Diana, A member of my faith community had just told me about "The Book of Longings." She had read it and wanted to discuss it with a group of people, which we are going to do in November. I am reading it now. I wanted to know if you had any resource to recommend that would help with the feminist theology references in the book? I know and am picking up on many but am sure I'm missing others. That is intriguing to me and will be important for our discussion. Thanks.
At this moment I have that ache in the middle of my chest when I am impacted by something emotionally very painful. I grieve beyond expression over how women have suffered since . . . how far back? All due to treatment by slightly less than half of the human race. That portion to which I belong. That being said, I am in awe of womanhood!
Thank you for your insightful , knowledgeable reflections on your summer "Beach" reads. I have read Timothy Egan's book . And now will add Sue Monk's book to my reading list. It is good to be in a group of people who can read and talk about the "hard" stuff of our history. And still we are able to be loving and caring and Faithful people.
You’re speaking my language! (And adding to an already overloaded reading list.) I find it refreshing that once simplistic, single voice narratives are being disrupted, turning into complex re-tellings and re-imaginings. This is what I’m longing for.
Thank you for your incisive reflections on Timothy Egan’s A Fever in the the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them and Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings. Loved your photo too.
Interesting books. I have read the Book of Longings. As a msn I, too, do not wish to be shackled by patriarchy, which I recognize in many of the churches and in many families. Throughout her life, my mother pushed the boundaries of women's roles. Women, who pushed against patriarchy, played abig roles in the Bible and Jesus reached out yo women in ways not accepted by the culture. Aristophanes recognized the shallowness of men and the power that women possess in his play Lysistrata: they withhold sex to bring an end to war.
Interesting books. I have read the Book of Longings. As a msn I, too, do not wish to be shackled by patriarchy, which I recognize in many of the churches and in many families. Throughout her life, my mother pushed the boundaries of women's roles. Women, who pushed against patriarchy, played abig roles in the Bible and Jesus reached out yo women in ways not accepted by the culture. Aristophanes recognized the shallowness of men and the power that women possess in his play Lysistrata: they withhold sex to bring an end to war.
Diana, I am so excited about the upcoming Southern Lights conference! I have been praying for something like this!
I feel a little silly saying what follows, now that I have been doing some serious deconstructing, but my framework at the time was the perspective of a fully convinced (almost unquestioning “orthodox”) Catholic convert from evangelicalism. Since then rot of Patriarchy pervading not only Protestant but also Catholic church history and teaching has come more nauseatingly, disappointingly into view. (Give Me Liberty and Jesus and John Wayne began articulating to me the roots of the things I had seen, heard and experienced among Christians that had vexed and grieved me all my life.) Anyway, at the beginning of my deconstruction journey, while still deep within a mindset of trust and submission to the Catholic Church, one of my most passionate prayers of the New Year in both 2022 and 2023 was that Pope Francis would formally repudiate Patriarchy and hierarchy in human relationships. When he renounced and repudiated the “Doctrine of Discovery,” I entertained a little hope that such an about face was possible. We will see. I still hope and pray it happens for the sake of the billions within the Catholic church and its example before the world. It might accelerate the process of shoving off the stranglehold patriarchy all around the world!
Imagine my joy when I saw the topic of your conference is imagining Christianity without patriarchy or hierarchy!
Thank you and your co-creators for bringing it forth!
Hillary's loss to Trump in 2016 - was it not the fact that she was a woman? One only has to look at the Current GOP et al. attacks on Kamala ... Although I am a white Male Canadian with no say in US politics, It was a shock to my own psyche, when Obama was elected, that I had a fleeting thought - could he be "trusted!" I think it was the inherent systematic learning from our history that even raised that thought - even though I was raised in a liberal family - I had worked for the Canadian "Socialist " Party in University and still have those "traits!" Yet that fleeting "doubt" surfaced! (I don't think it will ever re-emerge! Obama was "trust worthy+")
I wonder if that is not what was seen in 2016 and still emerges in the Post Trump era? ... Although women have been leaders of major countries ... I believe there remains this "inherent systematic learning" that still has to be hurdled...
My thought on that: Men have ruled for the last 10,000 + years - we have had war, famine and mayham... Maybe we should let the women have a go - can it be any worse?
I was born a male, and present as a cis-gendered male. I am Caucasian. Therefore, I benefit from the hegemony of the patriarchy. My participation has been primarily unconscious -- simply playing the part as my father and his father played it. I accepted advantages without being aware others were denied those advantages.
I recognize I have inner work to be done. I embrace learning, so I embrace this work -- as uncomfortable as it can be, at times. At the moment, I’m keenly aware I need work in treating women with respect. Not as bad as Luis Rubiales or #Fake45, but that’s hardly brag-worthy.
I want to be a better ally. That begins with listening. My my ears for you be as keen as your ears for me.
I read the Book of Longings this summer and will say it is my all time favorite! Monk Kids is an incredible writer (her other books are awesome) and this one is just done so well. Many people may feel it is wrong to suggest Jesus was ever married. But why couldn’t he have been? We know nothing of his life from the temple visit at age 12 to age 30 when he begins his ministry. He was a Jewish man. I also feel more connected to Jesus since reading this novel. Nothing changed my belief in the Holy Trinity. In fact this book, a novel, enhanced my faith and allowed me to see Jesus as both human and divine more than ever. Highly recommend!!
the Egan book was SO good! and shocking/not shocking how violent Stephenson was with women, but then racism and misogyny do tend to go together, don't they.
Diana, A member of my faith community had just told me about "The Book of Longings." She had read it and wanted to discuss it with a group of people, which we are going to do in November. I am reading it now. I wanted to know if you had any resource to recommend that would help with the feminist theology references in the book? I know and am picking up on many but am sure I'm missing others. That is intriguing to me and will be important for our discussion. Thanks.
