Anthropax's Old Blog

...to Antonia, featured in a guardian article about female political bloggers.

Who writes it? Antonia Bance, a Labour councillor on Oxford city council and a Labour parliamentary candidate at the 2005 general election. Describes herself as a feminist, democratic socialist and trade unionist.

What does she write about? Bance's blog is entertaining and incisive, covering a broad range of issues, from a rundown of her day-to-day life as a councillor (more interesting than it sounds), women's issues, homophobia and class.

She's featured on there among the likes of Melanie 'the mynx' Phillips and the lovely Lynne Fetherstone.

In other news, I overheard a woman in a room above the street bellow that she "Hadn't had sex for eight months". My mother and I found this suitably amusing, and I vowed to blog it. So there we are.

Being home seems to have made me apathetic and grumpy. After the freedom of University, having all these parents and other family members about is tres irritating. I've got 4 months or so until I go back, and as the house is up a big hill, away from everybody, I'm not expecting many visitors. However, the advantage to all this bored solitude is that I can concentrate on the pile of reading that I want to do. I've just started on Miroslav Volf's "After Our Likeness: Church as the Image of the Trinity" which I think was his Ph.D, and compares (the then) Cardinal Ratzinger's theology and ecclesiology with the Orthodox metropolitan John Zizoulas', with added insight from the so called 'Free Church' movement. Needless to say, it's quite hard going, but I'm just going over 20 or so pages a day, to try to understand what he means.

I've almost finished Tolstoy's "The Kingdom of God is within you" , and will sometime write up how I feel about his 'Christian Anarchism'. It's clear that he has numerous good points, but after the justifiable wars of the past century (WW2 in particular), and social change, some of it is just clearly not relevent. However, it's a fertile book for good quotes to use in essays and such.

My siblings wish to use the computer now, so I'm afraid I'll have to call it a night. Adieu my friends!

...is a television show on at 8 this evening in the UK on Channel 4. I only mention it because I vaguely know the people featured on it. So, watch it if you want to. Or not. I've been helping out in an Oxfam shop these past few days, and am ever so slightly shattered. I also committed an act that may well land me in hippy hell - buying a drink from a 'Costa coffee' chain store. My bad. I did however meet an old lady that I knew in there, who I hadn't seen for over a year. Silver lining and all that.

I'm having a play about with various things, as a part of 'updating my sidebar' campain. Watch this space and all that.

Yes, yes, yes. We've all seen the 'match quotes to people' quiz with Anne Coulter and Adolf Hitler. However, a more refined version of the quiz (found here), invites the public to identify quotes from jolly Australian crooner/painter Rolf Harris, and jolly Austrian dictator/painter Adolf Hitler.

Our dog died on Monday, having been bitten by an adder. Everyone's a bit down.

Well, our American cousins have elected a female primate. She's only been ordained for 12 years, and as a bishop for 5. I'm not sure if this is a 'Good Thing' or a 'Bad Thing', as some conspiricy theory minded people have suggested that the apointment is a deliberate step to provoke a schism. Also, go here.

Just ten minutes ago, I've had a pint thrown on me! I was sitting, talking to a girl about theology, and disagreeing about the trinity (she has moved from a trinitarian view to an arian Unitarian one. We were talking about the divinity of Jesus, and I mentioned to her that her viewpoint would be, by most orthodox Christian standards be a form of Heresy. We moved on to talking about what the 'orthodox' benchmark of Christianity, which I think most would agree to be the Nicene creed (with or without filioque clause - thereby avoiding all the things about Virgin Birth and mary etc - a common denominator if you will). She may have got confused at this point, as she was trying to claim that the Greek Orthodox church was founded by Arians, but then she picked up her pint and threw it over me. Now, I've been used to reasond religious discussion with the likes of Greg and John for the past few months, I may have said things that she didn't like, such as asking her wether she thought she was following the Truth, or forming a religion for her, where she could believe what she wanted. I may have said that what she was saying was heresy, but we were having, what I thought was, a reasonable chat about doctrine. Whatever was wrong, I didn't expect to be covered in her Guinness. I've just had a shower, and'll be going down there in a few minutes to carry on with my night out with friends, as I may well be off home tomorrow.

