Frances Taylor Gench
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Frances Taylor Gench | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Herbert Worth & Annie H. Jackson Professor of Biblical Interpretation |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Theological work | |
| Language | English |
| Tradition or movement | |
| Main interests | |
Frances Taylor Gench is a Presbyterian minister, New Testament scholar, and the Herbert Worth & Annie H. Jackson Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Union Presbyterian Seminary.
Education[edit]
Gench earned her B.A. from the Davidson College, and both her M.Div. and Ph.D. from Union Presbyterian Seminary (formerly Union Theological Seminary in Virginia).[1] Her dissertation focused on the Gospel of Matthew and was later published as a monograph under the name Wisdom in the Christology of Matthew.
Career[edit]
Gench is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and has served as parish associate at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. She has previously served as a member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly's Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church (2001-2006), and has served as a faculty member at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (now a part of United Lutheran Seminary).[2]
During her academic career, Gench has been particularly noteworthy for her work on the New Testament writings attributed to Paul the Apostle.[3] Gench emphasizes the importance of dialogue with "tyrannical texts" in Scripture as well as between theological conservatives and theological liberals.[4] She recommends five guiding principles for addressing difficult biblical texts: "1) remember that the difficult text is worthy of charity from its interpreters; 2) argue with the text, confident that wrestling with scripture is an act of faithfulness; 3) resist the temptation to throw the baby out with the bathwater; 4) learn from the dangers as well as the insights that biblical texts present; 5) don't let anyone tell you that you are not taking the authority of the Bible seriously."[5]
Publications[edit]
Gench, Frances Taylor (2004). Back to the Well[6]
References[edit]
- ^ "Frances Taylor Gench". Union Presbyterian Seminary. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ^ Denson, Jessica. "A Lifetime of Faith". PC(USA) News. Presbyterian Church (USA). Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ Brown, Alexandra. "Wrestling with Paul". The Christian Century. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ Leonardi, Alicia. "Frances Taylor Gench on the art of listening". McCormick Theological Seminary. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ Brown, Alexandra. "Wrestling with Paul". The Christian Century. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
- ^ Gench, Frances Taylor (2004). Back to the well: women's encounters with Jesus in the Gospels. Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-22715-9.