Tuesday 9 January 2007

Welcome!

Hello dear friends!

A note about the title: though it is slightly unwieldy, "fides quaerens intellectum" - faith seeking understanding - offers a general introduction to each of us as women seeking to increase our faith through our commitment to the gospel and our commitments to education, professions etc. "Fides quaerens intellectum" also serves as a general introduction to the content of this forum: rather than establishing ourselves as a subculture within the church, I think we all look forward to exploring the joys, the challenges, the complications and beauties of learning how we understand our various roles as women, wives, mothers, students, professors, lawyers, writers, businesswomen - and the tensions these diverse roles inhere.

More than anything, I look forward to the growth of a bond between women from all over the world with a wide range of experiences and interests but united in our commitment to fides quaerens intellectum, however we express that commitment in our particular lives.

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I imagine it will take a bit of time for everyone to post their profiles and start being active, but whoever wants to begin discussion, please do!


8 comments:

Emma said...

Haha, I was reading a book last night called Eve and the Choice Made in Eden, and I kept thinking "man, I wish Al or Missy were here to talk about this!" So this is probably the best idea ever.

Courtney said...

hey! I am reading that book too! Oh I suppose I am supposed to join the blog first before I start making posts . . . Hang on.

Emma said...

I guess it must have been a popular Christmas present this year? So far, I think I might really like it; it brings something new to the table. I was worried that it was going to veer off into truisms about motherhood, or something.

Courtney said...

A very dangerous road to take-- I am glad it doesn't either. I like it I think-- but some of the "solutions" it presents seem like cop-outs to me. Though I like it, I suppose. I actually started reading it about a year and a half ago and never finished. I recently picked it back up, so we'll see if I finish this time around.

Alexandra said...

Court, what do you mean by solutions? I am not familiar with the content of the book -- what are the premises, what solutions does it propose? Emma, what are your thoughts about it -- what are the new aspects it presents? I've just read a few reviews online and it looks like an interesting book - would you guys recommend it?

Courtney said...

Dang. You caught me in my ignorance. I can't remember specifics right now, I just remember thinking that at different points throughout. I will re-read some and come back with evidence shortly. So far, though, I recommend it-- if not just for an interesting read to broaden your background when thinking about such topics as Adam and Eve and what that entails.

Emma said...

I'm about a third of the way through it, so I haven't gotten to the "solutions" part yet, although now I'm kind of intrigued.

Like I said before, although it contains a theological discussion of the role of women, the author stays away from an oversimplified "women are nurturers, isn't it great that we can be mothers?" kind of book. She seems to have done her homework-- for example, there's a discussion about how in Moses, God mentions that he's going to refer to both Adam and Eve as "Adam". So, in all but 2 cases in Genesis, when God talks to Adam, he's actually addressing both man and woman. (To me, this seems unnecessarily confusing of God.) This can make a huuuge difference in how you read Genesis, and also how you can interpret gender roles.

When I get a little further into it, I'll hopefully have a more coherent statement about it to put together.

Courtney said...

Maybe that's what I mean by "solutions." To me, when I read things like that (God addressing Adam and Eve as Adam) I wonder why God would choose something so "unnecessarily confusing." So, it's not that she presents these concrete solutions (or even presents them as such). But just not as explanatory as I had hoped. Part of it is, I realize, that I don't think such a book can be written. I don't think there's going to be a book that answers all my questions, quells all my fears, banishes all my doubts, etc. So, I may have been holding the book to too high a standard.