Hadewijch was one of the mystics not profiled in the book "Mystics" by William Harmless. However, I'd come across her in some other reading, and thought she was very interesting. She belonged to the Beguines, a group of women who took vows of chastity, poverty, and service, but were not cloistered. Many notable women mystics come from the Beguines.
Hadewijch had some interesting philosophies-- she embraced "unfaith," proclaimed that the height of love was the depths of hell, and asserted that despair was better than hope. This topsy-turvy understanding of faith and spirituality reminds one of 1984, but makes sense when put in context. In a world where women were second-class citizens, an overturn of the natural order of things would put women on top.
Hadewijch was also renowned for her poetry. Here is "All Things":
All things
are too small
to hold me,
I am so vast
In the Infinite
I reach
for the Uncreated
I have
touched it,
it undoes me
wider than wide
Everything else
is too narrow
You know this well,
you who are also there
Personally, this poem gives me chills. In the beginning of his book, William Harmless talks about how his undergrad class on the same subject brought up the idea that everyone is a mystic, at least to some extent. Hadewijch's poem reminds me so much of some of my own experiences-- perhaps not with the divine, but with the infinite prison of my own mind. I'll certainly be reading more of her works in the future.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Dogen-- a Zen Buddhist Mystic
Of the mystics I read about in "Mystics" by William Harmless, I particularly like Dogen, who was a mystic in the Zen Buddhist tradition.
He lived in Japan from 1200 to 1254, and founded the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism. A lot of his theologies stemmed from his "Great Doubt" that he experienced in his youth (which prompted him to leave a separate monastery.) However, he experienced a sort of enlightenment at Mount T'ien-t'ung in China, and started to write his grand work Shobogenzo, which translates to Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. It was a collection of writings that covered topics that ranged from the concept of time and being to the proper way to wash one's face. He delivered the essays as lectures, in Japanese, which was a big political move at the time.
He was an interesting guy, and responsible for much of the way that we think of Zen Buddhism today.
"Mystics"-- a Critique
Hildegard of Bingen was a renowned and respected mystic in her time, and was also an accomplished abbess, musician, and composer. In his book “Mystics,” William Harmless uses her as an example of the rich tradition of women mystics, choosing to highlight her because “she is interesting.” Certainly she is: she was the only medieval woman to be permitted to write theology, or to preach publicly before clergy and laity. She wrote the first morality play, and was remembered for both her compositions and theologies. But does she really represent the class of women mystics as a whole? Harmless repeats time and again that he dislikes the strange, psychological, otherworldly misconceptions of mystics, and so he chose mystics that were more down-to-earth, including Hildegard, who had many administrative pursuits. His other examples, all men, also reflect persons of stature and consequence, who are known for things besides their mystical experiences. Does this approach adequately capture and define the elusive trail of women mystics? Most women in this age, after all, were denied leadership roles within the church, and so could only contribute to Christianity through their experiences of mysticism and the divine. By operating under his rather narrow definition of mysticism as mystical theology—as thus mystics as theologians—Harmless discounts the rich and varied tradition of women mystics, and marginalizes women’s contributions to Christianity throughout the Middle Ages.
Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Birgitta of Sweden, Elisabeth of Schönau, Gertrude of Helfta, Mechthild of Madgdeburg, Hadewijch—the list goes on. In a time when women were prevented from taking a more active role in the church, they added a distinctly feminine flavor to the tradition of mysticism, often incorporating their sexuality into their accounts of their revelations. In church, a woman’s holiness and spirituality were closed—head covered, mouth shut, sexuality muted. Women were thought to be dangerous, open to interference with the devil; they had to be controlled. In contrast, the experiences that many women mystics had—of becoming one with Jesus, of experiencing nothingness, self-annihilation—carried an openness of faith and spirituality that was denied elsewhere. This experience of “nothingness” arose time and again in women mystical tradition—in her spiritual and physical need for Jesus, she disappears into him and becomes nothing. It is interesting to note that this concept is shared across many cultures and among other mystics and theologians—the Muslim Sufi’s concept of annihilation, Bernard of Clairvaux’s fourth definition of love—love of everything for the sake of God, and Schleiermacher’s later postulations on “Absolute Dependence.” From a woman’s perspective, however, this “nothingness” takes on further meaning—in a society where a woman is discounted because of her body, losing herself would seem freeing.
Other concepts arose that became unique to the woman mystical tradition. Hadewijch in particular describes her spirituality in a rather counter-intuitive way—one is reminded of 1984 with her embrace of “unfaith,” her proclamation that the height of love was the depths of hell, and her assertion that despair was better than hope. Again, from a woman’s perspective, this strange understanding of the world, flipped from its natural order, may be very appealing. As a downtrodden class, women could only rise in a reversal of hierarchical order. The clergy were quick to spot this subversive movement, and even quicker to shut it down. Hadewijch belonged to a group of women called the Beguines, who took vows of chastity, poverty, and service, but who were not confined to a monastery. The group was formally expelled from the church, and some of its more unfortunate members condemned to death.
