Assistant to the Bishop
Southeastern Synod
In the thirty-second chapter of Genesis, we read the account of how Jacob wrestled with God. At daybreak the struggle ends. Jacob is advised by his opponent that from that day, he will be known as Israel, “for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed”. Jacob then called the place, Peniel, saying, “for I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved”. Israel became the name of God’s nation, with the names of the twelve sons of Israel (Jacob) becoming the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Bible is full of names and places that are rooted in
descriptive meanings. Reading the
scriptures and traveling in the historic Holy land places provide a steady diet
of names that resonate with images and stories.
Bethlehem means “house of bread”.
Bethlehem is known as the city of David, King David’s hometown. Mary Magdalene was from the little town of
Magdalene near the Sea of Galilee. There
is John the Baptist and Joseph of Arimathea.
Many of our Lutheran churches in America bear names found in
the Holy Scriptures. There are lots of
Bethlehems, several Bethanys, a few Gethsemenes, and Mount of
Olives. We have a historic church in our Southeastern Synod named Jerusalem. There are lots of apostle names, St Matthew,
St Luke, St Mark and St John, even a few St Thomases.
There are tons of Grace, Faith and Hope churches, not many
Loves. ( I served a church named Holy
Love and we heard our share of jokes as to whether we were really something
else.) There are Trinitys and Holy
Trinitys. There are Atonements,
Incarnations, Resurrections, Ascensions, Redeemers and Nativitys. There are Holy Crosses and Good Shepherds ,
and lots of names including Christ and Lord.
In our Lutheran Church, we have our share of Scandinavian
place names, names like the Swedish Fahlun, and the Norwegian Jevnaker. The Baptists outnumber us in place names, but
we do have Shady Lane Lutheran and Peachtree Road Lutheran.
But it gets better. There is THE hallowed church name, FIRST! It may be that First has something to do with
our egotistical, fallible nature. One
thing is certain, over the years, it has been a favorite. Would that there might be a Last Lutheran!
Earlier I mentioned
Peniel, which is a very Biblical place name, meaning “seeing God face to
face”. One of our Eithiopian
congregations has chosen that name. Many
would look at that Biblical name as being obscure and strange. It is a very meaningful Biblical name.
What is in a name?
Our Jewish forebearers avoided
using God’s name directly, out of respect. Western culture avoids the name,
Jesus, as a given name. Other cultures
readily use the name of Jesus as a given name.
Parents choose names for their children, sometimes trendy, sometimes
obscure. Church Mission developers often have the
privilege of choosing the name for their congregations. Names are special. If and when you have the privilege to provide
a name, do it well!
