Friday, September 21, 2007 at 2:02am
If thy sister trespass against thee
Column: Interesting Times
Ooops. She did it again. There are only two guidelines for a St. John's College seminar: 1) the use of surnames and not first names; and 2) stick to the text — which for this class is Acts of the Apostles. Ms. Religious Education — as we others in the class have begun to call her — once more, in an attempt to prove just how smart she is, just how friendly and accessible she can be, refused to stick to the text and insisted on calling each of us by our first names. O My G-d. I am not alone, am I, in finding the ubiquitous use of first names in the United States a sign of the decline of the empire?
This dear woman, as mentioned last week, is still frantic to be noticed, bringing to the table all sorts of "historical facts" outside the text interrupts. And, even though for two weeks now we have addressed each other as Mr. Smith, Ms. Jones-Black, Ms. Bundesen, and we address her by her surname, she still calls us all by our first names. She cannot hear. She does not listen. Onward she goes with an undue familiarity telling us things that have nothing to do at all with what it was about Paul that caused so much dissension and so many successes in converting people to The Message of Jesus Christ's resurrection — the question we are supposed to be discussing. After just a meeting and a half, the class is beginning to turn against her. That is the opposite of what she expected, bringing to the evening her years and years of telling people in Roman Catholic education what they should and must know.
At least half the class attended Catholic schools as children and either don't remember what they learned there Oh So Many Years Ago or are looking for another, more current view. They are not going to get that from Ms. Religious Education, keys tied to her black belt as if she were a warden. The contrast with the woman across the table decked in turquoise, bright red lipstick and several layers of contrasting colored cotton was marked.
The contrast became even more stark when Ms. RE said that the healings, the "miracles" of the disciples, converts and Apostles were mere "attention grabbers" to promote the brand — Christianity. With only a smidgeon of rage visible, Ms. Turquoise (as it turns out, a possessor of a Ph.D in history and religion) said, "What? You are saying that there are no miracles, or that they were scams to bring people into the fold? Don't you think that you are treating something quite profound, something that obviously, According To The Text, had an impact on people, as if it were a branding exercise?" Her answer was, "Well, Paul Johnson says so." Which, of course, opened it up for anyone who knew more than Ms. Religious Education to roll their eyes, look to the heavens and say with a sneer, "Paul Johnson?" as Ms. Turquoise did.
Civility rules in seminar dialogues, and a St. John's class is probably one of the few places in the current United States where discussion between perceived equals flourishes. No Republicans, no Democrats, no pro the president, criticism of the president, no them and us — just adults challenging, questioning, learning within a framework that makes it all possible. The use of surnames and an injunction to stick to the text make dialogue and discussion possible. I had already slightly suppressed my rage at an earlier remark audible over the jangle of her keys, that Peter and James were willing to drop circumcision as a requirement for participation in the new congregation. "If they had not dropped circumcision," she said, "the church never would have been born." "You mean the birth, death and Resurrection of Jesus, witnessed by many, would not have been enough to make a believer?" I asked. "Well," she said, "ask any of the men here in the room how they feel about being circumcised." "They didn't ask the question," I said. "You did. I am asking you." I tried to smile.
It will all go better next week when we read and discuss the first half of Romans. I have just re-read Paul's letter in both the King James Version and Eugene Peterson's "The Message," and that translation so moved me that I felt as if I were almost present with Paul. But it will all go better next week not because I have done my homework but because I will say, before class, in private, the guidelines, as I should have after the first class, according to Matthew 18:15: "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."
Or, in this case, a sister. It strikes me, the morning after, that not only will this restore harmony to the group but that this is what it must have been like in the days of Paul.
Disputation over the "law" and over "grace"; harmony restored by following the words of Jesus, or, as Ecclesiastes says, "There is nothing new under the sun." That's a comfort.
— — —
Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion and was adjunct professor at the Boston Theological Institute under a Templeton Science and Religion Grant. She is currently the spiritual expert for the physical and spiritual health website of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her book "The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture" was just published. Her email address is {email lynnebundesen@hotmail.com}lynnebundesen@hotmail.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Lynne Bundesen.
This dear woman, as mentioned last week, is still frantic to be noticed, bringing to the table all sorts of "historical facts" outside the text interrupts. And, even though for two weeks now we have addressed each other as Mr. Smith, Ms. Jones-Black, Ms. Bundesen, and we address her by her surname, she still calls us all by our first names. She cannot hear. She does not listen. Onward she goes with an undue familiarity telling us things that have nothing to do at all with what it was about Paul that caused so much dissension and so many successes in converting people to The Message of Jesus Christ's resurrection — the question we are supposed to be discussing. After just a meeting and a half, the class is beginning to turn against her. That is the opposite of what she expected, bringing to the evening her years and years of telling people in Roman Catholic education what they should and must know.
At least half the class attended Catholic schools as children and either don't remember what they learned there Oh So Many Years Ago or are looking for another, more current view. They are not going to get that from Ms. Religious Education, keys tied to her black belt as if she were a warden. The contrast with the woman across the table decked in turquoise, bright red lipstick and several layers of contrasting colored cotton was marked.
The contrast became even more stark when Ms. RE said that the healings, the "miracles" of the disciples, converts and Apostles were mere "attention grabbers" to promote the brand — Christianity. With only a smidgeon of rage visible, Ms. Turquoise (as it turns out, a possessor of a Ph.D in history and religion) said, "What? You are saying that there are no miracles, or that they were scams to bring people into the fold? Don't you think that you are treating something quite profound, something that obviously, According To The Text, had an impact on people, as if it were a branding exercise?" Her answer was, "Well, Paul Johnson says so." Which, of course, opened it up for anyone who knew more than Ms. Religious Education to roll their eyes, look to the heavens and say with a sneer, "Paul Johnson?" as Ms. Turquoise did.
Civility rules in seminar dialogues, and a St. John's class is probably one of the few places in the current United States where discussion between perceived equals flourishes. No Republicans, no Democrats, no pro the president, criticism of the president, no them and us — just adults challenging, questioning, learning within a framework that makes it all possible. The use of surnames and an injunction to stick to the text make dialogue and discussion possible. I had already slightly suppressed my rage at an earlier remark audible over the jangle of her keys, that Peter and James were willing to drop circumcision as a requirement for participation in the new congregation. "If they had not dropped circumcision," she said, "the church never would have been born." "You mean the birth, death and Resurrection of Jesus, witnessed by many, would not have been enough to make a believer?" I asked. "Well," she said, "ask any of the men here in the room how they feel about being circumcised." "They didn't ask the question," I said. "You did. I am asking you." I tried to smile.
It will all go better next week when we read and discuss the first half of Romans. I have just re-read Paul's letter in both the King James Version and Eugene Peterson's "The Message," and that translation so moved me that I felt as if I were almost present with Paul. But it will all go better next week not because I have done my homework but because I will say, before class, in private, the guidelines, as I should have after the first class, according to Matthew 18:15: "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."
Or, in this case, a sister. It strikes me, the morning after, that not only will this restore harmony to the group but that this is what it must have been like in the days of Paul.
Disputation over the "law" and over "grace"; harmony restored by following the words of Jesus, or, as Ecclesiastes says, "There is nothing new under the sun." That's a comfort.
— — —
Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion and was adjunct professor at the Boston Theological Institute under a Templeton Science and Religion Grant. She is currently the spiritual expert for the physical and spiritual health website of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her book "The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture" was just published. Her email address is {email lynnebundesen@hotmail.com}lynnebundesen@hotmail.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Lynne Bundesen.