Thanks!
Catholic Church, My Journey December 2nd, 2004Thanks to everyone who prayed for me regarding the GRE. I don’t like to post my successes or failures really, but since I talked so much about this, I’ll give everyone an idea of how I did.
Verbal- low 700s
Quantatative- mid 500s
Writing- Not scored yet
Honestly, I am pleased with my results and although my math score is low by many standards, for me, given my dislike of and frustration with mathematics, it is a rousing success! Once again, thanks to all those who prayed. Thanks also to St. Thomas Aquinas and especially to God, by whose grace we receive all gifts.
December 3rd, 2004 at 3:33 pm
who needs math? no one will care unless you’re planning on doing statistics….which I don’t think you are….
December 3rd, 2004 at 6:45 pm
I’m not going into statistics and I think you’re right. Why should a future religious scholar need to know whether the relationship of one formula to another is greater, lesser, equal to, or unable to be determined? Of course, would that person also need to know what verbal relationship corresponds to ENERVATE: WEAKEN, lol? Oh well, nothing like neatly categorizing us based on a standardized test! I’m being a tad smart ellecky, but I really do agree with your math comment!
December 31st, 2004 at 2:37 pm
very interesting question why do we need maths. Have you noticed in the world today the dumbing down of intelligence. One could say the greatest work of the opposition today is we no longer study rhetoric, ethics or logic. Read the book of Frederic Ozanan’s Life. Before he was 27 he could speak several languages had become a doctor and was good at maths. God who is infinite logic likes a mind that does not dance or spin in circles but applies thought in a manner that goes from ‘a’ to ‘b’ and onwards in a ascending manner going from point to point logically. That is what maths used to give although under the new system 2 plus 2 makes anything you want, just like the world all is spin and “what I say is right and do not tell me otherwise”. Just like a foetus is not a baby just a boil to be burst and squeezed out.
February 1st, 2005 at 12:24 am
The life of the spirit is due to a calling, not tests or other hierarchical endeavor….The intellect and our capacity for reason are small compared with our emotional capacity to comprehend some of the larger mysteries that are generally ignored by institutional religion, and the laws of men over those of God! (God is not that interested in how many languages you can speak!)
If you are interested in all this resume stuff, then get a job with Microsoft, make some money and give us all a break!
We are not interested in your ego.
February 1st, 2005 at 9:04 am
Clive,
Of course, ironically, we are experiencing your ego in determining what religion is “really” about. I actually agree with you generally. I think we need less educational standardized testing and more belief and enthusiasm for Jesus. However, the Church needs specialists too and some people are called to that. There’s a difference between teaching history to first graders and teaching it and researching it at the university. Same is true of theology in terms of training and expectations.
Also, I don’t understand why religion is viewed in such anti-hierarchical and anti-educational terms. I wouldn’t want a doctor who didn’t know anything about the body and I don’t want a theologican or pastor who knows nothing about the Body (the Church). Likewise, let’s try the non-hierarchical approach in the schools or the government for awhile (yeah right). The hierarchy developed out of necessity and some of the greatest Christian mystics have emerged with the greatest respect for the hierarchy. Perhaps a freedom because of order?
February 1st, 2005 at 10:56 am
You will go far as an educator Jonathan. Of course when we break religion down into a manageable structure it becomes easier. Should religion be safe, and what guarantee do we have that there is a living religion beneath that structure? Of course your analogy to differing worldly professions places the Church of which you speak firmly in the world of men! Even with the most brilliant mind, I would still wish for the doctor operating on me to have a soul. Still further, despite the semblance of a soul and a caring heart, I would not wish that doctor to give me spiritual advice.
February 1st, 2005 at 12:01 pm
Clive,
I agree completely there has the to be a living religion beneath the structure, otherwise the structure is pointless. Many times that structure fails, but I still believe there has to be a structure since that’s how humans work. For example, without the structure of the Christian Faith, we would not have hospitals today. Spiritual individuals could not have organized these on a large scale, while institutions can and do. We live in the world of men and must operate in that context. In the Christian Faith, we believe that God not only entered the world of man, but became a man. We do not try to escape the world, but know that we must always live for God even when the world is wrong. Living in the world, but not being of the world is a difficult task and a balance unfortunately Christianity has not always achieved in practice.
February 1st, 2005 at 12:10 pm
Clive,
I do want to add that I am not defending the process to become a Catholic teacher. I am applying to schools right now and I can tell you it’s downright frustrating at times. I feel my vocation is to be a teacher in the Church, which is why I’m jumping through the hoops. I dislike much of the process, but feel strongly enough to keep doing it. If I did not have my faith in God and where he’s calling me to, I would’ve dropped out of this whole thing long ago (and be a lot less in debt).
February 1st, 2005 at 1:45 pm
Clive et al.,
Upon reading your posts Thomas a Kempis came to mind: “What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone.”
