Written by: United Theological Seminary September 27, 2018

Readings on Rosh Hashana: Hagar, Abraham, and the Wilderness

This semester I am taking Interpretation as Resistance: Womanist, Feminist, and Queer Approaches to the Bible taught by Professors Alika Galloway and Carolyn Pressler. This week’s reading concerns the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. Sarah is unable to bear children, which is unfortunate since her husband Abraham is supposed to father “a great nation” (Gen. 12.2). Sarah comes up with a plan to have Abraham use a surrogate: her Egyptian slave Hagar. Abraham agrees, lays with Hagar, and Hagar conceives. The Bible then tells us that Hagar “saw that she had conceived [and] looked with contempt on her mistress”(Gen. 16.4). Sarah responds by being so cruel to Hagar that she runs away to the desert. Upon finding a spring of water, Hagar meets an angel of God who gives her an ambivalent message: go back and submit to a life of cruelty but also your son Ishmael will be the father of nations. A mixed bag, for sure.

The story transitions to Abraham being visited by three angels, who announce that Sarah will give birth to a son. Sarah, eavesdropping, laughs to herself at the thought of being able to give birth in her old age. But the joke’s on her, I guess, because she gives birth to Isaac or Yitzhaq, whose name means laughing. Haha! Oh, except, the story kind of takes some pretty dark turns. Time passes and Sarah sees Ishmael and Isaac playing, hears Ishmael’s laughter, and commands Abraham to exile Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness. Even God talks to Abraham, backing up Sarah’s plan. Abraham acquiesces. Hagar and Ishmael travel through the desert with little food and water. Close to burying her own son, Hagar weeps and cries out: “Do not let me look on the death of the child!” God, hearing Ishmael’s cries, talks once more to Hagar. God says:

“What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”

Then God makes a spring of water appear, Hagar and Ishmael are saved, and Ishmael grows to be a skilled archer and father of many sons. It’s a happy ending! Well, except that the next major story for the family is the Akedah, or binding of Isaac by his own father.

Now, it is always exciting when my academic work corresponds to what is going on in my religious world. Our examination of this story corresponds with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana. On Rosh Hashana, it is traditional to read the story of Hagar’s exile and the binding of Isaac from the Torah. We read these stories of sending children to the brink of death right as we celebrate the change of seasons. As we make wishes for the future. As we dream of sweetness and good fortune. As we prepare to open up our bodies and souls for the ten days between now and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. In this milieu we tackle Hagar and the Akedah.

Over the years, I have heard many sermons comparing Hagar’s wilderness to the days of awe between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, days of uncertainty when we are being judged by God whether to be placed in the book of life or the book of death. But in 2017, amidst fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, threats of nuclear war, and fascists marching on the street, wilderness seems something different. More tangible. The wilderness is our normal. Or at least, we have normalized the wilderness. Or at least there is a danger of doing this.

The stories of Hagar in the wilderness and the binding of Isaac even show an evolution from discomfort at violence to accepting it. Earlier, we have Abraham actually arguing with God to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. So, when Sarah asks Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away, “ The matter [is] very distressing to Abraham on account of his son.” (21.11). But by the time God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham goes without complaint, without talking back. On one hand, it is possible to see how Abraham might be afraid to argue because he has seen cities destroyed and his family torn apart by God. On the other hand, I wonder if Abraham goes willingly to kill his son, because he has seen the power of willingness to sacrifice those you supposedly love, for is not God all powerful? And has God not demonstrated His power through spectacles of violence and force? Does Abraham go along, because– to be good, to be devoted, to be holy, to be a father like The Father– he must be willing and able to kill? After all, Abraham was willing to put both Sarah and Hagar in danger at different points, willing to use them to fulfil his name. Is it so far a stretch to see how he might be willing to shed life after being taught to abuse it?

This is a dangerous story for me. And a particularly potent depiction of patriarchal violence. It becomes second nature for Abraham to allow pain to shape him and in turn to cause pain. His role as a forefather seems contingent on rites of violence.

Nationalism, xenophobia and hatred of immigrants, racism, obstructing health care, and denying rights to LGBTQ people come from the same impulse as Abraham’s to accept the cycle as long as the father is still in his place. To be a patriarch, is to perpetuate everyone else’s suffering.