*edit*

It would seem that the new nickname of 'Athanasius' would be apt for my defence of the Trinity - if that's the case then "Make it so".

Just off to an evening prayer and Mass - I want to find out what time all the Corpus Christi celebrations kick off - I've heard a rumour that Simon Oliver is having four little girls to scatter rose petals in from of the procession - a fine idea!

Very few things make me laugh out loud (or 'LOL' if you're into that sort of thing), but this suitably amused me.

Former ABC George Carey (a right-wing evo to those not in the know, but interested) has been going above his retired station in being dreadfully antagonistic towards the currant encombant ++Rowan Williams. Carey keeps on moaning to the anti-Williams Torygraph.

"When I left office at the end of 2002 I felt the Anglican communion was in good heart," he said. "It is difficult to say in what way we are now a communion. Bitterness, hostility, misunderstanding and strife now separate provinces from one another and divide individual provinces."

Carey simply skirted over the issues that needed looking at, instead pokeing his nose into utter nonsence such as this:

The coronation of the Prince of Wales must be an "interfaith" event, the former Archbishop of Canterbury has controversially claimed. Lord Carey believes that the next coronation needs "very significant changes" so that it is "inclusive" of other religions that have spread across Britain.

Yes! Very Orthodox there George! Even with something the Torygraph may agree with ++Williams on, they keep to Georges side, just to get at the Arch-bish;

Lord Carey's comments will set him and the prince against Dr Rowan Williams, the current Archbishop of Canterbury, and other senior figures in the Church of England. Dr Williams has emphasised the need for Prince Charles to defend the Church of England when he becomes king.

I actually think it would be a good idea to be more inclucive of other faiths in the coronation ceremony, but that only amounts to inviting a Cardinal and the Chief Rabbi along and putting them in a corner where they can't get up to any mischief! Carey is simply a bloody fool who likes:

"...to show, in the words of the Church Times newspaper, "what a paragon the Church of England lost when he retired".

I didn't like him much when he was ABC, but now he has shown his true colours -ones giving away his resentment that he's not in charge any more. He should stop coverting the position that he left in 2002 and gracefully get on with his retirement. Technorati Tags: Anglican, Rowan Williams, George Carey, is a bloody fool

Loads of people are leaving Uni, and returning home. Only half the choir was here for Mass this morning, however, we've got a lovely Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Monday, and a good old Sung Mass on Thursday for Corpus Christi. I don't think the Chapel has a monstrance, so it's had to borrow one. In other news, I've got a few fun links to show you, my dear reader. The Blessed Sacrament Webcam can be found here, for all your online eucharistic adoration - based needs. The Anglican society of Mary has some lovely photos of the May devotions. Finally, those wild Roman Catholics have a bit of 'modern worship' here. Bless 'em.

It's Sam's Birthday today!


I now Sam not only from School, where he was with us for the final two (and, perhaps, best) years




Sam also was on the '05 trip to Hong Kong!



Although we disagree on many things, I'll alway remember Sam as being the second (known) blogger from Monmouth School!

I've been away for a couple of days (home mostly - no broadband, making it almost monastic), and haven't posted for ages, so I have something of a trinouncement. It's the time of year when First and Second year students choose the modules that they're going to take in the next academic year. As I'm planning on switching my degree from Theology and Anthropology to neat Theology, I have to take the three first year 'core modules' that I didn't do this year, next year. But as well as 'Faith and Doubt in Victorian Britain', 'Hebrew Bible' and 'Gospel Traditions', I've got to go for the big main modules that will form the meat in the meal that is a Theology degree. The three essential modules are:

Studying Church History with Nigel Yates and others

The purpose of this module is to explore the reasons for studying the history of the Christian Church and what such study tells us about both the development of Christian belief and the role that the Christian Churches have played in the societies of which they have been a part. The module will look at the core themes within Christian history from New Testament times to the present day and will also investigate the raw materials that church historians and historical theologians use in order to write the history of the Christian Church: from sacred texts to sociological statistics, from local archives to church buildings and their artifacts. There will be visits to archaeological sites, libraries and museums in addition to more formal lectures and seminars involving all the church history staff in the department. Assessment will be by a series of word-limited tasks such as book reviews and textual analysis.

