NEW BLOG

THE NEW THEOLOGY PUB BLOG IS HERE
Please update your bookmarks/favorites with the new URL.
I moved this to typepad because it has more features we can use.
from Karen Ward the theology pub 'web-abbess'

We're on!

Hey Everyone-

Theology Pub tomorrow night (Thursday, August 10), 7pm at the Reading Gaol in Ballard, as usual.

This is the last thing I do before leaving for a 5 day trip to Massachusetts. Let's yuk it up!
See you there.

- Gwen

hear me...

Well, I can't sleep, and since Jared was so adimant about us posting on here, I guess I'll go again.
"I am Lemur. Hear me roar."

This is an adorable lemur sunbathing. I think beyond their cool matriarchal societies I also really dig their striped-to-the-max tails.

Speaking of lemurs. If you'd like a real dose of some good, old-fashioned girl power, this is a reminder that Lacey and I (the Luckless Pedestrian) will be playing a show of my music at Dearborn House in Seattle on THURSDAY, JUNE 15th! (That's tomorrow.) At 8pm. Suggested donation of $5 to support the travelling musicians and bring $4 if you'd like to buy a copy of my mini-collection of demos. All ages welcome!

Email me for further details...
go
(at)
spu
(dot)
edu
If you think there's a chance I won't know you by email address, please include your name in the subject line.

And now, to dream of having a striped tail... zzzzz
zzz
zz

z

Thanks be to She Ra

So, after tonight's theology pub session I have about three or four separate posts I could make right now. I would like to break the virtual-ice with this one, though. I give you the lyrics of the theme song for the She Ra movie (the movie in which She Ra was first introduced, called "The Secret of the Sword"). By the way, the song (both music and lyrics) were written by a female composer, Erika Scheimer. She happens to be the daughter of Lou Scheimer (the producer of He Man and She Ra), and while I adore the fact that it's a "she" who wrote this really important song to the history of Gwen, I have this part of me that can't help but wonder if she would've ever had the opportunity to write the theme song if it hadn't been for her father. FRUSTRATING. I digress. Here's an awesome picture, and then those lyrics:



Somewhere out there someone needs me.
I don't know how or where, but believe me.
I'll walk the universe to find her.
For better or for worse beside her.

For the honor of love.
By the power above.
I have the power.
I have the power.

A stranger walked into my world.
And when he talked, I really heard.
He spoke of things like love and peace.
The joy they bring will never cease.

For the honor of love.
By the power above.
I have the power.
I have the power.

The truth of love will always guide us.
It's strength above will be inside us.
Forever more we'll be together.
Our hearts will soar one to the other.

For the honor of love.
By the power above.
We have the power.
We have the power.
So can you!

Okay, if you can get past the cheesiness of the "someone needs me" and the strange marital-vowishness of "for better or for worse beside her,"- talk about empowering!! Let me explain- this songs was set up to describe the relationship between Adam and Adora (He Man and She Ra's respective alter egos) as twin siblings separated at birth. The movie is their reuniting and the discovering of She Ra's destiny and stuff. The choruses are the part that stand out to me, and even though it's sung from both He Man and She Ra's perspective, since this movie was all about bringing She Ra into the picture, it was really strongly associated, in my mind at least, to her own power and strength, which clearly find their roots in LOVE. And the bold statement at the end is- so can I!! I truly believe this amazing call to womanly strength and power is something that has played a major role in shaping who I am today. Thanks be to She Ra!

Interestingly, something I wouldn't have thought about at all before tonight's theo pub... Could there be something about the fact that He Man and She Ra were only able to find their truest strength and power (and for Adora's destiny to be fulfilled) when they discovered each other and learned of the deep love they could have for another? In almost every way, the "truth of love" that they sing "will always guide us" is something that would be utterly impossible to have an active awareness of if it weren't for their sister/brotherhood and the exploration of that kind of love-relationship.

Although TV is in no way scripture (well... maybe to some...), I can't help but see that in order for the producers of He Man to get the message they wanted to get across to children of the mid-eighties (I know about their intentions from watching all the special features on the Christmas Special DVD this December), they could not portray only male or female on his or her own. It was the fact that they had this deep love for each other AND a love of that love itself that they were able to harness the power of love and do good in their worlds. (Etheria and Eternia. Yes, I'm a nerd that I know that and that's okay.)



What I am seeing is that there is something powerful, mysterious, and ... I think perhaps necessary?... in the relationship that happens between male and female*, how they have the potential to "complete" each other in a big "Love-Circuit" if you will, and that perhaps when we explore thinking of the Love of God, the essence of God, as being represented in the male and female God created in God's image we would look to things such as the sunflower mentioned at tonight's session. Or to Adam and Adora, two regular people who were finally able to fulfill both of their destinies once they had completed each other in some strange mysterious love's-power-harnessing type of way.

Okay, this is long and weird. Goodnight!
- Gwen


* This is a disclaimer for anyone reading this who wasn't there for the conversation that prompted me to post this. I want to explain I'm not necessarily referring to a sexual relationship- this should be obvious by the fact that my primary example for male/female "love-power" is coming from a twin brother and sister. I, in no way and on no level, think of Adam/Adora/He Man/She Ra as having a sexuality-centric relationship! The point I am trying to make ties into the concept that God created both male AND female in God's own image, which implies that neither male nor female alone would be a proper reflection of God's true self- a complete self. And this leads to the concept that what goes on between the spirits (and yes, sometimes the bodies- but not necessarily!) of a male and a female- that relationship- also reflects some part of God that would've been left unrepresented had only one being been created in God's image.