Amber Mathenia: The Passing No One Told You About

Also see: Tim Ellsworth on Amber Mathenia

In this week that has claimed the lives of one popular celebrity and one distinguished Baptist scholar, the death of one young woman has gone unnoticed by most of the world. Ironic, since those are often the sort of people who deserve the most admiration. In this particular passing, that adage is true in spades.

Amber Mathenia, a 2001 graduate of Union University, was neither a pop-culture star nor an acclaimed seminary professor. Yet, in her 28 years on this earth she accomplished more for God than most people will achieve in a lifetime. She and her husband, Anthony, had been serving as full-times missionaries to Ethiopia for the last few years. The life of a missionary, of course, is always filled with danger and uncertainty. Yet, Amber was not called home to glory as a martyr. She finished her earthly pilgrimage when she and her two children were involved in a car crash while visiting family and friends in west Tennessee. The children were unharmed.

Amber was a woman whose life was characterized by a joyful submission to the will of God in all circumstances. She followed the will of God when she married a godly husband. She followed the will of God in standing by his side while serving the cause of Christ in Ethiopia. And she followed the will of God in the adoption of two Ethiopian children: Ellie, 4, and Isaac, 6 months.

As the world mourns the loss of an actor whose movies will surely preserve his legacy, and Baptists mourn the loss of a great statesmen whose publications will surely preserve his legacy, I ask that we all pause and mourn the loss of a godly woman whose legacy will surely live on in the hearts of those whom she blessed in life. Let us pray for her family, her father does not yet know the Lord. Let us pray for her children, Ellie and Isaac, now without their mother. Let us pray for Anthony, now left to persevere in the service of God as a single father and missionary. And let us pray that God might grant us the grace to conform our lives to the gospel with the same joyfulness as Amber Mathenia. In this way, we may honor her legacy in a way she would have wanted.

To live is Christ. To die is gain.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that monetary donations be sent to Christ Community Church in New Albany, Miss., where the Mathenias receive their support. Gift cards from Target, Wal-Mart or Babies R’ Us are also needed to provide for their children. The church’s address is P.O. Box 795, New Albany, Miss., 38652.

What Shall We Call Our Women?: An Observation from T.T. Eaton

In a widescale attempt to provide lesser known blogs with good publicity, the honorable Owen Strachan has linked my blog with the notatable description: "history." I have to admit that while historical reflection was the reason I started this blog, my recent posts haven't exactly lived up to that vision. That said, it's time I started getting back to the basics. So without further a-doo-do...

I was digging through Boyce Centenntial Library's T. T. Eaton Papers today when a particular essay caught my eye. This Eaton essay was entitled: "What Shall We Call Our Women?" Eaton was a unique man of Baptist history, described by Russell Moore as "a man of the church who stood athwart history, yelling, 'STOP,' with a Bible in his hands." I also heard it said that Eaton represented simultaneously both what was right and what was wrong with 19th century Southern Baptists. If that is the case, then surely this essay represents all that is right and good! This man had an uncanny talent for observation and unintentional wit as evidenced to this very asute point that would have otherwise escaped my attention.

Eaton lamented the fact that Americans had no good formal title with which to refer to the bone of Adam's bone and the flesh of Adam's flesh (aka: the woman). Most cultures divide women into two classes: married and unmarried. In English, the married woman is known as a "Mizzez" (note the hard pronunciation), while the unmarried woman is referred to as a "Miss."

First, Eaton took issue with the appropriateness of "Miss" when referring to a single woman. Webster's Dictionary, of course, defines "miss" with such undesirable connotations as "a failure to hit the desired mark." Clearly, as Eaton suggested, this is not the sort of implication we should convey to our young, single women! As if to add insult to injury, the "miss" stem is often used as the base of many unpleasant compound words such as "mistreat" or "misunderstand."

