I told him, "Lots of blue and a touch of pink." Exactly.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Jim distributed a pamphlet last evening on an intense summer program at Georgian Court, their Biblical Institute (see right).
I say "intense," because it's one week, five full days. It could be modeled on St. E's Summer Institute1 with drastically fewer selections.
The web site (see right) doesn't advertise Jim's class on the Psalms. But those two classes make up the entire Institute! Two classes, what choice! And, knowing Jim, he'd rather be the one teaching John! Tsk, tsk.
I'm not interested personally, of course. I've had both those classes from them already and I doubt they've added anything new. But, if you want my recommendation, take Dr. Schubert - she works directly from the Greek and it's beautiful. Jim's about the only Bible teacher I know who never cracks The Book in class, not that he couldn't also work directly from the Greek. I think he thinks the Bible intimidates Catholic students.
Fact is, I don't remember learning much from Jim's Psalms class, but that could have been my fault as much as anything:
- it was my final class,
- it was summertime,
- I was still working (pretty much),
- I was pregnant with Timmy (born August), and
- ILEM was getting into full-swing, so there were twice as many students in the class as usual.2
1 St. E's information doesn't seem to be available yet, but I'll try to attend if something looks interesting. I'm expecting Fr. Boadt back again, as he tends to guest lecture every other year.
But there might be other "big names" ... wait and see. For $75 a class, it's hard to refuse a chance to experience such world-class teachers.
2 Mostly giddy, middle-aged women so thrilled to be "back in class" again. Bleck, I was so glad to be getting out of the program as it headed straight downhill. What nonsense.
His theology has become even more eccentric than in time past, but I'm stunned by the percentage of callers - about half - who are so clearly devoted to his teaching.
One caller was also obviously as deranged as she was devoted, and I thought, "Rather than call him up and argue, isn't it easier to discredit him by calling up and acting deranged and devoted?" But no one would take harassment that far.
Another caller asked Harold Camping to compare the prophetic language spoken by Samuel to King Saul and by King David of his unnamed, dead son:
Camping recognized this immediately - probably occurs all the time - and, without going into an explanation of the varied and evolving view of the afterlife that the Hebrew Scriptures offer, he said that the passages spoke singularly of the physical death of the human body without any view towards the fate of the soul.
While Camping emphasized that Christians ought not think King Saul joined Samuel in eternal beatitude, he concluded that King David would spend eternity with his dead infant son, together in bliss. He based this judgment on how they lived their lives in obedience to God and the evidence of God's Hand on their life.
He may well use the Second Samuel passage to justify a belief that children up to a certain age automatically go to heaven but he didn't say this explicitly as it was somewhat outside the scope of the question. He's very focussed and doesn't often digress.
One caller was also obviously as deranged as she was devoted, and I thought, "Rather than call him up and argue, isn't it easier to discredit him by calling up and acting deranged and devoted?" But no one would take harassment that far.
Another caller asked Harold Camping to compare the prophetic language spoken by Samuel to King Saul and by King David of his unnamed, dead son:
"and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me." (1 Sam. 28:19)I'll start by saying, it's a close, careful reading of Scripture that even turns this up in the caller's mind. But, as often happens, the reader was bringing a question to the text - seeking information about the afterlife - that the text doesn't propose to answer.
"I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." (2 Sam. 12:23)
Camping recognized this immediately - probably occurs all the time - and, without going into an explanation of the varied and evolving view of the afterlife that the Hebrew Scriptures offer, he said that the passages spoke singularly of the physical death of the human body without any view towards the fate of the soul.
While Camping emphasized that Christians ought not think King Saul joined Samuel in eternal beatitude, he concluded that King David would spend eternity with his dead infant son, together in bliss. He based this judgment on how they lived their lives in obedience to God and the evidence of God's Hand on their life.
He may well use the Second Samuel passage to justify a belief that children up to a certain age automatically go to heaven but he didn't say this explicitly as it was somewhat outside the scope of the question. He's very focussed and doesn't often digress.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
It's an instance of hearing an expression one time too many and getting curious about it ...
Leno said his first girlfriend refused to go with him to California because her mother was afraid she'd "turn Catholic."
Ignoring the latent sectarianism in such a phrase for the present discussion, when said of folks who already believe in Christ, the colloquial "turn Catholic" instead of the metaphysical "become Catholic" implies a significant switch from previous convictions.1 This slight is often fully intended by those who haven't likewise "turned."
There seems to be, according to this representation from Schaff's multi-volume History of the Christian Church at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, a German proverb that bears an abstract meaning, not mutually exclusive of a literal meaning:
1 Since coming to Christ initially involves a metanoia or "turning," any subsequent "turning" may properly be deemed superfluous or downright detrimental.
2 NB: the proverb uses the less egregious werden, "become," but still has a pejorative connotation.
Leno said his first girlfriend refused to go with him to California because her mother was afraid she'd "turn Catholic."
Ignoring the latent sectarianism in such a phrase for the present discussion, when said of folks who already believe in Christ, the colloquial "turn Catholic" instead of the metaphysical "become Catholic" implies a significant switch from previous convictions.1 This slight is often fully intended by those who haven't likewise "turned."
There seems to be, according to this representation from Schaff's multi-volume History of the Christian Church at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, a German proverb that bears an abstract meaning, not mutually exclusive of a literal meaning:
"Das ist um katholisch zu werden describes a condition of things that drives one to desperation or madness."
1 Since coming to Christ initially involves a metanoia or "turning," any subsequent "turning" may properly be deemed superfluous or downright detrimental.
2 NB: the proverb uses the less egregious werden, "become," but still has a pejorative connotation.
"You mean Western Digital still makes hard disks?!" I asked with great disbelief as Jeff connected the external storage device to the TiVo.A few minutes of set-up later, we were drooling at the prospect of almost 100 hours of HD recording space.
Well, actually he was drooling; I was wondering how on earth I would find the time to watch more TV when I haven't any time right now!
What's neat about the device design is that it looks like a book.
I imagined row after row of metal racks stocked with these digital "books" in some raised-floor, temperature-controlled lab room. Instead of being rack-mountable, one uses bookends. That was a satisfying image ... to my frustrated, "inner" librarian.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Things start rocking on summer camp after the first of the year.
Last month, the boys received 2008 calendars from their day camp crammed with photos of campers from last summer and marked with campers' birthdays throughout the year.1 I displayed the calendars on their dressers on the First and Kenny brought his downstairs this morning.
At the breakfast table, perhaps hoping to stave off the first day back to school after vacation, the boys sat and pouring over the calendar, identifying people in pictures and speculating which of the marked birthdays belong to their neighbors and friends.
Warm summer memories to get them through a cold winter morning.
1 The Lions Club in my town did a similar thing, issuing a calendar with townspeople's birthdays on it but since we hung the one from church, provided by Burdett & Sanford, it didn't matter.
And, no, the church's calendar didn't feature death anniversaries.
Last month, the boys received 2008 calendars from their day camp crammed with photos of campers from last summer and marked with campers' birthdays throughout the year.1 I displayed the calendars on their dressers on the First and Kenny brought his downstairs this morning.
At the breakfast table, perhaps hoping to stave off the first day back to school after vacation, the boys sat and pouring over the calendar, identifying people in pictures and speculating which of the marked birthdays belong to their neighbors and friends.
Warm summer memories to get them through a cold winter morning.
1 The Lions Club in my town did a similar thing, issuing a calendar with townspeople's birthdays on it but since we hung the one from church, provided by Burdett & Sanford, it didn't matter.
And, no, the church's calendar didn't feature death anniversaries.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)