But the story we tell on Rosh Hashana is also the story of Hagar–she is not just a prop in Abraham’s tale. It is by her example that I believe the Bible sets up a potential critique of the forefather. For unlike Abraham, Hagar voices her pain. She weeps. She excises her suffering in an exclamation to God: “Do not let me look on the death of the child” (21.16). She speaks her pain, locates God as a player in her suffering and commands Him to take responsibility for her and Ishmael. Hagar has spoken to God before, and her relationship with God is different from Abraham’s. After God told the then pregnant Hagar to go back to her suffering, she asks “Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?” There is in her exclamation profound ambivalence to God. She recognize a danger in God and a disbelief in surviving Him. But from that space between trust and doubt, in that semi-acceptance of her lot, she lives. She eventually thrives. And she is able to address God as an agent in her own right. Not just the passive receptacle of God’s command, but someone who has seen the beauty and the terror of the divine, and spoken it. She has addressed her pain, not hidden it or perpetuated it through others, but reflected it back onto its source.

When I first heard Leonard Cohen’s song “You Know Who I Am” from Songs from a Room, I thought the lyrics were in God’s perspective to someone, probably Abraham– based on the other songs from the album. God describes Himself requiring incredible asks:

Sometimes I need you naked,

Sometimes I need you wild,

I need you to carry my children in

And I need you to kill a child.

But God is also the revealer of remarkable truths and healing.

If you should ever track me down

I will surrender there

And I will leave with you one broken man

Whom I will teach you to repair.

As I reflect on the particular understanding that Hagar has of God, I wonder if she is a more fitting “you” for the song to be addressing:

You know who I am,

You’ve stared at the sun,

Well I am the one who loves

Changing from nothing to one.

I imagine Hagar in the desert staring at the sun, which gives life, but in that moment most assuredly also implies death. And she knows God and speaks to God and dialogues with the deadly and life-giving God, even as He plays a more sinister character in Abraham’s adjacent story. To speak to power is to know power and in turn to know yourself, to know your own pain and investigate it. To know God is to know what and who you are and to use your voice. Abraham once cried out. He once argued with God to save lives, but in becoming the de facto patriarch, his ability to speak to God turned to being able only to listen to God and then, after the Akedah, to silence.

As we move into another year, deeper into the wilderness, I hope that I, that we as individuals, as a country, as a world can look at our pains and name them instead of simply passing it onto others. I hope that I will be held accountable for the pain I cause, just as I vow–through my art and through my academics–to hold accountable the structures that perpetuate my own pain. And in doing this, in speaking to power, in reaching to God, talking to God, loving and fearing and wondering about and speaking to God, I hope for a year of sweetnesses that do not perpetuate the suffering of others and that indicate the potential for liberation. Shana Tova Umetuka!

Max Brumberg-Kraus is originally from Providence, RI, but moved to the midwest to attend Beloit College, WI as an undergrad. There, he majored in Theatre Performance and Classical Civilizations with a minor in Critical Identity Studies, and was the Artistic Director of Beloit Independent Theatre Experience (BITE). He moved to St. Paul in July 2016, where he continues to pursue his artistic goals as a performer, playwright, and poet. Max is the Digital Content Specialist at United, where he is also pursuing an MA with a concentration in Theology and the Arts.

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July 16, 2026

Announcements News Releases President

Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall to Retire in 2027 Following Six Exemplary Years as President

