Wil
Biblical scholar in Hebrew and Hebrew Bible: special interest in translation textual plurality, (Septuagint, Dead Seas Scrolls, Samaritan Pentateuch, Aleppo Codex, Leningrad Codex); feminist, womanist and post-colonial biblical interpretation; prophets and prophecy in the Ancient Near East and ancient Israel Episcopal priest, product of the Black Church, author, blogger, preacher, teacher, lecturer, public speaker
New-Old Ways of Teaching: Rabbis & Rabbits
My first experience with hevruta, a companion in learning with whom to study Hebrew and Aramaic biblical and rabbinic texts was in graduate school. When I joined the faculty at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia I was delighted to be able introduce my students to the concept and be able to partner with Rabbis Nancy...... Read More
Are You There God? It’s Me & Habakkuk
With the prophet I say: Habakkuk 1:2 How long, Holy One, shall I howl for help, and you will not hear? Cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see iniquity and compel me to look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; litigation and contention arise....... Read More
When Seminary Messes With Your Simple Faith
[The image is courtesy of Karen Whitehill, a digital collage in which she superimposes the heads of vintage stars over the Last Supper by Juanes. Many thanks for her gracious permission.] Jesus told a parable like this (in Luke 13:6-9): A woman had a fig tree planted in her vineyard; and she came...... Read More
Why Pray for Peace?
We pray not because we believe it is magic, not because we are certain that God will do what we ask, but because we can and we must. The world’s burdens are too great and too many for any of us to bear, its problems impossible in our strength, knowledge and capacity. We pray knowing...... Read More
Preaching A Feminist Faith From Priscilla’s Epistle
Download the audio mp3 A great cloud of witnesses surrounds us… Let us pray: Holy One of Old, open our eyes that we may see. Amen. If your preacher preached about faith last week, she or he might have ended with, “To be continued…” The more than forty verses in Hebrews 11 and the beginning...... Read More
Subversive Service: Lee Daniels’ “The Butler”
Dear Mr. Daniels, I had the great pleasure of meeting you during one of your visits to the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in the company of your mother whose ministries in music and service have enriched my life as a congregant and as a priest. I had the tremendous pleasure of seeing your...... Read More
On Biblical Literalism
I was invited to participate in a forum on Creationism in the NY Times. You can find the whole conversation here. (Note that a subscription is required after 10 free articles a month. Here is my contribution: Biblical literalism usually emerges from a faithful impulse, deeply meaningful faith in God, Jesus and scripture in Christian...... Read More
Believe God: Listen to the Voices in Your Heart & Head
Download the audio mp3 Genesis 15:6, Abraham trusted in God… Hebrews 11:1, Faith is the essence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen… 3 By faith we understand… Let us pray: Holy One of Old, open our eyes that we may see. Amen. I believe I can fly I believe I can...... Read More
Hosea’s Mothering God: Back to Egypt
Listen to the recording (mp3 file) Hosea 11:3 I, I taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; yet they did not know that I healed them. 4 I pulled them along with humane restraint, with ties of love. And I was to them like those who lift babies to their cheeks,...... Read More
Dont Ask Me How I Am
Don’t ask me how I am if you don’t want to know. If you can’t handle it. If you will need me to help you understand. Just don’t ask. You know how I am. How we are. I am not ok. We are not ok. I am not safe. We are not safe. I am...... Read More