Eaton, upset that even "Mizzez" sounded too gruff and unpleasant an honorific for the glory of man, conceded that other cultures have bested the English language in their formal references to the fairer sex. German uses the dignified distinctions of "Frau" and "Fräulein." French makes use of the magnificent terms, "Madame" and "Mademoiselle." Spanish uses the sweet sounding "Señora" and "Señorita." But English, that great universal language, can only muster up the unpleasant "Mizzez" and potentially embarrassing "Miss." America, according to Eaton, possessed a superior sort of women to any of these forementioned cultures, yet it rewarded them with the least attractive honorifics.

What then shall we call our women? I don't really know what Eaton would have recommended, as I did not have time to finish the essay and couldn't run off a copy since it was a manuscript from the library's special collections. But I suppose we are all captives to our culture at some point.

With great indebtedness to our late Brother Eaton,
I am,
On the Shoulders of Giants

Passing the Torch to the New "Person of the Year"

In the spirit of Hank Aaron, I want to pass the proverbial torch and congratulate President Vladimir Putin as this year's ambassador for Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

I have to confess that being named Time's 2006 "Person of the Year" came as a surprise to me. Sure, I managed a good GPA and made decent use of time as a research assistant. But I never once thought that anything I had done was earth-shattering or particularly meaningful to the world. However, as Wylie Burp told Fievel, sometimes the real hero is the last one to know about it. So, it is with such a humble spirit that I acknowledge the wisdom of naming me a recipient of this award last year. After all "it is a great accomplishment, which requires skill, longevity, and determination," as Hammerin' Hank might say. Being a student and part-time research assistant who tries to find the time to watch the occasional YouTube video is tough work, though I dare say Putin's 2007 has even surpassed the greatness of my 2006. I move over now and offer my best wishes to President Putin with the hope that his accomplishment will inspire others to chase their own dreams, whether it be watching streaming video on YouTube or leading entire nations.

President Putin, I suspect, will discover as I have that living with the burden of representing Time for a whole year will lead to immense bouts of self-doubting and anxiety. Once people associate you with "Person of the Year," it becomes difficult to meet their expectations. Yet, in spite of the tribulation, I do not regret the journey. Like an Olympian, I pass this prestigious torch. Though my light may fade from the public scene, we can only hope and pray that Putin's lantern has only begun to show us the way for a better 2008.

Revisited: What if LifeWay Christian Stores Sold . . . ?

Seeing how the Christmas season is nearly upon us, I expect many students will be making out their Lifeway Christmas list. But have you ever wished Lifeway could push the envelop as to the quality of their stock? This idea originated years ago during late night brainstorming sessions with my friend, Jesse Florida. I was further inspired to do this as a result of a related post by Tom Ascol.

So without further delay...

Rick Warren, The Prayer of the Purpose Driven Reformed Pastor to Desire God (Banner of Truth Trust, 2007) $12.99

Rick Warren's new appreciation of Richard Baxter is the first in a series of "Purpose Driven Paperbacks" by The Banner of Truth Trust. Warren offers a unique contemporary perspective that is sure to intrigue seasoned scholars and entice a new generation of believers to the wisdom of the Puritans. How would Baxter have balanced traditional and contemporary worship styles? What would he have thought of the 40 Days of Purpose? Warren tackles all these issues and more in a groundbreaking work that is sure to become an instant classic.

Warren: "My developing friendship with John Piper has resulted in my own greater appreciation of the Puritans. No one defines what a pastor should be better than Baxter. I am so grateful to Iain Murray and the Banner of Truth Trust for teaming up with Saddleback to produce the bold, new "Purpose Driven Paperbacks" series. These works will stand alongside the more traditional "Puritan Paperbacks" as a secondary source from a contemporary Christian worship and church growth perspective."

Bruce Wilkinson, Tim LaHaye, and Jerry B. Jenkins, The Purpose Driven Letter That Jabez Left Behind: Ancient Inspirations for Those Living in the End Times, 2 CD set. Narrated by Larry King (Tyndale Audio Series, 2007) $29.97

The best-selling book is now available on audio CD! Bruce Wilkinson takes us on an end times adventure through the eyes of the beloved Jabez. What would Jabez have told the tribulation saints? Did he know about the Rapture and the Millennium? These questions and more are explored through the masterful prose of Wilkinson, who has teamed up with Tim LaHaye's dispensationalism and Jerry B. Jenkins' storytelling to create an extraordinary work of fiction that will encourage any Christian who is suffering under the anxiety of our postmodern age.

