ONE of the following stories is false.\u00a0 At least, it didn\u2019t happen to me.\u00a0 And I believe it to be a version of what is called an \u201cevangelegend.\u201d\u00a0 And evangelegend is a religious urban legend\u2013a story that makes the rounds of a religious subculture without verification and nobody ever seems to know to whom it happened or where.\u00a0 And yet many people believe it is true.<\/p>\n
The first person to correctly identify the evangelegend may receive a free, autographed copy of one of my books (provided he or she is willing to give me his or her mailing address within the U.S.)\u00a0 It would be good, but not required, to explain why you think it is the evangelegend.\u00a0 Tomorrow (Monday) I will close the contest and declare the winner.\u00a0 Then the winner can decide whether or not to give me his or her \u201csnail mail\u201d address (only within the U.S.) so I can provide the promised signed book.<\/p>\n
Here are the stories\u2013only one of which is false.\u00a0 (I attribute some of them to myself\u2013as if they happened to me [i.e., I supposedly said it]\u2013only for variety.\u00a0\u00a0 It makes no difference as to whether the story is true or false.)<\/p>\n
One attempt per person, please!<\/p>\n
The provost of the university was speaking at a church attended by many students and faculty of the university\u2019s divinity school.\u00a0 During his sermon, while attempting to talk about the importance of seminary training for pastors, he accidently referred to his own university\u2019s divinity school as \u201ccemetery.\u201d\u00a0 It was clearly accidental as he immediately turned red and stopped and sincerely apologized.<\/p>\n
A seminary dean was talking to his faculty shortly after becoming their leader.\u00a0 Passionately he denied having any intention of making unilateral decisions and said to the faculty \u201cI don\u2019t intend to ever circumcise anyone.\u201d\u00a0 (Of course, he meant \u201ccircumvent\u201d anyone.)\u00a0 In this case it was so awkward the faculty chose to stifle their guffaws (with great difficulty in my case).<\/p>\n
I was lecturing to my first theology class at a well-known Christian university.\u00a0 I was absolutely new at this not yet even having my Ph.D. in hand.\u00a0 I went into the classroom determined not to mess up.\u00a0 Somehow the discussion turned to missionary endeavors and issues.\u00a0 A student raised her hand and asked \u201cWhat should a missionary do if they encounter a Christian tribal leader with many wives?\u201d\u00a0 I said (completely unintentionally and much to my embarrassment) \u201cThat\u2019s a horny question.\u201d\u00a0 Actually, it turned out to be good because the ensuing laughter (including me) broke the ice and from then on my students saw me as merely human.\u00a0 I fell off my pedestal the very first day of my teaching career!<\/p>\n
I was visiting chapel at a Christian college and a freshly minted graduate was guest preaching.\u00a0 His subject?\u00a0 \u201cThe joys of immorality.\u201d\u00a0 He meant, of course, the joys of immortality.\u00a0 He only said it a couple times and tried to cover up as if he hadn\u2019t said it.\u00a0 But the damage was done and snickering broke out occasionally even when he said it right.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ONE of the following stories is false.\u00a0 At least, it didn\u2019t happen to me.\u00a0 And I believe it to be a version of what is called an \u201cevangelegend.\u201d\u00a0 And evangelegend is a religious urban legend\u2013a story that makes the rounds of a religious subculture without verification and nobody ever seems to know to whom it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n