Pages

Thursday, March 15, 2018

USING DNA TO UNDERSTAND OUR FAMILY HISTORY

USING DNA TO UNDERSTAND OUR FAMILY HISTORY



Lindsey L. Heard with Grandson
Dedication – This Article is dedicated to LINDSEY L. HEARD. Lindsey was the youngest, and last survivor of the 12 children of James Addison Heard and Clora Frances Nolen Heard.  He passed away on Dec. 26, 2016, after spending a final Christmas surrounded by his loving family.  In the last year of his life, he participated in Y-DNA and autosomal DNA testing with Family Tree DNA, leaving all of our Heard Family a final gift.  He was a dear, gentle, loving man, who embodied the Christian ideal, and set an example for all of us.

PURPOSE -- The following is a quick (and dirty) introduction to Genetic Genealogy.  In order to share DNA findings with each of my family groups, I have written this "Introductory Overview."  I am writing (or have written)  reports for each branch of my family, and this blog is intended to offer background information for understanding these reports.  I am not an expert in genetic genealogy and the field is rapidly changing and expanding; so please forgive my errors.  I have included links and references.  Most importantly, I want to introduce you to the most complete and up-to-date source of information in the field -- THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF GENETIC GENEALOGISTS.  I urge you to join (it is free) and keep up with advances..  This is your  link to ISOGGhttps://isogg.org

TRADITIONAL GENEALOGY VS. GENETIC GENEALOGY -- I come from a long line of story-tellers and genealogists.  Virtually every branch of my family has had at least one avid genealogist.  While not all family members are researchers, they are almost all interested in family history. With the advent of Genetic Genealogy, many or my relatives (to date about 20 close kin and over 10,000 more distant relatives) are participating. The Genetic Genealogy Cheatsheet (by Blaine Bettinger and Family Tree Magazine) summaries salient features of the two approaches:


a


THREE TESTS USED IN GENETIC GENEALOGY -- 
Y-DNA; MtDNA; and aDNA

A schematic of our 23 chromosomes helps orientate us to the three tests currently used in genetic genealogy.


You will note that we have 23 pairs of chromosomes, and 22 of these are identical.  The 23rd is the sex chromosome.  We know the individual used as a model for this schematic was male because his 23rd chromosome has both an X and a Y.  Only males have a Y.  Females have two X's.  A male receives his Y chromosome from his Father, and an X chromosome from his Mother.  A female gets one X from her Mother and one X from her Father.  As you may have guessed, two of the three current DNA tests are related to these variables. 

 First, a Male's Y-DNA can be tested to identify his forefathers.   X-DNA from Males and Females may also be analyzed but is not as useful.   Second, your Autosomal DNA  (aDNA) from the other 22 chromosomes can be analyzed. These are passed from parent to child, with each child receiving half from their Father and half from their Mother. These two tests use Nuclear DNA (so named because the genetic material is taken from cell nuclei).  The Third test does not use nuclear DNA.  Instead it tests the DNA of the mitochondria found in the plasma of most cells  (MtDNA).


Mitochondria are often called the "powerhouse" of the cell because they are a source of cellular energy.  Each Mitochondrion has a genome that is independent of the genes of the host cell.  Mitochondrial genomes are very similar to bacterial genomes. Sone writers even consider Mitochondrion to be an ancient bacterial invader of our cells.  Mitochondrion are passed from Mother to child.  While both males and females have Mitochondrial DNA, and are eligible to have MtDNA tests, only Females can pass Mitochondrial DNA to their children.



The contrast between Nuclear DNA and Mitochondrial DNA  is illustrated in the following graphic:


 Basically Y-DNA tracks the male line of ancestors (father's father's father etc.) while MtDNA tracks the maternal ancestors (mother's mother's mother etc.) This chart works as long as the "YOU" is a male, since a female does not have Y-DNA.  Y-DNA owes at least a portion of its popularity to its relationship to surname.  Surnames as we use them today were adopted in Western Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries.  Y-DNA genealogy research is often organized in terms of Surname Projects.  You can join the Jackson, Heard, Adams, etc. Surname research project, upload your Y-DNA results, and wait for matches to be reported.  

