A Note from Dean Dennis Edwards
Happy New Year!
A singing group from back in the day called The Temptations had a song entitled Ball of Confusion. That’s the way they described the world and its complexity. The world is indeed confusing, but it is also beautiful and amazing because humans occupy this world, and humans are marvels of God’s creation. The challenge of ministering in this complicated world is daunting but Jesus-followers who are loving, curious, thoughtful, and creative—people like you— can rise to the challenge.
The old King James Version (KJV) translation of 1 Peter 2:9 refers to God’s people as “peculiar” along with some other descriptors. To contemporary ears the word “peculiar” might trigger synonyms such as “bizarre,” “eccentric,” and “odd.” And that may be how some people view the Christian community. Surely back in the first century CE Christians seemed odd to the rest of the Ancient Roman world. But perhaps even today we could still use that old KJV word, “peculiar,” and think of other synonyms to apply to ourselves, such as “curious,” “exceptional,” “extraordinary,” “remarkable,” or “mysterious.” These words suggest that God’s people are an intriguing group that welcomes people instead of repelling them.
It’s 2023 CE and the world grows in complexity and wonder. Allow me to invite our NPTS community—wherever we may reside—to be peculiar enough to confront the challenges of our world.
—Dennis R. Edwards, Seminary Dean
A Note from Dean Hauna Ondrey
Happy New Year and welcome back for a new semester!
I pray the holiday break afforded time for rest, play, and/or work in whatever proportion you needed. It’s been a joy to see Nyvall Hall come alive this past week for January intensives, and I look forward to the semester before us. Special shout out to our May 2023 grads for whom this is your final new semester start (!!). I hope all of you will join community worship this Thursday (5pm CT), in person or by Zoom, as we commit the semester to God.
After this week’s “soft launch,” we pause classes for the Evangelical Covenant Church’s Midwinter Conference. If you will be in Jacksonville, be sure to connect with us! All NPTS students and alumni are invited to a reception on Wednesday evening (1/25). We encourage you as well to stop by the NPTS table to grab some swag and rep your school! I hope to be able to greet many of you in person, so please do say hello.
As each day grows longer over this semester and we witness the miracle of life reemerging from the barrenness of winter, I pray you will be attentive to all God is birthing in you, and to the fruit God is bearing through you, as you remain connected to Christ the vine. I’m grateful for each one of you and all you contribute to this learning community. Praying God’s blessing for a fruitful semester of continued growth and formation.
For God’s glory and neighbor’s good,
Hauna
Hauna Ondrey
Interim Dean of Faculty &
Associate Professor of Church History