Three countries, three courses

In Medellin, I taught Biblical Theology a second time to the full-time students there.  The students were from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia, and Equatorial Guinea in Africa!  The students from Equatorial Guinea spoke Spanish, Portuguese, French, and their local language Fang, but not English.  Biblical Theology is vital because it emphasizes the unity, progressive revelation, and redemption in the Bible.  It helps students understand how the Bible is one story written by God, which is not fragmented, and always depends on Christ.  In other words, it helps understand the relation of the gospel to the law, makes preaching Christ-centered and avoids legalistic interpretations, as too many Christians believe you begin with Jesus, but then your relationship with God depends on your obedience.

In Cochabamba, there were about 50 people in the audience, of whom many lay people from the church came.  There were about 12 on site students that attended not including students that attended virtually.  The course was held in the evening at a Reformed Baptist church.  They are humble people in a mountainous area about 8,000 feet elevation.  They paid close attention and felt that the information shared was devotional and edifying, which makes me happy.  I like for the courses to not only transmit content but lead to worship.   To review the attributes of God and the providence of God and have people understand and be delighted made me happy.  The providence of God included a critique of the Arminean position which helped the people to appreciate the Biblical beauty, balance and robustness of the Reformed position.

In Tabasco, Mexico, the audience was primarily Presbyterian pastors and theology students.  Only a few lay people attended.  This was due to the course being held in the morning.  The total audience was around 30 people, although they were going to repeat and extend it to other students in January 2026.  Tabasco is a humid, hot city at sea level, like Miami.  They have had a lot of past interaction with teachers from the US and were well prepared.  Particularly, I enjoyed a question from the audience regarding how Jesus‘ human nature or divine nature interacted in absorbing the infinite wrath of God.  In other words, how does divine immutability and Jesus’ suffering on the cross work.