Meaning and Authenticity

My daughter-in-law has a lovely voice, a rich alto that reminds me of...well, as I'm trying to think here, strangely enough perhaps, it reminds me of reality. I like soprano voices, too, but rich deep alto voices remind me of the kind of reality that just grabs me and makes me want to pay attention to the world with all its angst and beauty and substance. She, my daughter-in-law, has a great post today about "voice"--not the singing kind, although that's a means of expression, too--but more on the fear of claiming the power of our voices, something lots of people can relate to, I think, and a subject that interests me greatly. Her words remind me of how difficult it is to sift through the cacophony of "voices" we have in this culture to find those that make sense to us, that provide meaning for our lives, or offer comfort and hope. We have so many idiotic cowards on the national scene who daily scream their vitriolic hubbub. I heard Senator Lindsay Graham on...

Here's my latest article for Feminist Theology in an Age of Fear and Hope . I'm taking a break from writing for it for a while, but I urge you to read the lectionary-based essays written by a variety of folks. Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Easter 4 A Reflection on Abundant Life, John 10: 1-10, In John 10:10 Jesus says “I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” What amazingly powerful words. Jesus came, he lived and he died, and he lived again so that we might have life. But not just any life—abundant life. In a spiritual direction group about a year ago, a woman suddenly stood up, threw her arms open wide, and shouted up to God: “I WANT IT ALL, LORD! I WANT IT ALL! YES! I. WANT. IT. AAAALL!” Oh, what an image she created in my mind. She was without a hint of self-consciousness. Her action was completely spontaneous and completely beautiful. I knew—indeed, everyone in that group knew—that the abundant life was already hers. The abundant life can be thought of i...

Feminist Theology in an Age of Fear and Hope has posted an essay of mine on Matthew 3:3-17. It's about identity and how we form our identities within a pervasive system of patriarchy and from the imago Dei. Many thanks to MomPriest at Seeking Authentic Voice for starting this blog on such an important topic.