Posted on September 01, 2016
in
[ Theology & Ministry ]
Thursdays do not generally garner much attention. No major holidays regularly land on a Thursday and few important events are associated with Thursday on a regular basis. Sure, Christmas sometimes happens on the fifth day of the week, but no more often than other days. And, attempts to amend the situation by hosting Thursday night football games, for example, have been largely unsuccessful. Monday night football is still a bigger deal according to the ratings, and Sunday night football typically edges Thursday games out to take second place. So, while state holidays focus on Mondays, tacos are associated with Tuesdays, Wednesdays mark the “hump” at the mid-point of the week, and Fridays are celebrated as TGI days, Thursdays are largely overlooked. But all of that is about to change.
It is my pleasure to introduce an all-new series of blog posts dedicated to faith and the Christian life. In addition to providing Thursdays with the recognition they deserve, these articles will draw attention to the deeper things of life that also go unnoticed when we aren’t intentional about keeping them in focus. Written by the Dean and faculty of the College of Theology, each article will attempt to provide some encouraging theological perspective as we navigate life together on a busy campus. These Theology Thursday installments will appear here on the college’s blog, Living Faith, for those who want to dig a little deeper.
Interestingly, although Thursdays have been slighted at many points in the past, some of Jesus’ richest teaching took place on the Thursday before he was crucified. After enjoying a wonderful meal with his followers, he spoke to them at length about the need to love one another and prepared them to follow his example of sacrificial love. In an unexpected object lesson, the great Teacher of Nazareth stripped down and served his disciples by humbly washing their filthy feet. He then encouraged them to serve one another in the same way (John 13:1-20). While literally washing feet may not help you much each Thursday, it is my hope that these little articles will serve your spiritual needs in some small way each week.
Theology Thursday is an all-new series launching here on the Living Faith blog! Be sure to check back each Thursday for a new article. If you are interested in learning more about earning an education from GCU, visit our website or use the request more information at the button at the top of the page.
Dr. Hiles is a native of St. Louis and Dean of the College of Theology at Grand Canyon University. He studied sculpture, completed an M.Div., and earned a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Southeastern Baptist Seminary before becoming a professor. His interests relate to the doctrines of salvation and the church as well as the intersection of theology and culture.
