After devouring Rupert Shortt's new biography of Rowan Williams (Rowan's Rule, which I can't recommend highly enough--just very well done), I've traveled back to one of Rowan's most important teachers, Donald MacKenzie MacKinnon, whose influence was very significant but whose publications have fallen into obscurity (I had to get his powerful little 1968 volume The Stripping of the Altars from interlibrary loan--and it is listed for $240 on Amazon used books). However, the man seems very worth spending time to understand. First of all, his work substantially addresses one of the primary theological/philosophical questions today, that is, the question of the independent rational subject found in Kant and other Enlightenment figures. He also engages the huge problem of 'Christendom' and has quite sharp things to say to the church as it emerges from that drunken affair with worldly political power. One place he goes with this is the intersection of ecclesiology and kenosis. In Stripping the Altars, which so far is a very rewarding anthology of his lectures, he says the following:
"An authentic Christian fidelity to tradition is always receptive, ready to learn, open to promise."
Simple, I know, but honestly, how far from such a posture are most actual Christian communities YOU know?
Anon, and +peace,
Chris
Chris - I would also recommend Mike Higton's Difficult Gospel: The Theology of Rowan Williams. I think it's the best secondary source out there on RW's thought. Peace.
Posted by: Scott | November 20, 2009 at 04:25 PM
This isn't a connection to Rowan Williams, but the quote about fidelity and a tradition made me think of Terrence Tilley's book on "inventing Catholic tradition" which is a wonderful reflection on the distinctions between tradition and traditionalism, and which notes ways to think of 'traditioning" that allow us to get a the grammar of a tradition not simply its content.
Posted by: Mary Hess | November 20, 2009 at 07:09 PM