Gordon P. Hugenberger
Encyclopedia
Gordon P. Hugenberger is the senior pastor
at historic Park Street Church
, in Boston, Massachusetts (1997-present). He was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts
, one of seven children. While working at a Salvation Army
camp as a high schooler, he had a conversion
experience and began to follow Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
from Harvard University
, the President's Award (for highest GPA) with a Master of Divinity
degree
from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
in South Hamilton, Massachusetts
, and his PhD
from the College of St. Paul and St. Mary and the Oxford Centre for Postgraduate Hebrew Studies in Oxford, England. Hugenberger's mentor in seminary
was Meredith G. Kline
, and Hugenberger is an enthusiastic defender of many of Kline's ideas and has extended them into other areas of biblical interpretation. Hugenberger's doctoral advisor was Pentateuch scholar Gordon Wenham
.
at the seminary. He also served as pastor of the Lanesville Congregational Church in Gloucester, Massachusetts
from 1974-1997. Since 1997 he has served as the senior minister of Park Street Church. His scholarly interests include Hebrew grammar
, Old Testament
law
and ethics, and Biblical theology
. He served on the Translation Review Board for the English Standard Version
of the Bible
, and he is currently writing a commentary on the Book of Judges
in the Apollos Old Testament Commentary series. An expansion of his doctoral thesis was published in 1994 by E.J. Brill & Co. as Marriage as a Covenant (reprinted in 1998 by Baker Book House).
Based on his published research on marriage in the Bible, Hugenberger claims that sexual intimacy is intended by God to function exclusively within marriage as a covenant
-ratifying and renewing act. It solemnly depicts the one-flesh bond that is definitional of marriage (Genesis 2:24), and it commits the couple before God, whether they are aware of it or not, to love each other as a part of their own body. With respect to questions about homosexuality
, Hugenberger has published an extensive statement of his views, "Questions and Answers on Issues Related to Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage." In his sermons on the topic, Hugenberger stresses that it should be the hallmark of Christians to be far more offended by their own sins than they are by anyone else's and that the Bible gives no support for homophobia, hatred, self-righteousness, prejudice, or bigotry: immorality that is homosexual is no worse, and it is no better than immorality that is heterosexual. He concludes from the Bible, "We have a Lord who loves us, everyone of us, just as we are. We also have a Lord who loves us too much to leave us as we are."
Dr. Hugenberger has also published the book "The Lord’s Prayer: A Guide for the Perplexed" (Park Street Church, 1999), and numerous articles in journals such as the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Southern Medical Journal. Some of the more notable ones are on 1Tim. 2:8-15, Typology, and the Servant of the Lord in the Servant Songs of Isaiah. He has also published a number of encyclopedia articles on the Old Testament in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1986 and 1988) and The New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition (InterVarsity Press, 1994). Dr. Hugenberger has also contributed in a variety of ways, including the introduction and study notes for Malachi in the English Standard Version Study Bible (Crossway, forthcoming), various articles for the Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar (Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt, Zondervan, 2001), and reviewing the translation of Malachi for the English Standard Version of the Bible (Crossway, forthcoming).
In another area of controversy, Hugenberger preached a series of sermons on science and creation in November 2007 through February 2008 in which he defends both a positive view of modern science and the framework interpretation of Genesis 1.
Hugenberger lives in Boston with his wife Jane; they have four adult children.
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
at historic Park Street Church
Park Street Church
The Park Street Church in Boston, Massachusetts is an active Conservative Congregational Church at the corner of Tremont Street and Park Street. The church is currently pastored by Gordon P. Hugenberger.-History:...
, in Boston, Massachusetts (1997-present). He was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of Greater Boston. The population was 27,982 at the time of the 2010 census.It is best known as the home of Wellesley College and Babson College...
, one of seven children. While working at a Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
camp as a high schooler, he had a conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
experience and began to follow Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Education
Hugenberger received his Bachelor of Arts in engineering and applied physicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, the President's Award (for highest GPA) with a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary whose main campus is based in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, with three other campuses in Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina and Jacksonville. The current president of Gordon-Conwell is Dennis Hollinger...
in South Hamilton, Massachusetts
South Hamilton, Massachusetts
South Hamilton is that part of Hamilton, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States that the Postal Service has assigned the zip code 01982; otherwise it is indistinguishable from Hamilton...
