Comments for The Gospel According to Saint Marcus

Comment on About the Author by Saint Marcus

Saint Marcus — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 01:58:09 +0000

Mathias,
Understandable. This page is a combination of bad and far-to-intermittent editing and just where I am ontologically, culturally, socially, and spiritually. It, much like myself, is a work in progress. I’m actually about to give this page a much needed overhaul. My first masters was a great mix of biblical studies and Church history. My current graduate program has a lot more to do with practical theology – liturgy and worship, pastoral theology, etc. So there is clearly a lot of fodder for great discussion.

- In Peace

Comment on About the Author by Mathias

Mathias — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 11:09:44 +0000

To be honest, I believe that “Joe” is focusing on that you only mentioned “Black” and “African/American”. Myself, I think that you must have had a very exciting path that led up to where you are now. Me myself, I started to study philosophy and Art History when I too k my BA, and I have studied Biblical Studies and History of Christianity & Judaism for my Masters now. I will this coming semester take a course in Counselling and pastoral care.

- Be well, Live good and share the happiness to those you meet.
Mathias

Comment on About the Author by Saint Marcus

Saint Marcus — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 02:43:58 +0000

Thank you very much for you comments. I am not sure what you are referring to, particularly pertaining to me not reading “God’s word,” because there is no context to your remarks. Nonetheless I wish you Love and Light. Thanks for reading.

- Love and Light

Comment on About the Author by joe

joe — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:38:06 +0000

you should be a follower of Christ and the words of truth that are with in the Bible. We are all children of God and the sooner you read his word and not the word of the humans around you the better off you will be. I love all people of all color and if you can not see it that way then you may not be ready to enter those Gate of Heaven that you see as a boundry. i pray for you and yours to read of God’s love and share it with others. I am a vocational educator in the south and i love all of my students. At times it’s a little hard for them to hear that but as they get to know me they know i am sincere. May the Love and Grace of Jesus touch your heart and help you to inspire others around you. Sincerely Yours, Joe

Comment on The Strange Fruit of Christianity and the Nuances of Inclusive Discourse by Saint Marcus

Saint Marcus — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:48:48 +0000

It is a big “If;” however, it occupies the same conceptual theoretical model as any other hermeneutic that one can apply to readings and interpretations of the Biblical witness. You do offer critique, one that I wrestle with as well. Specifically, I am interested in the was in which slavocracy and associated language occupies space within the Biblical witness and how have these spaces been used to oppress persons throughout history in a variety of ways such as American slavery, American Jim Crow Segregation, South African Apartheid, European Colonialism throughout the world, etc. I cannot offer an answer to the question; however, what I can offer is an understanding that I have long wrestled with this use of the word “slave” in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament nd how does this relate to Jesus Christ and God. You are also right about the Bible being used to subjugate persons, and that’s what Kelly Brown Douglas does a good job of elucidating in this book and her previous book. The challenge Black religious clerics and scholars such as myself is to use the “hermeneutic of appropriation” that is a part of the Black Religious/Christian experience and to develop and frame an African American hermeneutic in which any reference to slavery is deemed in appropriate and anti-Christ. Those just a few concepts that I am wrestling with.

Comment on The Strange Fruit of Christianity and the Nuances of Inclusive Discourse by Darryl Thomas

Darryl Thomas — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 03:19:27 +0000

“Does Jesus come right out and condemn slavery? Perhaps not on the surface; however, if some of the parables are read as subversive speech (as proffered by William R. Herzog) then one can see the ways in which the teachings of Jesus were against the institution of slavery.”

That’s a mighty big IF. The surface is all we have to go on, which can be closely read to indicate what was the most important items the Gospel writers wanted to present. Slavery doesn’t seem to be high on the list, and in fact, as you well know, when Jesus discussed the only parable about slaves (“servants” in most translations), he did not explicitly state that the master-slave point was invalid.

