The Daily Show mentions Messiah College, again
This Monica Goodling fiasco just won’t stay buried, I guess. Messiah College has once again had its reputation dragged through the mud (find more in this old post). The Daily Show has taken an even lower blow in its mention of Messiah College. In a “stroll down memory lane” on the show, Jon Stewart covered the Goodling scandal again. This time, Stewart goes beyond merely using the name of the school as a laugh line (as he did in May 2007) and says, “Messiah College: where people have faith that they’ll receive a quality education and yet somehow it never arrives.” Never mind that Messiah College was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as number four in its “Best Colleges” for comprehensive bachelor’s colleges in the North in 2007 and 2008. And never mind that it is actually a pretty progressive place! The comment is about a minute into this video:
[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1438156&w=425&h=350&fv=videoId%3D178077]I’m going to repeat what I said during the bad press about Goodling:
“Lesson: Don’t judge an entire academic institution based on the actions of one of its alumni. At the same time, don’t pass immediate judgment on an alumna because of your assumptions about Christian colleges.”
Come on, Jon Stewart. We know you’re smarter than that.
Johannes Weiss in context
In a course I am currently taking on Post-Reformation and Modern Theology, the professor (Richard Muller) mentioned the relationship between Johannes Weiss and his father-in-law, Albrecht Ritschl. I first discovered this interesting relationship in my course on the history of NT scholarship. It’s a fascinating historical example.
Ritschl, the theological liberal (a descriptor, not a polemic), advocated an understanding of the “kingdom” that focused on morality and ethics (influenced by Kant and Schleiermacher). The little work of Johannes Weiss, Jesus’ Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, undermined the biblical basis for Ritschl’s work. Weiss found that Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom was not so much the foundation for a moral society, but was rather deeply eschatological. Apocalyptic eschatology was not a hot topic in biblical studies at the time. Quite the opposite. In fact, it was closer to an embarrassment to biblical scholars since contemporary apocalyptic movements are considered, well, silly.
So, Weiss bucks the theological trends of his own 19th century Germany, including the imposing shadow of his own father-in-law. Weiss did, however, wait a few years after the death of Ritschl to publish his work. He also did not disagree with Ritschlian theology. Rather, he believed that Jesus’ message was eschatological, but that Jesus’ immediacy was simply wrong. While he believes that Jesus was wrong about the kingdom, Weiss also thinks that the “Exalted Christ,” if he were to return, would now affirm the agenda of liberal theology and would bring about the transformation of society.
What impresses me so much about Weiss is that he went against the grain, even his own theological presuppositions, to pursue historical research of Jesus and the texts. What a rare occurrence!
A Green Letter Bible?
I read on the Beatitudes blog (taken from Sustainablog) recently that HarperOne is offering a new Bible that seems quite interesting: The Green Bible. Not only is the Bible made of sustainable materials (recycled paper, using soy-based ink, with a cotton/linen cover), but it includes “green” features such as:
- Information on how to read the Bible through a green lens,
- Green-Letter Edition – verses that speak to God’s care for creation will be highlighted in green ink,
- Quotes from Christian teachings on creation throughout the ages from St. Augustine to C.S. Lewis,
- Inspirational poems from St. Francis of Assisi and Wendell Berry,
- Green Bible “trail guides”, pointing out six green themes throughout the scriptures,
- A green topical index,
- And even a resource guide with suggestions to help your congregation get more involved in the green movement and practical ways to make a difference in your daily life.
Chad Crawford, who wrote the post, rightly points out, “You don’t need a new eco-friendly Bible to be a green Christian. Keeping that old tattered Bible you got when you were baptized or confirmed is still greener than purchasing one made with recycled paper.” But if you’re looking for a new Bible (that isn’t the standard study Bible) and you’re into “green” stuff, this looks like an interesting choice. For some reason, I can find the pre-order page on Amazon, but cannot find it on the publisher’s website. If anyone else can find it on the publisher site, let me know.
Oh, and it’s NRSV.
"No One Mourns the Wicked"
A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of experiencing the musical Wicked at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Not only did it meet my need for fun musicals with great music and big laugh lines, but I was also pleasantly surprised at its profound social message and its implications for historical research.
For those who don’t know, the musical is basically the story of Oz before Dorothy showed up. The “wicked witch of the west” (whose name is Elphaba) is really misunderstood and, also, she was college roommates with the “good witch”. I think my favorite quote from the musical came from the wizard:
Elphaba, where I’m from, we believe all sorts of things that aren’t true. We call it – ‘history.’
A man’s called a traitor – or liberator
A rich man’s a thief – or philanthropist
Is one a crusader – or ruthless invader?
It’s all in which label
Is able to persist
There are precious few at ease
With moral ambiguities
So we act as though they don’t exist.
The song that opens and closes the musical repeats the line, “No one mourns the wicked.” Elphaba was a social activist who became such a threat to the powers that be (i.e., the wizard), that she was labeled the “wicked witch”. Thus, killing her became a good thing–not cause for mourning.
These themes of labeling are precisely what I will be working with in my doctoral studies. One could add to the wizard’s list: heretic or saint; exterminated criminal or martyr. How do groups, such as the early Christians, define their “enemies”? What motivates such labeling and language? What are the implications?
At any rate, I was pleased to find a place in popular culture where ambiguity is celebrated and its historical implications are even mentioned explicitly. It was good fun too.
Transitions: Becoming a(n) (academic) dad
Perhaps the reason that I have been so silent on my blog lately has been the monumental transitions in my life. At the top of that list is my coming fatherhood. My wife and I are expecting a baby boy, born in early December. Advent will have tremendous meaning for us this year!
Besides thinking about birth and parenting issues lately, I have been finishing up my last courses at Fuller Seminary and preparing for my first quarter as a doctoral student this fall at UCLA. My blog had previously been tied to my identity as a Fuller student in a drive to get into a doctoral degree. Now that my search is over and Fuller coursework will soon be finished, my blog has to adapt.
I now hope to adapt to the changes by writing about my doctoral studies at UCLA and my thoughts about being a dad in academia.
The classes I’m currently enrolled in are: History of the Early Christians (Bartchy), Spirituality and Sexuality in the Early Christian Movement (Bartchy), and Jews, Gentiles, and Christians in the Roman World (Boustan). I will also be studying elementary Latin at Pasadena City College, which is a more convenient commute and covers basically the same material as UCLA’s Classics Dept. I will probably also be a “reader” (aka a grader) for an undergrad course at UCLA, but that hasn’t been set in stone yet. That all begins at the end of September.
My first parental sacrifice seems to be that I will not be able to attend SBL in Boston. Since I grew up in Massachusetts, I’ve been looking forward to this one for a couple years. It’s very sad, but it really is a no-brainer given the timing. My baby is a higher priority than SBL! 
More thoughts to come . . .
-
Elsewhere . . .- Blog titles beginning with "A" to "Z" on your reader Mark Goodacre
- Of making many books there is no end Chris Brady
- Free Online: The Liddell-Scott Jones Lexicon S and C
- Does Higher Criticism Attempt to “Destroy the Bible”? II agathos
- Steven J. Friesen and the Identity of Satan’s Throne in Pergamum alan
- Does Higher Criticism Attempt to “Destroy the Bible”? agathos
- Bloomsbury buys Continuum Mark Goodacre
- Imperial America Peter J. Leithart
- C.F.D. Moule on the Birth of the New Testament d. miller
- Responding to Kostenberger (with comparisons to Marshall) Jeremiah
-
As a member of RevGalBlogPals, I am committed to building a supportive online community for women clergy, women church professionals, and women in religious life.
Research assisted by: