From the file of "just in case you thought I was kidding around," the below is from one of our college students, who titled her email to me: "I would get THAT professor." :)
---------------------------------------------
Hi Pastor!
I honestly don't know where to begin with this email, haha, so I'm sorry if it doesn't really make much sense, but here goes!
So, I remember being in church and watching you mimic those college professors, and laughing because it's pretty hilarious how you portray them. And I was sort of hoping that teachers weren't really like that, but boy was I wrong in hoping for that! You pretty much embody this professor that I have right now perfectly.
The class is Hebrew Bible, and I thought it would be pretty neat, studying the Bible in class. Turns out though, it "seeks to impart biblical literacy together with a functional appreciation of the relationship between history and myth," and that is an exact quote from the syllabus. I'm pretty certain that my professor isn't a Christian, even though he won't say it (every time he says God he does air quotes). I mean, really? hahaha . Not to mention he treats everything we read as if it's myth and calls it as such, and he keeps making this point that nothing needs to be concrete, everyone will see it differently, blah blah blah "we don't need to see it the way Christian literalists see it." So...it's sort of a problem. To make it even better, the textbook we're using along with the Bible itself is just...wrong. I can't think of any other way to put it besides by giving an example.
It talks about how in Genesis, God said "Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness." which is plural because of the Trinity, right? But the book compares it to "the divine council, the assembly of the gods" of Enuma Elish, the Babylonian creation story where the god is Marduk, where there are just a bunch of random gods hanging around, and just...isn't right.
So, I'm worried and the entire situation is disturbing. It's reassuring because there are other Christians adding to the discussions, but up against the teacher and the textbook...it's rough. What's more, I don't know about everyone else in the class. I'm worried that so much wrong is being taught, and what if the people that aren't Christians in the class believe it's true? Lastly, I don't want anything compromising my faith. I don't want to believe anything that isn't true, so i mean...
I guess what I'm asking is for prayer. For stuff like discernment and wisdom and strength, and for the other Christians in there and for all the people that aren't Christians, and especially that professor because he's just another thing all on his own, haha.
Also, I'm sorry this email got to be so long, but thank you so much for bothering to read it! I figured if anyone knew about situations like this it would be you, so thank you so much again!
Sincerely,
A CRCC College Student
----------------------------------
I guess the slightly sacastic but nevertheless all-too-true impression I do sometimes on Sundays of the college professor, glasses down on the nose, spewing his version of "truth" while berating those who hold to biblical inerrancy is on the mark.
THE BATTLE IS FOR TRUTH.
Over and out
