Ahh…Another Year

It’s the beginning of yet another school year, which means…new student orientation is wrapping up. Orientation weeks always bring with them several things–new students (obviously!), fresh energy, excitement and anticipation about the year ahead, and the wonderful set of questions one is expected to answer about 50 times a day: (“Where are you from? What is your program? How did you end up at Fuller?”) So I dutifully reply “I’m from Sacramento and Seattle, I’m a 2nd year MDiv student, and I’m at Fuller because Gordon Conwell lost my paperwork.” Not that this is the only reason I am at Fuller but it is usually an entertaining conversation starter–my least favorite reply to get from students is “I’m at Fuller because God called me here…” I usually end up wanting to ask “Ok obviously, but HOW did God get you here?!” Other than having an overwhelming sense of peace last year that this really is the place I am supposed to be, not Boston, I didn’t reflect too much on the implications of me choosing Fuller over Gordon Conwell, or anywhere else. But this fall I have, a lot.

Don’t get me wrong, GCTS is a great theological seminary, doing some wonderful things in the theological world, but I know it isn’t where I am supposed to be. This quarter I am taking a class entitled “Women, The Bible, and the Church” taught by one of Fuller’s most popular and esteemed professors, David Scholer. It’s one of the most popular classes on campus and I’m so excited to have finally been high enough on the registration list to have received a spot. Dr. Scholer has been one of the most out-spoken, well-educated, front-runners of advocating for women in ministry throughout the last 40 years. He used to teach at Gordon Conwell, back in the 70s, and it was here that he first began teaching this class–a class on a topic that no other seminary in the country was willing to touch in the early 70s. He began teaching it in 1972 at Gordon Conwell, a school that at the time had about 170 students, 3 of whom were female. So he taught this class to a room full of men, and his stories are fascinating. Let’s just say he wasn’t exactly the most loved man on that campus! (I’m not sure too many other professors can say they have had students threaten to beat them up over what they’ve said in class!) Throughout the last 35 years, Dr. Scholer has continued to speak to pretty much every major denomination and on many many campuses on this topic (He says he has even guest lectured in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and as he says “yeah they didn’t really like anything I had to say!”). He came to Fuller a long time ago and has sense continued teaching classes in the New Testament (he’s an NT scholar) and every year he offers this class I’m in now. What does all this have to do with me being glad I am here and not at GCTS? Well, he mentioned in class yesterday that while GCTS is doing some wonderful things in the world right now, they as a whole, are not in support of women in pastoral ministry. Their views tend to change depending on their current president, and they are about to install a new president who is not in support of women being ordained into ministry. He went on to say that practically from the beginning, Fuller has been supportive of women, so much so, that now they are one of only 2 evangelical seminaries in the nation that use that issue as a “litmus test” for incoming faculty. No professor can get a teaching job here unless they affirm that they are in support of women AND men being in ministry together, in ordained ministry. Our presidents for the last several terms have been fully in support of women, and have worked hard to make Fuller a place of equality and support. I’ve spent too many years thinking women are unable to be pastors, that if I had gone to GCTS in the midst of that questioning, I probably would not be working towards my ordination now, I wouldn’t have received the encouragement and support I have needed these past years to see that I have been given pastoral gifts and that there are places in the church I can use them. So, how did I end up at Fuller? Well, Gordon Conwell lost my paperwork, and I praise God they did and that He can work through even something as ridiculous as a misplaced application!

Other “beginning of the year” news—classes are going to be wonderful and a LOT of work (well what else is new?!). Besides Scholer’s class I have The Exegesis of 1 Corinthians (a fancy way of saying it is a class that uses the Greek I have learned to really dig into the book, to learn the historical context, the culture of the city, look at the reasons for Paul writing this letter, and practicing translating and using Greek to uncover things we miss in the English translations.) and I’m taking the Writings of the Old Testament (a class that looks at Ezra, Nehemiah, Ruth, Esther, Chronicles, Proverbs, Psalms, Ecclesasties, Song of Solomon and probably something I am forgetting–any book that isn’t part of the Torah or the Prophets!) So classes will be a ton of work but I am going to love all of them (which is rare in a quarter–usually there is 1 that is just not fun at all!). Our Presbyterian group is up and moving…we have our fall kick off bbq tonight, our first chapel was last Monday and went really well, and we’re excited about the group of new students that we’ve gained! My internship starts on Sunday at First Presbyterian Church in Burbank & I think it will be an amazing experience. I’ll have the opportunity to function as a pastor in the church, experiencing all aspects of pastoral ministry (leading worship up front each Sunday, hospital visits, committee meetings, staff meetings, session meetings, preaching, teaching adult education classes, doing community involvement, funerals, weddings, pre-marital counseling, pastoral counseling etc). Ross does a fabulous job of really letting his interns try anything they’ve never done in the life of the church and really lets us shadow him and experience the ups and downs of ministry. I am SO thankful for this opportunity as I continue figuring out what aspects of ministry I have been called to. Anyways, I think that’s about it….I should be reading right now, so I am off to do that!