Friday, June 15, 2007 at 1:01am
In sorrow
Column: Interesting Times
Most of us have heard of "original sin." We live its effects when we believe that evil is in the future and God is in the present. We live its effects when we refuse to accept good or when we believe some wonderful thing happening is "too good to be true."
Original sin is a syndrome that fathers other syndromes popular today in contemporary thought and in psychology. In its extreme version, "original sin" is particularly hard on women. That is the version that takes a single biblical line: "In sorrow thou shalt bring forth thy children" (Genesis3:16).
Matthew Fox has authored many books, among them "Original Blessing," in which he uses the Bible and the writings of religious thinkers through the ages to revise and expunge the notion of original sin. "God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God and God in her (1John 4:16)," Fox writes.
Some ministers, priests, imams, men and women resist the idea of including women as equal recipients of God's blessings. Not Fox. He takes the plunge into the idea of God as Father-Mother and of all creatures as equal recipients of Deity's completeness. "Wisdom," Fox believes, "names what the Creator wants for all of her children," and he quotes Julian of Norwich: "God is the true Father and Mother of Nature. ... God almighty is our loving Father, and God all wisdom is our loving Mother."
Matthew Fox is not the only one who names the key spokesmen over the ages as Augustine, Thomas a Kempis and Cotton Mather. But in a departure from traditional thought, he credits the Hebrew Bible, Jesus Christ, Paul, feminists, artists, poets as key spokespersons for no-fault, Creation-centered theology.
What makes this important to those not interested in theology as passion or hobby, what makes these ideas important to all of us, is that the idea of original sin is an anathema to democracy as a form of government. While many may think that theology does not affect them, or that it is the territory of others, we are victims of some of its practices. It is not difficult to understand that if one assumes humans are born into sin that not much is going to go right in the world. Nor is it hard to conclude that if one is to reach God in some future time and some future place, then humans are not participants in God's government here and now. Beware of theology that says the kingdom of God is not at hand.
Theology based on "original sin" postpones good, fosters sin, separates us from our brothers and sisters, delays the appearance of God in the lives of each of us and fosters fascism. Original sin theology thrives on self-righteousness while justice waits in the wings. Many people are afraid to not be a victim. It suits them to claim separation from God. Many others sincerely feel God wants them to suffer. Examining the theologies of the current and future U.S. presidential candidates is part of being an informed voter. Theology determines the state of union. Worth thinking through before some theology takes us all into war and we are all in sorrow that we have brought forth children?
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Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion. Her book "The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture" is the latest. Her email address is {email lynnebundesen@hotmail.com}lynnebundesen@hotmail.com{/email}. © copyright 2007 by Lynne Bundesen.
Original sin is a syndrome that fathers other syndromes popular today in contemporary thought and in psychology. In its extreme version, "original sin" is particularly hard on women. That is the version that takes a single biblical line: "In sorrow thou shalt bring forth thy children" (Genesis3:16).
Matthew Fox has authored many books, among them "Original Blessing," in which he uses the Bible and the writings of religious thinkers through the ages to revise and expunge the notion of original sin. "God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God and God in her (1John 4:16)," Fox writes.
Some ministers, priests, imams, men and women resist the idea of including women as equal recipients of God's blessings. Not Fox. He takes the plunge into the idea of God as Father-Mother and of all creatures as equal recipients of Deity's completeness. "Wisdom," Fox believes, "names what the Creator wants for all of her children," and he quotes Julian of Norwich: "God is the true Father and Mother of Nature. ... God almighty is our loving Father, and God all wisdom is our loving Mother."
Matthew Fox is not the only one who names the key spokesmen over the ages as Augustine, Thomas a Kempis and Cotton Mather. But in a departure from traditional thought, he credits the Hebrew Bible, Jesus Christ, Paul, feminists, artists, poets as key spokespersons for no-fault, Creation-centered theology.
What makes this important to those not interested in theology as passion or hobby, what makes these ideas important to all of us, is that the idea of original sin is an anathema to democracy as a form of government. While many may think that theology does not affect them, or that it is the territory of others, we are victims of some of its practices. It is not difficult to understand that if one assumes humans are born into sin that not much is going to go right in the world. Nor is it hard to conclude that if one is to reach God in some future time and some future place, then humans are not participants in God's government here and now. Beware of theology that says the kingdom of God is not at hand.
Theology based on "original sin" postpones good, fosters sin, separates us from our brothers and sisters, delays the appearance of God in the lives of each of us and fosters fascism. Original sin theology thrives on self-righteousness while justice waits in the wings. Many people are afraid to not be a victim. It suits them to claim separation from God. Many others sincerely feel God wants them to suffer. Examining the theologies of the current and future U.S. presidential candidates is part of being an informed voter. Theology determines the state of union. Worth thinking through before some theology takes us all into war and we are all in sorrow that we have brought forth children?
— — —
Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion. Her book "The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture" is the latest. Her email address is {email lynnebundesen@hotmail.com}lynnebundesen@hotmail.com{/email}. © copyright 2007 by Lynne Bundesen.