Kyle Jackson and James "Jimmy" Heard were the first family members to trace their Y-DNA.  Kyle used FTDNA to trace our JACKSON Line and Jimmy used National Geographic DNA to trace our HEARD Line.  Since then, using Family Tree DNA (FTDNA), Charles Freeman has traced his FREEMAN ancestors; Lee Gains Nunley traced the NUNLEY Line; Lindsey Heard traced the HEARD Line; and David Adams traced our ADAMS ancestors.  

Using FTDNA, I did MtDNA testing to trace my Maternal Ancestors.  With the female line, the Surname changes every generation, so it can be complicated.  For example, my MtDNA came to me from Myrtis Lee Heard Jackson, from Clora Frances Nolen Heard, from Maria Theresa Jones Nolen, from Caroline Jelks Jones, from Elizabeth Merritt Jelks (whose Mother I have not identified). While Clora Frances Nolen Heard had 12 children, her MtDNA is shared today only by myself, my daughters and granddaughters, and Barbara Ann Ballis Able, and her daughters and granddaughters.




Y-DNA and MtDNA are relatively straight forward, but X-DNA is more complicated with each generation.  For example, I know that I have one X gene that came to me from my Father's Mother (my Paternal Grandmother, Ida Belle Adams Jackson).  I also have an X gene that came to me from my Mother.  However, I don't know whether the X gene I received from my Mother came from her Mother (my Maternal grandmother Clora Frances Nolen Heard) or from her Father (my Maternal grandfather, James Addison Heard, who would have received his X from his mother, Sarah Adeline Lindsey Heard).  And if this description of X confuses you, welcome to the club (it confuses me too). Thus far, rather limited use has been made of X-DNA in genetic genealogy.  However, it is anticipated that the future holds more sophisticated uses and analyses of X-DNA. 

-


At this time, I believe only ONE Company tests Y-DNA and MtDNA.  That company is FAMILY TREE DNA, located in Houston, TX.  Oxford Ancestors, which led the way in MtDNA testing, left the market in 2018.  At one time National Geographic tested Y and Mt DNA, but I do not know if they are still doing these tests. The other established companies (including ANCESTRY DNA and 23 AND ME) currently only test Autosomal DNA (the other 22 chromosomes).  Ancestry DNA once offered all three tests, but dropped Y-DNA and MtDNA several years ago.  It goes without saying that Autosomal DNA is the most popular, and most widely used approach in genetic genealogy.  

TIME AND DNA

In large part, choosing the "RIGHT" DNA TEST for your purpose depends on the time period in which you are interested.  Are you seeking to understand your Ancient Roots, how and when your Ancestors ventured out of Africa, and the routes they followed 10,000 or 40,000 or 100,000 years ago?  Do you want to know more about your Ethnicity -- where your ancestors lived 300, 500, or 1,000 years ago?  Are you seeking to discover or verify specific individuals in your recent ancestry, within the immediate past 50 to 200 years?  Are you seeking living or recently deceased relatives -- close family such as parents, siblings, or cousins?

ANCIENT ORIGINS

Y-DNA and MtDNA Tests yield Haplogroup designations.  haplogroup is a genetic population of people who share a common ancestor on the patriline (father's Y-DNA) or the matriline (mother's MtDNA). Haplogroups are assigned letters of the alphabet, and refinements consist of additional number and letter combinations. Haplogroups are defined by specific sets of shared genetic variation. Paternal haplogroups are families of Y chromosomes defined by a specific set of shared genetic variants.  Maternal haplogroups are  families of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that trace back to a single common ancestor.  You have probably heard of "Mitochondrial Eve" or "Y-DNA Adam." These expressions recognize that our Y-DNA and Mitochondrial DNA contain information tracing back to the first man and the first woman.  

Over time, mutations (naturally occurring variations) in either Y-DNA or MtDNA accumulate in systematic patterns denoting branches from common male or female ancestors.  The accumulation of specific variations identify the Haplogroups and their claves and sub-claves.  Anthropologists are mapping and remapping the travels of ancient peoples based on DNA analyses of living humans in specific geographical areas and on the DNA derived from ancient human remains.  Because this work is still "in progress" you can expect changes in the names (designations) given to different Haplogroups, and expansion and revision of information relating to the geographical locations and movements of specific groups.  