, and his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the College of St. Paul and St. Mary and the Oxford Centre for Postgraduate Hebrew Studies in Oxford, England. Hugenberger's mentor in seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
was Meredith G. Kline
Meredith G. Kline
Meredith G. Kline was an American theologian and Old Testament scholar advance in Archeology, both Assyriology and Egyptology.-Academic career:...
, and Hugenberger is an enthusiastic defender of many of Kline's ideas and has extended them into other areas of biblical interpretation. Hugenberger's doctoral advisor was Pentateuch scholar Gordon Wenham
Gordon Wenham
Gordon Wenham is an Old Testament scholar and author of several books about the Bible. Tremper Longman has called him "one of the finest evangelical commentators today."...
.
Scholarship and career
Hugenberger has served on the full-time and adjunct faculty of Gordon-Conwell Seminary since 1974. He is currently a Ranked Adjunct Professor of Old TestamentOld Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
at the seminary. He also served as pastor of the Lanesville Congregational Church in Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
from 1974-1997. Since 1997 he has served as the senior minister of Park Street Church. His scholarly interests include Hebrew grammar
Hebrew grammar
-History of studies in Hebrew grammar:The Masoretes in the 7th to 11th centuries laid the foundation for grammatical analysis of Hebrew. As early as the 9th century Judah ibn Kuraish discussed the relationship between Arabic and Hebrew...
, Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and ethics, and Biblical theology
Biblical Theology
Biblical theology is a discipline within Christian theology which studies the Bible from the perspective of understanding the progressive history of God revealing Himself to humanity following the Fall and throughout the Old Testament and New Testament...
. He served on the Translation Review Board for the English Standard Version
English Standard Version
The English Standard Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. It is a revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised Standard Version...
of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, and he is currently writing a commentary on the Book of Judges
Book of Judges
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
in the Apollos Old Testament Commentary series. An expansion of his doctoral thesis was published in 1994 by E.J. Brill & Co. as Marriage as a Covenant (reprinted in 1998 by Baker Book House).
Based on his published research on marriage in the Bible, Hugenberger claims that sexual intimacy is intended by God to function exclusively within marriage as a covenant
Covenant (biblical)
A biblical covenant is an agreement found in the Bible between God and His people in which God makes specific promises and demands. It is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith. It it is used in the Tanakh 286 times . All Abrahamic religions consider the Biblical covenant...
-ratifying and renewing act. It solemnly depicts the one-flesh bond that is definitional of marriage (Genesis 2:24), and it commits the couple before God, whether they are aware of it or not, to love each other as a part of their own body. With respect to questions about homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, Hugenberger has published an extensive statement of his views, "Questions and Answers on Issues Related to Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage." In his sermons on the topic, Hugenberger stresses that it should be the hallmark of Christians to be far more offended by their own sins than they are by anyone else's and that the Bible gives no support for homophobia, hatred, self-righteousness, prejudice, or bigotry: immorality that is homosexual is no worse, and it is no better than immorality that is heterosexual. He concludes from the Bible, "We have a Lord who loves us, everyone of us, just as we are. We also have a Lord who loves us too much to leave us as we are."
Dr. Hugenberger has also published the book "The Lord’s Prayer: A Guide for the Perplexed" (Park Street Church, 1999), and numerous articles in journals such as the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Southern Medical Journal. Some of the more notable ones are on 1Tim. 2:8-15, Typology, and the Servant of the Lord in the Servant Songs of Isaiah. He has also published a number of encyclopedia articles on the Old Testament in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1986 and 1988) and The New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition (InterVarsity Press, 1994). Dr. Hugenberger has also contributed in a variety of ways, including the introduction and study notes for Malachi in the English Standard Version Study Bible (Crossway, forthcoming), various articles for the Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar (Gary D. Pratico and Miles V. Van Pelt, Zondervan, 2001), and reviewing the translation of Malachi for the English Standard Version of the Bible (Crossway, forthcoming).
In another area of controversy, Hugenberger preached a series of sermons on science and creation in November 2007 through February 2008 in which he defends both a positive view of modern science and the framework interpretation of Genesis 1.
Hugenberger lives in Boston with his wife Jane; they have four adult children.
External links
- Parkstreet.org - The website of the church where Hugenberger ministers