As summer break ends and the fall semester approaches, here’s a look at some of what the Religion faculty have been reading — outside of work and research — these past couple of months.
Dr. Casey Elledge
I finally had time to study Gershom Scholem’s (900 page!) critical masterwork, Sabbatai Ṣevi, the author’s authoritative treatment of the rise and fall of the greatest messianic movement in Jewish history after the time of Jesus. It was illuminating on so many levels. Scholem’s erudite balance of empathetic understanding of the varied personalities involved, combined with his historical-critical reconstruction of the movement’s origins and development, make it a work that every historian of religion should study at some point in their work. Scholem’s perspective and the fascinating drama of the movement itself make the 900 pages a profoundly inspiring journey.
Dr. Blake Couey
Besides Dante, I agreed to teach a few online courses this summer that amplified my Italianisms: Francis of Assisi, whom Dante admired greatly, took the stage alongside Clare of Assisi (d. 1226; d. 1253). Francis and Clare stand out as attractive and challenging personalities and thinkers and I plan to bring them into an upcoming Challenge Seminar.
Finally, I recently taught a course on Galileo (d. 1642) , who sought to overturn the cosmic vision described by his fellow Florentine, Dante. Galileo and his famous trial will feature again in my upcoming Science and Religion course.
Dr. Mary Gaebler
Besides having become addicted to Naigo Marsh’s mysteries this past year, which I have listened to on Audible for way too many hours, I’ve been thinking (more seriously) about the status of non-human animals. This interests me because of theological questions raised by a book written by Kathleen Dean Moore that I use in class (on climate change), called Great Tide Rising. In her book, Moore suggests that we must replace our present anthropocentric valuation of non-human life with a more realistic “kinship model.” It’s a persuasive and appealing argument, but one that does not (in her book at least) tackle either “image of God” issues, or more practically, how we actually do determine difference in value, while simultaneously insisting on equity. That is, how do we discern that, while it might be okay to eat chicken, we’re a lot less likely to think it ok to eat a human baby? On what basis are all creatures equal and not equal at the same time? So, I’ve picked up and skimmed a book written by a friend and colleague, David Clough (whose work focuses on such questions) called On Animals (vol 1 of his Systematic Theology); and I’ve just downloaded a copy of his Introduction to a collection of pieces that he helped edit, which is called Creaturely Theology (LCM Press, 2009.) Alongside the work of Clough and Dean Moore, I’m reading (for balance) an article in the Journal of Moral Theology by John Berkman called “Catholic Moral Theology and the Moral Status of Non-Human Animals.”
Additionally, I’ve set aside an interview with Karen Kilby in the April 22 Didaktikos, titled “Cultivating Confidence: Karen Kilby on Vocational Uncertainty and Character Development in Christian Higher Education.” And for fun I’ve begun reading a novel by David Bentley Hart called Kenogaia (A Gnostic Tale). Another great book that I’d recommend to anyone who hasn’t read it yet is Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead. It’s a Pulitzer Prize winner that I finally got around to reading this past year after it was strongly recommended by a friend. Definitely worth the time; I enthusiastically pass along that recommendation!