A JOURNAL DF ALBUQUERQUE BIBLE COLLEGE & GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

Volume 5, Issue 2     July 2004

An Interview with Ms. Ruth Hoppin

with Darrell Butterworth, editor and faculty member

Editor's Notes

You may have noticed that we did not publish the January 2004 issue of the Alef Beth Gimmel journal. In December 2003,ABC/GTI went through the growing pains of a change of presidents and with all that was happening, the editorial staff felt there were more important issues to handle and the Journal was put on the back burner. But here we are again, full force.

You will note that this issue is somewhat unique. Both articles have a byline with my name on it, as editor and faculty member. I feel a little awkward doing this because edi­tors do not usually write articles for their own journals (other than Op Ed pieces). But there are good reasons for this "breach of editorial etiquette:"

The first article (page 3) is an interview I did with Ms. Ruth Hoppin; more on this in a moment. The other article, beginning on page 7, is a study I wrote some years ago. I think that it has some bearing still as we are at war with terrorists and many are still asking, even a year later, should we be at war, from a biblical perspective.

And now an explanation for the article be-ginning on page 3. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi (4:8): "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.' This, and other passages, make it clear that Christians are to be concerned with truth and purity. When these issues are lacking or minimalized, Christians have the obligation to step into the arena as champions for them.

In the January 2003 issue of Alef Beth Gimmel Journal, we published an article by Ms.XXXXXX.

The article centered on a very interesting subject: the possibility that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews in the New Testament was a woman,  namely Priscilla. Ms.XXXXX made, what many considered, a very good argument for her case. Then, early this year, we received a letter from a Ms. Ruth Hoppin of Daly City, CA. In her letter, Ms. Hoppin claimed that Ms.XXXXXX’s article used extensive passages from her book on the same subject, without giving credit to Ms. Hoppin.Also included with Ms. Hoppin's letter was a highlighted copy of  Ms. XXXXX’ article. Each highlighted passage, according to Ms. Hoppin, was plagiarized from her book. She also contended that Ms. XXXXX used her footnote and bibliographical material without doing much of her own research.

As soon as I received the letter, I began to investigate the charges. I corresponded with Ms. Hoppin to acknowledge receipt of the letter and confirm that ABC was taking it seriously. I compared the material in question; this convinced me that Ms. Hoppin's allegations were true. Then, I made a presentation to the ABC Board of Regents so that they lead the op­portunity to pass judgment on the allegations. They agreed with my conclusions.

Once the Board and I determined that Ms. Hoppin's complaint was justified, I wrote to her with our deep apologies, which she greatly appreciated. We also talked about how to make restitution and bring reconciliation to the situation: Ms. Hoppin and I agreed that, in the interest of truth, I would write an editor's note in the next issue of the Alef Beth Gimmel Journal as an explanation.

Our stated purpose for Alef Beth Gimmel Journal is to highlight articles written by ABC faculty and students. However, due to the serious nature of this situation, the Board and I agreed to set aside that policy. Taking the suggestion of Ms. Hoppin, we include in this issue an interview with her. We hope that you will find it both enlightening and provocative for further study on the topic. If you want to investigate Ms. Hoppin's entire research,

the book is Priscilla's Letter:Finding the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Fort Bragg, CA: Lost Coast Press, 1997.

Alef Beth Gimmel (ABG): Since most of our readers are not aware of your book, tell us how you first became interested in the possibility of Priscilla as author of the book of Hebrews?

Ruth Hoppin (RH): When I was led to write and speak, an individual disputed my right to do so, citing scripture. Having learned some New Testament Greek, I soon found irregularities in translation of the text. Quite by happenstance, I consulted a Bible commentary with mention of Harnack's Priscilla hypothesis.  I pondered the possibility, then decided to look for evidence beyond that presented by Harnack. Having no idea how the direction of my Life had changed, I planned to write an article, at most.

(ABG): Give us a summary of your personal background.

(RH):  As a freelance writer, my articles on Biblical, general interest and inspirational topics, as well as poems, have been published in various newspapers and magazines.

I attend the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, San Francisco, where I teach Bible classes. Recently I taught a series on the theol­ogy of the epistle to the Hebrews, the topic of an article I wrote for Priscilla Papers, a journal of feminist scholarship.

An independent researcher, concerned mainly with Priscilla's authorship of Hebrews, I have presented papers on the topic at regional meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature. I am a contributor to The IVP Women's Bible Commentary. My chapter on Priscilla is scheduled for publication in Feminist Companion to the Catholic Epistles and Hebrews (1'. &T Clark Publishers, Ltd.)

(ABG): In your preface to the 2000 Lost Coast Press edition, you wrote: "In the mid- 1960's, while researching mistranslations of scripture pertaining to the status of women... "This sounds like an idea for a future book. Possibly?

(RH): There is now a vast literature dealing with the subject. Feminist writings have become an integral part of Biblical studies and theology. My focus must be on the case for Priscilla's authorship of the epistle to the Hebrews.

(ABG): Share with us an example of one of those "mistranslations"

(RH): In Acts 18:26, Priscilla is named before Aquila, which suggests that she took the lead in instructing Apollos. On the basis of less reliable manuscript sources, the King James Version of 1611 reverses the order of names to "Aquila and Priscilla "The error is corrected in virtually all subsequent English translations, but not in the New King James Version of 1982. For further discussion and explanation, see Robert Nguyen Cramer's article on the Textus Receptus and the Western Text online at http://wwwbibletexts.com.

