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qosI am a seminarian, a scholar, and a feminist. I think it's important that we look critically at Biblical texts that condone subordination of women, just as we look critically at those which condone slavery, anti-Semitism, ecological abuse, or other hateful/hurtful acts and beliefs.
However, when the prof spends most of a three-hour class focusing on some of the most objectionable texts (from a feminist perspective) from the Pauline corpus ("Wives, obey your husbands. . . " "I do not permit women to speak or teach in church. . . " and etc.), and makes the class session more about patariarchy than Pauline theology and social context, I get very upset.
It makes no sense to pull these texts out of context and use them to bash patriarchy -- not in an Introduction to the New Testament class in seminary. If you're going to call them out for a closer, critical look, do so after discussing the larger perspective on Paul, so that we can have an intelligent conversation about why he was writing about these issues in the first place, and whether or not the teachings in them are consistent with Pauline theology as a whole.
To make matters worse, she's wasting all our time by preaching to the choir. No one in this class needed to have their eyes opened to the fact that these are problematic texts from a liberal 21st century perspective. We all know that there are people in this world who still take them literally and insist that they be obeyed, but none of them are in this class.
Three hours!!! And not one word about how the letters represent single moments in ongoing conversations, the rest of which is lost to us. Nothing about Paul's christology, or his fundamental contribution to early theology. Nothing about why some letters are no longer considered to be written by Paul, but are believed to have been written in his name. These are some of the most important texts in Christianity, and Prof. B spends three hours telling us that Patriarchy is Bad and that some texts are cultural rather than authentically revelatory.
I hate having my class time wasted like this.
However, when the prof spends most of a three-hour class focusing on some of the most objectionable texts (from a feminist perspective) from the Pauline corpus ("Wives, obey your husbands. . . " "I do not permit women to speak or teach in church. . . " and etc.), and makes the class session more about patariarchy than Pauline theology and social context, I get very upset.
It makes no sense to pull these texts out of context and use them to bash patriarchy -- not in an Introduction to the New Testament class in seminary. If you're going to call them out for a closer, critical look, do so after discussing the larger perspective on Paul, so that we can have an intelligent conversation about why he was writing about these issues in the first place, and whether or not the teachings in them are consistent with Pauline theology as a whole.
To make matters worse, she's wasting all our time by preaching to the choir. No one in this class needed to have their eyes opened to the fact that these are problematic texts from a liberal 21st century perspective. We all know that there are people in this world who still take them literally and insist that they be obeyed, but none of them are in this class.
Three hours!!! And not one word about how the letters represent single moments in ongoing conversations, the rest of which is lost to us. Nothing about Paul's christology, or his fundamental contribution to early theology. Nothing about why some letters are no longer considered to be written by Paul, but are believed to have been written in his name. These are some of the most important texts in Christianity, and Prof. B spends three hours telling us that Patriarchy is Bad and that some texts are cultural rather than authentically revelatory.
I hate having my class time wasted like this.
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-23 06:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-23 06:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-23 01:59 pm (UTC)Ah yes, "moral intuitionism," the claimed ability to distinguish between the authentically revelatory and the merely cultural by means of one's pre-existing intuitions about "what's right."
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-23 02:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-24 03:06 am (UTC)And I did state in class that our attitude toward these texts should carry with it a certain humility toward our own attitudes about what is "revelatory" or not, based on our own cultural biases and predisposition.
I'm not sure anyone paid attention.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-24 03:07 am (UTC)I might have done it if I had been in class last week (instead of in Georgia) and was sure that she hadn't actually covered some of the foundational stuff then. It would have been embarrassing to start trying to drag the class into a discussion they already had.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-02 02:52 am (UTC)Want to ask if I can "friend" you from This Post Alone.
You rock.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-02 05:36 am (UTC)After looking through your interests list, I'm sure you could have found me all kinds of ways -- and there are a bunch more things we have in common that I either didn't list, or listed differently: Sophia, women's ordination, and etc.
You've arrived at an interesting time. I'm in the midst of doing some serious discernment about my future in seminary (where I'm pursuing a Master of Arts in Transforming Spirituality). Stay tuned for more details!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-02 03:03 pm (UTC)and -- you DO rock.
Into the Woods icons? (and you KNOW that's what she's thinking?)
ROCK.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-03 01:32 am (UTC)I have to confess: I take deep satisfaction from the process of discernment. More than just about anything else, I want to be able to feel confident that I am on the right path -- and that's not been something I've been able to feel very often in my life. It's only been within the past few years that I've finally started edging closer to it. Discernment is the kind of deep, soul-stretching, truth-finding process that I love.
Which is probably one reason why I'm feeling drawn to work as a spiritual director.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-03 02:07 am (UTC)The Baker's Wife is my favorite, as well. And I understand the show in a way I simply couldn't sixteen years ago.
The local prep school is putting it on this month -- and I'm taking the kids, because it's one of their favorites as well.
(I have more to say about discernment, but I think that goes sort of with the other response...if I can find it now... Bugger...)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-03 02:15 am (UTC)My daughter just turned nine in January.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-03 03:03 am (UTC)(Oh! I know! See, this is me: The World, Queen of Cups, just...now...finding...and learning to use...my SWORD!)
(And you already had one, goddammit! =D)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-03 03:10 am (UTC)The World has always been a very special card for me: at least the version from the Robin Wood tarot(http://www.nightskies.co.za/robin_wood.htm)
I call it "The Dancer in the Void" -- the ultimate "walker between worlds", in harmony and balance with all the elements, and with both earth and cosmos.
For many, many years I've felt strong resistance to the Queen of Cups. As a Queen of Swords, I never trusted her emotionalism, nor the non-intellectual nature of her psychic/intuitive abilities. The fact that my younger sister is a strong Queen of Cups didn't help.
But recently -- very recently -- I've started embracing and honoring that part of myself, started searching for my own Queen of Cups nature.
I'm not all that good with Pentacles either, but 9 of Pentacles is my third "key" card (with QoS and World).
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-03 04:00 am (UTC)2. Queen of Cups (just freaking keeps turning up!)
3. Empress (life card)
(are we scary or what?!)
I've got to find those posts to show you...those posts where I make peace with "the T of me"...
Now, I'm comfortable with my balance, but before...damn...that shift was hard.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-03 01:51 pm (UTC)No one has ever mistaken me for a male, but I've been told on more than a few occasions that my mind and my attitudes have a strongly masculine element. To me, the Empress is very much about fecundity and nurture, which are two things I don't do all that well. I love my daughter, but I got pregnant as a gift to my Ex-husband, and while I can care for those I love, my nurturing energy is limited. I'm only just starting to really resonate with the High Priestess more than the Magician. . .
I'd certainly be interested in reading those posts you describe. My quarter is almost over, so after I get my paper done, I'll have a chance to go back and simply browse some of your earlier posts.