The oppression of women mystics is not new, and my guess is that the efforts to discredit them over the centuries have led to the “strange and otherworldly” portrayals of mystics that Harmless finds so distasteful. Women in power always represent a threat, especially when they are not part of the bureaucracy and are more difficult to control. Hildegard of Bingen was a worthy mystic, and worth noting, but her integration into the church hierarchy of the time makes her distinct from the large portion of women mystics who were marginalized by the church, and had no formal place within it. Harmless acknowledges that his introductory work is incomplete, and I agree. He needs at least one more woman mystic to make his summary complete.
Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Birgitta of Sweden, Elisabeth of Schönau, Gertrude of Helfta, Mechthild of Madgdeburg, Hadewijch—the list goes on. In a time when women were prevented from taking a more active role in the church, they added a distinctly feminine flavor to the tradition of mysticism, often incorporating their sexuality into their accounts of their revelations. In church, a woman’s holiness and spirituality were closed—head covered, mouth shut, sexuality muted. Women were thought to be dangerous, open to interference with the devil; they had to be controlled. In contrast, the experiences that many women mystics had—of becoming one with Jesus, of experiencing nothingness, self-annihilation—carried an openness of faith and spirituality that was denied elsewhere. This experience of “nothingness” arose time and again in women mystical tradition—in her spiritual and physical need for Jesus, she disappears into him and becomes nothing. It is interesting to note that this concept is shared across many cultures and among other mystics and theologians—the Muslim Sufi’s concept of annihilation, Bernard of Clairvaux’s fourth definition of love—love of everything for the sake of God, and Schleiermacher’s later postulations on “Absolute Dependence.” From a woman’s perspective, however, this “nothingness” takes on further meaning—in a society where a woman is discounted because of her body, losing herself would seem freeing.
Other concepts arose that became unique to the woman mystical tradition. Hadewijch in particular describes her spirituality in a rather counter-intuitive way—one is reminded of 1984 with her embrace of “unfaith,” her proclamation that the height of love was the depths of hell, and her assertion that despair was better than hope. Again, from a woman’s perspective, this strange understanding of the world, flipped from its natural order, may be very appealing. As a downtrodden class, women could only rise in a reversal of hierarchical order. The clergy were quick to spot this subversive movement, and even quicker to shut it down. Hadewijch belonged to a group of women called the Beguines, who took vows of chastity, poverty, and service, but who were not confined to a monastery. The group was formally expelled from the church, and some of its more unfortunate members condemned to death.
The oppression of women mystics is not new, and my guess is that the efforts to discredit them over the centuries have led to the “strange and otherworldly” portrayals of mystics that Harmless finds so distasteful. Women in power always represent a threat, especially when they are not part of the bureaucracy and are more difficult to control. Hildegard of Bingen was a worthy mystic, and worth noting, but her integration into the church hierarchy of the time makes her distinct from the large portion of women mystics who were marginalized by the church, and had no formal place within it. Harmless acknowledges that his introductory work is incomplete, and I agree. He needs at least one more woman mystic to make his summary complete.
"Mystics" Book Review
For my book review, I read "Mystics" by William Harmless, which profiles ten mystics-- 8 Christians, Rumi (Muslim), and Dogen (Zen Buddhist). It was an interesting book, however Harmless works on the definition of mysticism as mystical theology, which I thought was slightly limiting. He only included one woman mystic, which is disappointing because the mystical tradition is rich with women contributors.
He did make some interesting points about how to read mystical texts-- to take note of their history and lives, not just their theologies, to take note of the genre of their writings, and to understand the role of scripture within the context of their revelations.
I'll do a few more posts specifically about bits that I found particularly interesting.
Monday, April 8, 2013
The Soles of Atheists
A German company has encountered some issues with the U.S. mail system. The company sells shoes, specifically shoes with "Atheist" or "Darwin Loves" written across the soles. They also emblazon their packing tape with their ATHEIST brand, and have recently started wondering if this had anything to do with the number of packages that went missing on the way to their U.S. customers.
They decided to devise an experiment-- send two packages to each of 89 customers in the United States, one with the ATHEIST packing tape and one with plain packing tape. Their results were astonishing: the ATHEIST packages took on average three days longer than the plain-packaged ones to arrive, and while only one of the plains went missing, nine of the ATHEIST ones did. (These are statistically-significant results.)
What does this tell us? Were U.S. postal workers deliberately sabotaging the ATHEIST packages? It's possible; atheists are one of the most distrusted groups in the U.S., according to this NPR article. The ATHEIST packages may be treated with more caution, or be vetted more fully, or the shipping differences may simply be due to the fact that one had emblazoned tape while the other did not. Who knows.
The full NPR article can be read here.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Many Support Making Christianity a State Religion
In a new poll, 34% of U.S. adults said they favored making Christianity the official state religion in their state, though only 11% said they thought the U.S. Constitution allowed states to do so. Republicans were more likely to support a state religion, with 55% saying they favored a state amendment, and 46% saying they favored an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
In perceptions of the separation of church and state, more people say they aren't mixed enough (37%) than too mixed (29%).
Of course, to me, this is pretty terrifying. Let's think about the other countries with religious governments: Saudi Arabia, Iran, several struggling countries in Africa. Do we really want to count ourselves amongst that number? Let's hope the good ol' U.S. Constitution remains strong in the face of this theocracy.
The full Huffington Post article can be found here.
In perceptions of the separation of church and state, more people say they aren't mixed enough (37%) than too mixed (29%).