At this moment I have that ache in the middle of my chest when I am impacted by something emotionally very painful. I grieve beyond expression over how women have suffered since . . . how far back? All due to treatment by slightly less than half of the human race. That portion to which I belong. That being said, I am in awe of womanhood!
I read Sue Monk Kidds book several years ago, and I still think about it. So well done. Thank you for the reminder.
Thank you for your insightful , knowledgeable reflections on your summer "Beach" reads. I have read Timothy Egan's book . And now will add Sue Monk's book to my reading list. It is good to be in a group of people who can read and talk about the "hard" stuff of our history. And still we are able to be loving and caring and Faithful people.
You’re speaking my language! (And adding to an already overloaded reading list.) I find it refreshing that once simplistic, single voice narratives are being disrupted, turning into complex re-tellings and re-imaginings. This is what I’m longing for.
Thank you for your incisive reflections on Timothy Egan’s A Fever in the the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them and Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings. Loved your photo too.
Interesting books. I have read the Book of Longings. As a msn I, too, do not wish to be shackled by patriarchy, which I recognize in many of the churches and in many families. Throughout her life, my mother pushed the boundaries of women's roles. Women, who pushed against patriarchy, played abig roles in the Bible and Jesus reached out yo women in ways not accepted by the culture. Aristophanes recognized the shallowness of men and the power that women possess in his play Lysistrata: they withhold sex to bring an end to war.
Interesting books. I have read the Book of Longings. As a msn I, too, do not wish to be shackled by patriarchy, which I recognize in many of the churches and in many families. Throughout her life, my mother pushed the boundaries of women's roles. Women, who pushed against patriarchy, played abig roles in the Bible and Jesus reached out yo women in ways not accepted by the culture. Aristophanes recognized the shallowness of men and the power that women possess in his play Lysistrata: they withhold sex to bring an end to war.
Diana, I am so excited about the upcoming Southern Lights conference! I have been praying for something like this!
I feel a little silly saying what follows, now that I have been doing some serious deconstructing, but my framework at the time was the perspective of a fully convinced (almost unquestioning “orthodox”) Catholic convert from evangelicalism. Since then rot of Patriarchy pervading not only Protestant but also Catholic church history and teaching has come more nauseatingly, disappointingly into view. (Give Me Liberty and Jesus and John Wayne began articulating to me the roots of the things I had seen, heard and experienced among Christians that had vexed and grieved me all my life.) Anyway, at the beginning of my deconstruction journey, while still deep within a mindset of trust and submission to the Catholic Church, one of my most passionate prayers of the New Year in both 2022 and 2023 was that Pope Francis would formally repudiate Patriarchy and hierarchy in human relationships. When he renounced and repudiated the “Doctrine of Discovery,” I entertained a little hope that such an about face was possible. We will see. I still hope and pray it happens for the sake of the billions within the Catholic church and its example before the world. It might accelerate the process of shoving off the stranglehold patriarchy all around the world!
Imagine my joy when I saw the topic of your conference is imagining Christianity without patriarchy or hierarchy!
Thank you and your co-creators for bringing it forth!
Hillary's loss to Trump in 2016 - was it not the fact that she was a woman? One only has to look at the Current GOP et al. attacks on Kamala ... Although I am a white Male Canadian with no say in US politics, It was a shock to my own psyche, when Obama was elected, that I had a fleeting thought - could he be "trusted!" I think it was the inherent systematic learning from our history that even raised that thought - even though I was raised in a liberal family - I had worked for the Canadian "Socialist " Party in University and still have those "traits!" Yet that fleeting "doubt" surfaced! (I don't think it will ever re-emerge! Obama was "trust worthy+")
I wonder if that is not what was seen in 2016 and still emerges in the Post Trump era? ... Although women have been leaders of major countries ... I believe there remains this "inherent systematic learning" that still has to be hurdled...
My thought on that: Men have ruled for the last 10,000 + years - we have had war, famine and mayham... Maybe we should let the women have a go - can it be any worse?
My concept of God is either He/She, or She/He. I don't think it makes any difference which is used. God is! Joy
I was born a male, and present as a cis-gendered male. I am Caucasian. Therefore, I benefit from the hegemony of the patriarchy. My participation has been primarily unconscious -- simply playing the part as my father and his father played it. I accepted advantages without being aware others were denied those advantages.
I recognize I have inner work to be done. I embrace learning, so I embrace this work -- as uncomfortable as it can be, at times. At the moment, I’m keenly aware I need work in treating women with respect. Not as bad as Luis Rubiales or #Fake45, but that’s hardly brag-worthy.
I want to be a better ally. That begins with listening. My my ears for you be as keen as your ears for me.
I would recommend James Madison’s A LYNCHING IN THE HEARTLAND: RACE AND MEMORY IN AMERICA (2001).
I read the Book of Longings this summer and will say it is my all time favorite! Monk Kids is an incredible writer (her other books are awesome) and this one is just done so well. Many people may feel it is wrong to suggest Jesus was ever married. But why couldn’t he have been? We know nothing of his life from the temple visit at age 12 to age 30 when he begins his ministry. He was a Jewish man. I also feel more connected to Jesus since reading this novel. Nothing changed my belief in the Holy Trinity. In fact this book, a novel, enhanced my faith and allowed me to see Jesus as both human and divine more than ever. Highly recommend!!
Holy Wow!
the Egan book was SO good! and shocking/not shocking how violent Stephenson was with women, but then racism and misogyny do tend to go together, don't they.
Yes, they do.