i have several goals for my writing but at least one low key goal is to help you see that you can be a Protestant and still have a high view of the beauty of the world and the body ;-)
"...so we plant the little anti-cyborg seeds we can, ya know??"
I am 100% for planting anti-cyborg seeds. I was talking with my husband recently about how some "progress" being made in the world terrifies me, if I'm being honest. Part of what makes it terrifying is that I have no power with which to stop it from gaining traction. But I was empowered to remember that God has not tasked me with that, but to simply live with faithfulness and humility. How can I live my life in a way that cultivates the real, the good, the true, and the beautiful? And hopefully, those tiny things will take root and blossom with abundance.
Can I comment? Knowing nothing more about you than your professional work, you are certainly doing that. God bless your efforts professionally and personally in these things.
And you are not alone, I think there are so many, a portion of whom are on this Substack area (following Haley’s work!), trying to do just that same thing.
I really appreciated Samantha Bender's related piece, as well as her thoughtful commentary on the importance of what we communicate through art. I don't share her resistance to the original image even though I, like her, am a Lutheran who does not hold to the Immaculate Conception or sinlessness of Mary. (You said discuss; is this getting too theological? You can also mute me ha). Here's an excerpt from a quote of Irenaeus of Lyons that was in my Lutheran Daily Treasury of Prayer on December 13:
"Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Your word.' But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey when as yet she was a virgin. ... Thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith."
The Virgin Mary is blessed in her faith, and in her humble reception of God's gift to her to bear the serpent-crusher. I took the artwork as an image of prophecy and foreshadowing from Mary to Eve -- not yet fulfilled, hence the absence of the cross. Am I optimistically misinterpreting the image according to my own theology? Perhaps. But as of today, I still appreciate Mary Consoles Eve.
Thanks for this week's collection. God bless your Christmas.
I read For the Life of the World in November! (For background, my husband and I both grew up in the LCMS, then moved to the ACNA--I'm loath to call movement between two Christian denominations "conversion" as some do. For further background, we had considered the OCA but found fewer squidges with the ACNA, at least the AngloCatholic branch). The EO writers I read during that reading kick had *very* distinctive styles that, from what I can tell, reflect the theological tradition as a whole.
Also, pertaining to fertility, have you run across the Period Calculator website at all? It's based off an algorithm developed by a German NFP organization. I've used it for several years and we've been able to name with > 90% certainty the months in which we've been able to anticipate both pregnancies so far.
Yeah, it sounds like from a distance, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have a lot of overlap but they also.... don't. Even in my limited experience, from what I've gathered there is a distinct style? ethos? outlook? in the tradition that is probably good for us in the West. That's great y'all found a home in the ACNA. We've been at one of their churches (though far, they are few and far between). We have found an appreciation for the Book of Common Prayer and the tradition as a whole that feels very faithfully, confessionally, and historically Protestant (Reformed Catholic, if you will)!
Thanks for sharing that resource. I had not heard of it! I'm glad there's such a variety of methods out there and that they're gaining traction.
The Christmas card <3333 Merry Christmas, Haley, thanks for keeping us all informed on the right things :) can't count how many bookmarked articles I have thanks to you! cheers xx
i have several goals for my writing but at least one low key goal is to help you see that you can be a Protestant and still have a high view of the beauty of the world and the body ;-)
I will take this in the most literal, personal form here - Kirsten Sanders writing specifically to me. lol
That’s the sense in which I meant it. ❤️
Not that you must remain a Protestant but that you might
"...so we plant the little anti-cyborg seeds we can, ya know??"
I am 100% for planting anti-cyborg seeds. I was talking with my husband recently about how some "progress" being made in the world terrifies me, if I'm being honest. Part of what makes it terrifying is that I have no power with which to stop it from gaining traction. But I was empowered to remember that God has not tasked me with that, but to simply live with faithfulness and humility. How can I live my life in a way that cultivates the real, the good, the true, and the beautiful? And hopefully, those tiny things will take root and blossom with abundance.
Can I comment? Knowing nothing more about you than your professional work, you are certainly doing that. God bless your efforts professionally and personally in these things.
And you are not alone, I think there are so many, a portion of whom are on this Substack area (following Haley’s work!), trying to do just that same thing.
I always love a comment! Thank you for those words, Leah <3 It's a blessing to plant seeds along side women like you and Haley!
I've always loved the picture, "Mary Consoles Eve," and used it in my first post here, Feminine Fruitfulness. https://womeninwisdom.substack.com/p/feminine-fruitfulness
I really appreciated Samantha Bender's related piece, as well as her thoughtful commentary on the importance of what we communicate through art. I don't share her resistance to the original image even though I, like her, am a Lutheran who does not hold to the Immaculate Conception or sinlessness of Mary. (You said discuss; is this getting too theological? You can also mute me ha). Here's an excerpt from a quote of Irenaeus of Lyons that was in my Lutheran Daily Treasury of Prayer on December 13:
"Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Your word.' But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey when as yet she was a virgin. ... Thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith."
The Virgin Mary is blessed in her faith, and in her humble reception of God's gift to her to bear the serpent-crusher. I took the artwork as an image of prophecy and foreshadowing from Mary to Eve -- not yet fulfilled, hence the absence of the cross. Am I optimistically misinterpreting the image according to my own theology? Perhaps. But as of today, I still appreciate Mary Consoles Eve.
Thanks for this week's collection. God bless your Christmas.
Thanks for this, and for that quote from Irenaeus of Lyons.
I like that lense of viewing the artwork as a prophecy and foreshadowing - makes a lot of sense to me.
Thanks for this, Haley! Your family is beautiful!
Merry Christmas! Thank you for this weekly offering of faithfulness.
It is a joy to see your sweet family, as well! :)
I read For the Life of the World in November! (For background, my husband and I both grew up in the LCMS, then moved to the ACNA--I'm loath to call movement between two Christian denominations "conversion" as some do. For further background, we had considered the OCA but found fewer squidges with the ACNA, at least the AngloCatholic branch). The EO writers I read during that reading kick had *very* distinctive styles that, from what I can tell, reflect the theological tradition as a whole.
Also, pertaining to fertility, have you run across the Period Calculator website at all? It's based off an algorithm developed by a German NFP organization. I've used it for several years and we've been able to name with > 90% certainty the months in which we've been able to anticipate both pregnancies so far.
Yeah, it sounds like from a distance, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have a lot of overlap but they also.... don't. Even in my limited experience, from what I've gathered there is a distinct style? ethos? outlook? in the tradition that is probably good for us in the West. That's great y'all found a home in the ACNA. We've been at one of their churches (though far, they are few and far between). We have found an appreciation for the Book of Common Prayer and the tradition as a whole that feels very faithfully, confessionally, and historically Protestant (Reformed Catholic, if you will)!
Thanks for sharing that resource. I had not heard of it! I'm glad there's such a variety of methods out there and that they're gaining traction.
Those photos at the end are gold! Also I will now be putting “planting anti-cyborg seeds” on my resume/bio now 😂
Merry Christmas! What lovely family photos as well :)
Ooh that Messiah project looks very interesting! Going to check it out asap…
The Christmas card <3333 Merry Christmas, Haley, thanks for keeping us all informed on the right things :) can't count how many bookmarked articles I have thanks to you! cheers xx
Photos! How lovely. Have a good Christmas Haley.
Great stuff all around. Thank you for consistently creating such a fantastic round up
Thanks for sharing my work, Haley! Always grateful when I make your newsletter. 🙏❤️ Merry Christmas!