Read, eat

 

Just as my Interlude started, a trusted longtime (1971) Navy colleague who surpasses me in wisdom on all things and in knowledge on some things, suggested that as I'm already in the habit, even if not writing for others, I continue writing for myself. So, I've been doing some of that. Comes to mind on summer's late Saturday morning out here on 7H porch as, sipping a second mug of black coffee, I read and think and nibble my way through breakfast: TJ's thick chicken liver paté and thin butter patties on sliced-it-myself extra heavy whole wheat and grains bread. Look, even during covid19 an elderly man must live and eat and have his Being.*

Folks have derided my tastes as uncommon, the homiletics professor at seminary writing "You have an eccentric preaching style, but it seems to work for you". My food preferences have been castigated as yucky, for breakfast raw oysters with pepper vinegar, chicken liver paté anytime, sushi, anchovy fillets from tin or jar to tongue, Islay single-malt scotch, high-juniper gins, gin-potato-vodka-vermouth-anchovy-olive martini well-bruised; aromatic cheeses, red rare steak and rib roast, black-seared red raw 97% lean ground beef burger, extra-fatty lamb shank, carrots, onions, potatoes or rice and thick brown gravy. Tillamook strawberry, or BlueBell homemade vanilla with sweetened-condensed milk drizzled over, stick of butter & a warm hard-crust soft-core French baguette, heavy moist chocolate or coconut cake, fried mullet or baked, dark chocolate. Dry red wine, dark and heavy. Beer sans grapefruit juice. V8 juice original or spicy. No longer PJs, I sleep in worn out ratty and ragged soft white dress shirt and black exercise pants, socks. Cadillacs & Buicks. Slip-on shoes w/o shoe laces to tie. Despise and shun shopping except at Exchange, Commissary, Grocery Outlet, Carousel, and online.

My reading tastes may differ from yours, and films I like. Farris Buehler's Day Off, The Blues Brothers, Animal House, TV Fawlty Towers, Carol Burnett, The Honeymooners. Battle of Britain. Sink the Bismarck. Prefer war films and books, documentaries and historical novels especially of WW1, WW2 and the Third Reich era; recently finished "The Hitler Book" originally written in Russian for Stalin personally and exclusively, based on a decade of NKVD/MVD interrogating Hitler aides Heinz Linge and Otto Günsche. Starting a series of Eric Rohmer films.  

Confronting self as believer who must explore why I say what I believe, theological seminary confirmed and EfM reconfirmed, that I'd rather be informed than ignorant, disillusioned than illusioned, enlightened than blissful, so I read and continue reading as Professor Jenson urged. Currently finishing "How Jesus Became God" by Bart D Ehrman. Don't be shocked, and books' titles are integral to their marketing, but the fact is, there was a Time before the Creeds and before Easter and before Anno Domini; there was B.C. when nobody knew Jesus, whether he was Logos. How did the Church come to see Jesus as the fourth century Nicene Creed defines him; or rather, says what Jesus is over against what early heresies said he is not, and says what Jesus is not over against what early heresies said he is? Men suffered and died for what in good faith they believed (read Philip Jenkins, "Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 Years", which I had as "required" reading for EfM students their summer between Year Three and Year Four) and taught. 

"Time makes ancient good uncouth" as James Russell Lowell's hymn line says, and theology evolves and develops and is codified over Time; centuries go by, and in the 1st century neither the apostle Paul nor the Twelve Disciples nor the Four Evangelists knew Jesus as the 4th century Council of Nicaea visualizes, imagines, fights about, refines and defines him, though John 1:1-18 Prologue seems closest. A New Testament scholar and historian, Ehrman traces early development of "Christology" (what the Church believes and says about Christ). Beginning as a literalist, inerrantist evangelical Christian and working through liberal or progressive creedal churches, Ehrman is no longer a believer, but he is a brilliant NT professor, highly competent scholar, thorough, excellent writer, both technical and "plain language". I stand Sunday mornings and recite the Nicene Creed while knowing that the Creed itself has the historical purpose of rebutting then current (fourth century) developed and widely accepted beliefs that had grown out of style and evolved from orthodoxy to heresy; and settling new orthodoxy. What church and folk believe about Jesus was a work in progress during Christianity's first centuries. Today people say the Nicene Creed as rote, not caring (nor if they examined it believing), its seemingly trivial assertions that were so important to third and fourth century Christian leaders. Even if what I say has always been True, it has not always been known and believed. So, noting that it always says "We believe", it never says "We know", I read and apply my own intellect. Read, eat, swallow, read more.

Pic: the air off 7H porch was loaded with dragonflies at dawn this morning.

T+

*If God can become Man for a Time in History, Papa can become a Seminole for Caroline's Time at FSU. I may have a rethink next year, depending on final UF/FSU fall 2021 CFB schedule.