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Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Boring by Comparison 

There is nothing particularly wrong with today. In fact, it is quite a nice day. A friend who had some fears about lectoring in Chapel lectored this moring and did a superb job - articulate, well-paced, clear, and well-projected. There was a nice service of unity with our brethern from across the street at Garrett, even if it was odd that half the liturgical party was vested and the other half was not. Hebrew class went well this morning and we got our mid-terms back - once again I think Prof. was being generous with grades, but I'll never complain over a good one. (Small side note: I was goofing with someone yesterday in music class when we were discussing singing the psalms. The translation of Psalm 1 we were using began, "Happy are they..." and I pointed out to my friend that the actual Hebrew word used is 'ha'ish', meaning 'the man'. This was done primarily to frustrate her; I am in full favor of most uses of inclusive language - I draw the line at "goddess" and "our true Mother, Jesus".)

All that squared away, today is still boring compared to yesterday. The excitment I felt all day yesterday leading up to going to Wrigley that was fulfilled 2x over again once there just doesn't match up to the excitement I feel about Biblical Theology class. Sorry. Not to mention the first class company. So, yeah, today is boring by comparison.

All in all, I am ready to be done with school for this year. I've noticed that in my study habits, with Hebrew being the only class I'm still going at with full force. It's been a long academic year, and though emotionally easier than the last, I'm still ready to be done. I'm ready for summer and warmth. I'm ready for sandals and grass getting stuck between my toes. I'm ready for grilling and the sound of ice grinding in a blender, for the taste of Everglades seasoned meat and lime daquiris. I'm ready for lazy Saturday afternoons spent on the lakeshore and being able to spend time with friends during the week without feeling guilty. I'm ready for more trips to ballparks and random visits to the ice cream stand. Lord, I'm ready for the summer - bring it on.

-R

posted by Ryan @ 2:38 PM   Permanent Link for this Entry

5 Comments:

Ryan:

Indeed, that Hebrew masculine singular (and the Greek equivalent) is precisely why inclusive language can't work on this Psalm: it's a Messianic Psalm, about the Christ.

Or so says the Church.

By Blogger Benedict Seraphim, at 7:20 PM  

So, God is exclusively male?

By Blogger Dawgdays, at 11:08 PM  

Wes:

Your (rhetorical?) question is a logical non sequitor. Masculine gender does not equate to sexually male.

It is the case, however, that Jesus revealed God as Father, and not as Mother, or what have you. And while there are maternal metaphors and similes that are entirely appropriate to use in reference to God, to speak of God in ways that are contrary to the revelation given us by Jesus is tantamount to speaking of another God.

(And just so you know, I'm not making Mother-Father into a binary opposition, but the impetus of de-masculinizing the revealed terms in which Jesus spoke of Father is, indeed, opposed to Jesus' revelation for it is based not on revelation or the received Faith of the Church, but modernist political paradigms that are usually in rigid and inflexible opposition to the received faith of the Church.)

By Blogger Benedict Seraphim, at 7:36 AM  

Let me also point you to (Episcopal priest) Fr. Al Kimmel's post, third in a series, which specifically touches on this matter:

Is God a “He”?

By Blogger Benedict Seraphim, at 8:02 AM  

Avoiding the whole man / one issue, I instead focus on the half-garbed liturgical party. . . please do join in the worship review on Monday at Noon at the High Table (that refrain is reminding me of "Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel" - scary!).

Debra

By Blogger The Rev. Dr. Debra K. Bullock, at 12:26 PM  

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