A teacher, a teddy bear, and a temper

Gillian Gibbons, a private school teacher in Sudan, has found out the hard way just how much trouble naming a teddy bear can be. Gibbons was arrested for allowing her class of 7-year olds to name a teddy bear "Mohammed." Those making charges are accusing her of enciting hatred toward those who practice Islam. Those with a more realistic view of things are calling this a harmless incident, and that Gibbons had no intention of causing such panic.

The 54-year old teacher didn't even name the fuzzy creature, but allowed a student to suggest the name. Mohammed is an accepted name for men in the Middle East, but apparently giving an animal such a name is blasphemous.

This situation would border on absurdity except that the penalty for this kind of offense is pretty stiff: 40 lashes and a year jail sentence. It's hard to imagine that Gibbons, who was a new teacher at the school, could suffer in a severe way for a seemingly innocent action. The British government is involved as well as some women's rights groups.

It's important to show sensitivity toward all religions, and I would like to think that Gibbons could have avoided this whole mess if she had known how offensive giving a Teddy Bear the prophet's name could be. So much for a class project. I am very sympathetic toward her situation and hope it can be resolved without her suffering any more.

The whole incident raises another issue, in that I wonder whether the Prophet Mohammed would have acted this way toward someone who did this. Islam is a religion that we'd better come to understand, because there are adherents whose militant ways have already been demonstrated all too well. Christianity has its fundamentalists too, and there has been outrage directed at toy companies who are making a "Jesus doll" in time for Christmas. However, I don't think there will be any jail time for this offense. I couldn't imagine Jesus asking for 40 lashes to be given to someone who gave a teddy bear the same moniker. Besides, Jesus was in the business of taking lashes.

Freedom of religion (and from religion) is a precious right we Americans have and it is difficult to understand a worldview with such hostility toward a teacher of 7-year olds. Yes, there should definitely be respect for other religions. Perhaps an apology would help matters. And, in a season of "peace, good will toward all people" a gesture from both Gibbons and the government in like manner would be in order.

Auburn 17, Alabama 10

Well, on a wild and exciting football weekend, Auburn won its 6th straight Iron Bowl. Arkansas knocked off LSU, Missouri topped Kansas and seems headed to a BCS Championship game. Folks are getting excited about it up here in the show me state.

Congratulations to the Tigers, the Missouri kind and particularly the Auburn variety.

War Eagle!!

Thank You Dr. Howe

It's been a long time since I've thought about seminary days. Every now and then I'll glance up at my diploma and wonder where the time went. I came through NOBTS at a good time (1990s), as most of my professors have either retired or moved to other positions. I am deeply indebted to the theology and history department at the seminary in particular because this turned out to be my area of emphasis for Ph.D. work. I couldn't get the same education today as I received back then.

One of the professors that I remember is Dr. Claude Howe. He served as chair of the division for decades and taught history like it was literally the back of his hand. There is no way to measure how many Southern Baptist ministers were taught church history by this giant. The one thing I remember about him was his delivery style, as he dictated to the class his notes from memory. You could buy his notes in the bookstore and then highlight them as he recited them word for word. He had a fantastic memory, even when interrupted by the occasional question from a student. He'd answer, then look upward and pick up where he left off. He wouldn't miss a beat.

Hearing of Dr. Howe's death reminded me of taking History of the Baptists as my last Master's level course. He taught it at 2pm, and I have to say it would one of the more difficult classes I needed. So much was memorization: people, places, and dates. I also had a few doctoral seminars with him, and can locate those seminar papers if needed.

He and other professors like him meant so much to my spiritual and educational development. They represented the Baptist tradition in ways that are lacking today. Thank you Dr. Howe, for your devotion to the work and sweet spirit.

Building Bridges in Memphis

To use a CBF phrase, "it's time" to start planning for the CBF General Assembly to held in Memphis, TN this upcoming summer. I've already made hotel reservations and am looking forward to reconnecting with the larger Fellowship family in 2008.

It was quite an effort to get to Washington D.C. last summer, especially since my family and I were navigating a relocation to Missouri about that time. The presence of the ABC Biennial Convention alongside the CBF Assembly provided a unique opportunity to get a taste of both organizations.

This time, this trip will be a lot shorter and the attendance should be better due to its location in closer to most CBF churches. I believe that the Fellowship, like any teenager, is going through growing pains in determining its identity and direction. There is the ongoing discussion about whether the CBF will become a denomination at some point, but I really don't see that as an urgent decision. The Fellowship began as a movement of the Spirit, and should continue in that manner. It's a faith journey, an exciting and hopeful one. I expect that the meeting will truly be a time to celebrate our unity in Christ and build bridges of missions and ministry.

