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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
10th Annual Anatol Memorial Lecture Series Held Featuring Caribbean Historian Dr. Erna Brodber
By The College Of The Bahamas Office of Communication
Nov 18, 2015 - 6:17:54 PM
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(l-r) Dr. Craig Smith, Assistant Professor, SES; Dr. Erna Brodber, Anatol Guest Lecturer; Marie Sairsingh, Assistant Professor and Dr. Randall Pinder, Assistant Professor.
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Nassau, Bahamas -The tenth Anatol Rodgers Memorial Lecture at the College of The Bahamas was a moment of celebration for the institution, marked by a brilliant lecture from regional scholar Dr. Erna Brodber, a sociologist and social historian. Dr. Brodber’s contribution to this series of insightful lectures was entitled “Hands Across the African Diaspora: The Case of The Church of God and Saints of Christ.”
The lecture was held in the auditorium of the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre on Thursday, November 5th.
In attendance to hear Dr. Brodber’s lecture was Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Also in attendance were faculty, staff, and students of The College and members of the Rodgers family who sponsors the lecture which is organized by The School of English Studies.
Dr. Brodber’s lecture examined the development of The Church of God and Saints of Christ and the work of Prophet Crowdy.
“On the 13th of September in 1892, he, like the prophets of the Old Testament and Africans in various part of the Diaspora, thought he heard the voice of God calling him to be His messenger to the children of Israel and all nations on earth who have not been obeying his commandments. Like Jonah he was so overcome at being thus selected, that he pretended that the order had not been given. But more startling communication came the year later in which he was shown the name of the organisation he was to lead and where in the Bible to find the seven keys that would be its theological base. Still hesitant, he bargained with God: if you give me a good harvest, I will go. He got a good harvest that and the year after and though he did go out and preach, it was only in the town near to him though he knew that God expected more of him. Finally, it was a poor harvest and ill health that convinced him to keep his side of the bargain and in 1895 he set out to proselytize far and wide. He went to farther parts of Kansas, Arkansas, Chicago and even to Canada,” said Dr. Brodber.
Dr. Erna Brodber, Anatol Rodgers Memorial Lecture Series Guest Presenter.
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Dr. Brodber, who was born in the village of Woodside in St. Mary, Jamaica, is a Caribbean intellectual whose various engagements as a scholar, sociologist, social historian and novelist have earned her significant accolades. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History, M.Sc. in Sociology, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of the West Indies.
Dr. Brodber noted that “The Seven Keys” is an oft-mentioned concept in the Church of God and Saints of Christ.
“These are the keys to the church given to Prophet Crowdy by the Lord in a vision. These are Bible passages found in Corinthians, Leviticus, Mathew, St John, Romans and Revelations. The blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28, are not unknown and very important to establishing the connection between God and the Africans of the Diaspora,” said Dr. Brodber.
The Anatol Rodgers Memorial Lecture was created by Dr. Marjorie Brook-Jones, former Dean in the Faculty of Liberal and Fine Arts at The College. It is named after Anatol Rodgers, a Bahamian educator and the first female head principal of Government High School.
Dr. Jonathan Rodgers, son of Anatol Rodgers, said that the family is happy that people are remembering their mother and recognizing the things that she did when she was alive.
“I think the most important thing for her (throughout) her whole life was education and teaching other people, especially those who were least gifted. Her goal always was to help those who needed the help the most,” said Dr. Rodgers.
He added, “I think she would be really happy to see this event has been such a big success and how well it’s attended. Not just the fact that you get to hear really good speakers, but also these speakers get a chance to interact with the students and pass on their knowledge.”
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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