Mitochondrial DNA changes more slowly than Y-DNA.  Therefore MtDNA may not be helpful in differentiating between recent female ancestors.  Your MtDNA may, or may not, have accumulated identifying variations in the last 200 years.  Y-DNA changes more frequently than MtDNA, but it too may, or may not differentiate between male relatives (fathers, uncles, brothers, grandfathers) who lived within the last century (3 to 5 generations). For example, a Y-DNA test can tell you which of multiple "JACKSON" Families you are descended from, but may not be able to tell you which of several brothers is your direct ancestor (this is exactly the results we had from our first attempt at Y-DNA testing).   More advanced and more extensive tests are being developed to refine the information, and make both Y-DNA and MtDNA more specific.

The rapid changes in the Haplogroup designations and advancements in geomapping create many problems in understanding your results.  An example of difficulties in understanding Haplogroup results was found when David Adams did a Y-DNA test to track our Adams linage.  He was categorized as Haplogroup H, (specifically H2P96, in the new classification system), and everything we could find placed this Haplogroup in India.  Finally, after much searching we discovered new research placing H2P96 in Europe for about 40,000 years.  The complete story is told in an earlier Blog on Adams Y-DNA

 Similarly, we have had difficulties understanding the Y-DNA Haplogroup findings for my Uncle Lindsey Heard.  I am still seeking to understand the findings that place him in the E Haplogroup.  The following photos of famous people currently included in the E Haplogroup will easily help you to understand that some refinements or explanations are needed for this categorization.

As I piece together the travels of the ancient male ancestor of the E Haplogroup, he apparently moved out of Africa, and settled in the fertile crescent, where his descendants were among the first to master agriculture.  From there, some of E's descendants moved north into Europe or east into Asia, while others returned to Africa (and of course some stayed in the Middle East).  Those who moved into Europe prospered, but there were other men who knew agriculture and could compete with them.  Those who returned to Africa had little competition from others who practiced agriculture, so they prospered dramatically, multiplying wherever they moved and leaving millions of descendants.  Today, E one of the more common Haplogroups in Africa.

The most famous historical finding related to Y-DNA is almost certainly the discovery of the Y-DNA of Genghis Khan.  Actually, no one has found and tested the remains of the great Mongol conquer who died on Aug. 14, 1227.  However, in 2004, when it was discovered that one Y-DNA group dominated the male populations of the area that roughly corresponded to the Great Khan's empire, historians, dubbed that Y population as the male descendants of Genghis Khan.  Geneticists have estimated that one out of every 200 men alive today carry this Y-DNA.

The best publicized information on MtDNA is described in the 2001 book, "The Seven Daughters of Eve," by  Oxford Professor Bryan Sykes,  My Haplogroup is T1a, which places me among the daughters of Skyes' protoMother, "Tara".   I am given to understand, by those researching Haplogroup T that I have foremothers among mummies exhumed in Egypt.  T1a is found in higher frequencies in Ireland and Western Britain.  Recent speculation about Health predictions, based on maternal MtDNA, suggest that I am prone to diabetes, but probably resistant to Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's, a finding that clearly matches the health history of my Maternal Grandmother, from whom I received my MtDNA.

The driving finding from all of my readings about Haplogroup results (for both Y-DNA and MtDNA) is that we must always be cautious when considering written reports relating to our results.  We should use common sense, and recognize that the knowledge-base on the  DNA of ancient populations is changing so rapidly that the information available in popular writings or on the internet is often outdated. In other words, don't get distraught or disturbed if your first readings of Haplogroup reports place your ancestral line in Timbuktu or Kathmandu.  Keep reading and learning, and you will eventually understand the story of your ancient ancestors.