Wilkinson: "Working with Tim and Jerry has really been a dream come true. I am living proof that God expands the territory of His children when we claim the promises He has offered us. What began as one small book on an obscure but powerful passage of Scripture has grown into a franchise far bigger than I could have ever imagined. Left Behind was the perfect fit for the next Jabez study because of its popularity and excellent marketing potential. And, of course, Larry King provides an excellent narration and the name recognition that will appeal to people outside the Church."

Larry King: "I admit I was surprised when Tyndale asked me to record this product. I don't have any particular connection with Christianity, but I do consider myself an agnostic seeker. I guess that why this project appealed to me... Because it is about seeking answers to things nobody really knows for certain. When it comes down to it, you just have to take some things on faith."


And finally, a new tool for teaching theology to youth!

3-in-1-D Glasses™, by the Garland-Earl Corporation®, $7.99

Early Praise for 3-in-1-D Glasses:*

R. Albert Mohler, Jr.: "I must admit that I was skeptical about this being another cheesy gimmick. But after I put on those snazzy shades and sat down in my recliner with my storybook in hand, I was hooked! I can't remember when I've had so much fun reading a book, and I read a lot of books, trust me. I'm sure every Christian parent will want to buy a set for their kids. This is exactly the sort of ambitious product that churches should invest in for children and youth ministry."

Billy Graham: "These glasses really are amazing. Not only are they a perfect object lesson for teaching children about God, but they double as an efficient pair of sunglasses when I have to go outdoors. And they look great too."

J. I. Packer: "I wish somebody had thought of this when I was a boy. It would have given me a great head start on my theological studies. I don't give out product endorsements easily, but 3-in-1-D Glasses are deserving of my full support."

*Endorsements may or may not represent the exact views of the parties represented. Quotes were obtained through fourth and fifth degree removed sources.

All in good fun, right?

Merry Christmas! I'll see you in thirty.

You Might Be a Creepy Seminary Guy If...

I hadn't heard of this label until I arrived here at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. When I was in college at Union University, most young women figured they would get their Mrs. Degree before graduation. For many students, marriage was their 4-year goal. But in seminary, it is often expected that the student will already be married before enrollment. In my experience, the peer pressure put upon single students to marry is exceedingly beyond anything I knew at college. I suppose it is this high stakes game of "keeping up with the Joneses" that has given birth to the concept of "The Creepy Seminary Guy," that creature which no man desires to be as perceived as. But what does this term mean and what kind of fellow meets the criteria? I propose to offer some suggestions:

You might be a Creepy Seminary Guy if...

1. If you go to a Boyce College [SBTS's undergraduate Bible school] social event to scout out "the prospects"...

2. If your Facebook "friends" are mostly young ladies you haven't met face-to-face...

3. If you refer to your Facebook friend accumulations as "research and development"...

4. If you plan your course schedule based upon which girls are signed up for which classes...

*BONUS*: If you feel God has called you to a church with a large single ladies' ministry...

5. If you've ever called a girl in response to an unspecified "Roomate Wanted" flyer and proposed matrimony right over the phone...

6. If your "little black book" consists of the campus student directory (minus the Seminary Wives section, of course)...

*BONUS* If that "little black book" does indeed include the Seminary Wives section, then you are without a doubt a creepy seminary guy who should re-evaluate your calling.

7. If you can't remember the chapel sermons because you spent the whole time staring at a pretty face in the choir...

8. If the first thing you look for in a woman is whether she has a ring on her left hand...

9. If you memorize a girl's class schedule to increase your chances of running into her...

10. If you are single... and in seminary...

Then you might be a Creepy Seminary Guy!

In Jest and Joviality,
I am,
On the Shoulders of Giants