Is there another perspective?

In my Protestant upbringing, I had only ever heard the narrative of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar described as a story about “weak faith”. I was told that this story showed us the problems of humans who took matters into their own hands. 

The message was simple: Genesis 16 was about the importance of waiting in patient trust for God to work. 

But my perspective on Genesis 16 began to expand under the teaching of a patient and wise Rabbi. He introduced me to a way of studying Hebrew and the Torah narratives through a questions-based approach. Under the teaching of Rabbi Alan, Scripture passages began to explode into complexity and depth. 

While studying Genesis 16 with the Rabbi, this story began to connect to other Scriptural narratives about barrenness. We talked about the culturally accepted practice of using maidservants as surrogates. We looked more closely at the Hebrew and wondered about how God was speaking to Hagar in her wilderness experience. We talked about the complexities of being human and trying to discern the path of following God.

Maybe the message of Genesis 16 was not so simple after all. I felt my heart opening and my faith deepening.

And then my perspective expanded even further when I (Steph) was the one leading a study on Genesis 16. Lisa was in the room, and had been reading Womanist Midrash by Dr. Wil Gafney. She asked if we could refer to Hagar as Dr. Gafney did—as a womb slave. 

Suddenly the passage carried not only the complexities of the human experience, but the realities of oppression and privilege. We wondered about the choices available to Abram and Sarai because of their power. We thought about how we can be blind to the struggles of others when we are in our own pain.

Maybe the message of Genesis 16 was not just about my heart opening. I felt my mind expanding to the ways it was relevant to the issues of justice and privilege central in the issues of today.

This is what I love about Scripture Circles and the practice of midrash. Our view can expand—again and again—through the perspective of others. And, with it, our very souls.

The learning is never finished.

This is why we’re so excited to announce a whole new series at 40 Orchards, called Perspectives. 

We believe we have much to learn from others—especially from voices we don’t often hear in our insulated, echo-chamber lives. So we’ll be inviting local BIPOC* leaders to teach us Scripture, and we’ll be wrestling through it together. 

Perspectives is offered in a two-session format. The first session is about listening to our guest teacher lead us through a scripture passage, in order to expand our awareness, understanding, experience, and perspective. The second session is about wrestling through that same passage together, with space to bring our own questions and perspectives.

Click here to learn more, and join us for our first two-part session featuring Joe Davis, a Minneapolis artist, poet, and teacher. 

We cannot wait to learn more—together.

-Steph & Lisa

P.S. Help us spread the word. There’s no attendance limit to the first session. Anyone who’s been hungry for BIPOC perspectives these days will benefit greatly from this series. 

*(Black, Indiginous, People of Color)