Gospel of John with Paul Middleton

Why was the fourth gospel written? What was the author trying to achieve? What kind of community was he addressing? Why is John'’s gospel so different from the others? Working through the English text of the fourth gospel, this module aims to explore key exegetical, interpretative, and theological issues in the Gospel of John. Students will investigate the nature and purpose of the gospel; explore questions of dating, authorship, and setting; interact critically with the text and with scholarly opinion; and examine the message of the gospel described by Gregory the Great as a pool in which children may paddle but elephants can swim. Students who wish may elect to study selected passages in Greek.

Trinity and the Church with Simon Oliver

How does the Christian confession that God is Trinitarian love form the Christian community known as the Church? What does it mean to say that the Church is the Body of Christ? Does this have implications in the areas of ethics, politics and justice? What is the nature of the Church'’s mission? How should the Church, which professes that God is an eternal exchange of love, identify itself in relation to political and secular culture? These are some of the questions which will be addressed in this core Level Two module. The central concern will be the interface between the Christian doctrine of God and the way in which the Christian life is lived in the body or community known as the Church.

As well as these fine things, I've got a spare 60 credits to spend on three more modules. Two easy choices are Orthodox Theology with Andreas Andreopoulos (a new chap - it's all very exciting!) and Christian Worship and Church Buildings with Nigel Yates (it promises to be a big Church-crawl), but I'm stuck between choosing Luke - Acts with Kathy Ehrensperger which intends "to introduce students to the Gospel of Luke and its sequel, the Book of Acts. Together these constitute roughly a quarter of the entire New Testament, providing a unique view of the life of Jesus and the only surviving narrative of the early movement of Christ-believers. The course will consist in a number of introductory lectures covering questions concerning the origin and content of the Gospel and the Book of Acts, giving particular attention to selected key themes. Characteristic ideas and theological emphases, such as the role of Israel, or the role of women, will be considered also in the detailed study of particular portions of Luke-Acts. Attention will be given to the Greek text where relevant, but no knowledge of Greek will be assumed.", and Ritual and Piety in the Middle Ages with my Academic Advisor Sarah Boss (who really knows her stuff), which asks "How did Christians, Muslims and Jews live together in thirteenth-century Europe? How much of a fifteenth-century liturgy would be recognisable today? This course will consider liturgy, poetry, art, music, magic, and 'folk'’ customs, and will lead the student into the lavish sacred imagination of seven hundred years ago.". I may well just sit in on the latter, as well as the 'European Ethnology' in Anthropology that I'd like to go to. Dear reader, you will know later on, as I'm heading over to the department later on today.

Adieu!

Technorati Tags: Theology, Lampeter, University

The Podcast of the President's Ball is up and about here. If you've got a free hour and iTunes, and know Lampeter, then check it out.

I had possibly one of the best days ever on Friday. It was John's birthday, and the weather was fine, so the day was spent outside (causing moderate sunburn on myself - but hey!), a group of us sat by the river, with a big jug of lemonade and a bottle of Pimm's, just talking away, watching people go by. I also had to rescue Sandra from a rather odd chap from Merthyr Tydfil (a place of infamy in Wales as a not dreadfully pleasant place/warzone) who was being a bit of a pest towards her (he will return later in the story...). I played football for the first time in about a gazillion (give or take...), and actually quite enjoyed it (it does help that it wasn't in school, or indeed being taught by a former Marine).




At about sixish, a few of us wondered up to the Old Building to play a few games of Croquet on one of the lovely lawns. Croquet really is a viscous and competitive game, and, well, great fun - I may well join the Uni Croquet Soc in the future.




