Sophia Theological Seminary and Sophia Farms

26/03/2026

Sophia's leadership was fretting a little over the amount of work facing us to prepare for a growing season when we are planning to nearly double our production.

And then last Saturday to our rescue came a CBF VA Mission Madness crew. And what a crew! They prepped the vegetable patch (not easy work!), built raised beds, and sorted a ton (possibly literally) of books.

We are so grateful for each of these youth, their leaders, and the leadership of CBF VA. It was a great day to get good tired at Sophia Farms!

26/03/2026

"These three examples [Amos, Jeremiah, and Jesus] of many biblical instances of prophetic protest raised in a sanctuary setting...suffice to demonstrate that voices of truth belong in the context of worship."

Sophia Dean Mark E. Biddle writes about prophets, protest, and worship. Follow the link to read his full blog post.

Amos, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jesus, and the Apostle staged protest actions in the sanctuary. Truth-telling belongs in church.

06/03/2026

Who is a sojourner? Stranger, foreigner, enemy, neighbor...

Sophia Dean, Mark Biddle, offers a response, drawing a line from the invoking of Leviticus 19:34 in recent social media discussion to the ancient Israelite context to Jesus's teachings.

06/03/2026

What better way could you spend a beautiful Saturday than connecting with God's good creation?

Join us on the farm tomorrow (Mar 7), as we work to prep the ground for the growing season.

(And, if you can't come out tomorrow, we are gathering again on Mar 21.)

To let us know you'll join us or to get further info, email us ([email protected]).

Groups, families, and people of all abilities are welcome.

04/03/2026

Sophia needs your help preparing the ground for the growing season.

Join us this Saturday the 7th or on Mar 21st. To let us know you'll join us or to get further info, email us ([email protected]).

Groups, families, and people of all abilities are welcome.

07/02/2026

The dean has a new post about Sophia on his blog. Check it out here:

Because of associations with denominations, buildings, and institutions, the word "church" presents difficulties for some followers of Christ.

21/01/2026

The dean's blog has a new post introducing Sophia to his blog readers. Check it out:

Sophia Theological Seminary re-imagines the educational program based on the insight that the best theological education integrates the traditional fields of theological study, with one another and with life (of the individual, the community, and the world) and ministry.

07/01/2026

I just posted a new entry on my blog. The link is below.

In an age in which many value pluralism and diversity while others champion the advantages of unity and uniformity, the church can benefit from a reappropriation of the Bible's vision of harmony, difference directed toward a common objective, cohering around a common vision. Paul admonished the Phil...

30/12/2025

Our dean, Dr. Mark E. Biddle, just posted a new entry on his blog. Follow the link below:

Each of you not looking out for yourself but for each other...Phil 2:4

26/12/2025

Diversity. Unity. Harmony.

Give a listen to this recording from Dean Mark E. Biddle.

In an age in which many value pluralism and diversity while others champion the advantages of unity and uniformity, the church can benefit from a reappropriation of the Bible's vision of harmony, difference directed toward a common objective, cohering around a common vision. Paul's letter to the Phi...

24/12/2025

When my children were growing up, we would drive around the suburbs near us one or two evenings during the Christmas season looking at outdoor decorations. We typically classified them as beautiful or funny or, sometimes, awkward.

The Christmas after the terrorist attacks by air on New York and Washington, which we now call simply 9/11, I was surprised to see another category: patriotic Christmas.

Maybe I should say that I was offended. The biblical narrative reports that, almost from the moment of his birth and for the rest of his life, Jesus was the target of the state’s appetite for power and control. First, the Jewish king Herod tried to kill him and the Roman procurator Pilate ultimately succeeded.

Jesus did not come to make Israel great again, but to bring the Good News of God’s love for all people, everywhere, in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. No, Christmas is not a patriotic holiday.

I am Dr. Mark Biddle, dean of Sophia Theological Seminary and laborer on Sophia Farms. On behalf of the Sophia community, I want to wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, but I also want to invite you to join us in contemplation and reflection concerning the significance of the circumstances surrounding the birth we celebrate.

Immanuel was born into poverty as a member of a subjugated and oppressed population, and he spent a period of his life as a fugitive and refugee in a foreign country. Later, as an adult, he taught us that greatness consists, not of having wealth and wielding power, but of serving others, taking care of those in need and even loving our enemies.

May you feel God’s presence with you this Christmas and may you hear God’s call to compassion.

24/12/2025

"On occasions during my youth, I would join my grandmother to worship in the small church in the community where she grew up. For me, it was a mysterious and sacred place, a place prominent in my family’s history. My great-grandfather, a mining engineer, spear-headed the community project that built it of river rock and rough-hewn timbers. My grandfather and father, years later, joined with the other men in the church to restore the roof. I heard stories about the women of the community, on both occasions, gathering together to feed the men, about adolescent boys striving to prove their young manhood, and about children playing in, among, and around these events.

In adulthood, I have become familiar with the tradition of barn-raisings, house-raisings, and other similar community efforts...[These events]occur in an atmosphere of joy and celebration—probably my favorite element. In fact, the Amish and Old Order Mennonites, who continue to practice this form of mutual aid, call these events “frolics” (from the Middle Dutch ‘vrolijk’; ‘vro’ “to hop”).

Most importantly, these events involve the whole community. Every person is welcomed and needed, each making their own unique contribution. In this way, quite literally, shelter is something we build together. Thus, we do the work of God, whom the Bible frequently describes as shelter and refuge: 'For you have been a stronghold for the poor, a stronghold for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat…' (Isa 25:4)."
What is shelter?
This Advent season, our Sophia faculty are reflecting on this question, one that is both theological and practical. Follow the link in the post to read more from Dean Mark Biddle. And please consider a year-end donation to support our Frolic and help us raise a roof — a pole barn for our tractors and large farm equipment.