RECENT PAST -- LESS THAN 2 CENTURIES OR ABOUT 5 GENERATIONS

The recent solutions to two famous historical mysteries illustrate the time-sensitive, selective, and complementary use of the three tests (Y-DNA, MtDNA; aDNA) in identifying genetic relationships between individuals (living and dead).  The last Romanov Tzar, with his wife and children, vanished in 1918 (presumably murdered).  This 101 year-old (3 generation) mystery was eventually solved using all three DNA analyses (Y-DNA, MtDNA, and aDNA).  aDNA was used to define the relationships between the remains, while MtDNA and Y-DNA were used to identify them as the Romanovs. 

The 534 year-old (19 generation) mystery surrounding the burial place and remains of  King Richard III of England (Shakespeare's favorite villain) was recently solved using MtDNA from living maternal relatives. Two female 17th cousins, both descendants of Richard's Mother donated MtDNA that was found to perfectly match the MtDNA of the remains believed to be Richard III. Interestingly, Y-DNA from "presumed" living paternal relatives, did not match Richard's remains.  Investigators concluded that a "non-paternal" event had occurred, in which a "presumed father" was not the biological father.  Both scientific and popular reports (including videos) documenting these mysteries are available by internet search.  Some links are to these stories are:

Before delving more deeply into Autosomal DNA testing, we need to take a moment to consider both genealogical and genetic mathematics.

aDNA AND SOME GENEALOGICAL  MATHEMATICS

In discussing Autosomal DNA (aDNA) tests, you need to appreciate the math of our ancestry.  Since many of my kin have brains tuned to math, they may want to pursue more advanced explanations, but I'll keep it simple for the "rest of us."  Every one of us has two parents; 4 grandparents; 8 great grandparents 16 great, great grandparents (etc.) as illustrated below:


 After 7 generations (approximately 230 years), you have 128 ancestors, and after 12 generations (approximately 400 years) you have 4,096 ancestors.  This brings us to a paradox.  By the time we go back a couple of thousand years (say to the time of Jesus), you would have millions of ancestors.  The problem is that we eventually reach a point in time where you have more ancestors than there were people on earth.

The answer to the paradox is described by genealogists as "Pedigree Collapse."  Essentially, when cousins marry cousins (or other kin marry), the expansion of the pedigree and the multiplication of ancestors is checked.  All of us are the result of intermarriages of kin.  My favorite discussion of this paradox and its explanation is from the philosopher, humorist, and blogger Tim Urban.  I hope you take the time to read his explanations and enjoy his drawings.  Tim Urban on Ancestors and Descendants

,





At the personal level pedigree collapse is illustrated below.  In this chart,  Martha Park and Martha Parke are first cousins, granddaughters of Robert Parke and Martha Chaplin.  Therefore, Col. John Williams has 14 great, great grandparents instead of 16.

In recent times, especially in developed countries, intermarriages between relatives have been viewed with suspicion, and are illegal in some jurisdictions.  However, this was not true in the past, and is not true in many countries today.  According to Rutgers anthropology professor Robin Fox, 80% of all marriages in history have been between second cousins or closer.  Consider that statement carefully.  The reason is largely geographical.  Over the history of the world, most marriages have taken place between individuals who live no more than 5 miles apart.  I only have to go back two generations in my family, or  two in my husband's family to find 2nd cousin marriages.  Indeed, I have found that Charles (my husband) and I share one set of ancestors (from the early 1700's); and that my parents, share two sets of ancestors (from the late 1600's).  Such overlap further collapses the pedigrees of our children and grandchildren.

 Calculating cousin relationships is essential to understanding aDNA.  The following is a guide to understanding how two people are related in a family tree.  It illustrates degree of relationship (first, second, third cousins) and the removals (1 times removed, 2 times removed, 3 times removed) as determined by generations.  I also wrote an earlier blog defining cousinships.


SOME GENETIC MATHEMATICS


Each of us receives 50% of our Autosomal DNA from each parent.  All things being equal (and they aren't, so these percentages are always approximate) we would have 25% of our aDNA from each of our 4 grandparents; 12.5% from each of our eight great grandparents, etc., as illustrated in the table to the right.  Beyond our  great, great, great grandparents (line 5, -- 3.12%, on the table) all of our grandparents may not represented in our aDNA.  Some "drop-out" while others remain, with slightly higher percentages of DNA.  The ranges on the graphs below, also demonstrate the "drop-out" phenomena when the range reads 0-XX.