Her Vision and Leadership Have Transformed United Following six historic and transformative years as President of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall will retire on June 30, 2027, upon completion of the seminary’s 65th academic year. President Marshall secured United’s financial standing, advanced institutional objectives toward long-term sustainability, and catalyzed historic growth in institutional fundraising and student enrollment. Rev. Dr. Marshall assumed her role as Interim President in March 2021 following thorough vetting by a search committee and the Board of Trustees’ unanimous vote. Having served in theological education for more than 40 years, her reputation preceded her. She made headlines as the first woman appointed to the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention. Ordained as a Southern Baptist, she later received the privilege of call by the American Baptist Church. In 1997, she joined the faculty of Central Baptist Theological Seminary as professor of Theology and Spiritual Formation, thereafter stabilizing and revitalizing the school as President from 2004 to 2020, becoming the first woman ever to lead a Baptist seminary or divinity school. President Marshall’s respect and renown culminated in her executive report on effective seminary leadership, written for The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) before she arrived at United. Her experiences as a congregational minister, feminist theologian, prodigious academician, and her achievements as an administrator in theological education augured well for the seminary’s future in her care. Less than a year later, her position was made permanent, formally making her United’s tenth president, and, desiring to honor United's legacy, she pursued and received clergy standing with the MN United Church of Christ. United trustees outlined a set of priorities at the beginning of President Marshall’s tenure, on which she began immediate work. She invested much of her first several months in office in forming connections with alums, donors, and faculty. She concentrated her relational acumen on Advancement, and donors responded enthusiastically. In September 2021, United announced the Johnson-Fry Chair in World Religions and Intercultural Studies, endowed by Rev. Dr. Andrea Johnson (’17, ’23) and David Fry. Cultivating “respect for the lived religion of others,” as President Marshall often asserts, is a pillar of her scholarship and the seminary’s academic ethos. The Sophia Chair in Religious and Theological Studies, funded by a generous gift from Dr. Mary Farrell Bednarowski—Professor Emerita of Religious Studies (1976–2004)—and her husband and former trustee, Keith Bednarowski, followed in 2024. Finally, in 2025, a cadre of friends, alums, and former faculty established the Wilson Yates Chair in Theology and the Arts. These chairs, paired with substantial growth in endowed scholarships, feature prominently in President Marshall’s legacy and will endure as a witness to her faithful stewardship of alum and donor relations. Rev. Dr. Cindi Beth Johnson, Vice President for Advancement, reflects, “President Marshall’s enthusiasm, attention, and engagement with our donors have been important components of her leadership. She has honored our alums and delighted in our students. Molly has valued United’s history even as she has led us into new ways of being. She has built a culture that reflects her dedication, vision, and generosity. She has been a bright light in the broader community, embodying her passion for and dedication to United. Molly arrived with both expertise and heart, and she has shared them generously. She leaves a lasting imprint, and we are better for that. On a personal note, it has been a great gift to be her colleague.” Historic enrollment has been a fixture of President Marshall’s tenure. Between fall 2020 and fall 2025, degree-seeking student enrollment grew 57 percent, with the seminary welcoming its largest incoming class of degree-seeking students ever in fall 2025. In a climate where many theological schools have experienced stable or declining enrollment, United has surged. The Association of Theological Schools (ATS), one of the seminary’s two accrediting bodies, named United in its 2023 Holiday Colloquy Online issue as one of only 18 ATS-accredited seminaries to have demonstrated “steady year-over-year growth during the past five years.” President Marshall has positioned United as a leader in progressive theological education and a model for historically Mainline Christian schools. Commenting on what makes the seminary unique, President Marshall astutely noted United’s “desirable curriculum that emphasizes social transformation, theology and the arts, interreligious engagement, and public theology” and the intentional welcome of “students with myriad religious, spiritual, and theological leanings.” She sharpened and raised the seminary’s prophetic voice, believing that progressive theological education exists to serve the common good. From considerable growth in the Interreligious Chaplaincy program to the establishment of the Sims Scholars Initiative, she has expanded the student body’s depth and breadth. Under President Marshall’s fastidious leadership, United completed a Five-Year Strategic Plan in 2026. David S. Anderson, former Chair of the Board of Trustees (2020–2026), witnessed firsthand President Marshall’s effective management of United’s revitalization and her manifold accomplishments in office. On his close friend and colleague, David writes, “In her writings, President Marshall, Molly to me, once observed, ‘. . . following the Spirit will require of all of us faith—all the guidance we usually get is enough to take the next uncertain step.’ United, in late 2020, was indeed in a state of uncertainty, and President Marshall’s emergence as its next president must be seen as a revelation of the Spirit. She has led United to a platform of stability from which it will move forward with confidence, heeding the Spirit toward an uncertain, as human endeavors are, but bright and sustainable future.” Dr. Kyle Roberts, Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, shared the news of President Marshall’s retirement with students this morning. With profound gratitude for her enrichment of the seminary’s faculty and scholarship, he remarked, “President Marshall has been just the leader this seminary needed to reclaim its vision, its vibrancy, and its voice in theological education. She has led a process of internal healing and of increasing external influence. She has been a champion of rigorous but applied theological education for spiritual leadership, supporting and encouraging the faculty in their teaching and the staff in their work. United,” he affirmed, “will always be indebted to her years of service and to her passion and care in moving the seminary to its next stage. United is, once again, a leading voice in progressive seminary education in large part because of President Marshall.” Rev. Dr. Dianne Oliver, Chair of the Board of Trustees, celebrates President Marshall’s transformative tenure and looks toward a bright future ahead. She affirms, “President Marshall’s impact on United is really extraordinary, and she will leave a profound legacy at the institution. Clearly, she has been successful in the ways often highlighted for an outstanding President—record enrollment, expanded academic programs, and financial stability, building a strong foundation for the next steps on United’s journey. Add to these leadership successes Molly’s theological acumen and prophetic voice in challenging times, and it is easy to see the scope of her leadership. Just as importantly, though, Molly has helped create a deep sense of community among the faculty, staff, students, trustees, and the broader community who support the work of United. Her leadership and accomplishments ensure United will keep living into the fullness of its mission and vision as the context for theological education continues to evolve.” Reflecting on her service to the seminary, President Marshall writes, “Serving as United’s President has been a joyful pursuit over these past several years as I have lived into the storied history of this good seminary. I have been invited into a theologically expansive landscape where courageous learning and creative ministries have renewed my own vocation in theological education.” She continues, “Faculty, staff, students, board members, donors, and friends have welcomed me to help craft this chapter of our shared mission. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to serve as United’s tenth president. (Don’t say goodbye to me yet; there’s still work to be done!)” A Presidential Search Committee, comprised of trustees and representatives from the student body, alums, faculty, and staff, has been engaged in faithful preparation ahead of the public search for President Marshall’s successor. The seminary will share details about this process in the days ahead. Friends and colleagues from throughout President Marshall’s career were invited to submit reflections in her honor. These have been published on our announcement page. United eagerly anticipates celebrating President Marshall and her myriad contributions to the life of the seminary community during special events in spring 2027. Details will be made available in the months ahead. Strengthened and invigorated by President Marshall’s faithful leadership over these six years, United enters its 65th year of progressive theological education, steadfast in its mission: preparing innovative and compassionate leaders for the equipping of churches, other faith communities, and society toward justice and peace. Honoring President Marshall In celebration of President Marshall's tenure, a webpage featuring images, reflections by friends and colleagues, and opportunities to honor her achievements is now available. Visit the link below to learn more. Learn More About United Founded by the United Church of Christ (UCC) as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the creative edge of progressive theological thought and leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to educate leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling of systems of oppression, exploring multi-faith spirituality, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • 651.255.6138

