for you I know. You both are wonderful and loving and I know you will find a way not only through, but a way to thrive. But still that doesn't make it any easier now.
On the subject at hand - the women in the bible: I have always been moved by Mary Magdalene. Kind of cliched, maybe. But it's always struck me that she was the first person, male or female, to whom Jesus gave the "great commission" to spread the good news of his resurrection. All four gospels state that Mary Magdalene (in some accounts, with other women) met Jesus, and he told her to tell his (male) disciples the news. http://www.northforest.org/ChristianApologetics/womenattomb.html. Yet many denominations cling to the assertion that since the "disciples" were male, that indicates that Jesus didn't want women in ministry. Seems to me that His commission to Mary Magdalene makes that assertion untrue on its face, so I've always been bewildered by basing a "males only" clergy on scripture.
I am also moved by John's gospel account of Mary's journey to the tomb: she thinks he's the gardener, but when he speaks her name - "Mary" - she instantly recognizes him. It's a tender scene. Jesus was human as well as divine, and I find it no sacrilege to think that He might have loved Mary. She certainly loved Him, I think.
@ Milli, Yes, Mary Magdaline has gotten a very bad reputation over the centuries, if she gets any attention at all. Think about this, she was a single woman and helped, along with other women, support Jesus' three year ministry. No small acclompishment. Non-canonical writings speak of her as being a leader of the first church along side of Peter. When I get to her I will post more. Right now I'm still in Genesis. A lot of very interesting and strong ladies there already.
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