This excerpt from the “College Laws” for Harvard University, founded in 1636 by Puritans in Cambridge, Massachusetts, reminds one of the reason for the founding of colleges and the level required to get in. I wonder what happened since… *

1. When any student is able to read Tully or such like classical Latin author ex tempore (out of the moment), and write and speak true Latin in verse and prose suo ut aiunt Marte (by his own power), and decline perfectly the paradigmes of nouns and verbs in the Greek tongue, then may he be admitted into the College, nor shall any claim admission before such qualifications.

2. Every one shall consider the main end (goal) of his life and studies, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life. John 17:3.

3. Seeing the Lord gives wisdom, everyone shall seriously by prayer in secret, seek his wisdom. Prov. 2:2-3, etc.

4. Everyone shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day so that they will be ready to give an account of their proficiency in them, both in theoretical observations of language and logic, as well as in practical and spiritual truths as their tutor shall require according to their several abilities respectively, seeing the entrance of the Word gives light, etc. Psal. 119:130.

5. In the public Church assembly they shall carefully shun all gestures that show any contempt or neglect of God’s ordinances and be ready to give an account to their tutors of their profiting and to use the helps of storing themselves with knowledge, as their tutors shall direct them. And all sophisters and bachellors (until themselves make common place) shall publicly repeat sermons in the Hall whenever they are called forth.

[...]

8. They shall be slow to speak, and eschew not only oathes, lies, and uncertain rumors, but likewise all idle, foolish, bitter scoffing, frothy wanton words and offensive gestures.

Paraphrased into modern English from Gaustad, Edwin S., A Documentary History of Religion in America to the Civil War, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982), 301-302. (here also one finds similar rules for some of the other main universities in the East Coast such as Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, etc.)

Carrying on with my book recommendations, here are a couple of books that are great for people that are serious about getting deeper into Scripture and, especially, understanding how the Bible makes sense on its own terms:

- D. A. Carson, The God Who Is There: Finding Your Place in God’s Story. Anyone can read this book and many people should. It is a very simple introduction to Biblical Theology, which is basically the discipline that studies the different major themes that run throughout the Bible. This is especially helpful to understanding how the Old Testament and the New Testament relate to each other. Books like these awaken a new desire to read carefully through Scripture again, now with a foundation of what is behind much of Jesus’ sayings and actions and how they might have impacted his original audience. The book has a “leader’s companion” that is great if you want to turn it into a Bible study (not a book study, as it is mainly to be read along with Scriptures). If this book makes you hungry, I would recommend also getting into stuff like Graeme Goldsworthy’s According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible, or, for a different kind of historical approach, N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God.

- T. Desmond, The New Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Exploring the Unity & Diversity of Scripture. Obviously, this is not a book just to read through, but you would benefit greatly having it in your library. If you’ve been reading the Bible and you notice a common theme, like the covenant, or the kingdom, or fear of God, but you’re not sure where else it is in Scripture and whether it is valid to connect the two or more ideas, this book is perfect for you. It’s first half is dedicated to describing what exactly Biblical Theology is and how it is and should be used as well as giving a biblical theological perspective on every book of the Bible (what its structure is, what themes and ideas it shares with other books, how it fits into the whole canon and what is important about it). The second part explores hundreds of themes that run throughout the Bible, so that you can look up specific concepts or words when you run into them in your reading.

From my first year at seminary, here are some of the books I have read that I would recommend to anyone interested in studying and sharing God’s Word with others. I’ve divided them by categories:

1. Presentations: for preparing a Bible study, or a sermon

• The collection of “Handbooks for Students and Pastors” are two books, one for the Old Testament (by Douglas Stuart) and one for the New Testament (by Gordon Fee) that walk through the basic steps of Exegesis (getting to the meaning of the text) and sermon preparation. They include guidelines on basics of text criticism, how to do a word study and a literary-historical background, and how to analyze the pericope. They also include updated bibliographies to aid you in your studies. These are excellent for people serious about sharing what they study in the Bible with others.

• Ramesh Richard, Preparing Expository Sermons, is the most down-to-earth and easy to follow book on preaching that I have read. It proposes a seven-step method to prepare a sermon that focuses on a specific text (vs. topical or thematic sermons). There is no need to know Greek or Hebrew to apply it, which is nice. His writing style is very easy to read and he includes very practical examples that make sense. Another thing that makes this book stand above others is Richard’s cultural sensitivity. He lives in the US, but much of his preaching experience was in India, and he travels more than most. This enables him to discard a lot of the American Church lingo and way of doing things (inapplicable in 98% of the rest of the World) and give you the basics. I highly recommend this for experienced and non-experienced preachers that want to get deeper into expository preaching.

• Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching. This is the best book on preaching I have read, but it is a bit more academic and heavy than Richard’s. At the end of almost every chapter I could think of two or three people that needed to read it. If it was cheaper, I would by a dozen of them and send them to friends around the world. One unique thing that Chapell contributes to the whole preaching concept is that he frames each sermon in what he calls the “Fallen Condition Focus”. That it, he encourages preachers to, once they have studied the text and know what it is about, identify the problem in humanity that the text aims to solve. Is this sermon going to be for those who are struggling with hate? For those that are discouraged? For those that can’t seem to love their neighbors? Etc. He pairs this up with relating the text and the sermon to the Salvation-Redemption story of the Bible: how does this text fit in with the whole of the Gospel? How do I make that evident in my sermons? If you like preachers like Tim Keller, Bryan Chapell is the guy who sets down the basis for how to work towards that kind of preaching. I recommend this book especially for people that are already preaching and need a big challenge to go deeper.

In the next weeks I will post some more recommendations for personal Bible study and Church history.

I recently came across this very interesting anecdote, known as the “Christmas truce,” that occurred during the First World War amongst soldiers in the trenches. The author labels it as a fitting end of the “Christian age” in Europe.

The First World War was the last great war of trenches, holes dug in the ground that served as cover from enemy shots. Opposing troops would dig them between 1 mile and even 7 yards separated from the other. In between them was the famous “no man’s land,” where bodies of dead soldiers laid, reminding people how dangerous it was to leave the trenches.

On Christmas in 1914 it seems that a number of troops (in some places German, in others British, and even some French) spontaneously began singing Christmas carols. Upon hearing them, the other side apparently would respond with another carol and so forth. On at least one occasion British troops report finding themselves joined in Oh Come, All Ye Faithful by the Germans singing the latin version Adeste Fidelis. Inspired by the singing, some men ventured out into no-man’s land without their weapons, and began exchanging with each other gifts such as candy, food, tobacco and alcohol as well as souvenirs such as buttons and hats. Quite a few locations also record joint burial services for the dead. In other places this turned into an impromptu game of football (soccer for Americans who, if present, probably wouldn’t have been able to participate…) which the Germans apparently won. Not too much has changed in history, I guess.

This event did not end the war, and neither was it completely widespread (some soldiers that went out of the trenches in the Christmas spirit were shot dead), but it does provide an interesting anecdote to illustrate the unique feelings that this celebration of the Incarnation of Christ provides. I don’t think we can use this to argue that Christianity brings the nations together, or that the old order of non-tolerant Europe was better than what we have now. But it does make one wonder if the event of the birth of God into this world as a helpless babe, born in a stinky barn surrounded by animals and hardly any other protection, might not be much more profound and moving than we often make it.

As the semester comes to an end – signifying a brief break for me before starting summer classes – we look back and see that we have been here almost a year! We have realized that this place has become home. This was especially evident for Marta, upon returning from a brief trip to California, where I finally met my sister’s Kari fiancé. We don’t know for how long, but we have finally been able to recognize that, for now, this is our place.

In addition to feeling more at home, we now feel more established, excited because Marta has a new job! After two rounds of interviews, she has been hired as an Communication and Executive Assistant for the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity. As you know, Marta had been searching for a more permanent job that didn’t involve random schedules and freelancing in order to have some stability and also to begin exploring the possibility of switching career paths focusing more on Communications. She started this Tuesday and so far is thoroughly enjoying getting to know her new workmates and responsibilities.

And as the last part of the series about what Seminary is like, this month I wanted to introduce you to some of our neighbors at Trinity so that you get an idea about what kind of strange people come to study theology here:

• Jonathan and Salome are from France, although originally English and German respectively. They are hear for Jonathan to complete a two years masters program and then return to Toulouse to plant churches. They speak fluent Spanish (as well as English, French and German) and actually planted a church in Valencia years ago.
• Igor and his family are from Germany. They are originally Jews from the Soviet Union, though. They are finishing doctoral studies to go back to Germany and help train new leaders for the Messianic Jewish churches that are apparently growing very quickly.
• Sirius Chen and his wife are from Korea. He is getting and MDiv and also a Masters in Ancient Eastern Archeology (studying strange languages like Akkadian that I had never heard of before coming here). He has a very passionate heart for China and is going there this summer to do his internship teaching Hebrew at a Bible School there. He is also obsessed with soccer and organizes matches every week. That’s how we became friends.

