JulesCouldn't decide which book to read next, so I'm re-reading Alice Degan's "From All False Doctrine". Don't know whether I'll post notes 🤷🏻
I know I quoted this before, but it's just so funny 😂
“She’ll study the morphology of the verbs or something, Peachy, you fool,” said Mr. Underhill. “She’s not doing her Master’s thesis in experimental pagan mysticism. One hopes.”
"The life of the intellect should be lived, if not in solitude, at least in the absence of domestic concerns."
This comes from a time where running a household, for those privileged enough to pursue a life of the intellect, was a full-time job. But it's certainly appealing even today.
I don't think it's necessarily true, though. Thinking without community, without doing, without dispute, becomes ungrounded and empty.
"and when one day Peachy came home to find him in the kitchen and asked what on earth he was doing, he said he was making scones for the glory of God."
Something to aspire to, I guess.
Hah, I am now reading scenes that are set almost exactly on today's date (March 26/27) and right before Palm Sunday, which is the day after tomorrow! Nice coincidence!
Irina@quidcumque (a variant of) this is why Orthodox priests should either be married or monks, no solitary celibate priesthood. You need a community behind you.
David McMullin@quidcumque
Good point; complete detachment may not be helpful. But the life of the intellect is not so easy if you’re doing the cooking and the dishes and the cleaning and the laundry 24/7.
Good point; complete detachment may not be helpful. But the life of the intellect is not so easy if you’re doing the cooking and the dishes and the cleaning and the laundry 24/7.
@mcmullin I am quite sure there's a whole lot of middle ground here?
(A little bit of menial and domestic work actually helps me think, but YMMV of course)
@quidcumque
Yes, that’s where we all live! There’s also a rich history among Christian, Buddhist and probably other mystics of incorporating menial tasks in meditation and prayer.
Yes, that’s where we all live! There’s also a rich history among Christian, Buddhist and probably other mystics of incorporating menial tasks in meditation and prayer.
@quidcumque
And you mentioned St. Paul—he was a tent maker, if I recall correctly, who worked with his hands to support himself while he ran around the world preaching. There must be some epistles he never wrote because he had too many tents to make that week.
And you mentioned St. Paul—he was a tent maker, if I recall correctly, who worked with his hands to support himself while he ran around the world preaching. There must be some epistles he never wrote because he had too many tents to make that week.
@mcmullin yeah, and there are neat theological ideas we'll never know because illiterate female slaves had them.
Of course everyone who wants to pursue an intellectual life should be able to.
I just don't think that necessarily means living by oneself, attended by servants taking care of domestic concerns like laundry, food, and tax forms. And I think painting this as the only way of being an intellectual is harmful.
TheShellyTea@quidcumque this is one of those quotes that I immediately assume was written by a man. 😂