Of course, to me, this is pretty terrifying. Let's think about the other countries with religious governments: Saudi Arabia, Iran, several struggling countries in Africa. Do we really want to count ourselves amongst that number? Let's hope the good ol' U.S. Constitution remains strong in the face of this theocracy.
The full Huffington Post article can be found here.
Jimmy Carter: Equality over Religion
In a recent essay, Jimmy Carter has stated that he has decided to sever ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, due to their stance on women's subservience to men. Carter, who is simultaneously one of the more religious and more liberal presidents we've had, said it was a painful decision, but "it was an unavoidable one."
He goes on to say that this discrimination against women based on the word of a Higher Authority is expressed across many cultures and religions, and is responsible for increased rates of violence, lack of education and health care, and generally inferior conditions for females. He explains that this type of thinking is detrimental not only to women, but to a society as a whole, which surely cannot prosper when it discriminates against half of its population. Investing in women's education benefits society; she earns more, and invests it in her family
Jimmy Carter is part of the Elders, a group of world leaders started by Nelson Mandela and designed to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering, and promote the shared interests of humanity. The group has recently issued a statement which mirrors Carters': "The justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable.”
Carter does not back away entirely from religion. He states that this misuse of God's word is taught against by "Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions - all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God."
Saturday, March 30, 2013
The Apostles' Creed
I may have caused some confusion, either to myself or others, with my last post in which I insinuated that the Apostles' Creed was a video game. I was sadly mistaken and I apologize. This is the video game I was thinking about:
The Apostles' Creed, as it turns out, looks more like this:
Now that we've got that out of the way, what is the Apostles' Creed anyway?
The Apostles' Creed, or the Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, based on the earlier Roman Creed, and is early Christian theologian understanding of the Gospels, the New Testament, and to a lesser extent, the Old Testament.
It's used widely today by Catholics and Protestants, and is even acceptable to Arians and Unitarians because it doesn't mention the divinity of Christ.
The Wikipedia article can be found here.
Now that we've got that out of the way, what is the Apostles' Creed anyway?
The Apostles' Creed, or the Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, based on the earlier Roman Creed, and is early Christian theologian understanding of the Gospels, the New Testament, and to a lesser extent, the Old Testament.
It's used widely today by Catholics and Protestants, and is even acceptable to Arians and Unitarians because it doesn't mention the divinity of Christ.
The Wikipedia article can be found here.
Where'd Jesus go on Saturday?
Ah, the Saturday before Easter. The birds are singing, the Easter eggs are ready to go, and I'm hurriedly finishing my Spring Break homework before I have to start making pavlovas. So what was Jesus doing all those years ago, on the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday? As it turns out, this has been a bit of a hot topic for a while now. Even Augustine couldn't quite twiddle out this brain teaser.
As Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant traditions hold, Jesus spent his day off in hell, saving souls. This dramatic image of Jesus breaking down the doors of Hades has spawned countless works of fanart and fanfiction, including Dante's Inferno, and the delightful image below:
Indeed, Jesus's descent was even added to the Apostle's Creed, which is apparently not just a video game, by a chap named Rufinus in the 4th century.
In keeping with the historical side of Jesus, it's likely that his followers said he went to the Jewish underworld Sheol after he died, to ensure that his resurrection was not seen as a resuscitation. As people's understandings of hell became more complicated, the questions grew: which layer of hell did Jesus visit? Whom did he save? Did he suffer in hell to fully atone for the sins of humanity?
There's a modern movement to remove the "ad inferna" bit from the Apostle's Creed. I believe the video game I'm actually thinking of is called the Assassin's Creed, though, so at least there won't be that mix-up.
The full article can be found here.
As Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant traditions hold, Jesus spent his day off in hell, saving souls. This dramatic image of Jesus breaking down the doors of Hades has spawned countless works of fanart and fanfiction, including Dante's Inferno, and the delightful image below:
Indeed, Jesus's descent was even added to the Apostle's Creed, which is apparently not just a video game, by a chap named Rufinus in the 4th century.
In keeping with the historical side of Jesus, it's likely that his followers said he went to the Jewish underworld Sheol after he died, to ensure that his resurrection was not seen as a resuscitation. As people's understandings of hell became more complicated, the questions grew: which layer of hell did Jesus visit? Whom did he save? Did he suffer in hell to fully atone for the sins of humanity?
There's a modern movement to remove the "ad inferna" bit from the Apostle's Creed. I believe the video game I'm actually thinking of is called the Assassin's Creed, though, so at least there won't be that mix-up.
The full article can be found here.
Friday, March 29, 2013
The Devil as a Black Man
I've already done a post about the portrayal of Satan in History Channel's new series The Bible, though I mostly concentrated on the man's resemblance to President Obama. For those of you who don't remember, here's the picture.
The History Channel apologized for any resemblance the man has to the President, and the creators of the show expressed their admiration and respect for the President.
But this leaves a bigger question, why is the devil dark-skinned in the first place? Most of the other characters on the show, including Jesus, look to be of Northern European descent, and this image of light-skinned goodness and dark-skinned badness seems prevalent in many traditions.
As a Huffington Post article elaborated, this image of a dark-skinned bogeyman dates back to the Puritans, who tended to perceive any racial differences as rooted in evil, and extends to the white supremacist views in the 1800's that painted the devil black.