Prayer requests
Please pray for our church search. We have visited some great places, but we are still unsure of where we should go. We are looking for a mentorship program I can get involved in. Thank you so much for your support and love. We love you.

Every time I hear somebody saying something like “believing is for weak people”, “being a Christian is the easy option”, I’m flipped out. Being a Christian granted me a big L (for looser) since I was a little girl. Believing in something didn’t help me at all in my efforts to socialise and be accepted by the kids in my school. Not giving in to excesses wasn’t very popular among my high-school mates either. And of course, openly believing in God was considered at least stupid when I went to the university.

And that was relationally. Personally, it wasn’t always a pleasant experience. Adult Christians kept on saying that Christianity was about being a good person, which guaranties years of frustration, being an impossible task. Many times, the result is devastating. A lot of Christian kids, when they acquire critical thought, they just need to spot a defect in their pastors or parents to reject God and anything related to him, taking revenge for years of school maginalisation. Sometimes I think that the church is the main provider of atheists.

Later on, if you survive the adolescence insecurities and decide to keep believing, things don’t get easy. I’m not an expert on the subject, but I think that Christianity is in the top 10 of the most irrational religions in the world. It is totally unnatural. What is natural about turning the other cheek or loving your enemies? Since when am I not the most important thing in the world? How is it that I can’t have everything I want? Why do I have to put my neighbour before me even when it goes against my own interest and moreover, he’s a jerk? It just doesn’t make any sense. It isn’t logical, nor natural.

So, what is the difference between Christianity and the other 9 difficult religions in the top 10? That its precursor, Christ, lived what he taught until the very last consequences, dying to pay for the mistakes of a ungrateful humanity that doesn’t accept salvation even for free. Yes, the only reason to be a Christian is to really believe it, because it’s not easy at all. That’s why I’ll never understand cultural Christians. They must be masochists or something…

First, a disclaimer: this isn’t an academic post. I am not attempting to portray a rigorous, historically  documented opinion of Martin Luther and his importance in the development of Christianity. Instead, I wanted to paint a few broad strokes on what impressions I have obtained about the man Dr. Martin Luther after reading Roland H. Bainton’s Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther, watching the 1953 movie on him, and reading his 95 Thesis.

1. Martin Luther developed a deep and real fear of God. This is especially evident in the years leading up to his confrontation with the papal office, while a monk. Surely, part of this was product of living in the Medieval times, haunted by death through plagues, wars, common criminals and unjust persecutions on behalf of the powers at be. But beyond this, as Dr. Luther began to understand the Scriptures more and more, he developed an even deeper sense of awe and authentic terror of the Almighty God. He understood that God’s power was beyond anything we could ever comprehend. And his holiness, impossible to reach or satisfy. For a long time he tried to fulfill all the requirements the established Church had for people to achieve peace with God: indulgences through visiting relics, the rites of a monk, prayer, fasting, self-punishment, etc.

2. This man was brutally honest. His writings are harsh, loud, but also tear-filled and humorous. He could not hide who he was. It is recorded that he would spend up to six hours confessing, trying to recall any hint of sin that he had had. When he finished, he would leave and minutes later go back to his confessor: “Father, I just remembered some other evil thoughts I had.” Not only is this honesty evident with his quest for peace with God, but also in how he spoke and wrote to others, including his preaching. He was quick to confess his sinfulness, but also quick to call it out in others.

3. He was a hard worker. He persevered to finish everything he began. He never stopped working, and he never stopped searching. It is said that no other human being had such a wide impact on people’s lives as Luther did on the German nation and the world. Part of the reason was because he tackled so many things with strong dedication. He was a theologian, a pamphlet writer, a Bible translator, a poet, an educator, a polemicist, a farmer, a preacher, a father and a husband.

4. The combination of these things, added to a very unique window of opportunity in time and history, allowed Luther to be the leader in a movement that changed Christian religion forever. Like many others of his time, he rose up agains the horrendous abuses of a Church that had become a mere means to power. His fear of God enabled him to stand up against the most powerful men of his time (the pope and the emperor). His honesty helped him win the hearts and support of many normal people as well as powerful allies. His hard work helped him develop a system of thought that gave meat and support to a movement.

He wasn’t perfect. Far from it. He made many mistakes that caused damage that the Church has yet to begin to get over. But he did his best to obey what he read in Scriptures and his Spirit-filled conscious. Whether you come from a Catholic or mainline Protestant, or Anabaptist, or another form of Christian tradition, Luther is an example of a man who understood that serving God is far above serving or conforming to the orders of any other man or woman on earth.