(ABG): What was the extent of your research to discover the evidence you needed to sub­stantiate the claim of Priscilla's authorship?

RH): I investigated Biblical and extra Biblical literature, Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient historians, early church writings, and detailed commen­taries both classic and recent, including those on the Greek text. In addition, I read about archaeological discoveries related to Priscilla's family background.

(ABG): Did your research take you into any interesting places?

(RH): Well, seminary libraries are interesting places.

In 1988 my husband and I visited Rome. Sister Maria Francesca of the Benedictine Sisters conducted us on a private tour of the oldest part of the Priscilla Catacomb, not generally viewed by visitors.

(ABG): You readily acknowledge that the germination of your ideas occurred in the mid 1960's.And the preface material and other indications in your book seems to favor women. As you know, one of the issues in the church over the last few years has been the issue some have called the ^"feminization" of Christianity. Ms. Hoppin, what do you say to a person who accuses you of being unduly influenced by the feminist movement, especially as it pertains to the interpretation of scripture?

(RH): My research was under way several years before I had even heard of the Chris­tian feminist movement. Eventually, a serenditous connection was formed. Christians for Biblical Equality and other centrist, reformist organizations have provided me with speak­ing and writing opportunities. It is not so easy for a movement to exert undue influence upon me. I am always mindful of the spiritual foundation of my writing, and I keep to the center theologically. In any event, evidence for the Priscilla theory has its own validity.

We must realize that the Christian feminist movement strives, often with profound schol­arship and deep spiritual commitment, to counter patriarchal bias in Biblical translation, interpretation, and theology. Historically, such bias has had invidious consequences for women. How can we not be thankful that, in our time, facets of God's truth, long obscured, have been revealed, and ancient injustices remedied?

(ABG): Give us a synopsis of your points of proof for Priscilla as the author of Hebrews.

(RH): In general, my approach was to remove other candidates for the authorship of He-brews by showing, one by one, why they could not have been the author. Next, I con­structed a psychological profile of the author revealing traits that are traditionally ascribed to women.  Then I explored the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, remarkable for its break with precedent in the naming of two women as role models of faith, with allusions-direct and indirect-to many others.

Subsequently, I showed how Priscilla was personally qualified to have been the author.

Finally, I placed the epistle along the Rome/ Ephesus axis, limiting the field of contenders to colleagues of Paul with a teaching ministry at Ephesus and connections with Rome.

Some other points:

• Priscilla, as a colleague of Paul, was a colleague of Timothy, with whom the author coordinates travel plans (Heb. 13:23).

·       She is named first, before Aquila, four of six times the couple are mentioned, de-noting her pre-eminence and suggesting higher social rank.

·       She was a well-educated Roman aristocrat whose knowledge of literature, philosophy, and rhetoric qualified her for authorship. Chrysostom, fourth-century Bishop of Constantinople, named her the sole tutor of Apollos.

·       Apollos, knowing only the baptism of John (Acts 18:25,26), needed instruction on baptisms--a topic covered by the teacher/catechist author of Hebrews (He-brews 6:1,2).After receiving instruction from Priscilla, he preached on the theme that Jesus was the Messiah foretold in Old Testament scripture-a main theme of Hebrews.

One cannot overstate the mystery of mys­teries-the early and inexplicable loss of the author's name, without a consistent pseud­onym being provided. Priscilla embodies a cogent explanation.

(ABG): I understand that this is your second book on the subject. Has your belief in Priscilla as author deepened or faded? What issues caused this change?

(RH):  My belief in Priscilla as author has only been strengthened by additional information. As I continue my research into various lines of evidence, more pieces of the puzzle fail into place, and there are none that don't seem to fit.

(ABG): In the larger context of Hebrews itself, share with us how you view the book: its au­dience, its date and place of writing, its reason for being written, its perspective in compari­son with the rest of the New Testament.

(RH):  Though not part of the original letter, "To the Hebrews" is an accurate heading. The audience was predominantly Hebrew, and judging from the contents of the letter, was interested in priesthood, and thus the High Priesthood of Christ. In fact, the audience may have included former priests, especially those sympathetic to the Essene movement and knowledgeable about the ideas and literature of the community at Qumran. The reason for being written was the danger of apostasy, discour­agement, and just plain "drifting" that the author, temporarily absent, and very concerned, warned against in several pastoral admonitions.

I date Hebrews about 65 A.D., prior to the fall of the Temple, in fact, prior to the rebellion against Rome the following year. I have placed the origin of the letter at Rome, with the destination Ephesus, reversing the arrow from Ephesus to Rome that Harnack posited.

The explication of the High Priesthood of Christ in Hebrews is an important adjunct to the theology of the early church, not devel­oped in Pauline writings. The centrality of the ascension/exaltation of Christ as the central salvational event is a focus that further illu­minates the thinking of the church in earliest times, complementing rather than conflicting with Pauline emphasis on the crucifixion and resurrection.

(ABG): In your research, what other topics did you discover that you might handle M a future book?

(RH): I would like to do some writing about the spirituality of the epistle to the Hebrews, incorporating its characteristic mysticism into inspirational writings I have on file. I'm think­ing of an article-at most-but that's how Priscilla's Letter started.

(ABG): Ms. Hoppin, I want to thank you very much for your time and your willingness to share  your research with us. May God bless you and your endeavors in the future.

Reprinted from Aleph Beth Gimmel July 2004