Harding University: What Bible Students Are Being Taught (Part 1)
The purpose of this article is to analyze what was taught in only one class at Harding University just five weeks ago on October 30, 2020. All of the information comes from an audio tape, which presumably is available to anyone who wants a copy. I personally transcribed the 47-minute tape. Occasionally, I summarized a point, for brevity ime presaking, presenting most of the time an exact quote. If I omitted or added a word, I apologize in advance, but great care was taken for accuracy's sake. If anyone is misquoted, it will be a minor error and not alter the point being made.
Often preachers are asked what Christian College to recommend. After reading this article, it should be clear why the list of schools we feel safe with is infinitesimal. Would I send my child to Freed-Hardeman? No, and several articles have been written regarding the nudity policy they have for their art classes. The president assured everyone that the faculty, staff, and administration were all in agreement, and, so far as I know, no one there is willing to discuss the matter (see February 23, 2020, "My Mormon Foreman and a College President" at cocwp.org).
Now comes along a Bible course at Harding, in which the teacher, Allen, has been discussing the Sermon on the Mount. This class has within it young women and young men, which makes one wonder why the wife of the teacher was asked to teach the class this particular Friday. "Well, this is a college course. It's not like a worship assembly." Since when was 1 Timothy 2:8-15 restricted to an assembly? The context is "everywhere." Men are to lead in prayer—not just in the assembly, but everywhere (v. 8). That includes an assembly of Christians, but it also includes a Bible class or a campfire. Nothing is changed when Paul begins talking about leadership in the form of teaching.
Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into the transgression (1 Tim. 2:11-14).
On December 8, 2019, I wrote an article titled, "Quit Blaming Bible Study and Prayer." The Downtown Church in Searcy, Arkansas (where Harding University is located) reported in the school newspaper (The Bison) that they were moving in a new direction regarding women's roles. That certainly happened in this college class. There was a time when brethren would have known that it was a shame for a woman to teach the men—but apparently not any more. A time once was when the young men would have walked out of this classroom for conscience's sake.
Doesn't anyone read the Scriptures anymore? Or do young people just not care? Not at Harding. Rachel Holloway spent about 35 minutes "teaching" the men as well as the women. About 2/3 of the way through, she said she was half historian and half theologian. Really? The theologian half did not bother to justify her teaching men—contrary to 1 Timothy 2:8-15. The historian half didn't, either. She and her husband, although teaching the Sermon on the Mount, have both lost sight of the very first beatitude: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Humility is a must to enter the kingdom of God. No one can be characterized as humble who rejects blatantly what the Word of God teaches about the roles of men and women. If they had not already died, the founders of today's "Christian" colleges would probably have heart attacks when they discovered what was going on in their schools. No wonder many are reluctant to begin a School of Preaching or a Christian college these days. No one knows whether their efforts will be succeeded by wise men or fools, but they will rule over all their labors (Ecc. 2:19). Are no alumni protesting about what is happening at Harding?
Preliminaries
One thing is certain, dear reader: You have never heard a class like this one concerning the Sermon on the Mount. And may you never hear another one like it! This is not your parents' Bible class. She introduced herself by saying, "The Sermon on the Mount, for me, was where I met Jesus for the second time in my life." She confides that she was an "elder's kid" and 26 at the time this occurred in 2004. What does she mean by saying she met Jesus at that time? She did not explain except to say: "In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus slowly taught me a much bigger gospel than I had ever heard in church before." It turned her upside down. Since she attended Bible classes since birth, in what way was she woefully lacking the truths taught in that sermon? What suddenly changed her life? Had she never heard sermons on the marvelous truths recorded in it? How would that be possible?
And in what way was the gospel "bigger" than she had ever heard before? Although the Sermon on the Mount is part of the gospel, the word itself is not used in Matthew 5-7. Nor did she mention the gospel again, let alone explain what she meant by the statement. Was there something wrong with the church she attended—presumably the one in which her father was an elder? Why did it take until she was 26 to sink in? It might be that she did not begin until then thinking in the way she now does. She certainly has her own vocabulary, as will soon be evident.