We then headed off for a trip around Lampeter's fine public houses, unfortunately, the pest managed to find us, when we were docked in 'The Castle Green' (a... rustic place, with no lights dons the lavatories, making one very glad of the light provided by one's mobile telephone). Next stop was the lovely 'Castle', which may soon become out local. The Barman, Joe, is going out with my next door neighbor in halls, Dessie, so I vaguely knew him from earlier, and it turns out that he's really cool and funny and so on. While Pope Gregory was responding to my question about Saints (are they Saints before the Church recognizes them as such, or are they suddenly made Saints in Heaven when the Church decides so) when this irritating chap started picking on a disabled guy who he was a friend of. It seems that these two normally met up to sing on a karaoke machine, but the odd chap was quite happy to ditch this friend in order to make some new 'cooler' ones. This greatly upset Greg the righteous, and almost made him get up to have a word with the man, as he would have every right to do, as that sort of thing just isn't on. We all stayed in The Castle for a while, before heading off to the SU nightclub for a few more drinks and a good old bit of dancing. On the way over, the mystery man was trying to entertain Sandra with a few jokes. Always keen to expand my knowledge of such things, I listened, as they were walking just in front of me. All was fine (if a little dull) until he told on e which made my mouth hang open (and not because of cutting wit). It was the sort of racist joke that I haven't heard for quite some time, being around grown-up folk and that sort of thing. I was really very close to simply tapping him on the shoulder and having a quick word, telling him to that perhaps he should call it a night and head home.




Saturday was a big 16's event, and so I've got dreadful sunburn on my exposed parts (as the actress said to the bishop...), and am feeling a little grotty, but still managed to drag myself off to Mass this morning.

Technorati Tags:Lampeter, Croquet

I decided, on a whim, to have a look at the search terms that people have used recently to find this blog. "oswald mosely daily mail' sees me at #4, "orthodontist brixton", brings people flocking at #3 and "democratic pong" places me at #2. All well and good, but someone found their way onto the blog via a search for "Leather clad ladies" on Yahoo. I've tried to find the link on Yahoo itself, but I only have so much patience in regards to trawling through hundreds of pages. *edit* It would seem that June has lead to a flurry of hits from search engines, people finding there way here while looking for "kaori tsuchida", 'quotes my melanie phillips', "hong kong ladies market" and 'Anthro, Catholic'.

A few more things about The Da Vinci code, in relation to the history of th early church (with help from comrades on this forum).

Dan Brown claims that in the fourth century, Constantine chose the four gospels out of 80 possibilities, implying that any of the others could have been chosen. Which ignores Irenaeus in the second century pointing out that there are only four authentic gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the doctrine that the Holy Spirit helped the true gospels to be chosen.

Brown claims that Constantine was a pagan, only baptised on his deathbed because he was too weak to protest. Almost certainly wrong - Constantine was converted at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312, but was not baptised until on his deathbed, as was common among many rulers of that time and later, so they could continue doing ruler-like things such as having people killed, which they couldn't do after they were baptised. In fact, I have been told that Constantine actually recovered a bit after his deathbed baptism, and was quite irritated at the fact. There's also the whole 'avoiding post-baptismal sin' thing that people were quite keen on back then.

Good old Dan claims Constantine shifted observance of the Sabbath on Saturday to Sunday to honour the sun god. But this shift happened in the first century, and was (of course) to honour the resurrection.

He claims that until 325 and the Nicene council, Jesus had always been regarded as just a mortal prophet. Jesus' divinity was only established by a vote. But the opposite is more true: the main heresy of the second century was docetism, where people claimed that Jesus, divine, only appeared to be human. And no-one at Nicea would have thought that Jesus was just a mortal man - the question was whether he was equal or not (from the same being) to God the Father. But everyone (even the Arians) agreed that he existed before all creation, that through him creation was made, etc etc. Brown also had Teabing claim that the vote was close - it wasn't. Only about four bishops didn't sign up, compared to about 300 who did. Brown has Teabing explaining that this established the Roman Catholic church as the only sacred channel - whereas it was mainly the eastern churches who were represented at Nicea (there were only a handfull of western bishops present), and who didn't and still don't recognise Rome as being over them in authority.

Technorati Tags:The Da Vinci Code, Early Church History