In the famous scene from the movie Braveheart, William Wallace, the tough and rugged Guardian of Scotland, cries out just before his death, “Freeeee-dom!”
If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll certainly remember that heartfelt shout and the feeling it elicits in all who desire to see freedom reign. The mention of the famous Scotsman’s name connotes bravery, standing for truth, and inspiration to a nation.
That was thirteenth-century Scotland. Fast forward to the twenty-first century and meet two more brave hearts from Scotland, Andrew and Elizabeth Holden, who lead the one and only Torah Club in the country. How fitting to note that their Torah Club is in Stirling—as in the Battle of Stirling—where William Wallace fought and won a major battle of the First Scottish War of Independence.
The Holdens, too, have taken up a battle and have planted their Scottish Torah Club flag firmly as they seek to educate and inform their brothers and sisters regarding replacement theology, opposition to Torah, and anti-Semitic/anti-Israel bias. It’s a lonely road as many Torah Club Leaders can attest, but as Andrew states, “The Torah informs our understanding of the other Hebrew Scriptures and in turn the Gospels and Apostolic Scriptures. If we fail to understand Torah, then that will inevitably inform our practice, which is likely to be somewhat askew. I searched the Scriptures from a new perspective and found that what Yeshua taught and practiced was not new; it was mostly from the Tanach.”
It was after many years of studying the Word of God and Yeshua in a Jewish context, that the depth and importance of sharing these truths took “hold” for the Holdens. In 2018, on a tour of Israel for their thirtieth anniversary, in a connection only HaShem could have arranged, Andrew and Elizabeth met Tracy Jackson, a Torah Club Leader from Alabama. Tracy introduced them to the idea of leading a club and not long after, Scotland’s Stirling Torah Club was born.
As of May 2020, they are now leading a club of fifteen members and things are going smashingly! Andrew says, “Some have said that it is the best Bible study they have ever been part of, while others have marveled as they find that they are learning what was previously somewhat difficult to grasp and thus inaccessible.”
It’s not easy, however, and the Holden’s could use plenty of prayer. “There are hundreds of Torah Clubs in the US but only one in Scotland. The UK does not have very many Messianic fellowships or teachers. We cannot voice support for Israel here without at least being verbally abused. They are vociferous in their opposition.” They’d love to connect with other Torah Club Leaders, too: “Please tell the wider Torah Club they are free to contact us or to Zoom in and to visit (in Scotland).”
So like William Wallace before them, may they bring inspiration and change to the people of Scotland through the Torah Club of Stirling!