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We Believe The Women - Mary and the Lamb (Photo) - 03/27/24

Mary and the Lamb

A.J. Swoboda, Ph.D. 

 

Easter has a way of rushing right past us. But it is most certainly beneficial for us to use this beautiful Spring season as a chance to pause, reflect, and remember. Remember what? Easter is the time of year when Christians from around the globe and from countless traditions and cultures come together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Easter, the Puritans cleverly put it, is the ‘death of death’ by the work of Christ. Despite the sacredness of this season, it always seems just to run on by us. This was particularly clear when I pastored a Christian church in my younger years. What struck me, year after year, was how busy life around the congregation became around Easter—especially the schedule of a pastor. Somewhere along the way I’d written in my journal how unprepared I was for the administrative work resurrection seems to create. 

 

In the ancient stories of the first Easter—in the gospel of John—we find that, indeed, things seem to move faster on Easter. The Apostle has a cluster of references to how things sped up at the twilight of that new morning. Mary Magdalene, we are told, came “running” (Jn 20.2) to the apostles to declare the tomb was no longer occupied. Soon after, Simon and John come “running” (v. 4) to the tomb to see for themselves. In what can only be interpreted as biblical trash talk, John even comments that he “outran” (v. 4) Peter to the tomb. Things seem to speed up that first Easter morning. It is as though new life is in the air.

 

The pinnacle moment in the account comes as Mary returns to the tomb after proclaiming the first Easter message to the apostles. There, she stands outside the tomb, afraid, sad, defeated. Jesus’ body was nowhere to be found. Coming out of the tomb, she finds a man—unknown to her—standing outside the tomb. She is unaware of who this man is. That is until he speaks her name:

 

“Mary.”

 

Many who have written on this account say that this is the moment in history that time goes from BCE to CE. At this moment, her eyes were opened to who she was speaking to. It wasn’t some random onlooker at the tomb. The unknown man was Jesus himself. 

 

Many ridicule Christians for believing this message. A particular school of white, German scholars—beginning in the 18th century—gave their academic energy to rob this story of its miraculous wonder and power. The resurrection, they claimed, could only be a myth. Sure, we can learn from Jesus. But there is no way that the resurrection happened—they claimed. 

 

But remember, it was the women who first saw the resurrection. And it was the women who proclaimed its reality to the world. In an ancient context where women were rarely (if ever) believed—often being barred from serving as ‘witnesses’ even in a legal setting—it is remarkable that the earliest Christian community would hang their most important witness on the words of the women who came to the tomb. So, who are we to believe? A group of German demythologizers from the 18th century? Or these humble and often disbelieved Jewish women? It has been, and continues to be, the belief among recognizable Christians that the women are to be believed. Their testimony is true. 

 

And it is still true. 

 

As historians and scholars often point out, it is remarkable how utterly incompetent and foolish the male disciples look in the Easter account. While they are terrified in a hidden house somewhere with their door locked, it is the women who first go to the tomb and come back with the news of its emptiness. If Christianity were nothing more than a patriarchal religion seeking to prop up the power and prestige of the men, then the Easter narratives in the gospel fail at their task. 

 

It is the women who first come to the tomb. Women like Mary. The minute she heard her name, she believed. She won’t recognize Jesus until he speaks her name. And, upon hearing her name, realizes it is, indeed, Jesus—her Lord. Everything slows down as she hears her name, “Mary.” This is the most crucial moment in history. And for us. One New Testament scholar by the name of Thomas Schmidt speaks to this very moment: “There is a curious and important detail in this story that is the main point. Mary didn’t recognize the risen Jesus until he called her by name. Everywhere that Mary went the Lamb was sure to go.”

 

He goes with us too—hidden, watching, present, with our name on his lips. Or, go to that story after the resurrection as two unnamed disciples walk to Emmaus. Just as with Mary, Jesus is with them—but they’re unaware. The problem for us, then, is not the event. It is the busyness around the event. What if, for just a moment, you stopped to enter that empty tomb yourself? What would you find? You’ll find that it is still empty. 

 

And that the guy standing outside the tomb of our own lives has your name on his lips. 

 

About A.J. Swoboda 

A. J. Swoboda (PhD, University of Birmingham) is assistant professor of Bible and theology at Bushnell University. He also leads the Doctor of Ministry Program in Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. He hosts the Slow Theology podcast and Low-Level Theologian on Substack. He is the author of a number of books, including the award-winning Subversive Sabbath. His most recent book Gift of Thorns was just released. He is married to Quinn and is the proud father of Elliot. They live and work in Eugene, Oregon.

 

About Bushnell University 

Founded in 1895 Bushnell University helps students discover and answer God’s call on their lives. Devoted to offering a Christ-centered environment, Bushnell encourages students to grow in wisdom, informed by faith, leading to lives of service. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the University was founded by pastor-educator Eugene C. Sanderson and pioneer businessman and church leader James A. Bushnell.

 

Bushnell is the largest private university in Eugene’s vibrant University District. The University offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees for undergraduate and graduate studies through course formats on campus, online, and hybrid. More information about the University is available at www.bushnell.edu.  

 

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Photo by Bushnell Unviersity Marketing
Photo by Bushnell Unviersity Marketing
Marketing Class Partners with Cottage Grove Humane Society (Photo) - 03/08/24

EUGENE, Ore. – As part of its dedication to promoting social good, Bushnell University’s Marketing 432 class has strategically partnered with the Cottage Grove Humane Society to bring real-world experience to the students and support a local nonprofit organization. 