Interestingly, the Bible itself does not spend much time on Satan's appearance, nor does it elaborate on Jesus's skin color. The exploitation of religion to justify various racial and cultural prejudices is well exemplified in this case.
The History Channel apologized for any resemblance the man has to the President, and the creators of the show expressed their admiration and respect for the President.
But this leaves a bigger question, why is the devil dark-skinned in the first place? Most of the other characters on the show, including Jesus, look to be of Northern European descent, and this image of light-skinned goodness and dark-skinned badness seems prevalent in many traditions.
As a Huffington Post article elaborated, this image of a dark-skinned bogeyman dates back to the Puritans, who tended to perceive any racial differences as rooted in evil, and extends to the white supremacist views in the 1800's that painted the devil black.
Interestingly, the Bible itself does not spend much time on Satan's appearance, nor does it elaborate on Jesus's skin color. The exploitation of religion to justify various racial and cultural prejudices is well exemplified in this case.
'Nones' as Church allies?
Pope Francis, in an ongoing pursuit of inter-faith cooperation, stated that those people who did not identify with any religion could still ally with the church to build peace and protect the environment. He said that both atheists and believers can "defend the dignity of man, in the building of a peaceful coexistence between peoples and in the careful protection of creation."
He also reached out to Jews, saying that the Jewish and Catholic traditions hold a spiritual bond.
Pope Francis has also met with the leader of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who was the first Eastern leader to attend the inauguration of a Pope (Francis) in 900 years.
The full Huffington Post article can be read here.
Maundy Thursday
What is Maundy Thursday, exactly? It is lost among the many other pre-Easter days-- Fat Tuesday, Good Friday, etc. To be honest, I hadn't even heard of it until I read this Huffington Post article.
Apparently, the word "Maundy" comes from the Latin mandatum, which means "mandate." Maundy Thursday, then, is the time when Christ passed down his mandate to is disciples, telling them exactly what he wanted from them, as he knowingly went to his own death.
His mandate was this: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
An interesting little Easter tidbit.
Pope Washes Women's Feet
Pope Francis decided to wash two women's feet in the traditional Good Thursday ritual of washing of feet. In the past, popes have washed twelve priests' feet, as a symbol of the twelve apostles. Pope Benedict XVI extended this to twelve male prisoners, and the newest Pope has included women in the ceremony--one Italian Catholic and one Serbian Muslim.
The tradition of washing twelve men's feet stems back to the original twelve apostles, and interpretations of the gender of Christ's original followers have dictated church policies concerning women in the priesthood and in other pursuits within the church. It will be interesting to see if the new Pope's symbolic gesture is indicative of changing policies within the church.
The full Huffington Post article can be read here.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Mormons... support gay rights?
In a recent Huffington Post article, the startling revelation that the Mormon church may be refining its ideas on gay rights became apparent, though there was some disagreement on cause and effect.
The Mormon church has recently stated that being gay is not a choice, though it still supports the idea of traditional marriage. It has recently been in talks with Dustin Lance Black, the creator of the film "Milk", because of his more recent project "8: The Mormon Proposition" which focuses on California's Proposition 8 and the influence that the Mormons have in the anti-gay rights movement.
The Mormons are certainly still reeling from the bad press that Prop 8 brought them, and have reconcentrated their efforts on individuals and their relationships with God. Mormon donation to anti-gay rights legislature has decreased dramatically.
Their shift in actions, if not policy, is somewhat reflective of a wider conservative movement toward gay rights, which includes Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, a Republican who came out in favor of gay marriage because his son is gay. It'll be interesting to see how the Mormons evolve on this issue.
The Mormon church has recently stated that being gay is not a choice, though it still supports the idea of traditional marriage. It has recently been in talks with Dustin Lance Black, the creator of the film "Milk", because of his more recent project "8: The Mormon Proposition" which focuses on California's Proposition 8 and the influence that the Mormons have in the anti-gay rights movement.
The Mormons are certainly still reeling from the bad press that Prop 8 brought them, and have reconcentrated their efforts on individuals and their relationships with God. Mormon donation to anti-gay rights legislature has decreased dramatically.
Their shift in actions, if not policy, is somewhat reflective of a wider conservative movement toward gay rights, which includes Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, a Republican who came out in favor of gay marriage because his son is gay. It'll be interesting to see how the Mormons evolve on this issue.
Remembering Biblical Women at Easter
In her Huffington Post article, April D. DeConick writes about remembering Biblical women during Easter celebrations, instead of concentrating on the men. She draws upon the Bible passage that mentions a group of women that watched Christ crucified and who annointed his body and buried him. Why do we not concentrate on the part these women played, instead focusing on his male disciples, on Judas's betrayal?
She mentions several women who she imagines would attend Jesus's execution: Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Joanna, and Salome. Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus. Mary Magdalene.There are other women who have not been given names, the woman Jesus met at the well in Samaria, the woman who annointed his head with nard. They are nameless and marginalized, and so we can imagine new life into them, resurrect them as silent observers to Jesus's fate.
I'm actually more interested by DeConick herself. She is a Professor of Biblical Studies at Rice University and wrote a book called 'Holy Misogyny: Why the Sex and Gender Conflicts in the Early Church Still Matter.' I may consult her work in my future paper on Mary Magdalene.
