Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio
Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Dr. Ryan Bonfiglio, an Associate Professor in the Practice of Old Testament at Emory’s Candler School of Theology, is the featured preacher for Aug. 17 on “Day1” with host Katie Givens Kime, the nationally broadcast ecumenical radio program also accessible online at Day1.org and by podcast. Hear “Day1” in the Atlanta area on WSB 95.5 and 750 AM Sundays at 7:05 a.m. This is episode 4,195 of “Day1.”
“Daughters of Zelophehad” is drawn from Numbers 27:1-11, a story set during Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness that recounts the challenge of the five daughters of Zelophehad to Moses, God, and the fairness of a biblical tradition in which a father’s property is left to his sons. Bonfiglio points out that these women ask for a reinterpretation of the biblical tradition that they feel unjustly consigns them to a life of poverty. They do so within the community relationship and Moses responds favorably to their request. In this time of divisive controversies when many of us are retreating into habitats that are ideologically homogeneous, Bonfiglio declares a lesson for us in this passage. “What we see in this text is a community that refuses to retreat into theologically homogenous echo chambers. The community sticks together and continues talking despite what might likely were serious disagreements. What kept them together was something more than just a willingness to ‘agree to disagree,’” he says. “It seems that there was a belief that the presence of theological heterogeneity strengthened the body, made it more nuanced, adaptive, and resilient. A chorus of varied voices produces better music than an echo chamber.”
Ryan Bonfiglio serves on faculty at Emory’s Candler School of Theology and is also the founding director of The Candler Foundry, an initiative designed to make the best of theological learning accessible and engaging for those who likely never will go to seminary. Among the Foundry’s various programs is TheoEd talks, a TED-style speaker series that brings together leading thinkers in the church and the academy to give the talk of their lives in 20 minutes or less. After earning a B.A. in chemistry at Princeton University and an M.Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary, Bonfiglio completed his Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible at Emory University. He teaches, speaks, and writes on a variety of topics, including the theology and practice of sabbath, biblical metaphors, the Bible and poverty, ancient iconography, and the future of theological education. He is a frequent contributor to the Journal for Preachers and designs and leads national and international immersion experiences with The Ministry Collaborative. He was born and raised in Philadelphia and suffers from a life-long love of Philly sports.
The program includes interviews with Bonfiglio conducted by Kime, who is also executive producer.
“Day1” has been broadcast every week for 80 years, formerly as “The Protestant Hour.” Featuring outstanding preachers from the mainline denominations, “Day1” is currently distributed to radio stations across America and overseas. The program is produced by the Alliance for Christian Media, based in Atlanta. For more information, check the program’s website, http://day1.org.
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