September 27, 2016 | Loretta Fulton, Special to the Reporter-News |
It takes a skilled, knowledgeable, and discerning preacher to pluck a story from the Old Testament, make it relevant to today’s audience, and leave that audience glad that they heard it.
Kyndall Rae Rothaus is that preacher. She doesn’t call herself a ‘preacher,’ preferring labels like, ‘pastor-poet, listener-liturgist, lover of nature, and emerging mystic.’ But make no mistake, this woman can preach.
No doubt, members of her congregation at Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco, would agree. Certainly, her audience Tuesday at Hardin-Simmons University would. Rothaus is guest speaker for this year’s Cornerstone Lecture Series at the Baptist-affiliated university.
During a luncheon Tuesday following the opening lecture, Rothaus answered a question about her experience as minister of a Baptist church, a denomination that historically has not featured women in the pulpit.
The concept still is foreign to some, Rothaus said, but times are changing and the gifts that women bring to the pulpit are being recognized.
‘We bring an untold story that very much needs telling,’ she said.
Overall theme for the lecture series, which is observing its 50th year, is ‘The Voices of Hope: Lament, Protest and Imagination.’ Tuesday’s opening lecture dealt with lament. And yes, ‘lament’ is a voice of hope, Rothaus assured.
Her talk came from the story of Jephthah in the biblical book of Judges. Jephthah, who served as a judge over Israel, made a rash vow to God and paid the price. He vowed that in return for a victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice whatever or whoever came out of his house first after the victory. Unfortunately, that was his daughter and his only child. His daughter requests two month’s grace before the sacrifice so that she may wander in the hills and weep. Her request is granted and the story ends with the daughters of Israel re-enacting the lament each year. They didn’t just ‘get over it,’ Rothaus noted. They wept and grieved. They refused to let the tragedy go unacknowledged.
‘These women become serious practitioners of grief and lament,’ she said.
Too often, people deny or try to avoid grief, Rothaus said. That can be especially true of ‘church people’ who believe they should always be happy.
But, she noted, Jesus wept for his friend Lazarus and blessed those who mourn. The women who went to the tomb of Jesus showed a ‘stubborn faithfulness,’ Rothaus said. Even in their anguish, they kept showing up.
‘They visit their grief, she said. ‘I consider that to be a form of belief.’
There will be times in life, Rothaus said, when followers of Jesus are asked to be pain-bearers along with him. Don’t try to avoid or deny those times, she advised. Rothaus said she wasn’t suggesting that anyone wallow in grief.
‘I’m just suggesting that you visit with your grief.’ she said. ‘Don’t try to ‘magic’ your way out of it.’