. . . that this being the last day of school, I went straight to the university library, returned one book, renewed a book that I can't find, paid the rather substantial fines on each, and took out five, yes, FIVE, Karl Rahner books and also Belden Lane's Solace of Fierce Landscapes. When I am going to fit all these in, along with the stacks of books on Chartres and Iona leaning precariously on the dining room table, I have no idea, but the fact that I do not have to grade one more single paper on either World War II or the American Revolution fills me with optimism and hope.
I also went downtown to initiate the first financial transaction that might make it possible for me to go to seminary in a year.
Last night I took advantage of streaming video to watch the PC(USA) General Assembly's election of the moderator -- the Reverend Joan Gray -- who will serve for the next two years. As I commented elsewhere, I disagree with Joan Gray on the ordination question (I hope I am portraying her accurately by stating that she said that she did not yet believe that the Biblical case for gay and lesbian ordination had been made, and had decided to live with the discomfort her position creates for her), but she seems to be a person who can bring people to the table and enable them to hear each other -- a true definition of moderator. And if the internet has brought me anything, it is the realization that my little corner of the Presbyterian church is apparently on the extreme cusp of progressive/liberal/whatever you want to call it, even within the PC(USA) itself. We seem pretty middle-of-the-road to me, but apparently other people are not of that opinion (including my son and one of the rabbis with whom I work, who both laughed long and hard when I tried to make the case for our middle-of-the-roadness.) So perhaps a moderator who can reach her arms farther out and around than I can in is order. At any rate, it was a fascinating process to watch.
I LOVE the internet. I can't believe how much there is to do and see and learn from my computer. But I love my new books, too. I'm going to go and read one of them right now.
PS: If you scroll all the way down, just for today, you can see a close-up of a section of the image above.
5 comments:
I actually like this picture better...complete with its spider web.
Please continue to be "out there" in your spiritual convictions. It gives me hope that there is intelligent life in Christendom...
I know we may disagree on issues but I agree that Rev. Gray's election is a reallly smart move for those interested in keeping our denomination together. Myself and my "Conservative" friends were very excited about her credentials-especially her PJC experience-and look forward to her tenure. I cannot speak for others but as a someone who follows the law very closely I am a strict constructionist when it comes to both the U.S. Constitution and our very own PC(USA) version. In a completely seperate voice I do believe their is a double-standard with regards to the strictness of homosexual exclusivity and the lax nature of the church's views on divorce, adultery, etc.
Congratulations on completing the school year. So it sounds as though you are leaning toward seminary--wow. While I have little knowledge of the politics of the PC, I have to hope that any conciliatory person leading it is a hope for understanding and acceptance within and in the larger world.
Yay... No more papers to grade.
J~
Congrats on finishing the school year! I suspect that time will not expand quite enough to accomodate all those books but what luxury to contemplate it.
The first real step toward seminary after discernment is quite a milestone.
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