The chart below expands on this concept, illustrating the % of aDNA shared according to the degrees of biological relationship.  In the chart, cM stands for centimorgan.    In genetics, a centimorgan (abbreviated cM) or map unit (m.u.) is a unit for measuring genetic linkage.  Genetic linkage is the tendency of  sequences that are close together on a chromosome to be inherited together during the meiosis phase of sexual reproduction.  Essentially, the more shared centimorgans (cM) the closer the genetic relationship.

The results of aDNA tests are typically reported as shared centimorgans, although some report only in percentages.  If two individuals share significant centimorgans (cM), their genealogical relationship can be predicted, based on the expectations illustrated on the following chart.

The next illustration is an expansion of the same concept, and another way of looking at the same information:


DNA MATCHES and TRIANGULATION

Y-DNA, MtDNA, and aDNA all report results in terms of "Matches."  Regardless of the test, a match indicates that two individuals share DNA, with varying degrees of biological/genetic relationship. This is a relatively simple concept.  However, many people want to know how it is possible to use matches to other living people to infer a relationship to someone (an ancestor) who is long dead?  The answer is "triangulation." 

When two living individuals have a DNA match, they share an ancestor (or ancestors) .  The process of identifying the mutual ancestor(s) is called "triangulation." In the triangle analogy, the two matched individuals are the two connected vertices that form the base of a triangle, and their common ancestor is viewed as the apex of that triangle.  When any two people have matched genetic DNA, genealogical research is used to identify the common ancestor.  Conversely, when genealogical research identifies an ancestor, genetic matches between descendants of that ancestor gives evidentiary support to the validity of the genealogy.  Multiple matches between descendants of a common ancestor provide even stronger support.  In this way, traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy are complimentary.   The chart below illustrates a 10 generation triangulation.  Frances and S.K. have matching aDNA. They share their 7 Great Grandparents (William Lee and Rebecca Burchet).  The graphic from Ancestry DNA lists the generations that separate the 7th cousins, Frances and S.K.




ETHNICITY ESTIMATES

Advertisements for DNA testing frequently focus on "Ethnicity Estimates."  Evidently, discovering or verifying "ethnic roots" is a strong motivating force for many individuals choosing to have DNA testing.  DNA ethnicity estimates use aDNA testing, and "match" the subject's aDNA findings to data bases of individuals from a particular ethnic or geographic group.  The validity of ethnicity estimates is directly related to the size and accurate identification of the population used to define a given ethnicity.  The size and accuracy of data bases used for different ethnic groups varies.  For example, within parts the British Isles, some data bases are so extensive and specific that it is possible to connect an individual to a shire or village.  In other parts of the world, the data bases consist of far fewer, and possibly less representative groups.  Native Americans represent a population that many feel has been poorly sampled and consequently false negatives are common.  One indication that "ethnicity estimation" is still an evolving is the variation between testing companies.
It is clear that at this time, "ethnicity estimation" suffers from limited reliability, which raises questions regarding its validity.  However, as more individuals are tested and data bases are expanded and refined, both reliability and validity should improve.


GENETIC GENEALOGY TESTING COMPANIES 

Family Tree DNA (Now with subsidiaries in other countries, owned by Gene by Gene LTM)    
Ancestry DNA
23 And Me
Oxford Ancestors (closed in 2018)

My Heritage
Living Dander
Dante Labs (European Market)
DNA Ancestry and Family Origin (Middle East)
Vitagene
Helix
Orig3n
GPS Origins
Home DNA
DNA Consultants
DNA Worldwide
GENO 20 (National Geographic)
African Ancestry
Gencove
CRI Genetics
WeGene (Chinese)
23MoFang (Chinese)
24 Genetics (Spainish)

