Sophia

I've learned a lot of new things in my gospel class though it has not made me a Christian out of me.  In some ways, the class is struggling, as many students do not want to volunteer their ideas.  The professor, quite experienced and senior, sometimes breaks the class into small groups.  In my experience, the students are much more willing to share their ideas and questions in these small groups.  I knew that today he wanted to really tackle the student essays due next week.  As an access student, I don't write the essay though maybe I could as I am the only access student in the class.  But, since I knew that he wanted to work on that and my comments would not help, I decided not to go.  Just for this morning.  I did read his slides that he prepared, though,.

I certainly have found the parables difficult.  The professor wants to stress this.

But one concept that he introduced early was Sophia, goddess of wisdom, a powerful diety, mostly of Greek origin with Hebrew roots.  But I had never heard of Sophia.  Certainly recent feminist theologies and observances incorporate Sophia.  But, whew, reading some of the conservative Christian sites, they do everything they can think of to discredit Sophia because only men count; only men can be divine.

Discrediting of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute likely an extension of this thinking.  Amazing how all of us internalize this idea of men being the only spokespeople of the divine.