Greek 1 Graduation

Yesterday was graduation day at Ukarumpa. It was the graduation ceremony of the Greek 1 class, which has been happening at the Ukarumpa Training Centre for the last several weeks. Ten men and women from around Papua New Guinea have been working hard on learning New Testament Greek--the lead teacher believes they've learned as much Greek in these weeks as seminary students learn in a whole year. They'll be using their new knowledge to help their Bible translations, their preaching, and their personal meditation on scripture. Some of them may return next month for Greek 2 and continue to hone their understanding of the language.

As the Director who oversees training in Ukarumpa (which is planned and taught by an excellent staff), I had the privilege of addressing the graduates yesterday at the afternoon graduation ceremony. I shared with them the story of another Christian who endured despite many obstacles, pursuing education and then using his education to bring benefit to the world. My prayer is that these students will return to their homes and use their new knowledge to benefit Papua New Guinea and beyond.

Here's the text of the speech I gave yesterday:

Hebrews 12:1-2

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

At graduation it’s pleasant to look back over the work you’ve accomplished during your weeks of study. For many of you there have been weights that you looked forward to laying aside. The certificates you will receive this afternoon are proof that you have run this race with endurance, completing your first steps in learning biblical Greek. You have a lot to celebrate, and a lot to bring back to your homes and your translation, preaching, and meditation on scripture.

“A great cloud of witnesses.” I want to bring you some encouragement today through the story of one of those witnesses who ran the race with endurance. I really enjoy the Book of Common Prayer of the American Episcopal church, and one of the parts I find most interesting is the calendar of special days throughout the year. Many otherwise ordinary days are marked as special memorials for people and events in the history of our faith. Today, September 10, is a day to remember a seldom-remembered man named Alexander Crummell. Alexander Crummell was an African-American born in New York in 1819. His father was a former slave, and his parents were illiterate. But they instilled in Alexander a love of learning, and a belief in freedom for everyone. Alexander went to school but experienced obstacles because of his skin color. One school he attended was destroyed by angry people who didn’t believe in education for black people. While he was studying in university, Alexander decided to become a priest in the Episcopal church. Even within the church he faced difficulties. He was ordained, though denied entrance to a seminary; given a congregation but denied the possibility of representation on the church council.

Alexander Crummell

In 1847, Alexander traveled to England to speak about abolition, the ending of slavery. In 1849 he began studies at Cambridge University, supported financially by British abolitionists. In 1853, he became the first black student to be graduated from Cambridge. Later that year, Alexander moved to Liberia, Africa, working as a missionary among Africans. After 20 years in Africa, Alexander returned to the US, where he founded St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, the first independent black Episcopal church in Washington, D.C.

Alexander died in 1898, leaving a legacy of development, freedom, education, and Christian compassion toward people all over the world.

Maybe there are parts of Alexander’s life that will encourage you in your life. Maybe your family members are illiterate, and the importance of reading—reading in an ancient language, even!—is hard to explain to them. Maybe you’ve had obstacles and setbacks in your pursuit of education. Maybe you have a vision of being a pastor, a missionary, a politician, a teacher, or a Bible translator, but that vision is hard to see clearly sometimes. Take encouragement from the story of Alexander Crummell, just one of the many witnesses in the great cloud that surrounds us, people who have run the race with endurance. And let us all be encouraged to continue looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.