Arkansas Baptists remain Closed on Communion

It's been a while since I thought about open or closed communion. I've been fortunate to have served in churches who have for the most part welcomed all believers to participate in the ordinance of the Lord's supper. This practice is called "open" because non-members who happen to be attending a local church's worship service may participate in receiving the elements of bread and juice.

"Closed" communion refers to the view that only members of the church may take part in the Lord's supper. This latter view has its roots in the Landmark tradition, and I didn't know there were many Southern Baptist churches that held to this position. The Arkansas Baptist Convention's annual meeting revealed otherwise.

Messengers voted to maintain a little known provision in their Constitution that opposed open communion. The messengers failed to garner the 2/3 majority required to remove this exclusive language. Of course, state convention provisions are not supposed to be binding on the local congregation. But, it does make me wonder how many Arkansas Baptists are in compliance to the closed communion stipulation of the convention.

At a practical level, it raises the question of whether a believer in Jesus Christ who happens to be in a worship service in an Arkansas Baptist church would be welcome to partake of Communion. I don't recall ever hearing a pastor instruct the congregation that those who weren't members should let the plates of juice and wafers go by. It makes me wonder how Christians would feel about inviting their non-member friends to church only to see them excluded from a meaningful part of worship.

At a deeper and theological level, the Lord's supper is truly that--the LORD's supper. We gather around his table as the people of God, and all people should be welcome. It is an opportunity to show unity not necessarily as Baptists but as Christians in giving thanks for the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Lord's supper should be an extremely meaningful time in the life of a local church, but this does not mean that fellow believers who aren't members should be left out. Even if believers aren't sitting in the pews of their home church, they don't cease to be believers in Jesus Christ.

The Lord's supper provides a unique opportunity to express our togetherness as a church. The community experienced and expressed around the Lord's table has more than local significance. It means that there is a connection and unity with fellow believers around the world as well. After all, the church belongs to the Lord too.

The Other Saints

Ok, so this isn't about Baptist life or the church in general. But it does happen on Sundays, and these folks are called Saints, so perhaps it isn't too much of a stretch to talk about football.

After an 0-4 start, New Orleans has turned things around and are on a four game winning streak. It's hard to imagine, but they haven't lost a game in a month. Looks like the playoff talk is alive and well.

I really enjoyed the ride last year, and am looking forward to an exciting finish this year. I don't get to watch them much since we live in MO, but with them playing the Rams this weekend that should change at least this Sunday. St. Louis is winless thus far. Let's keep their streak alive for another week.

Mentioning New Orleans and the NFC Championship game in the same sentence means the Saints have come a LONG way. I remember when fans put bags over their heads in disgrace. Those days appear to be over, and it's a new day in the Crescent City.

It's incredible how the Saints have energized the city and the entire region. Katrina dealt a devastating blow to the Gulf Coast, and folks have been looking for something to give them hope. A sports team can do that, and a brief period of time each weekend everyone can put their woes on the shelf and cheer for Saints. I'll be one of them.

Thank You Martin Luther

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posed his 95 theses on the castle church doors. He indicated many areas of disagreement with the Catholic Church, especially the practice of indulgences. The Church didn't care for Luther's views and booted him and his supporters out in 1520. The Church's action helped launch the Protestant Reformation, and of course, the rest is history.

It would be hard to deal with the practice of buying people out of purgatory, plus the fact there might be some people that might cost more to get out than others. The people were at the mercy of the Church. Indeed, this practice was a significant money maker for the Church and it's understandable why the powers that be would be upset with Luther. His views of sola scriptura and sola gracia could have devastating effects in that the common folk didn't actually need the priests or the Church to forgive their sins.

Baptists emerged out of what has been called "the radical reformation" and it was out of this period that our views of congregational autonomy and believer's baptism by immersion developed. This is a greatly abridged history lesson, but suffice it to say that we Baptists wouldn't be where we are today without Luther taking a stand on the Word of God.

It must have very difficult for Luther to stand up to the Church and refute the doctrines that had been taught to the people for years. I have read that there were times that Luther deal with depression and struggled with what was going on around. That really is an understatement, and the fact that someone actually had the courage to say that the Church was wrong in what it was doing truly is incredible. I admire Luther for his gall as he spoke during the Diet of Worms: "Here I stand (on the Word of God), that is all I can do. God help me."

That statement was good enough for Luther and it's good enough for me. Today I give thanks for him and others who laid the groundwork for the rest of us. This is truly a day for us to give thanks. My prayer is that Baptists will continue to take a stand on principles that have been tried and true through the years. This might cost us fellowship in some denominational circles, but the price is definitely worth it. May there always be individuals who are willing to stand up for our historic Baptist distinctives. Baptists have been free and faithful. May we always be.