Ben Irwin blogs How Newsweek Got the Bible Right — and Still Got it Wrong in response to the Newsweek article that I linked to three weeks ago.
The Economist Go forth and multiply
Mark Clavier blogs Fragmented formation: training clergy.
Father Richard Peers SCP ‘Liberals in vestments’: What is the Society of Catholic Priests for?
First off, Ben Irwin’s article is first rate, technically savvy, and clear minded. Second, as I read Father Peers’ article the nostalgia washed over me like a wave, i.e. my memories of the Latin mass, Catholic parochial school, taught by nuns, marched to confession every first Friday and to mass on days of obligation, the May procession, together with later memories of liturgy classes in a progressive ecumenical school of theology taught by an Anglo-catholic priest, a disciple of Percy Dearmer who, when vested, could have been an illustration in The Parson’s Handbook. Peers’ perspective on his school’s connection with… Read more »
Fr Peers’ contribution is, for me, a nostalgic peep at what used to obtain for Anglo-Catholic parishes in the U.K. However, what excites me about his article is that he gives evidence of a new movement towards a more liberal theology – on the basis of a radical inclusion of women and gays in the Church. Here, in ACANZP, I am part of a parish that was formed along the way by English A.C. clergy, who were careful to retain the dignity of liturgical praxis and spirituality that proclaimed frequency of the Eucharist as basic to Christian formation. This is… Read more »
Fr. Ron, enjoyed reading your post re Fr. Peers. Enjoyed, as well, reading Peers article; but “nostalgic peep” is the word. His is an articulate, cogent, and I think open presentation of a framework he loves. But, it is a framework to which I could not return. Nostalgia is a two sided coin, I reckon One thinks about what was, and with it, the reasons one moved on.
The Newsweek article may have overstated the ambiguity of Bible translation, but at crucial points, it becomes important. Look at the actual words of the original texts cited against gays in Leviticus and Romans — the meanings not clear in Hebrew or Greek. But instead of translating the words, translators tend to guess at the meaning. Another example of translating guesswork is where David “exceeds himself” in the field with Jonathan. Ancient euphemisms and slang may not transfer easily to modern language. (See the sexual metaphors in the Song of Solomon.) And people may yawn at discrepancies in the gospel… Read more »
Our Cathedral Deacon gave a very interesting sermon at Mattins last Sunday about whether Joseph and thus Jesus were carpenters. She said that the Greek word used can equally mean worker in stone and that Jesus’ many references to foundations, stones, corner stones etc, could well reflect this.