Horizons Bible Study – In the Beginning—Perspectives on Genesis

The Presbyterian Women’s group (PW) of our church was planning on using the 2006-2007 Horizons Bible Study this fall. The study looks at Genesis. Two of the leaders from the group approached me concerning the study. They had heard that the Voices of Orthodox Women (VOW) had major concerns regarding the study. The VOW web site said:

“A. We cannot recommend this study for use by groups of Presbyterian women in local congregations.

B. We suggest that a possible alternative study to consider may be Genesis: God’s Grace from the Beginning, by Debbie Schmidt, provided by the Network of Presbyterian Women in Leadership (NPWL). This study has been reviewed by VOW board member Marcia Slentz-Whalen. Her review appears here [click here]. To investigate the study for yourself go to [http://www.npwl.org/biblestudies/womenswordsandgenesis/Genesisindex.html]

C. We have also prepared a word of caution [click here) for those women who may find themselves using the Horizons study, to guide them in discerning the difficulties we encountered. This is not intended to be a supplement to a study we do not recommend.”

The author of the study is Celia Brewer Sinclair. Concerning Sinclair the Horizons study says, “Celia Brewer Sinclair is a lecturer in religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She holds degrees from Duke University and Yale Divinity School.” Sinclair has also published under the name of Celia Brewer Marshall. To understand Sinclair’s view toward scripture on can turn to the web site of the School of Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Sinclair and Fred Horton author the Study’s lessons. In their section called “Crucial strategies or moves in feminist interpretation of scripture” they give the following words:

“While there is no one way to “do” biblical interpretation, there are a few strategies or moves that feminists share as they approach biblical texts.

1. Be alert to expressions of patriarchy in the texts. Watch for presumptions of privilege that go unquestioned.
2. Listen to what is communicated by the silences in the text, by what is not talked about. Women in scripture are often unnamed, silent, or ignored. Creatively re-imagine, remember, lift up these women out of the text and breathe life into them once again.
3. Biblical texts are often androcentric. For instance, Exodus 20.17 reads: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…” Who is the intended audience here? Step outside the androcentric ideology and critique it. Read “against the grain” and question the text’s assumptions.
4. Interpretation is always a political act, which is to say that reading the text always calls for action and change. Interpretation involves creative imagination, vision, and transformation. “

It is disturbing to think that PW groups around the country will be using this study!

Point #1: Their first point is quite true. The world of Genesis was male dominated. Men held a place of privilege when compared to women.

Point #2: How does one interpret the “silences in the text”? How can we “re-imagine” or “remember” people we have never met and that scripture says very little about? This style of exegesis and hermeneutics allows the interpreter latitude that was never intended of the readers of scripture! Being creative is not always being biblical.

Point #3: There are places where scripture is androcentric. The example that is used is coveting a neighbor’s wife. It is clear that the passage is about coveting. We are not to covet. The writer of Genesis then gives several examples, of which one is the neighbor’s wife. Sinclair wants women to read “against the grain.” Should we come to the biblical text with questions? Absolutely! Should we look at the assumptions of the biblical text? Absolutely! However, we do not arbitrarily throw out the assumptions with which we disagree. We are to use sound principles of exegesis and hermeneutics to help us understand the biblical text.

Point #4: Sinclair believes that “interpretation is always a political act.” I would have agreed with this point if Sinclair just said that “reading the text always calls for action and change.” God is always in the process of transforming us—that process will continue until Christ returns or our life on earth comes to an end. Sinclair moves onto unstable ground when she says that we need to use creative imagination when we interpret scripture. This goes against a Reformed understanding of biblical interpretation.

Monday I will look at specific examples from the Horizons study that are problematic.

The House is Sold!

The sale of our old house "closed" yesterday. Praise God! Next will be a remodel of the kitchen in our new house and subdividing the property so that we can build a house. (We must be crazy!) Now that the old house is out of the picture I can return to my regular, abnormal self and blog five days each week. Thanks for your prayers!

No post... the house

There will be no thought inspiring post today. The sale of our old house is closing tomorrow. The inspector found that a lot of the insulation under the house was falling down. The original installation was not as good as it could have been. I will be spending today under the house reinstalling the insulation and replace the insulation where necessary.

Check back tomorrow for a regular post to FullCourtPresby.

Pastor Lance

The Corporation and the Presbytery

Everyone in Presbyterian circles has heard of “renegade” congregations being “taken over” by their Presbytery.