Easter for Atheists
Well, my family's not religious, but I gotta tell ya, we really do Easter. Brunch, an Easter egg hunt (even though my sister and I are well past the cutsie Easter-Sunday-dresses phase), and we usually have other people over as well. Once upon a time, we went to church, but now, as I like to say, we fully embrace the American consumerism and pagan sides of the holiday.
This is generally my justification for still celebrating most of the Christian holidays-- they all have Pagan root, I say, and these Pagan celebrations have a good reason for celebrating. Christmas, for example, is really just the Winter Solstice (fun fact: my family exchanged gifts on the 21st this year, go us) and Easter is right around the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox. Who doesn't want to celebrate the coming of Spring?
Since I didn't actually know exactly what the Vernal Equinox signified (maybe I did, but I've forgotten) I looked it up for all you fine, potentially imaginary readers. The Vernal Equinox signifies the start of Spring, is usually on March 20th or 21st (this year it's the 20th), and is astronomically significant in that the sun is directly over the equator, so that the day and the night are roughly equal. It's a point of inflection, if you will, on this grand sine curve that is our calendar year.
I'll probably post more about Easter for Atheists, including our guest list, Easter egg hunt plans, and menu. Stay tuned!
This is generally my justification for still celebrating most of the Christian holidays-- they all have Pagan root, I say, and these Pagan celebrations have a good reason for celebrating. Christmas, for example, is really just the Winter Solstice (fun fact: my family exchanged gifts on the 21st this year, go us) and Easter is right around the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox. Who doesn't want to celebrate the coming of Spring?
Since I didn't actually know exactly what the Vernal Equinox signified (maybe I did, but I've forgotten) I looked it up for all you fine, potentially imaginary readers. The Vernal Equinox signifies the start of Spring, is usually on March 20th or 21st (this year it's the 20th), and is astronomically significant in that the sun is directly over the equator, so that the day and the night are roughly equal. It's a point of inflection, if you will, on this grand sine curve that is our calendar year.
I'll probably post more about Easter for Atheists, including our guest list, Easter egg hunt plans, and menu. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The Bible History Channel Series Redux
I haven't been watching the History Channel series The Bible, but I have heard a range of reviews. Several of my more religious friends have certainly approved, but some other parties have other opinions.
Huffington Post ran an article about how the Satan character looked awfully familiar. Take a look and decide who it look like...
Personally, I think it looks a lot more like the President than the creator of all evil, but I supposed in some minds, those might be the same thing.
The creators of the show rejected the accusations, but other concerns about racial issues have come up. Most of the cast is European, and characters that are played by people of color tend to be in baser or evil roles. Way to reinforce racial stereotypes, History Channel.
Huffington Post ran an article about how the Satan character looked awfully familiar. Take a look and decide who it look like...
Personally, I think it looks a lot more like the President than the creator of all evil, but I supposed in some minds, those might be the same thing.
The creators of the show rejected the accusations, but other concerns about racial issues have come up. Most of the cast is European, and characters that are played by people of color tend to be in baser or evil roles. Way to reinforce racial stereotypes, History Channel.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The Science of the Papal Enclave
Science? In the Papal Enclave? Blashphemy! But indeed, it's true. The different colors of smoke produced to signify whether a pope has been elected or not (black for not, white for pope) can be explained purely by using science.
As Chris Mocella, co-author of Chemistry of Pyrotechnics, said in this National Geographic article, there are two ways to make smoke: combustion and vaporization. Either could be responsible for the classic white smoke.
So what is the Vatican's methodology? Probably "metallic zinc dust with elemental sulfur, generating zinc sulfide gas that is a thick off-white cloud of smoke when generated." The black smoke is probably the product of a high carbon combustion (wood) in a low oxygen environment.
As Chris Mocella, co-author of Chemistry of Pyrotechnics, said in this National Geographic article, there are two ways to make smoke: combustion and vaporization. Either could be responsible for the classic white smoke.
So what is the Vatican's methodology? Probably "metallic zinc dust with elemental sulfur, generating zinc sulfide gas that is a thick off-white cloud of smoke when generated." The black smoke is probably the product of a high carbon combustion (wood) in a low oxygen environment.
New Pope
As it turns out, there was indeed a Pope elected before I posted my last "hilarity" post. Drumroll please... aaaaaand the new Pope is Argentina's Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who will be known as Pope Francis I.
Here is the complete story.
And here's another funny picture to add to my collection of Papal Enclave memes.
Here is the complete story.
And here's another funny picture to add to my collection of Papal Enclave memes.
The Papal Conclave: Opportunity for Hilarity
Let's be honest, if it weren't for this class, I probably wouldn't pay much attention to the Papal Enclave. I'm not Catholic, or particularly religious, and so it doesn't matter much to me. I do, however, appreciate the many memes, satirical stories, and jokes that seem to be floating around the internet. Here are some of my favorites.
The Onion also had a satirical article criticizing the outfits of the Cardinals a la Fashion Police. I add an examle below.