St. Mark’s UCC Gifts an Endowed Scholarship to United

United graduates have an impact on United in countless ways. President Molly T. Marshall notes that they are, in fact, our letters of recommendation. They embody the educational experience they had at United in the work they pursue, in how they live out their faith traditions, and in the impact they have in the world. We see this in myriad ways. There is the alum who is a recurring donor and the alum who creates a legacy gift to support future students. There is the alum who introduces President Marshall to a new donor. And there is the alum who sees another person’s interest in theological education and encourages them to pursue a degree at United. Recently, we have seen up close the impact of the work of Rev. Jennifer Jaimez (’98). Jennifer’s first call was to St. Mark’s UCC in Bloomington, Minnesota, which was founded in 1954. Jennifer served at St. Mark’s for 28 years and, like other pastors, she had a significant influence on members and the broader community. St. Mark’s also had an impact on United. During Jennifer’s ministry, eight students from United completed nine-month internships at St. Mark’s. As interns, these students were part of a learning community that helped them hone skills in teaching, preaching, counseling, and administration. The congregation, along with Jennifer, mentored and encouraged them. They have all gone on to do a multitude of things: serving in nonprofits, rural churches, city churches, and more. St. Mark’s investment in United students had a significant impact. As for many congregations, the pandemic was difficult for St. Mark’s. Three years ago, they made the painful decision to complete their ministry and intentionally repurpose their assets while it was still their choice. In addition to supporting the Minnesota Conference UCC and the Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority, they made a significant gift to United. A relationship that began with mentoring interns grew into a newly endowed UCC scholarship. The St. Mark’s endowed scholarship will provide financial support for UCC students who wish to attend seminary. This gift creates an enduring legacy for St. Mark’s and will provide support for future students. As the gift was announced, their moderator, Cindy Russell, said, “This gift will defray the cost of seminary education. Support for future leaders of the church remains important as the church continues to evolve into new ways of being the church.” This spring, we have been blessed to establish several new endowed scholarships in addition to the one from St. Mark’s. Estate gifts from Joanne* (’82) and Thomas* Rohrict, and Elden* (Yankon, ’55) and Norma* Zuern have created a lasting legacy and investment in United. A recent gift from George (Mission House, ’55) and Joyce Schowalter will allow them to see, while they are living, the impact of scholarship support. Currently, 57 percent of scholarships are covered by generous gifts and endowed scholarships. The other 43 percent is paid out of United’s annual budget. Each scholarship gift, each new endowed scholarship, or gift to an already endowed scholarship, helps us expand offerings to our students. We don’t want financial limitations to become a barrier for students who feel called to attend United. Your scholarship gifts supported Jennifer while she was a student. Her experience at United, along with the skills she has learned along the way, helped her shepherd St. Mark’s for more than two decades and through the difficult decision to complete their ministry. Your gifts to United continue to make this happen. We give thanks for the lasting legacies created by these and many other faithful donors. __________________________ * Deceased

