Sister Osiek, I learn from a page of her order’s website, has been honored with a Festschrift. I will seek to honor her as well, by way of responding to a question from Marilyn Johnson, a commenter and sometime contributor to this blog. Marilyn’s question builds on a passage in Carolyn Osiek’s Beyond Anger: On Being a Feminist in the Church (New York: Paulist Press, 1986). Marilyn notes:
On p. 57, [Osiek] quotes John Welch (Spiritual Pilgrims: Carl Jung and Teresa of Avila, New York: Paulist, 1982, p. 188): “The elementary feminine nourishes, makes secure, and asks only for loyalty. The transforming feminine demands relationship, risk, and growth.” Two pages earlier, Osiek makes a Biblical link to the transforming feminine when she writes, “In biblical literature, [the transforming feminine] is personified by Wisdom who is befriended by the wise, who teaches them and dwells with those in whom she takes delight (Proverbs 9; Wisdom 6:12-10:21, Luke 7:35), and who plays an integral role in the creative, transforming work of God (Proverbs 8; Sirach 24).”
End quote. On this basis, Marilyn asks if it is possible to understand “the wife in Proverbs 31 as a concrete embodiment of wisdom and work backwards, drawing implications about mature women from Lady Wisdom’s style and how we are to relate to her. For example, in Proverbs 9 she seems to be acting as a benefactress, creating an environment opposite to that created by Lady Folly. Her style is captured by Jack Nicholson’s line in As Good As It Gets, “You make me want to be a better man.” However, that style doesn’t exclude the occasional rebuke (Proverbs 1:20-33). God creates Wisdom and then creates everything else with her. From this, I want to see male and female in partnership, in the sense of the Genesis mandate.”
End quote. I saw Jack Nicholson in “The Pledge” last night; I was reminded once again of what a great actor he is. And what a dark movie. “As Good As It Gets” on the other hand is dark, funny, and heartwarming at the same time, one of the most realistic commentaries on contemporary constructions of gender I know of. Is Helen Hunt in that film an embodiment of the transforming feminine?
I would say so. Furthermore, since a number of Catholic sisters, Osiek included, have embodied wisdom for me, I would say that there is more than one specifically feminine way to embody wisdom. On top of that, I have been blessed to have women as friends, some of whom live out their marriages in a “love-obey” framework; others, in a complementarian framework; still others, in an egalitarian framework. All of these women, each in their own way, in calling-specific and framework-specific ways, weave the elementary and the transformative feminine into a strong cloth that becomes a protective garment and a mantle of authority on the shoulders of others, men and women alike.
Two years ago I wrote a series on Lady Wisdom (start here). Without wishing to contradict anything I said in those posts, I would add the following. If the question is, are women to embody wisdom of the kind Lady Wisdom embodies I would answer “yes,” and to the same degree, so are men. That will work itself out in gender-specific, calling-specific, and framework-specific ways. And to the question, are women to embody Logos of the kind the incarnate Logos embodied, I would answer “yes,” and to the same degree, mutatis mutandis, men. Imitatio Dei, imitatio Christi, imitatio sapientiae – this last is developed by William P. Brown in his recent book, “The Ethos of the Cosmos,” in terms of “rejoicing in the inhabited world,” - are different facets of the same.
Psalms 111 and 112 taken together make the same point but without gendering wisdom and with a laser-focus on the one of most important dimensions of wisdom with a capital “W”: philanthropy. As angels once had it, “peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
This is beside the point, but I note: “men” is gender-neutral in the gospel quotation. “Man” as opposed to “woman,” “God,” or “beast,” depending on the context; “men” as opposed to “women,” the “gods,” or “angels,” depending on context. Anyone who doesn’t know this is not yet fluent in literary English.
Your post is very biblical. It shows how females embody their wisdom. But I don't believe that there is a feminine approach to symbolize wisdom. Wisdom is very neutral as it decide not on either of the two genders. I don't think wisdom will work itself out in gender-specific, calling-specific, and framework-specific ways just like what you said. But I should consider adapting that idea if I am to read your series "Lady Wisdom". Thanks for sharing your thoughts, though.
Posted by: cheap calls | December 06, 2010 at 05:23 PM
Sorry to have to disagree with you, "cheap calls" (what a moniker!). Wisdom and its opposite are carefully gendered in several passages within the larger Proverbs 1-9 corpus. I have a high view of the value of this corpus, down to the smallest details - in classical terms, I believe in "verbal inspiration."
The idea that Wisdom is "very neutral," if taken to mean that a passage like Proverbs 31, a gender-specific, calling-specific example of embodied wisdom, is to be rejected, has to be recognized for what it is - an idea that contradicts scripture. If I have misunderstood you, please elaborate.
Posted by: JohnFH | December 07, 2010 at 07:58 AM
To embody wisdom, there is no gender gap nor biases. All we need to know is that to gain wisdom, it is a matter of great responsibility. We must foresee that having wisdom is a gift an we must be thankful about it. Nevertheless, we are all capable of embodying wisdom. Thanks a lot for sharing this ideas.
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Aprile,
I wish you well in your blogging.
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