Health Genetics
Nutrisystem
Futura Genetics
Nimble Diagnostics



https://isogg.org/joinform.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/12/02/genealogical-dna-testing-companies-ancestry-23-andme/2141344002/
https://geneticsdigest.com/best_ancestry_genealogy_dna_test/index.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtMvlBRDmARIsAEoQ8zQuBR5reIoV0ZzppVSJFso09FHaSYVACuMLzQ75KuKMN16zjFtBTswaAucTEALw_wcB

https://www.consumersadvocate.org/dna-testing/a/best-dna-testing?pd=true&keyword=dna%20test&gca_campaignid=1571295800&gca_adgroupid=62020584680&gca_matchtype=p&gca_network=g&gca_device=c&gca_adposition=1t2&gca_loc_interest_ms=&gca_loc_physical_ms=9026838&&pd=true&keyword=dna%20test&gca_campaignid=1571295800&gca_adgroupid=62020584680&gca_matchtype=p&gca_network=g&gca_device=c&gca_adposition=1t2&gca_loc_interest_ms=&gca_loc_physical_ms=9026838&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtMvlBRDmARIsAEoQ8zT5T-nK740JAhtbYbZpSXP0m-fYT5ddDvc1ZYl94crZ3TwQW7v8UCIaAiEKEALw_wcB

Romanov --https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c07a/ec7df130b8261c126493117b4f2e5276e8c2.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2652717/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/332210909999828055/

Richard III--
https://www.history.com/news/new-richard-iii-mystery-comes-to-lighthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfi6gOX0Nf4

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

MOTHERS' DAY SERMON

INTRODUCTION -- I have never posted or otherwise published any of my sermons.  In part this is because I am lazy.  When outlining my sermons, I don't write down every word, or instructions for actions, and they can be difficult reading for anyone else.  However, I wanted to share this sermon, so it is up to the READER to imagine the portions that are sketchy.


MOTHER’S DAY SERMON

Introduction
I want to begin with a disclaimer. Nothing I say today is meant to disparage men. Some of my best friends are men. Hey, I even married one.       

Neither do I want to imply that Fathers or less important than Mothers. Fathers are of equal importance, but what they bring to our lives is different. Their roles are different, and today I want to focus on Mothers.

I also want to be clear that when I say Mothers, I am not excluding those who have never given birth. Some of the best Mothers have never given birth, but have provided nurture and love to others, especially to those in need of their care. They are Mothers in every sense of the word.

Now, I want you to help me preach this sermon on Mothers. First, form groups in pews, so you can share your answers to some questions:
(Let members form groups; then ask the first three questions for them to each discuss and answer in the groups.)

1.        What food do you associate with your Mother?
2.        What object do you associate with your Mother?
3.        What memory of something you did or something you do with your mother comes first to your mind?

(Ask this last question for them to respond outlaid after the count of 3)
4.        Choose one single word that you feel best describes your Mother.

a.         Dont share with your group. (Shout it out)
b.        On the count of three -- 1,2,3 (Make comment on the fact that for so many, the WORD was LOVE.)

Scripture Reading 1 John 4: 7-9, 16.  Read scripture

LOVE GOD IS LOVE  

GOD GAVE US MOTHERS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HIS LOVE

When God created women he wired them with some very specific neurological, hormonal, and emotional responses so that they would love and feed and protect babies. Most women know this from their own feelings and responses. But Scientists have wired women to machines to test their brain waves; to record their eye movements; or to record hormones in their blood stream, and these have shown that we are wired or created to respond to babies and children in very special ways. God created Mothers to Love babies and children, and to give them the love they need to grow and prosper.

Studies of innate responses in mothers The cry of an infant will elicit an alarm response in women. The sight of a baby elicits a warm, emotional response, a desire to hold, to kiss, to cuddle. In fact it doesnt have to be a baby. Anything with Big eyes and a small face can evoke emotional and hormonal responses. Puppies, kittens, all small helpless creatures tend to evoke a care response in many women. Women are created to nurture weak, helpless, needy things even Men.

