I once attended a funeral for a man (lets call him “Joe-Bob”) who was renowned in our little town in South Dakota for his regular place at the local bar. It was a unique affair with testimonials that praised Joe-Bob’s happy outlook on life, his ability to hold his alcohol, and his consistent appearance at the third seat down from the tap. Joe-Bob’s widow poignantly pointed out that, even though Joe-Bob was dying of cirrhosis of the liver, he didn’t let the doctor’s opinion stop him from doing something he loved, drinking until he passed out. Of course, such a statement elicited a rousing cheer from the crowd! The final nail in the proverbial (and… I guess literal) coffin was the coordinated effect of (1) the coffin being wheeled out of the room, (2) the widow wailing and throwing herself on said coffin, and (3) the song “I Love This Bar” by the illustrious Toby Keith playing over the loud speakers. Needless to say, attending this particular funeral was a once and a lifetime experience.
Last week, it was my privilege to attend a very different kind of memorial service. This service was a celebration of the life of I. Howard Marshall, former Emeritus Professor of New Testament and much loved member of the University of Aberdeen community. I had just flown back from a week long study break at Tyndale House in Cambridge and, while it seems strange to say, Howard’s memorial service served as a unique confirmation of something in my own life. I’ve been struggling a bit lately about what exactly God wants me to do once I finish my PhD in New Testament. There are times, like when I was in Cambridge, where I would be completely happy to be lost for hours on end in a sea of books, studying and investigating aspects of God’s word and bringing these aspects to light through writing and, perhaps, teaching. Other times I balk at the idea that I could be content, let alone thrive, in an academic setting. There is something about the pretentiousness of academia (and some academics) that grates on my soul.
Yet, as I sat in the Methodist church in Aberdeen situated a little bit down from Union Street, I was privileged to hear several testimonials concerning how Howard, an academic of the highest order, thrived in a self-situated Jesus centred ministry within the academic realm. As each individual related intimate stories from Howard’s life a picture began to appear of a man who was, not only a careful and thoughtful scholar but also, a pastoral and caring individual. The kind of man that could be exacting in his critical read of an in progress PhD thesis and still find time to invest in a student’s emotional well being, inviting his family over for dinner and playing on the floor with the children. The kind of man that intensely studied the life of Jesus Christ, wrote volumes of books about the New Testament text, and could still manage to preach on topics of relevance to a bunch of teenage kids at a Crusaders youth group. The kind of man who, despite his numerous accolades, was described by the vast majority of the people who knew him as exceedingly humble.
Even though I didn’t know Howard Marshall well, his life, writings, and legacy have effected me greatly. His memorial service was a testimony of someone who used academia as a springboard to love people with the love of Christ. If God sees fit to give me the same kind of opportunity within the realm of academia, I’d like to think — due to Howard’s example — that I would do the same.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.