Alum Rev. Todd Lippert (’03): Living a Public Ministry

As Rev. Todd Lippert was growing up, his life was dominated by two constants: music and church. Both of his parents were music teachers. His dad was the high school choir director, and his mom was the elementary school music teacher. Though his family had been Baptist for generations, they ended up attending a United Church of Christ (UCC) church where his mom was hired to play the organ. It was also much closer to home than the nearest Baptist church. “I always took Christian faith very seriously,” Todd asserts. “The church was a sacred and holy place to me.” In seventh grade, Todd remembers talking to his father. “I was at the bottom of the stairs talking to my dad at the top of the stairs. And that was when I said for the first time, ‘I wonder if I might want to be a pastor someday.’” But, Todd adds, “the idea was really terrifying to me,” so he put it out of his mind. At the University of Iowa, he pursued a music degree. During a philosophy class toward the end of college, a professed atheist professor began asking some of the same questions about faith that Todd was confronting. “I was wrestling with whether I was a Christian or not.” Deciding on Seminary The turning point came one Sunday morning after graduation when Todd and his wife were at church. At the time, he was selling Yellow Pages ads and contemplating an MBA. “I hated it,” Todd confesses. “I was miserable.” Watching the preacher at First United Methodist Church in Iowa City, he thought, “Maybe I could do that, and maybe I need to pay attention to this call to ministry that keeps bubbling up.” United was the first UCC seminary that came up on the computer, and when Todd visited, “it felt like home for me as soon as I arrived.” Since his wife was doing graduate work at the University of Minnesota, they moved to the Twin Cities. “At United,” Todd recalls, “I had the space to figure out how Christianity was meaningful and how this faith fit together for me.” Professors who welcomed and encouraged his questions were key to his faith formation, and the “liberation theology that moved through the curriculum, with its focus on justice, was extremely appealing to me.” Todd was also inspired by his classmates. “I saw the student body deeply engaged in the political and social questions of the day.” At United from 2000 to 2003, Todd experienced the Bush v. Gore lawsuit, 9/11 terror attacks, Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone’s tragic death, and the Iraq war launch as he was earning his MDiv. Public Theology Justice-seeking activism, Todd asserts, “really cemented my understanding that the body of Christ is about bringing the realm of God into being wherever it is. And that was something that would have to make my life better and make my community better.” Since graduating, Todd has worked as a UCC pastor, a Minnesota state legislator (2018–2022), a community organizer with ISAIAH, and a community minister with Creekside Church. The clergy organizing work during Operation Metro Surge was especially impactful and reconnected him with United. Todd went through “nonviolent direct action training with Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, one of the authors I read.” He also worked with Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler, his former Hebrew scripture professor. United, notes Todd, equipped him “to be able to understand what is going on in our world, and in our communities, and I had the tools to get better and better at that, reading the present through a biblical and theological lens.” He is extraordinarily proud of the way the church showed up in Minnesota and grateful for United. “I really want,” Todd concludes, “the love-your-neighbor values of the church to be a force in our public life, not an afterthought. I want it to be a force in our political life.”