It was many years ago and I was attending my first Presbytery meeting following my ordination. During the Committee on Ministry section of the meeting it was reported that an administrative commission had gone to a particular church, disbanded the session and started procedures to fire the pastor. You see, this church had refused to ordain women elders and deacons.

Kirk of the Hills, in Tulsa, Okalahoma, is in the process of leaving the PCUSA. The session has voted to leave the PCUSA and join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. A congregational meeting has been called for the church to vote on that action. The pastors have renounced jurisdiction of the PCUSA. Kirk has done something that is brilliant! The Trustees of the Kirk of the Hills Corporation has hired the pastors to lead the corporation and the congregation that is no longer a part of the PCUSA!

Why was this a brilliant move? Most local churches are not-for-profit corporations in the state where they are located. The corporation elects trustees to run the corporation. The Presbytery is not a voting member of the corporation! They have no jurisdiction over a separate corporation! (I am not a lawyer, so this is not an official legal position.)

At the end of each year my wife and I get a statement of our giving record from the church. We are able to deduct this amount from our taxable income because we have given it to a not-for-profit corporation. People give to the United Way and can deduct it from their taxable income because the United Way is a not-for-profit corporation. Locally, people give to the Associated Ministries of Pierce County. They can deduct their giving from their taxable income because the Associated Ministries of Pierce County is a not-for-profit corporation. The same could be said for the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Green Peace, the Republican or Democratic parties, etc. (Note: I am not an accountant or lawyer so check with your tax advisor to get tax and legal advice.) Can the PCUSA go in and take over the United Way? Of course not, the United Way is a separate not-for-profit corporation. Can the PCUSA take over Habitat for Humanity? Can they take over the Red Cross?

This move raises some important questions. Does the corporation own the property or does the “church” own the property? (It would seem that if the corporation owns the property then as long as the corporation keeps functioning the corporation would be able to maintain ownership of the property.) Does the corporation “own” the corporation assets? (If so, it would seem that the Presbytery has no legal standing to come in and take control of the bank accounts and investments.) Corporations can hire and fire.

The Kirk of the Hills actions may be a defining point in the history of the PCUSA.

The Corporation and the Presbytery

Everyone in Presbyterian circles has heard of “renegade” congregations being “taken over” by their Presbytery.

It was many years ago and I was attending my first Presbytery meeting following my ordination. During the Committee on Ministry section of the meeting it was reported that an administrative commission had gone to a particular church, disbanded the session and started procedures to fire the pastor. You see, this church had refused to ordain women elders and deacons.

Kirk of the Hills, in Tulsa, Okalahoma, is in the process of leaving the PCUSA. The session has voted to leave the PCUSA and join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. A congregational meeting has been called for the church to vote on that action. The pastors have renounced jurisdiction of the PCUSA. Kirk has done something that is brilliant! The Trustees of the Kirk of the Hills Corporation has hired the pastors to lead the corporation and the congregation that is no longer a part of the PCUSA!

Why was this a brilliant move? Most local churches are not-for-profit corporations in the state where they are located. The corporation elects trustees to run the corporation. The Presbytery is not a voting member of the corporation! They have no jurisdiction over a separate corporation! (I am not a lawyer, so this is not an official legal position.)

At the end of each year my wife and I get a statement of our giving record from the church. We are able to deduct this amount from our taxable income because we have given it to a not-for-profit corporation. People give to the United Way and can deduct it from their taxable income because the United Way is a not-for-profit corporation. Locally, people give to the Associated Ministries of Pierce County. They can deduct their giving from their taxable income because the Associated Ministries of Pierce County is a not-for-profit corporation. The same could be said for the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Green Peace, the Republican or Democratic parties, etc. (Note: I am not an accountant or lawyer so check with your tax advisor to get tax and legal advice.) Can the PCUSA go in and take over the United Way? Of course not, the United Way is a separate not-for-profit corporation. Can the PCUSA take over Habitat for Humanity? Can they take over the Red Cross?

This move raises some important questions. Does the corporation own the property or does the “church” own the property? (It would seem that if the corporation owns the property then as long as the corporation keeps functioning the corporation would be able to maintain ownership of the property.) Does the corporation “own” the corporation assets? (If so, it would seem that the Presbytery has no legal standing to come in and take control of the bank accounts and investments.) Corporations can hire and fire.

The Kirk of the Hills actions may be a defining point in the history of the PCUSA.