My commas and semi-colons need help

[theatokos]

As I work my way through my notes in an effort to pull together my thesis (will a rough draft be done by Friday? Tune in next week to find out!) I find tasty bits that won't quite fit. The full on theologian in me has lots to say, particularly on the image of God (Imago Dei) and our connection with that. I find this anthropological aspect of theology to be an important hinge; understanding just what is the image of God and how it relates to us can create a new denomination in minutes. The Orthodox believe that all of creation is an icon of the Creator, that we bear the image of God in us and while we can diminish this, we can never lack it. (I am am unapologetically Orthodox in my understanding of the human person.) The Catholics also believe that we bear the image of God but original sin fucks it up along the way. The Calvinists and many Reformed churches have a theology of depravity- humans have lost the image of God and only grace, which we can have no part in because we're so pathetic, can restore us.

In a nutshell.

But why would God give us a poor copy of the real thing? I believe that God is panentheistic (make sure you catch that second syllable, please)- everywhere and in all things, wholly transcendent and wholly within. This means that the kingdom of God (if you choose to follow the feudalistic metaphor) is actually at hand; it is present, near, and ready to be realized. Not in an external apocalyptic sense, but in a more real and personally present sort of way. Jesus as an example of the fullness of man fully in concert with the living God is a fully divinized human being, meaning that we too can move into and with the Divine. I also believe that Mary is an example of union with God. The obvious suggestion is there: in union with God she birthed Christ, but she also in union with grace moved into the fullness of that grace and her divinization.

I also believe that that spark of divinity within us is a fragment of the diversity that God created. We only know of God that which we see in the world and have experienced in our hearts and in our flesh. The entirety of the world- nature, culture, art, humanity- reflect the great mystery and beauty of the one ground of being some have named God. In naming the Divine we create a sense of power. God, really just a capitilized version of the generic 'god,' is the name humans have bestowed the undefinable. There is power in naming, often power over. We think we named him God, that we claimed God as him. Cannot God name itself? Hasn't it/she/he done so on the face of every creature?

Yes, I realize I am entering into the fruity zone, the area of "Oh, we're all One. We are all God." Um, no. I don't really think so. But the language threatens to take me there. I guess this why I am but an amateur at this point. In time I hope to hone the language and really say what I really mean.

But, the question I am asking myself tonight is: do I or do I not watch the Grammy's?

Comments

wow.

[erinya.livejournal.com]

I think your brain is doing pretty well, for pudding. ;-)

Cannot God name itself? Hasn't it/she/he done so on the face of every creature?

I love this idea, and you put it beautifully.

BTW, I just wrote you an email (finally! Sorry for being a big flake.) I also watched the Grammy's, which was surprisingly worth it this year...even though, as usual, almost nobody I thought should win actually won, there were a couple kick-ass performances I'm glad I didn't miss.

Re: wow.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

I thought I'd heard that Prince was going to perform and he'd be worth wading through vapid starlets. But I got wrapped up in the theology of Sarah Jane Boss. Oh my. She's fab.

[donkeyfly.livejournal.com]

I just started reading The Brother's Karamazov and discovered that I had forgotten what it's like to think about these things.

Whew.

I totally want to read your thesis.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

My thesis doesn't get too much into theology of the human person. I posted these thoughts because, so far, I can't seem to find a spot for them in the actual thesis. What I'm writing about is current ideas in Mariology and where they fit in the grand scheme of things. First section is intro and why it's good to study Mary and what mythistory is. Second section so far is brief over view of ideas about Mary throughout history and the standard critiques of them. Third section is review of current literature: the historical person route (more common) and the cosmological route (less common, but more in line with what Christians have thought and experienced in Christianity's development, and my personal favorite). Fourth section is why I like the cosmological approach, the issues that will have to be dealt with, like gender essentialism and bigenderality, and discussing the personal "bias" in my historical method and theology.

[epymetheus.livejournal.com]

I also believe that that spark of divinity within us is a fragment of the diversity that God created. We only know of God that which we see in the world and have experienced in our hearts and in our flesh. The entirety of the world- nature, culture, art, humanity- reflect the great mystery and beauty of the one ground of being some have named God. In naming the Divine we create a sense of power. God, really just a capitilized version of the generic 'god,' is the name humans have bestowed the undefinable. There is power in naming, often power over. We think we named him God, that we claimed God as him. Cannot God name itself? Hasn't it/she/he done so on the face of every creature?

Yes, I realize I am entering into the fruity zone, the area of "Oh, we're all One. We are all God." Um, no. I don't really think so. But the language threatens to take me there. I guess this why I am but an amateur at this point. In time I hope to hone the language and really say what I really mean

It's late, and I lost all my money, but I got a positive reception concerning the cover letter I sent tonight...I guess I didn't need the tarot reading?

The point of this is: I think you should pursue that thought when you want to write, but don't want to write your thesis. I'll write more about it tomorrow, because I think it's something beautiful...the name of god is written in the syntax of existance, the universe is constantly pronouncing gods name,a never ending, ever changing word, that cannot be comprehended nor written, but is at every moment revealing itself to someone else, who then attempts to pronounce that tiny fragment, thus all of our writing, all of our work is just one tiny refraction of who god is. Yeah, that's tight. Explore.

A.B.