Rules
Both the husband and wife agree with the material she presented. At the outset and at the conclusion, not to mention in between, both disparage rules and rule-keeping. Rachel says in the opening moments, "We shouldn't look at the Sermon on the Mount as a set of rules." Should we be prone to do so, we would misunderstand Jesus, who is an "ethics ninja." Certainly, the Sermon on the Mount is not merely a set of rules; has anyone ever claimed that it is? In it, Jesus teaches principles to live by—principles of His kingdom.
But it would not be inappropriate to refer to Jesus' teachings as "rules." Two definitions of rule, according to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, are: 2b. "A principle of conduct observed by the members of a group"; 4. "An established standard or habit of behavior." In fact, Paul exhorts brethren: "Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind" (Phil. 3:16).
The word translated "rule" is from the Greek word, kanon. It refers to a measuring rod. Metaphorically speaking, it can refer to "any rule or standard." The Bible contains rules, standards, principles by which we are to live. So why put down the concept? Were the Ten Commandments God's rules under the Old Covenant? And were His people expected to keep them? Christians belong to a New Covenant. Does that mean we have no rules in the gospel system? Paul affirmed that we did in Philippians 3:16.
The woman teaching the men at Harding said of Matthew 5:27-32: "In this section, Jesus doesn't actually tell us what to do." Really? The reader can judge for himself from just the first two verses:
You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery," But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Does Jesus give a command here? Does He use an imperative in the form of, "Thou shalt not"? No. But He points out that to lust after another is to have committed adultery in the heart. Does that sound like behavior He approves of? Then, in essence He is saying, "Don't do it." That's the rule we should live by.
Nevertheless, Rachel claims: "This whole Sermon on the Mount is not about rules. If it's just a set of rules, the Sermon on the Mount is too hard." This is followed shortly by this statement: "…it is literally too hard if it's just a set of rules…." Excuse me? Since Matthew 5:28 is a rule or principle or standard Christians must live by, how is it too hard? And if it is too hard, then what is the remedy? Actually, one is presented, which will be dealt with later. This section closes out with the affirmation that Jesus is not giving a list of rules for individuals here, which is interesting, if not correct.
In some closing remarks, the husband Allen, whose class this was, offered these words: "Jesus is giving us a better standard, a higher standard. It doesn't have to be, like, a list of rules." And yet there are rules throughout the Sermon on the Mount. No, they are not simply cold, informal injunctions to be carried out by automatons programmed to follow orders. To be sure, Jesus has given us a better covenant (Heb. 8:6-7). The first covenant forbade the act of adultery, the new one takes aim—not in what finally occurs—but at the root of the problem, which is the heart. While Jesus' explanation may be better and higher, we are still discussing a standard (or rule) of behavior.
Rachel decided to add one more comment before the class ended after her husband had summed up her session: "…the rules don't work. Or they don't work very long. They don't help me desire something different." Hmph! The list of rules given in the Ten Commandments worked for the new generation when they conquered the land under Joshua's leadership. God fought for Israel because they kept His rules. When they went back into idolatry, it was not that the rules had become incomprehensible or more difficult to keep. What happened was that the hearts of the people turned away from God.
Motivations
What we're really discussing here is motivation. We will all abide by the rules—if we are motivated to do so. If we are not, we will disobey when we feel like it. Consider the First Covenant. How did God seek to motivate His people? He gave them His holy laws; they should have obeyed Him for several reasons: 1) The fact that He created them and possesses all power is reason enough; 2) The fact that He gave the commandments for their good (Deut. 10:12-13)—for their own benefit—is also a good reason: 3) The fact that He punishes disobedience is also a worthwhile consideration. In case His people missed it, Moses repeated the Covenant of Blessing and Cursing (Deut. 28). Are these motivations not sufficient?
What about today? Jesus is our Creator and Redeemer; He possesses all power (Matt. 28:18). He is the mediator of a better covenant. He goes after our hearts, it is true, but the motivations are still the same. If we obey Him, we live happier, more blessed lives (Matt. 5:3-10, John 10:10). In other words, His teachings are for our good. If we disobey or draw back, we are on our way to perdition (Heb. 10:39).
Jesus Himself tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that we have but one of two places to dwell after this world ends—either in destruction or in life. Elsewhere in this gospel account of Jesus' life Matthew records our Lord's teachings concerning those choices: everlasting punishment versus everlasting life (Matt. 25:46). He also describes hell as a place of everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). The choice is clear, and the motivations are in evidence. Christians should lovingly obey Jesus in all things.