A bit about freedom, in honor of the 4th

'Marriage, in what is evidently its most popular version, is now on the one hand an intimate "relationship" involving (ideally) two successful careerists in the same bed, and on the other hand a sort of private political system in which rights and interests must be constantly asserted and defended. Marriage, in other words, has now taken on the form of divorce: a prolonged and impassioned negotiation as to how things shall be divided.' - Wendell Berry, Feminism, the Body, and the Machine

Before moving to Kentucky Alan gave me a book of short stories by a man named Wendell Berry who, I'm ashamed to admit, I'd never heard of at that point. Alan mentioned he happened to be a writer and farmer who was also a Kentucky man, and this book might give me a taste of Bluegrass living. Since moving to Jessamine County what's captivated me about Wendell Berry has more to do with his insights into conservation, social relationships, and the pitfalls of American living than his fiction about the Commonwealth.

The quote above is taken from a short essay Berry wrote in response to some of his critics. After mentioning in an article for Harper's that his wife types his manuscripts on a typewriter, Berry received several letters denouncing him as an oppressive husband, treating his wife like a "household drudge."

So Berry poses this question: if he'd mentioned in the same article that his wife was a career typist, would he have heard the same outcry? Probably not. There is something about a person who works outside the home that says "freedom" or "independence" whereas the one who stays home with children or farms or runs a cottage industry calls to mind some kind of bondage.

Are we really so dense any more? I haven't talked to so many people in my life, but most of those I've come across have suffered a fair amount of oppression in the work place. Berry's point seems to be that the best thing at the beginning of the industrial age would have been for women to call there husbands back home to labor rather than for men to drag their wives into the machine we call work.

I don't have any problem with working outside the home; I do know that for me it was a constant fight to keep my dignity intact and my spirits up. And I know we need lots of professional people, but why is that the ideal for all? You can't tell me there is more freedom for the person who sits behind a desk all day than my friend who spends her time tending a garden and working at the children's library. Nor can you say that a single mom I knew in New York who made a living dying yarn and raising her 5 kids is oppressed because she removed herself from a high power corporate job.

People of both genders would do well to rethink what it means to be free, to be independent, to be happy. After writing the statement I quoted above, Berry goes on to talk of how the American home is based on consumption rather than production. Whereas families once made things together, they now primarily consume beside each other. So I suppose if our purpose is to consume, than we all would do well to get good-paying jobs to support our purpose.

I know I didn't do Berry's essay much justice here, so please read it for yourself if you have the time. Thanks for reading this, I'll accept your criticisms as graciously as I can.

Anti Intellectualism

"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you."
- Don Marquis

If there was a theme for this past week in my life it is anti intellectualism, the steadfast refusal from people to learn or admit the value of a formal education. This is first of all an insult to me, my husband, my sister, our friends who are pursuing higher education. They are not going to school to arrogantly amass knowledge-- many are, like Alan, devotedly learning so they can teach others.

It is a particular problem in some parts of the church. To all you sisters and brothers in Christ who turn your nose up at philosophy I say quit reading Paul's letters as they are full of the wisdom of Greek philosophers.

Hate Church History? Stay away from the book of Hebrews, or Chronicles, or the beginning of Matthew-- all precursors to the discipline of Church History.

And you think seminary is a waste of time, that knowledge of God is only found in life experience? Better put down your Bible all together as it was most likely translated by seminary-trained scholars. And forget even reading a Greek version because it was assembled after countless years of educated people pouring over texts and using their wisdom to make decisions about what should be included. Maybe you should learn ancient Hebrew and Koine Greek and stick to pdf versions of manuscripts if you want an unblemished read of God's word.

Life experience is obviously important. We need to live the virtues to show we've truly learned them. But I'd like to see some of you live the life of faith without the hard work and sincere learning of scholars who see education as a ministry to the Body.

So please, anti intellectuals, next time you read your Bible or sit at your computer-- even as you enjoy the comfort of your home-- please have a little more respect for the "intellectual" people who had a part in affording you those privileges.


"Fools hate wisdom and teaching." Proverbs 1:7b