By David Key
When the Washington Territory was ready for statehood in 1889, there was a proposal to call it Columbia, in honor of the mighty Columbia River. Legislators rejected the idea in the fear that our 42nd state would then be confused with the District of Columbia. So they stuck with their original choice, and named it Washington.
Sometimes when you seek to avoid confusion, you make it even more confusing. Don't let anyone be confused when you take on the name "Christian". It means something. We live our life like the way Jesus lived his life. No confusion there. The only confusion that occurs is when we call ourselves Christian and live some other way. Wishing you much love and much light.
—The Rev. David W. Key, director of the Baptist Studies Program, is involved in recruitment, admissions, student life, counseling, placement, and development functions for Emory University's Candler School of Theology. He teaches in the Contextual Education program. He is the founding pastor of the Lake Oconee Community Church at Reynolds Plantation. Contact him at (404) 727-6350 or dkey@emory.edu. His
column appears weekly in this space.