In this new entry I would like to go on telling you a bit about the kind of life I have as an MDiv student at Trinity. But first a quick update:

• Last month my parents came to visit us and, because of some very generous friends, took us to Colorado to do some skiing. We had a great time of rest and also got to reconnect with some friends from Spain that live there now.
• We are now searching for a new church to participate in: we felt that we had contributed up to what we could in the church we were attending and that we needed to find a place closer to the campus where we could build more significant community. The city resulted to be too far away for any kind of interaction with the church members beyond the Sunday meeting and this created a difficult situation not only for ministering to them, but also for us to grow. Please pray that God will lead us to where he wants us to be.
• This next week Marta heads back to Spain for her sister’s wedding and I’ll spend Easter Vacation catching up on reading and papers so that when she comes back we’ll be able to spend some more time together.

What other stuff goes on on campus?

In addition to classes there are a lot of conferences that happen on campus. My favorites are those put on by the Carl F. H. Henry Center that works on bridging the gap between local churches and theological education.

Recently, for example, they had pastor Alistair Begg from Parkside Church. Both Marta and I were impressed by his passion, sincerity and also sound theology and argumentation. He spoke about important things to consider when becoming a pastor. One of these was “clarity”, and he drew this from John the Baptist’s ministry. Everyone knew what John was asking them to do: repent. As seminary students we need to ensure to keep the gospel simple so that people can understand and respond to the amazing gift God has given us. Here is one of his sessions on video.

Please, keep praying for us:

• for our search of a new church where we can find community and mentoring
• for Marta’s trip as she travels to Spain: safety but also that she would be able to enjoy the time with her family and so many other people
• our jobs: as we look towards the summer and next year, we are praying that God would provide Marta with a full time job (not just freelancing) so that Kenny can kick back a few hours
• finances: time for scholarship applications is rapidly approaching. Pray for wisdom on which ones are worth the time and effort it takes to fill out all the paperwork, write the essays, etc.

To be continued…

Some days ago I read an interview of Praxiz, an excellent Spanish hip-hop band, in which they were asked about their “religiousness.” Their answer is exemplary:

We would like to clarify that we don’t consider ourselves religious people, but people that know God and relate directly with him. If this is not understood, we have already said that we are like Braille language, people just have to learn to “read” us… We think that they ask us for more explanations than we should really give, because having a relationship with God should be seen as normal by anybody, that is our original nature. But we live in a materialist and unnatural society where spirituality is something weird. Instead the norm is live to earn money and be accepted by others. This is a commercial handicap for us, because our message is not populist, and the people who consume hip-hop are part of this society and we are not giving them what they are looking for. But we completely trust the path we have chosen and that those barriers can be overcome. We may be doing the most political rap in Spain. What we just said, Braille.

To read the whole interview (Spanish) click here. To know more about Praxiz, click here.

This answer makes me realize that I am often intimidated by mainstream culture, and how absurd that is. My thoughts are that, firstly, most people don’t believe, or want to believe, that living really is only about material gain and popularity. A deep conversation with almost anyone reveals a longing for something more, and many, many people attempt to be spiritual (with anything except the Christian God, of course). So, in a sense, this materialism isn’t the real mainstream, but it certainly is presented as such. The fact that Praxiz, for example, has become so popular among non-Christian audiences is another demonstration of this fact. Secondly, even if people were truly materialistic, or failing in their attempts to be spiritual, it doesn’t follow that the way things are is the way things were meant to be. This is the main point that Praxiz makes in stating that our original nature is to be/live/relate with God. This is a Christian perspective, but that’s the idea: they are coherent with it what they believe and live it out without giving in to the populist pressure that the media imposes on us all.

Kudos to Praxiz, kudos to the people who are smart enough to follow through their system of belief and live it out coherently or, if they discover it doesn’t work, adapt their beliefs.

Every once in a while one has the privilege of taking some time off from studies and work and hanging out with loved ones. This week my parents are here from Spain. They have been missionaries there for over 20 years and now are taking a few months off to rest, recap and re-think strategies for the upcoming years. In fact, my dad is keeping a log of their adventures on his blog. We invited them out to Chicagoland to enjoy the good weather… and to just visit the city, taste the food, and enjoy some kick-back time. Below is a picture at Highland Park, a small city really close to where we live with a pretty cool beach right on the lake. Although it was cold and windy, Michigan lake is still a pretty site.