http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2006/05/26/the-fathers-now/ Mike Aquilina's Blog Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:36:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2006/05/26/the-fathers-now/comment-page-1/#comment-545 Kevin P. Edgecomb Fri, 26 May 2006 22:00:55 +0000 http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2006/05/26/the-fathers-now/#comment-545 As someone much wiser said, "Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." I'm finding Biblical Studies more and more tedious these days, a field that is all maps made from maps of maps, all of which have ignored the actual landscape that is the Scriptures. It no longer recognizably represents reality, and in many cases it never did. Such an abomination deserves extinction. As someone much wiser said, “Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” I’m finding Biblical Studies more and more tedious these days, a field that is all maps made from maps of maps, all of which have ignored the actual landscape that is the Scriptures. It no longer recognizably represents reality, and in many cases it never did. Such an abomination deserves extinction.

]]> http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2006/05/26/the-fathers-now/comment-page-1/#comment-543 Mike Aquilina Fri, 26 May 2006 20:03:04 +0000 http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2006/05/26/the-fathers-now/#comment-543 Bravo, Kevin! Too many patristic and biblical scholars take the opposite approach. "Just leave this to the professionals, ma'am. Don't try this at home" Bravo, Kevin! Too many patristic and biblical scholars take the opposite approach. “Just leave this to the professionals, ma’am. Don’t try this at home”

]]> http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2006/05/26/the-fathers-now/comment-page-1/#comment-541 Kevin P. Edgecomb Fri, 26 May 2006 19:15:18 +0000 http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2006/05/26/the-fathers-now/#comment-541 I especially like the "they were dealing with things, and not with the maps." How much time do we waste reading <em>about</em> the Bible, the Fathers, and so on, instead of actually <em>reading them</em>? One of the reasons I've so enjoyed Fr Florovsky's and Fr Chryssavgis' writings lately is that they're nice and short! Their books pithily say: here's the basic information you need to understand the Fathers, now go and read them! They humbly step aside, while also helpfully drawing back the curtain so that the main attraction gains our focus. I love that. I especially like the “they were dealing with things, and not with the maps.” How much time do we waste reading about the Bible, the Fathers, and so on, instead of actually reading them? One of the reasons I’ve so enjoyed Fr Florovsky’s and Fr Chryssavgis’ writings lately is that they’re nice and short! Their books pithily say: here’s the basic information you need to understand the Fathers, now go and read them! They humbly step aside, while also helpfully drawing back the curtain so that the main attraction gains our focus. I love that.

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