Review: Priscilla and Aquila Conference, 2021
The Priscilla and Aquila Conference at Moore College on February 1st this year was another in that long line of what we have to come know as… pandemic conferences. Much reduced physical attendance, large numbers of online attendees, a virtual speaker broadcasting from another state. Yet it proved to be first rate. If I was writing this for millennials, I’d say it was a ‘cracker of a conference’!
Gary and Fiona Miller joined us from Queensland Theological College (complete with backdrop of the Brisbane CBD) for the 2 plenary Bible talks on “Genesis Women: Why the patriarchal narratives aren’t patriarchal”.
Gary took us through the Genesis texts, carefully showing us that the Biblical writers are painting a picture of complementarity between men and women. The ‘patriarchal’ view so commonly ascribed to the OT Scriptures, is one that is not endorsed when you dig deeper. The harsh treatment of women by men in Genesis is a direct result of their rebellion against their Creator, and it is significantly critiqued by the writer. In his summary, Gary noted that the Genesis men are often portrayed as selfish, brutish, weak, incapable of taking responsibility, while the women are often victims, and also capable of being manipulative, but there is a gentle protectiveness from the men that is missing.
He wants to “demonstrate that not just the Eden narratives, but the entire Book of Genesis subtly but definitely critiques its own world, and establishes a healthy pattern for interactions between men and women. Genesis itself provides us with a refreshing third way between patriarchy, on one extreme, and feminism, on the other.”
One of the delightful aspects of these 2 talks was the interaction of Gary and Fiona around the personal applications of the texts to their own understanding of gendered relationships. It was a great model of men and women co-operating in teaching the Bible.
The text of the 2 talks can be found here on our website, and the YouTube videos links are:
Part 1 https://paa.moore.edu.au/resources/genesis-women-part1-gary-and-fiona-millar/
Part 2 https://paa.moore.edu.au/resources/genesis-women-part2-gary-and-fiona-millar/
As is the customary practice at a P and A conference, there were numerous electives. They can all be found at the P and A website..
I want to draw attention to 3 here.
1) Domestic violence and the dynamics of sin by Andrew Leslie.
The description on the website notes This elective explores the way in which a theology of sin speaks to domestic violence. Understanding domestic violence in light of the Fall is vital to offering a proper pastoral response. The session is aimed at ministry workers.
One may be tempted to think it would be a dry, doctrinal treatment of a highly emotionally charged topic. And, yes, it was profound, but Andrew was gentle, humble, respectful and pastoral which made listening very easy.
He asserted that “Being attentive to the way in which domestic violence, like all forms of oppression, needs to be understood as an evil system which takes on a life of its own and threatens to perpetuate itself beyond discrete acts and abusive behaviours, and therefore, a dynamic which calls for a particular pastoral attentiveness”.
There was a penetrating exploration of Psalm 55 which allowed those who pastor DV victims an insight (albeit imperfect) into what those victims will feel and experience. But it was accompanied also by an assertion that God promises that only he can bring true justice set in the context of a second promise: that he will carry our burdens.
Watch or listen here
https://paa.moore.edu.au/resources/domestic-violence-andrew-leslie/
2) Was Jesus a racist and a bigot? by Peter Orr
This very provocative title drew me in. In fact Peter did say at the beginning of his elective, that if he is struck down before the end of the talk or the livestream is lost… the answer to the question is…”NO!”
The elective notes put it this way: Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:22-28 is confronting for the way that Jesus refers to Gentiles as “dogs”. Some have suggested that this woman actually exposed and corrected Jesus’ innate bigotry. As evangelicals, we will obviously recoil at this kind of reading. But how exactly are we to understand this encounter? Why does Jesus refer to her in this way? And how does this passage help us think about racism and bigotry?
I was appalled at some of the aspersions from theologians that were cast on Jesus’ character because of this encounter with the Canaanite woman, but Peter carefully teased out the nuances in the passage (and the corresponding one in Mark) to show how wrong they were. We need to read these texts in the light of the 1st century, not the 21st century. In the end she is seen as a ‘kingdom-insider’, and Jesus as a gracious Saviour.
Watch or listen here
https://paa.moore.edu.au/resources/was-jesus-a-racist-and-a-bigot-peter-orr/
3) Resources to help people understand the Old Testament: Equal But Different and the local church by Lesley Ramsay and Avril Lonsdale
The third seminar was one run by two of our Steering Committee - Lesley and Avril. If you are reading this you are no doubt aware of our website and the articles we post to encourage a Biblical understanding of male and female relationships. But we would encourage you to watch the elective to get an idea of what one of our seminars looks like.
Watch or listen here
https://paa.moore.edu.au/resources/resources-old-testament-lesley-ramsay-avril-lonsdale/
Lesley Ramsay has been in local church ministry with her husband, Jim, for 47 years. After university she trained as a teacher and then raised four children. Over the past 30 years she has worked as a Bible teacher and evangelist across Australia and overseas. She has written and edited several books and training packages that are sold and used internationally. She now works at Moore College in Sydney, in pastoral care to the students. To relax, she enjoys a good coffee and a good book and hanging out with her grandchildren.