IS THIS "MOTHER LOVE" IMPORTANT FOR HUMAN BEINGS --

Studies of mothering in monkeys (briefly tell the story of the baby monkeys raised without mothers)  No mother love = difficulty relating to others; difficulties sharing, difficulties finding mates, difficulties raising their own infants. Generations are disrupted. The Love you received as an infant is what allows you to Love. Love is passed down from generation to generation. If the chain of love and trust is disrupted, it is difficult to reestablish. If you are able to love your wife, you should probably give credit to your Mother. That should give wives a whole new perspective on their Mother-in-Laws.

MITOCHONDRIAL DNA  

Inside each of us is what scientists call mitochondrial DNA. This is DNA we receive from our Mothers. It is passed down from Mother to child over generations with only minimal changes even over centuries. Inside every cell in your body is DNA passed to you from your Mother, and from her Mother and from her Mother and from her Mother back to the beginning of time.  So look around you this morning. You are looking at your maternal cousins. WE ALL SHARE COMMON MITOCHONDRIAL. We are all related. Every human being so far tested can be traced back to one single MOTHER.

Science over the past decade has proven the existence of EVE, the single Mother from whom we are all descended. I hope it doesn’t upset any of you too much to realize the kinship you have to those around you. Kind of startling isn’t it.
Moreover, this same science that traces us back to EVE has found that all of those whose DNA has been tested are descended from ONLY Seven Women. Imagine that one Mother for us all; and only seven women  over the ALL THE generations AND CENTURIES. Only seven women whose daughters have survived to pass their DNA on to us. We are all the grandchildren of these daughters of Eve. Seven women whose Love and genes have been passed down to us over the ages, and dwell within each of us. What a common bond we share.
Before moving forward in today’s lesson, I want to read a passage of particular import from Genesis. 

Genesis 1: Verses 26-27.
Now, I have to tell you, I grew up reading the Bible, but when I was in my 30’s I was given some grammar lessons in Hebrew that had a great impact on me. 
When I was approaching my 30th birthday, we moved from Shreveport to New York City where I studied at the City University of New York. Now the City U system of New York was largely established because Jewish students couldn’t get into the private universities. These had quotas for Jews, and only admitted a specific number, so the rest who wanted to go to college attended one of the universities created by the City of New York. Because of this heritage, most of my professors and most of my fellow students were Jewish.
 

One of the women with whom I studied was the daughter of a Rabbi, the wife of a Rabbi, and she eventually became the Mother of a Rabbi. She was a Kohein, a direct descendent of Moses brother Aaron.

One of the classes we took together was comparative linguistics. In this course we talked about how the language we speak influences the way we think about our world. For example, in the language spoken by Eskimos, there are over 40 words for snow, and they can perceive each of these differences. We have only one word, and cant make fine distinctions between one type of snow and another. In the Navajo language, there is no past or future tense, and their perception of time is quite different from ours. They see time in universals rather than in a continuous line.

My Jewish friend gave an example from Hebrew, and used the verses I just read in her comparison with English. She pointed out that in Verse 26, the translator used the plural pronoun US In the phrase “Let us make. And the plural possessive pronoun Our in the phrase In Our image. While in Verse 27, the pronouns are His His image and He in He created.

She told us that the Hebrew language has a pronoun which is used for God and which is neither male nor female. The pronoun Hebrew uses for God encompasses both male and female and isn’t gender specific. English, like Greek and Latin only has singular pronouns that are gender specific. That is, we say he, or his, or him for males and she, or her for females. We do have plural pronouns that are not gender specific, such as they, them, us or our, to refer to groups that may be of mixed gender.

She said that when the Bible was translated into Greek, the Greek language didn’t have a singular pronoun that didn’t indicate gender. Thus, the translators had to use either plural pronouns as in verse 26 or a gender specific singular pronoun for use in verse 27. The Greek translators choose a masculine pronoun for God, assuming that an all- powerful God must be male.

After the class I had to ask her more about the theology behind the Hebrew pronoun. After all, isn’t God male? She said that the God of the Hebrews was never thought of as human, and thus was neither man nor woman -- neither male nor female. She said that they know that God possesses both the characteristics we consider Male, and the characteristics we consider Female. They know this because God created both Men and Women in God’s image.  If God were exclusively male, God could not create women who are different from men. If God were exclusively female, God could not create men as different from Women. Since both men and women are created in God’s image, they know that the characteristics of both men and women exist in God.

