When the Verizon technician came to service my Internet connection, he asked about the books on the Bible around the computer. I explained: “I teach the Middle Eastern culture and values that a reader should know in order to read and interpret that Middle Eastern book intelligently and respectfully. It was written about Middle Easterners by Middle Easterners.”
His eyes lit up, and he gave me a high-five in agreement. “That’s how we learned it at Cardinal Gibbons High School,” he said. “How could it be otherwise?”We chatted about Bible study along these lines. Before he left, I gave him an autographed copy of The Cultural Dictionary of the Bible that I published in 1999. In my judgment, this alumnus paid eloquent tribute to the quality education he received at Gibbons. I appreciate and welcome such well prepared students in my classes at Georgetown University. I commend the faculty and staff of Cardinal Gibbons and pray that they will continue their excellent ministry in new venues.