BY SMERDYAKOV
BERRIEN SPRINGS— In his sermon, “For I’m a Man” Dr. Richard Choi self-deprecatingly bemoans his lack of wisdom in comparison with revered Old Testament scholar, Dr. Jacques Doukhan. He also declares that he’s no preacher only to deliver a clear, well-thought and meaningful message. But it’s not his self-perceived “lack of wisdom” or lack of homiletical ability that should concern Dr. Choi. Instead, he’s struggling with the narrative battle.
At the beginning of the semester, Dr. Choi was bemused by the apparent lack of numbers swelling to register for his classes. He is after all one of the brightest biblical scholars in the Adventist church. His meticulous, disciplined and thorough approach to biblical exegesis is highly respected by fellow scholars. He has written numerous scholarly and peer-reviewed articles ranging from topics such as the intra-Jewish dialogue in 4 Ezra to ‘Justification and Variegated Nomism’. Even his sermons are thoughtful, inspiring and well-delivered. Thus, it’s somewhat surprising that students aren’t clamoring to sign up for his class on Romans or NT Christian Ethics.
His problem is a public relations one. Critics suggest Dr. Choi lost the communication battle early once he allowed students to attach the tag ‘difficult teacher’ on him. His demands for rigorous scholarship from students contribute to his poor polling numbers among seminarians, a key demographic.
“I’ve heard what students say about me but I maintain these high standards to ensure that I’m preparing our future pastors and future scholars well,” stated Dr. Choi.
But his scholarly reputation appears to be a detriment to his standing among lazy students who prefer the easy A rather than a well-earned one. Furthermore, his Zen-like calm can be a double-edged sword. For some, this makes him seem above the fray and cool. For others, it feeds into the narrative of his aloofness.
“He’s too brainy and cultured. When he teaches, he tends to over-deliberate and is too expansive. Besides, his theories from academia won’t transfer to the real world.” complained Axel Jones, a graduate from the Adventist Theological Seminary.
Indeed, students echo Jones’ complaint that Dr. Choi’s scholarly approach is out of touch. But he appears resigned to losing the narrative battle since he doesn’t mask his disdain for the theater of schmoozing, “an unnecessary evil” according to him. His interview with the Soy Dog started with a brusque and matter-of-fact, “Alright, fire away.” His preferred approach, much to the dismay of his loyalists and surrogates, is to let his intelligence and scholarship speak for itself.
“I don’t have the money or time to spend on positive ads to boost my image. I prefer it this way since I know that those who take my class are the ones who really want to and who are capable enough to handle the discipline that I demand.”
Students highlight his need to get out more to the Commons and mingle in order to appear more “in touch” and convey that he “feels their pain.”
Sam Weinberg said, “He should try conveying more empathy with the plight that students face so that they know he understands their struggles. He’s also too professorial and can come off as cold. In class, he needs to capture the inspiration of his sermons.”
Dr. Choi bristles though at suggestions that he isn’t “in touch” with the concerns of seminarians or that he doesn’t “feel their pain.” Nevertheless, he refuses to triangulate and pander to popular opinion.
“The pastor in me wants to give everyone in this class A’s but I have standards to uphold. I can’t go by the polls or others think I should do. I pride myself in doing the right thing, even if it’s unpopular in the short-term.”