Caption Reads: "CARDINAL MARTINEZ'S STYLISTS MUST HAVE TAKEN A DAY OFF, BECAUSE IT'S UNUSUAL FOR THIS HOLY FASHION MAVEN TO MAKE A FAUX PAS. WE'VE SAID IT BEFORE, AND WE'LL SAY IT AGAIN: BUSY EMBROIDERY IS CONCLAVE KRYPTONITE!"
I'll continue adding memes as I find them. Just hoping the conclave lasts!
The Onion also had a satirical article criticizing the outfits of the Cardinals a la Fashion Police. I add an examle below.
I'll continue adding memes as I find them. Just hoping the conclave lasts!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
History Channel--The Bible
History Channel is creating a new 5-part mini series based on Bible stories. The project seems mostly evangelical, telling the stories not from a historical point of view, but from a Bible-as-history point of view.
I have to say, this is yet another blow in a long line of disappointments from the History Channel. First came ancient aliens, now we're just going to present Bible stories as fact? This is another way of appealing to their red-neck, conservative viewer base, instead of trying to further the public's understanding of history.
The series will be promoted on a commercial basis, and has partnered with some of the nation's biggest churches, including Focus on the Family and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. The DVD's will come with books and a study guide, which indicates that it is supposed to be an educational tool. Joel Osteen, pastor of a megachurch in Houston, said he believed the mini-series would "reach believers and non-believers alike." Somehow, I have my doubts.
An article about the series can be found here.
Christian School Teachers-- held to a higher standard?
I recently read an article about a private Christian school teacher who was fired for having premarital sex. She was pregnant at the time.
Apparently this is not an uncommon issue. Many teachers are forced to sign contracts at religious schools that condemn premarital sex, and sometimes even extend to drinking in public and homosexuality.
The legal parameters are complicated in these cases. While the teacher might have violated the contract, there is some question as to whether the school fired her because they didn't want to pay her during maternity leave. Besides this, there is an uncomfortable overlap of church and state, where a person's livelihood can legally be deprived for a religious reason. This reminds me of religious objections to providing birth control coverage to employees; where does the power of the state overturn the autonomy of a religious organization?
Apparently this is not an uncommon issue. Many teachers are forced to sign contracts at religious schools that condemn premarital sex, and sometimes even extend to drinking in public and homosexuality.
The legal parameters are complicated in these cases. While the teacher might have violated the contract, there is some question as to whether the school fired her because they didn't want to pay her during maternity leave. Besides this, there is an uncomfortable overlap of church and state, where a person's livelihood can legally be deprived for a religious reason. This reminds me of religious objections to providing birth control coverage to employees; where does the power of the state overturn the autonomy of a religious organization?
Religion: En Vogue
Archbishop Georg Ganswein was recently featured on the cover of the Italian Vanity Fair magazine, earning him the nickname "Gorgeous Georg."
I found this really interesting-- this isn't just religion in pop culture, it's traditional religion as pop culture, in which the secretary of the soon-to-retire Pope is hailed for his beauty and his prominence, much like any other celebrity would be. In an increasingly secular world, is this how the Catholic Church will remain relevant? What does this say about the way the world wants to view religion-- as a spectacle?
I'm interested to see how this develops. With the church already in the spotlight because of the papal enclave, many smaller aspects of the church are on display too. This is certainly better than the sex scandals that have shaken the church in recent years, but I wonder how some Catholics react to this secular display of status.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Religion and the Oscars
I recently read an article about how many of the Academy Award-nominated pictures this year have religion as their central theme:
-Les Miserables--at the heart is the theme of redemption, of "returning to God" and has religious allusions and references throughout.
-Beasts of the Southern Wild-- has religious allusion along with magical realism.
-Django Unchained-- many religious references. An overseer patrols with a whip and a bible in his hand, and Django ends up shooting him in the chest through a bible page-- a breastplate of righteousness.
-Life of Pi-- totally centered around three different religions, has themes of hope and redemption, and explores what religion is really about.
Article begs the question-- in a time of growing disbelief, will Hollywood take over our methods of myth telling and become our marker for morality? Its an interesting question.
Who Gets to Vote for Pope? Part II
The on-going discussion of who gets to vote for Pope has taken some nasty turns as of late. In their pursuit of finding a "clean" conclave to elect the new pope, several cardinals, including Cardinal Keith O'Brien from the U.K. and Cardinal Mahoney from the U.S. have been prevented from participating in the papal conclave. Both cardinals have been barred due to allegetions of sex abuse or the covering up of sex abuse.
I actually found out Cardinal Keith O'Brien from The Onion, which took on a droll and sarcastic tone when explaining the sex abuse allegations: "EDINBURGH—Sources confirmed Monday that Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, has stepped down from his position as Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh due to—you’re not going to believe this one—sexual abuse allegations."
I googled "Cardinal Keith O'Brien" and found that the actual story was quite true-- a Guardian article went more into depth about the allegations and talked about the implications for the upcoming enclave. I find the Onion article interesting because it shows how a large number of people are no longer surprised by such allegations within the Catholic Church, while several years ago, it could've been a different story. This next papal election has a lot of implications for the public view of the church in recent years.
I actually found out Cardinal Keith O'Brien from The Onion, which took on a droll and sarcastic tone when explaining the sex abuse allegations: "EDINBURGH—Sources confirmed Monday that Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, has stepped down from his position as Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh due to—you’re not going to believe this one—sexual abuse allegations."