Thomas is, of course, right. And we (yes, me too) who strive to teach Christians must keep these words always in mind. There is a difference too between what one teaches and what one must read/digest/critique in order to be able to teach *well*. I aim to teach with clarity; it does not follow that everything that I read in order to do so is clear. I seek to teach orthodoxy; ditto–reading the heterodox is even necessary to do this well too. Intelligence and knowledge are both necessary in order to be the best possible teacher of the true doctrines of the Church and to spur the faithful to a more complete living of the gospel truths.
February 1st, 2005 at 2:41 pm
Your right, living in this world with feet planted firmly on the ground is the best foundation to contemplate the spiritual world, but the union is difficult in practice. I’d like to add more later when time permits.
February 1st, 2005 at 8:34 pm
I think that the early Christian communities were perhaps a little less structured. Any structure or spiritual discipline has to take place from within, and any exterior imposed creed can be helpful as a meter to balance personal experience against, but if taken literally will only lead to error. There are many good things done by Christian organizations, like the hospital networks that you talk about, but these should be a byproduct of a resultant empathy that is naturally fostered through spiritual growth, and not and end in itself. There are many individuals based in caring professions that are not motivated through religion (and may certainly hold atheistic beliefs), but through a basic humanity. I think that we miss the point if these social structures begin to dominate the basic premise behind the Christian religion.
I applaud your desire to teach, and hope your debt situation clears up. What level are you training to teach at?
Faith is a difficult issue! We have faith in what we believe in, and that certainly for me, is based on experience. I would not trust a rope for rock climbing unless I had thoroughly tested it out! I have faith in what I know to be true based on experience, and find that the modern usage of the term to be a little too numinous for my likeing. Of course we run up against what St John of the Cross described as “The Cloud of Unknowing”. We ultimately realize that we have very little capacity to understand the mysteries at the well head of spiritual experience, but we can have a bloody good go trying!
Humility is also an interesting concept, but it has its place. There is also great pride in professing humility! I’m reminded of the Jesus who tore down market stalls in the temple and seemed to be up there with the best of them when it came to getting generally angry and upset with people! A long way from the gentle Jesus, meek and mild that of course was also part of his character. The concept of humility is a powerful tool to quell the roving mind. The gates of heaven are taken by storm, and not through good thoughts and that fear of error that can become a very powerful form of incarceration.
Of course the intellect would seek to define itself as the only true form of understanding and our relationship to the spirit that would lead us where it wishes is the only thing of real importance that we can listen to in this life. But we are at perfect liberty to look and ponder creation and wonder at the mysteries that are there contained.
Vanity of vanities! Yes in the end all is vanity, but we have to get by living in the real world, unless you’re fortunate to live in a cave cell where meditation of the mysteries of the Christian faith is uninterrupted. I personally believe that the most powerful form of spirituality is where the lightening flash hits the earth and augments therein. So here’s to living in the real world!
February 1st, 2005 at 8:52 pm
Did I post that twice?
I’m using my wifes Apple, it confuses me!
ps. Apologies for my intrusion onto your site…
February 2nd, 2005 at 3:54 pm
Clive,
Don’t worry about the double posting. It happens to me alot too. I can delete doubles, which I’ve done.
I think we always need a balance between structure and sponaneous expression, which is why the Church has bishops and mystics as Saints. Structure can be overbearing at times, but I think that is a human tendancy. Without structure we fall back into another human tendancy: chaos. True humility is certainly important in keeping structure humble. Bishops are first ordained deacons (servants) and never lose that status. Even the Pope is called “Servant of the Servants of God.” Now, this does not always work out in practice, but clearly the Church has recognized the importance of humility and freedom within the structure.
As for the creeds, I think the literal interpretation is certainly valid, but we must recognize that God is greater than our limited language and comprehension. It’s like St. Dionysius’ negative theology: if we say God is something…we must also say God is not that something…and then we must say God is not not that something. It’s confusing, but it reminds us that God is greater than our own formulations, even the negation of our formulations.
In answer to your question, I’d like to teach at the university level. Although I dislike the politics and pressure in the academy, I do love learning and especially teaching. I’m blessed to have had wonderful professors who cared about their students and loved the pursuit of learning. They inspired me to try do the same.
February 3rd, 2005 at 10:34 am
I’m a long dissertation away from my PhD. I’d like to teach NT and Preaching at any seminary that will take me as a High-Church Anglican with favors of Classical Evangelicalism.
February 4th, 2005 at 7:37 pm
I don’t think that I would have ever fitted in to a mainstream church system, as a priest or anything else. I’m now quite content to sit in my own small cave and contemplate divine mysteries and my place in the universe! My church is Nestorian, Eastern Catholic, I think that you lot excommunicated us a long time ago!, though I don’t really hold to party lines these days but keep an open heart and mind to understanding the higher order of things.
It seems that when religion gets tainted by politics it loses its edge; too many people running around trying to please each other and worrying if they have got it right… More often than not getting it wrong because they are looking in the wrong direction…
Still, we all have to live and the Catholic Church supports a lot of honest people….
One thing, mysteries are there to be solved and there is a ladder of understanding to all forms of experience. Spontaneous expression can be motivated by a perplexing range of learnt experience that lies dormant in the subconscious. It is surely better to approach these levels of expression with will and insight..