By Stephanieeeeeee
The previous discussion of Chapter Six is here.
Yet again, we see a familiar pattern emerge: women wield some power/authority quite freely in the early church only to have it gradually restricted, then eventually stripped away altogether. But perhaps we’ve dwelt on that enough…instead, let’s focus on natural spiritual gifts.
I’m a little uncomfortable with the notion that women are better natural seers than men. For one thing, as the chapter points out, the same traits often associated with seers are also associated with powerlessness. Then, too, the idea that “women seemed particularly prone to treasure dreams and particularly skilled at using seer-stones” smacks of the condescending “women are more spiritual than men” axiom that is trotted out in an attempt to appease women about their lack of priesthood.
But I am weak. In my less egalitarian moments, I must confess that I often think women are more attuned to the Spirit and spiritual gifts. Perhaps this is because, as stated in the chapter, the very restrictions that bind us force us to rely more on intuition, emotion and spirituality (an idea that had never occurred to me before). Regardless, this chapter left me wanting to go out and find myself a seer-stone. (No, I am not kidding!)
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It sometimes strikes me as funny that a church whose founding is so steeped in magic and mysticism is now so repulsed by them, to the point where many feel that Dungeons and Dragons and the like invite demonic possession. (I remember a Bishop asking the Young Women to stop playing those silly fortune-telling games that we used to play — remember MASH?) Nowadays, the vast majority of members would find the idea of a seer-stone completely absurd.
Questions:
- Does anyone still have a peep-stone? Does it work? Where did you find it?
- Do you consider yourself a seer or know someone who does? If you do feel like you may have this kind of spiritual gift, how do you practice it? What kind of boundaries do you impose on yourself, if any, like just with family and friends, or do you take a broader view? How does a seer navigate the modern church?
- Do you ever yearn for the magic and mysticism practiced so openly early on in church history? Does this chapter inspire you to “reaffirm [your] right to exercise the spiritual gift of healing” and the other spiritual gifts (seeing, etc.)?
- I’m curious about family histories. I had a very superstitious grandmother. I tend to be that way as well. Do you think the gift of seeing is something that runs in families, and if so, is it always women?
- I really enjoyed the notes of this essay. It was filled with a lot of interesting articles I wanted to research like, “Equality of Souls, Inequality of Sexes: Women in Medieval Theology” and “Why Witches were Women.” Anybody have a chance to look at these articles?