I googled "Cardinal Keith O'Brien" and found that the actual story was quite true-- a Guardian article went more into depth about the allegations and talked about the implications for the upcoming enclave. I find the Onion article interesting because it shows how a large number of people are no longer surprised by such allegations within the Catholic Church, while several years ago, it could've been a different story. This next papal election has a lot of implications for the public view of the church in recent years.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Who Gets to Vote for Pope?
I read an article from the Huffington Post about whether or not Cardinal Mahoney, an American who covered up priest sex abuse scandals in California and Oregon, should be able to vote for the next Pope. Cardinal Levada was in favor of Mahoney voting for pope, saying that "there are some victims' groups for whom enough is never enough." The general attitude both priests took, one of being the victim, kind of disgusted me. Mahoney was actively involved in covering up evidence and protecting pedophile priests, and allowing them to molest again. No matter what he has done to make up for it since, his past judgments still reflect on him in a way that do not make him a good candidate for voting for pope.
The end of the article had an interesting aside which talked about the likelihood of an American pope. It was deemed unlikely because of the perception that the pope would somehow take orders from the U.S. government, which is the world's biggest military power. I find this an interesting turn-around from JFK's election in the 60's, in which many people were concerned that as a Catholic, he would take orders from the pope. Is this indicative of how power has shifted away from religion and toward nationality or military might? It remains to be seen.
The end of the article had an interesting aside which talked about the likelihood of an American pope. It was deemed unlikely because of the perception that the pope would somehow take orders from the U.S. government, which is the world's biggest military power. I find this an interesting turn-around from JFK's election in the 60's, in which many people were concerned that as a Catholic, he would take orders from the pope. Is this indicative of how power has shifted away from religion and toward nationality or military might? It remains to be seen.
Thoughts on "The Day I Turned in my V-Card"
I recently read an article from the online Prodigal Magazine about a young woman who been brought up in a very conservative American Christian culture in which virginity was given the upmost importance. The article centers around her conclusion that she doesn't want to defined by her virginity-- it ends with the line "I'm not just a virgin or a non-virgin. And neither are you."
I found the article interesting because it gives an insider's jaded look at a culure that, living in America, you certainly hear about, but which I haven't experienced first-hand. When I hear her account of couples "winning the race to the altar" and her conclusions that virginity is just another way of getting God "to like us more than other people," I am rather turned off by the whole thing. The comments below the piece were interesting and diverse-- some people agree with her wholeheartedly, while others offer up more cynical opinions: "Is premarital sex a sin? Probably."
Having not grown up surrounded by this sort of thinking, I probably don't have the perspective to fully understand what sort of life, faith, and community-altering impact this conclusion might have for this young woman. I've had friends who had purity rings, neighbors proud of their virginal wedding night, but I've never really considered just how fundamental this focus could be. It's hard enough to be a girl in our culture, what with slut shame, rape culture, and endless back-and-forths between misogyny, feminism, and post-feminism, without adding this as well.
I was interested by this issue, which is by no means modern, but seems to be getting a lot of attention recently, and I found a documentary called "Virgin Tales," which was done by a Dutch film company. It chonicles a family in Colorado Springs that has begun holding "Purity Balls" for their daughters and other young girls in their church. I haven't watched it yet, but the preview and website were certainly intriguing.
It'll be interesting to see how this sub-culture's views on purity, sexuality, and marriage affects the rest of American culture in the near future.
I found the article interesting because it gives an insider's jaded look at a culure that, living in America, you certainly hear about, but which I haven't experienced first-hand. When I hear her account of couples "winning the race to the altar" and her conclusions that virginity is just another way of getting God "to like us more than other people," I am rather turned off by the whole thing. The comments below the piece were interesting and diverse-- some people agree with her wholeheartedly, while others offer up more cynical opinions: "Is premarital sex a sin? Probably."
Having not grown up surrounded by this sort of thinking, I probably don't have the perspective to fully understand what sort of life, faith, and community-altering impact this conclusion might have for this young woman. I've had friends who had purity rings, neighbors proud of their virginal wedding night, but I've never really considered just how fundamental this focus could be. It's hard enough to be a girl in our culture, what with slut shame, rape culture, and endless back-and-forths between misogyny, feminism, and post-feminism, without adding this as well.
I was interested by this issue, which is by no means modern, but seems to be getting a lot of attention recently, and I found a documentary called "Virgin Tales," which was done by a Dutch film company. It chonicles a family in Colorado Springs that has begun holding "Purity Balls" for their daughters and other young girls in their church. I haven't watched it yet, but the preview and website were certainly intriguing.
Friday, February 8, 2013
The Monks of New Skete
About two years ago, my family got a puppy. I'm not really a dog person, and puppies are a tremendous amount of work, so I left most of the training up to my mom. She decided on crate training, and to help her in this endeavor, she bought a book called "The Art of Raising a Puppy." It's written by a group called the Monks of New Skete, which are a religious order dedicated to a monastic life in the Eastern Orthodox Church. They're based in Cambridge, New York.