The collaboration was initiated when the Humane Society, inspired by a news story on KEZI about Bushnell's new Digital Marketing and Digital Media & Graphic Design programs, reached out to assistant professor Christy Silverthorne, M.A., the lead for the programs. Intrigued by the prospect of working with marketing students, they proposed a partnership that would see the students creating branding services, advertising, and promotional pieces for the organization.

Silverthorne expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “This is such a great opportunity for the students to get some real-world experience creating the marketing campaign for such a worthy cause. It really is a win-win. It’s good for the students and a way to bless the community.” 

Marketing 432 focuses on branding, advertising, and promotion, and aims to provide students with hands-on experience in understanding how to successfully brand an organization. The collaboration with the Humane Society offers students the opportunity to dive into creating effective promotional strategies tailored to meet the specific objectives of a client. 

Recognizing the evolving landscape of online communication and social media, the class plans to explore new digital channels for the Humane Society. Despite the organization's relative newness to digital marketing, students will be tasked with finding feasible solutions and ensuring recommendations align with the client's capabilities. 

The success of the branding and advertising campaign will be determined during Bushnell’s Spring Ace Day on May 1, when student teams will pitch their campaigns to the Humane Society. The winning campaign will be adopted for the organization's future marketing endeavors. While the class won't actively monitor the campaign post-semester, they aim to equip the Humane Society with tools for effective self-monitoring. 

To foster creativity and innovation within budget constraints, students are challenged to create compelling stories that stand out in a crowded market. Jessica Woods, a student involved in the project, captures the essence of this collaborative project: "Being able to help a place like Cottage Grove Humane Society emphasizes the service aspect of Bushnell’s 3 main pillars [of Wisdom, Faith, and Service]. Learning not just about our degree, but also what we can do with it in the real world is a priceless experience." 

As the semester unfolds, the collaboration promises not only to enhance the students' understanding of branding and advertising, but also to make a meaningful impact on the Cottage Grove Humane Society's outreach efforts. 

To learn more about the Cottage Grove Human Society visit their website at www.humanesocietycottagegrove.org

To learn more about Bushnell Universities new marketing programs, see here: 

B.S. Digital Marketing - Bushnell University 

B.S. Digital Media and Graphic Design - Bushnell University 

 

About Bushnell University

Founded in 1895 Bushnell University helps students discover and answer God’s call on their lives. Devoted to offering a Christ-centered environment, Bushnell encourages students to grow in wisdom, informed by faith, and leading to lives of service. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the University was founded by pastor-educator Eugene C. Sanderson and pioneer businessman and church leader James A. Bushnell.

 

Bushnell is the largest private university in Eugene’s vibrant university district. The University offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees for undergraduate and graduate studies through course formats on campus, online, and hybrid formats. More information about the University is available at www.bushnell.edu.

Photo by Bushnell University
Photo by Bushnell University
Bushnell University School of Music and Performing Arts Spring Performances (Photo) - 02/29/24

EUGENE, Ore. - Bushnell University’s School of Music and Performing Arts is pleased to invite the community to spring performances by the University Choir, Bushnell Jazz Ensemble, Bushnell Chorale, and The Grove Collective, the school’s traveling worship ensemble.  

The events will take place at several locations, including on campus in Ross Evans Chapel, as well as at First Baptist Church of Eugene, local high schools, and various churches throughout the region. 

Our opening Spring Performance Hour will occur on March 15th at 2:00PM at Ross Evans Chapel, located on Bushnell’s campus. This performance will showcase the music of students enrolled in private lessons and will feature a variety of musical styles, from lyrical classical arias to contemporary popular favorites. On the evening of April 12th at 7PM, please join us at Ross Evans Chapel for The Greatest of These is Love, a performance of music, spoken word, and movement highlighting the theme of God’s love for all of us and our love for each other. We close the season with our beautiful Spring Concert, April 27 at 7PM at First Baptist Church in Eugene. This concert finale brings all the music students together in a program including exciting contemporary choral pieces, meaningful classic and contemporary worship songs, and a selection of classical and contemporary jazz repertoire. 

In addition to these performances, The Grover Collective is leading worship at churches in the region: 

Lebanon Mennonite Church: March 3 

Salem Academy Christian School: March 6 

First Baptist Church Eugene, Women’s Retreat: March 9 (event registration required) 

Friendly Street Church of God: March 10 

Village Church: April 7 

Florence Christian Church: April 21 

These Bushnell events are free to the public and open to all ages. 

Program subject to change.  

LOCATIONS: Ross Evans Chapel, First Baptist Church of Eugene, and schools and churches in the region 

Tickets: Free  

Interview & Media Opportunities: High-resolution photos are available upon request. For interviews, contact Emily Weinkauf Kidder at 541-521-6568 or ekidder@bushnell.edu. 

IG: @bushnellmusic 

FB: @bushnellperformingarts 

About Bushnell University's School of Music and Performing Arts
Bushnell School of Music and Performing Arts is a nonprofit, 40+ student music school based in Eugene, Oregon led by Associate Dean, Dr. Kelly Ballard. The school provides students with fundamental musical knowledge, performance, and leadership skills, marked by innovation, creativity, and high academic standards. Digital content is offered through its social media channels. More at www.bushnell.edu/music. 

Attached Media Files: Photo by Bushnell University