Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Spark and tinder

I often wonder what keeps me blogging. Sometimes I think it is sheer hypographia hypergraphia and other times "survivor's guilt." I have survived patriarchy - in a manner of speaking - and I agonize over others. The fact is that the influence still touches me closely in some ways, and not at all in others. But, for the sake of this blog, yes, I still have connections and concerns that I cannot leave behind.

So, it is vital for me to understand the roots of the Ware hypothesis regarding power and authority, or the Wallace hypothesis on Junia. I really like to wrap my brain around it so I can be intellectually responsible in rejecting patriarchy.

I will cite a few blogs and comments made about me in the last few days, just so you can see how up and down it has been.

John said,
Any religious formation that genders particular functions incurs your implacable wrath. Thus you cannot but hate what traditional Judaism does to women, traditional Catholics and Orthodox idem, not to mention traditional and neo-traditional evangelicals (your own background).
I protested that I had never blogged about Catholics, Orthodox or Judaism, at least not in any negative context, and John deleted me and blocked me from posting on his blog forever. Period. He also took the time to say that I should not preach the myth of gender equality.

Jim asked why women aren't attending the biblioblogger dinners, and I suggest that there might be a good reason and he responded,
the onus is completely on them [women]. they aren’t being slighted- they are slighting others with what can only rightly be called childishness.
But he takes up my case here and states,
Women are equal to men in all respects notwithstanding witless and chauvinistic misreadings of the biblical text.
So I hope that Jim tells John that women are equal in all respects!

In the meantime, I have been labeled one of the most fascinating bloggers and one of the most dangerous bloggers. To round it off, I received another comnent of the kind that just blows me away,
what has impressed me the most is that you have done all these things in a non-polemical manner
Ah ha! Little does he know. I am both spark and tinder. Hold your breath.

Okay, I posted this because someone emailed me a while ago to keep him posted about my romps. Infotainment. (PS I don't mean to be disrespectful of anyone. I am just keeping my spirits up.)

9 comments:

Lynne said...

Suzanne, I don't know how you do it, but I'm grateful that you do. Perhaps I'm still too raw and sore and unsure to go out in battle like that, as one of the many who has escaped from the comp world with livid scars on my soul. I'm just too tired for that confrontation, I only have the strength to proclaim my own truth experience on my own blog, but I appreciate so much that there are people like you out in the world willing to challenge the patriarchy on its own turf.

May God strengthen and keep you and protect you, and may you know the rich and glorious blessings of His fellowship as you do His work

scott gray said...

sue--

i'm about to send a letter to cmp about why i won't support his ministry with money just yet. it's because his credo house ministry is rooted in 'doing biblical theology' instead of 'doing service in the world' and letting biblical theology fall from jesus-oriented praxis. at the center of the conflicts you describe is a driving need for so many to focus on priciples, at the expense of justice-oriented living. if white male theologians-in-charge volunteered at a battered wife shelter for any length of time, i can't help but think that worldviews would be transformed, or at least shifted a bit.

to do otherwise is to be immune to compassion. as st. paul would say, a clanging gong; a noisy cymbal.

peace--

scott

David Ker said...

I know you're not fishing for compliments but you're an entertaining writer and focused (may we just say obsessed?!?) on engaging others on a topic you care about. After 5 months in the US I understand better the ideas that are floating around regarding headship etc.

maventheavenger aka jamie said...

I appreciate your bravery and courage. I wish I had the intellectual capacity to enter into these battles. Just knowing that there are "intellectually responsible" reasons for women to be considered equal is reassuring.

Don said...

I appreciate your blog a LOT! Keep on keeping on.

Anonymous said...

You rock, Suzanne!!!!!!!!!
:)
Your Fan,

Suzanne McCarthy said...

My first thought on waking up was - oh, no, I wrote hypographia, not hypergraphia. No time to correct it though. Thanks of the comments and Dana I may write about my thoughts on that. Nothing scary. :-)

Lin said...

Suzanne, You have inspired me to study deeper and for that I cannot express my gratitude enough!

I love TC's blog. It is very interesting.

You wrote: "He also took the time to say that I should not preach the myth of gender equality."

John describes himself as a 'non biblical egal'... which I have never understood. :o)

And it is far from being a 'myth' as your research, skills and dedication have taught us.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're blogging. Be encouraged :).

Deborah