Luke 12:45-48: “The lord [owner] of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

I’m sure this biblical quotation was used to justify many a beating upon slaves by Good Christian Slave owners. How could they not – the permission and justification for one human being to beat another human being who’s totally subservient is IN THE HOLY BOOK. I can only look at that verse as something terribly sinister.

Comment on The Strange Fruit of Christianity and the Nuances of Inclusive Discourse by Saint Marcus

Saint Marcus — Tue, 31 May 2011 04:16:26 +0000

Kelly Brown Douglas is a Womanist scholar, not to be confused with Feminist, and I think she does a good job exposing the ways in which platonic Christian theology colludes (to use her own words) with oppressive power which results in the degradation and destruction of certain bodies, in this case Black bodies. In this review I was not seeking to elucidate all the salient points of the book; that would require a blog 4 times as long. My intention was to introduce some of the basic concepts and offer questions for reflection and conversation. One thing Douglas does a great job is divorcing Christian thought from platonic influence (the Flesh/Spirit dualism). She makes clear what I’ve known for a long time, that the Flesh/Spirit dualism is not “Christian” as it denies the sacral value of the human body as shown in the incarnation of the Christ and the the resurrection of the Christ. Both of these events show the divine value of the body, a concept that is sacrilege to those who ascribe to the platonic Body/Soul dualism. Douglas seeks to reconstruct a Christianity that upholds the sacral value of the body as well as affirms that cultural realities and tenets of those in the African diaspora. Does Jesus come right out and condemn slavery? Perhaps not on the surface; however, if some of the parables are read as subversive speech (as proffered by William R. Herzog) then one can see the ways in which the teachings of Jesus were against the institution of slavery. As far as sacrifice, we can see several times in the Gospels where the “rituals” of the Jewish faith are reframed for his audience and the idea of human-sacrifice (Satisfaction Theory of Atonement) is a Pauline concept – i.e. Paul’s interpretation of the Christ event. This is definitely worth reading and if you haven’t done so, I would encourage you to. And as always, thanks for reading and for you challenges.

Comment on The Strange Fruit of Christianity and the Nuances of Inclusive Discourse by Darryl Thomas

Darryl Thomas — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:36:47 +0000

To touch on a few points:

You say: “Specifically, Douglas illumines the ways in which the American Christian tradition ostensibly condoned, if not actively participated in the lynching of Black bodies. According to Douglas, this is done because of the flesh versus spiritual dualism that is present within the platonic Christian faith tradition (as expressed in the Pauline epistles) that offers sacred canopy for the attacks on the bodies of a sexualized people.”

And here is how (feminist?) Christian theology fails to confront its own corruption and denial through academic sugar-coated fantasies. You don’t seem to give us an answer to the question that was supposedly the reason why the book was written, “What is it about Christianity that allowed it to be both a bane and a blessing to black people?” Well, perhaps the problem is the human being’s incapacity to live the teachings of their Master who never fully rejected the concept of slavery or sacrifice. What is hidden in your quote above reveals a tacit approval of the suffering of the sacrificed black bodies as a result of a body/metaphysical tension that is at the heart of the Christian theology. This totally occludes the three reasons for the historical suffering of African slaves at the hands of their European slave holders. Money, money, money – the REAL “God” of this world.

Comment on The Strange Fruit of Christianity and the Nuances of Inclusive Discourse by 1coin

1coin — Sun, 29 May 2011 21:15:04 +0000

Thanks for the posting this review. It’s extremely useful. DLM

Comment on It’s Just a Season by yvette assem

yvette assem — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:39:00 +0000

Thank you Marcus for sharing your word. I experienced a similar season during my senior year at the ITC. It was more profound after completing my Senior Intergrative paper. I began to reflect back on my season(s) at ITC realizing those who had been there, those who weren’t and those who maybe. It was an alone space without experiencing loneliness. I realized in that space during my last season at ITC . I had a passion for G-d that I would give my life unto my death love and minister all of G-ds people. With understanding that G-d will be with me where ever I go !