The monks are dedicated to raising and training dogs, and along the way they've gained a lot of insight into the canine psyche. They explained the social order of dog packs, how puppies' personalities are ingrained in them from birth, and how asserting dominance early on was essential. The knowledge they imparted could only have been gained from years of single-minded devotion to their task. The concept of a monastic existence is an interesting one; removing oneself from society and focusing solely at the task at hand seems such an elevated pursuit.
The monks are Byzantine Rite-Franciscans, and they have a sister monastery of Poor Clare nuns, who make gourmet cheesecakes, as well as an associated community of married people called the Companions of New Skete, who live a similarly religious existence.
Their website can be found below.
http://www.newskete.com/
The monks are dedicated to raising and training dogs, and along the way they've gained a lot of insight into the canine psyche. They explained the social order of dog packs, how puppies' personalities are ingrained in them from birth, and how asserting dominance early on was essential. The knowledge they imparted could only have been gained from years of single-minded devotion to their task. The concept of a monastic existence is an interesting one; removing oneself from society and focusing solely at the task at hand seems such an elevated pursuit.
The monks are Byzantine Rite-Franciscans, and they have a sister monastery of Poor Clare nuns, who make gourmet cheesecakes, as well as an associated community of married people called the Companions of New Skete, who live a similarly religious existence.
Their website can be found below.
http://www.newskete.com/
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Longevity and Religion
I read an Atlantic article about a conservative Seventh-Day Adventist sect in California called Loma Linda that focuses a lot of its religious zeal on the concept of living well and living healthily. Most of its members are vegetarians or vegans, are well-educated, and regularly attend religious services, basing their philosophy on the idea that the body and soul are one. Many of their oldest members were interviewed for the article, among them Ellsworth Wareham, who at 98 is still performing open heart surgery at the local hospital.
This article was so interesting to me because it shows religion functioning in a very practical way. The people in this sect live longer and, on average, happier lives due to the way they practice their beliefs. Their faith certainly seems to be "working," and in a way that is much more quantitatively obvious than many other religions. Their diet seems most important--they subsist on vegetarian or vegan, mostly Mediterranean diets-- but their religious observance also seems somewhat important; research shows that people who regularly attend religious services tend to be happier overall.
This has made me question the way that I live my life, mostly in terms of attending religious services. I don't consider myself to be religious, but the concept of a communal and spiritual gathering certainly appeals to me, not only because of the health benefits, but because of another sort of fulfillment as well. What exactly is it about religious services that benefit people so much? Are there other forms of communal interaction, or physical activity, that can provide similar rewards? I'll continue searching.
The link to the article is below.
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/02/the-lovely-hill-where-people-live-longer-and-happier/272798/
This article was so interesting to me because it shows religion functioning in a very practical way. The people in this sect live longer and, on average, happier lives due to the way they practice their beliefs. Their faith certainly seems to be "working," and in a way that is much more quantitatively obvious than many other religions. Their diet seems most important--they subsist on vegetarian or vegan, mostly Mediterranean diets-- but their religious observance also seems somewhat important; research shows that people who regularly attend religious services tend to be happier overall.
This has made me question the way that I live my life, mostly in terms of attending religious services. I don't consider myself to be religious, but the concept of a communal and spiritual gathering certainly appeals to me, not only because of the health benefits, but because of another sort of fulfillment as well. What exactly is it about religious services that benefit people so much? Are there other forms of communal interaction, or physical activity, that can provide similar rewards? I'll continue searching.
The link to the article is below.
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/02/the-lovely-hill-where-people-live-longer-and-happier/272798/
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Religion and Abortion
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-kay-lundblad/luke-4-14-21-and-abortion-debate-were-all-in-this-together_b_2527048.html?utm_hp_ref=religion
For my first blog post, I'd like to do something that relates to the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that effectively legalized abortion in the United States. In the past ten years, this decision has come under fire, many times by the religious right, and anti-abortion laws in many states today have effectively made abortion unattainable for most women, primarily those of color or below the poverty line.
This article was written by a female Lutheran pastor and professor of preaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York, Barbara K. Lundblad. She argues that the pro-life movement is misnamed, citing the fact that so-called "pro-lifers" care more for unborn children than children already born, as shown for their detachment from social welfare programs that might lift many children out of the grip of poverty.
I've seen her arguments before, both in an article by Thomas Friedman in the New York Times, and as statements from the largest organization of U.S. catholic nuns, which eventually prompted a crackdown from the Vatican. I find it interesting that religious people might be on both sides of this debate, using virtually the same teachings and religious backgrounds to come to very different conclusions.
For my first blog post, I'd like to do something that relates to the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that effectively legalized abortion in the United States. In the past ten years, this decision has come under fire, many times by the religious right, and anti-abortion laws in many states today have effectively made abortion unattainable for most women, primarily those of color or below the poverty line.
This article was written by a female Lutheran pastor and professor of preaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York, Barbara K. Lundblad. She argues that the pro-life movement is misnamed, citing the fact that so-called "pro-lifers" care more for unborn children than children already born, as shown for their detachment from social welfare programs that might lift many children out of the grip of poverty.
I've seen her arguments before, both in an article by Thomas Friedman in the New York Times, and as statements from the largest organization of U.S. catholic nuns, which eventually prompted a crackdown from the Vatican. I find it interesting that religious people might be on both sides of this debate, using virtually the same teachings and religious backgrounds to come to very different conclusions.
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