tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583035984896584839.post582725418050218763..comments2023-05-02T05:40:29.838-07:00Comments on AscendingTheHills: Hagia Sophia: God's Feminine Side (Thomas Merton)Jessica Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02450820269367184046noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583035984896584839.post-12496139558748875672013-11-28T00:15:41.116-08:002013-11-28T00:15:41.116-08:00greetings ________________
darkness *
Your
da...greetings ________________<br /><br /><br /> darkness *<br /><br /> Your<br />darkness<br />as a flower<br />blooms *<br /><br />across<br />the years<br />and<br />days of noon *<br /><br />flowers<br />of <br />the nights <br />array *<br /><br />eclipse<br />the <br />brightness<br />of the day *<br /><br />Blessings ______________________________<br /><br /><br />bob knabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07182610684200347959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583035984896584839.post-75049383302655548962013-06-16T20:49:47.458-07:002013-06-16T20:49:47.458-07:00I would strongly suggest that you folks do some re...I would strongly suggest that you folks do some research on the poem that Merton wrote entitled Hagia Sophia. There is no doubt that Hagia Sophia is only an aspect of God's work in creation, a created reflection of the Word or Logos in John 1; you find the basic theology of this in the writings of St. Athanasius in the 4th century! We seem not to be reading the Liturgy of the Hours, where all these patristic texts are part of the Office of Readings. What is most important about Merton's insights about Hagia Sophia (for which read a great article on this by Christopher Pramuk) is that it shows a way within God's creation for compassion and deep understanding to arise within our human relationships and in our care for the created order, the very things Merton celebrated in Seeds of Contemplation back in 1949. Nothing new, in other words, but something worth saying in new ways again and again. With love, Francis Tisonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583035984896584839.post-4698862691172063552011-01-01T07:27:46.378-08:002011-01-01T07:27:46.378-08:00Interesting!Interesting!Nelmitravel - Nelieta Mishchenkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00657335005793856123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583035984896584839.post-62332386480111177182011-01-01T07:07:59.534-08:002011-01-01T07:07:59.534-08:00Ed, thank you so much for your comment. Yeah, the ...Ed, thank you so much for your comment. Yeah, the ideas that Merton express are certainly intriguing and deserving of reflection and research...though as of yet, I'm not sure I entirely agree with them personally 100%<br /><br />When it comes to ascribing human traits to a Holy God, I agree...though you can see just that in the scriptures..especially in the OT...like with the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 18:20-21 It says:<br /><br />20 Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.<br /><br />Obviously a God such as we have..a mighty God who is omnipotent and omnicient wouldn't need to go down and see what was happening, He'd already know. But in the OT you see examples of this type of writing referring to God in an anthropomorphic way...the reason...perhaps for the readers to be able to understand and relate more to the motives of God. I'm not quite certain, but that's how I've heard it described.<br /><br />Anyways, thanks so much for the comments. I'm glad you found it thought provoking! I did too!<br /><br />~abundant blessings,<br />JessicaJessica Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02450820269367184046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583035984896584839.post-2466377097057226412011-01-01T06:52:56.194-08:002011-01-01T06:52:56.194-08:00I will have to ponder this. It rings of new age th...I will have to ponder this. It rings of new age thought going around since the 17th century. But I have no comment on it as Melton combines poetry with theology. I need time to separate the two. I know God never referred to Himself as feminine. I do think there is error in ascribing human traits to a Holy God. Wisdom was referred to in the feminine form in the book of Proverbs, but that is to get a point across. Nice thought provoking article though Jess! :)Ed Lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05118734120949894503noreply@blogger.com