WOW!! This idea that God does not have a gender blew my mind. My amazement was even more marked when she went on to say that Jesus, a Rabbi, would not have prayed Our Father who art in Heaven. The word he would have used in Hebrew should be translated more accurately as either “Our Parent or as Our Father and Mother.

Double WOW!! What an amazing idea. Is it possible that our Heavenly Parent is not only strong, and powerful, with great expectations for us; but is also gentle, and forgiving, and accepting of our faults? What an amazing thought.

This conversation and these ideas were recently brought back to me because of a book that I read. How many of you have read the book, The Shack by William Young? Im not surprised. Since it was published in 2007, it has become a best seller, and has stirred up a lot of controversy. Let me tell the rest of you a little about it without giving the plot away.

 The main character is a man, who has led a tragic life. He had an abusive father and ran away from home very young. But he met a Christian woman, became a faithful Christian and they had a beautiful family. Then their beautiful five-year-old daughter was kidnapped from a campground, was abused and murdered by a pedophile. The man blamed God, lost his faith, and became terribly depressed.

Now, I have to tell you that when I first tried to read this book, I put it down and quit reading because I couldn’t cope with the horror of what this Father was experiencing. I didn’t finish reading it for over a year. And I only picked up again because members of my Sunday School class were raving about how wonderful it was.

I quite reading before the miracle. From the pits of depression, this man receives an invitation, and spends a weekend in a shack with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Now, here’s where a lot of other readers put the book down. They don’t like the personifications the author chose for the main characters. Jesus appears in the story as a Jewish man. The Holy Spirit appears as an Asian woman. AND God first appears to him as an African American Woman. A lot of readers find these characterizations of the Trinity to be offensive.

But as God explains later, this man needs a Mother-image because of his problems with his father. Only as a woman can God find this mans heart, and free him from the demons that haunt him. Only as a woman can God reach his mind and soul and transform him. And he is transformed by the lessons he learns from Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God.

One of the major lessons of the book are the different roles each of the members of the Trinity plays in our lives. The reader comes away understanding why God has three persons, and how each is important to each of us.
You also realize that God is both a father and a mother to each of His children. Within God are the attributes of the best possible Father AND the attributes of the best possible Mother.

Your ability to be a loving Father. Your ability to be a loving Mother. Your ability to Love at all, comes directly from God, because GOD IS LOVE. There is no other source of Love in this world. Love is the essential essence of God, and it is this essence that He placed within us at our creation. 

We are able to Love only because we were created in the image of God. The extent to which we are able to express love, to share love, to give love, to receive love is directly related to our experience of God. If we don’t love, he is not in us. The more we love, the closer we are to Him. If we grow in his knowledge and favor, we will grow in Love. Love is both the inward grace he gives us; and the outward evidence of our relationship with Him.

How good a Christian are you? It is not measured by how frequently you enter a church. It is not measured by how much you put in the collection plate. It is not even measured by how often you read the Bible or how often you pray. It is measured by how much you LOVE. How much you Love God; and how much you Love Others.

There are those who will only know the Love of God through You. You were placed here by God to share His Love with them. There is someone who will only know God’s Love through You. There is someone who needs God’s love, and is waiting for you to give that Love.  God is waiting for you to demonstrate your love for Him by showing Love to someone else. He has no other channel for His Love except through you. Are you giving God’s love to others?

 We are going to close now with prayer. First, we will pray silently, and then I will lead us in prayer. During the silent prayer, reflect on God’s love for you, and ask Him to draw you closer into His love. Ask him to help you to grow in the Love you are able to feel and express for Him and for others, and especially pray for those who need your love. LET US PRAY

Our Heavenly Father and Mother: (pray)  then say:
While the choir sings the closing hymn, if you are moved by Gods love for you; if you are moved by memories of the Love God transmitted to you through your Mother, come to the altar, and commit yourself to growing in Gods love. Commit yourself to sharing Gods love with those around you, especially to those who look to you to be a Father or a Mother.