[From an interesting -- albeit, as the reader cannot fail to note, primarily aimed at Catholics -- piece by historical theologian Mary Ann Donovan ...]
"What might be the experience of a theologian -- we will call her Macrina -- who prayerfully considers no. 12 of Lumen gentium?
First, she feels the Wind of the Spirit moving over the depths of the people of God. As one of the people she inhales the Holy Breath. She awakens in awe to awareness of the closeness of the Spirit of God. Her first response is a deep, almost dizzying joy -- God loves us. God loves me. That moment is reverence. It is adoration.
And then? She tastes the awakening of hope. It is the Spirit of God who breathes in the body of the faithful -- from pope and bishops to bawling infants, still dripping from the baptismal waters. Her hope is sure -- for never has the Spirit, never will the Spirit, abandon the Church. So she stretches out her arms to accept the Spirit's particular gift to her -- the gift of teaching.
But then she hesitates. She tastes the sharp edge of fear. The gift, a grace, is given for the service to the people of God. It is a gift meant for hard use, not for display. Faithful use of her gift will involve suffering -- the kind called for in a lifetime of patient work: One more day of dusty reading. Research upon research. Another talk, another class to prepare, another article to write -- a call to selfless giving. Criticism to endure -- some valid, and some not so valid. So there will be a price to pay in self-control.
But Jesus knew a similar call, and embraced a similar gift. And joy erases the edge of fear as Macrina embraces her gift. Yes, she expects her gift to be tested. She trusts that so long as her work is of God it will be confirmed by those who have charge over the Church. So, as she finishes her mediation our theologian finds herself in-Spirited with courage to exercise her gift wisely within the community of salvation."
- Mary Ann Donovan, "The Vocation of a Theologian," Theological Studies 65.1 (Mar 2004), pp. 3-22.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comments:
Dear Pilgrim,
As you know, I am Jewish, but with a keen interest in Christianity and the New Testament. I can't resist teasing a bit.
A piece "primarily aimed at Catholics" indeed. But as you know, "catholic" means "whole," "universal." Perhaps you were referring to what Protestants call "Roman Catholics" in their heretical pretense that the True Church is merely a sect? :)
"Research upon research. Another talk, another class to prepare, another article to write -- a call to selfless giving. Criticism to endure -- some valid, and some not so valid. So there will be a price to pay in self-control.
"But Jesus knew a similar call, and embraced a similar gift.”
Please. This implies either a radical understanding of Jesus or a radical understanding of theologians. Jesus didn't do research and didn’t need to: “He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” (Mt. 7:29)
Theologians don't preach to the masses; they earn graduate degrees and hope their gift for research and synthesis will be rewarded with the gift of tenure. Rather than resembling Jesus, they resemble those who "love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men." (Mt. 23:6-7)
In my insufficiently humble opinion, I think the scribes had more humility in their setting than this theologian has in hers. They claimed honor only for the achievement of knowing the texts and the ability to construct legal arguments with them. They would have acknowledged God-given gifts, but did not claim a God-given "calling" -- in their terms, to have been "anointed" (mashiach)-- to speak for God.
[BTW, is "as she finishes her mediation [sic]..." your slip or Donovan's?]
I was unaware that Pope Paul VI had proclaimed the infallibility of "the entire body of the faithful" in "matters of belief" (accepting sub silentio the awkward fact that it can and does err in mere matters of fact). I immediately wondered why, in view of this doctrine, the Church had not placed its resources in opinion polling rather than theological faculties. But I see that the lay "prophetic office" is "exercised under the guidance of the sacred teaching authority," just as in Marxism, the proletariat is always right, but only speaks through the Party.
This meditation you quoted suggests the need to sort out two Johannine metaphors: the spirit that is like the wind, felt but not seen, versus the light that shines in the darkness, enabling those who can perceive it to see whence it comes, to distinguish the things it illumines, and to be aware of the surrounding darkness it does not.
Donovan (and I think Lumen Gentium as well) confuses the role of the theologian with that of the prophet. The prophet or inspired person is a direct intermediary, the theologian only an indirect and derivative one. In the light of faith and with the help of the holy spirit, a theologian attempts to interpret and reconcile those teachings accepted as divinely inspired. Who "accepts" the teachings, how and why? Good question, and good reason for real humility on the theologians' part, don't you think?
Best,
Kevin
Post a Comment