FROM THE HILL: Ross discusses strategies for reopening churches after COVID; Caldwell examines how past pandemics have affected the church

“From the Hill” is a regular series highlighting the work of The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s faculty. Check back here regularly to find articles, blogs, podcasts, interviews, and more.

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• “Video Stream Preaching”, David L. Allen (distinguished professor of preaching, director of the Southwestern Center for Text-Driven Preaching, George W. Truett Chair of Ministry) interviewed on Salty Believer podcast

“What do preachers need to know as we’re all trying to figure out how to preach to an empty room and a video stream?”

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• “How a church can worship ‘together’ during COVID-19” (article in the Christian Post), by Scott Aniol, associate professor of church music and worship

“What we are facing as a result of the coronavirus is certainly difficult and unprecedented for contemporary western Christians, and churches are faced with figuring out how to approximate life ‘together’ when they are prevented from meeting physically together.”

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• “Lessons from History”, Robert Caldwell (professor of church history) interviewed on Salty Believer podcast

“Dr. Robert Caldwell … joined us on Salty Believer Unscripted to discuss lessons from Church history that might help inform us about today’s coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. ”

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• “COVID-19: Next Steps for Christian Higher Education” (article on IACE), by David S. Dockery, distinguished professor of theology, theologian-in-residence of the B.H. Carroll Center for Baptist Heritage and Mission, special consultant to the president

“Institutions are facing a challenge unlike anything experienced in recent history. What, then, does all of this mean for the future of Christian higher education?”

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• “COVID-19 Shutdowns Are Shifting Seminary Education”, David S. Dockery interviewed by Christianity Today

“The reality is that schools will now understand their history in terms of pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 priorities.”

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• “The Lord’s Supper Online?” (blog article), by W. Madison Grace II, associate professor of Baptist heritage

“As many in this emergency situation are being creative in making online worship engaging, there still are a few churchly things that may be a bit more perplexing to figure out. The ordinances are on this list, of which presenting the Lord’s Supper virtually may be a hard nut to crack.”

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• “He Inscribed upon the Stone”: Celebrating the Work of Jim Eisenbraun (book), Ethan Jones, assistant professor of Old Testament, contributor

“My experience with Jim gave me a clear picture of excellence—both professionally and personally—in the world of academic publishing.”

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• “Culture Friday – Feminism’s take on Phyllis Schlafly”, Katie J. McCoy (assistant professor of theology in women’s studies) interviewed on The World and Everything in It podcast

“At the height of second wave feminism in the 1970s, the dominant cultural narrative was that women were either liberated feminists or you were just brainwashed. … And Phyllis Schlafly really gave voice to the women who didn’t fit either of those imposed categories.”

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• “Does Leviticus Punish Women for Having a Girl?” (article on LifeWay Voices), by Katie J. McCoy

“If the Law is good and reflects the character of God (and it is), and if God values women equally to men (and He does), then perhaps we need to dig a little deeper to find what this law meant for women of the Old Testament—and what it tells us about the Lawgiver.”

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• “Katie McCoy—Gender: Roles, Responsibilities, and Realities, Ep. 46”, Katie J. McCoy interviewed on Uncommontary podcast

“On this episode of Uncommontary, Dr. Katie McCoy joins host Marty Duren to talk about some biblical implications of gender.”

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• “Reopening the Church”, Richard Ross (professor of student ministry, J.M. Price Chair of Religious Education) interviewed on Facebook Live by D6 Family

“This month, Dr. Ross joined the D6 Family team to talk through the ins and outs of reopening churches after COVID-19.”

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• “Show Me the Funny: Using Humorous Pictures in Preaching and Teaching, Part 2” (article in Didaktikos Journal of Theological Education), by Jim Wicker, professor of New Testament

“In Part 2 of this series, Jim Wicker outlines seven types of humorous photos and how they can be used in biblical proclamation and education.”

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• “Is This the End of the World?”, Malcolm B. Yarnell III (research professor of systematic theology) interviewed on Salty Believer podcast

“As our thinking moves toward end-times topics, how should we talk about eschatology (the study of end times) with others?”