By Bob Hulteen
If I learned anything from my religion professors in college (which, of course, I did since they were great), it was that a deep understanding of context is essential when working with sacred texts. If one doesn’t know the context, they can’t know the text.
I mean, how could you? If you superimpose your modern assumptions onto a complex situation from long ago, you should realize that you are comparing apples to persimmons. If you don’t, you probably will make a really bad pie.
And, I care about pie. (I should admit that just because I have never heard of persimmon pie, I don’t know that they are terrible. Maybe I just don’t know the context of why there are no persimmon pies.)
“And, I care about pie.”
I also care about having a couple of good laughs as the fall schedule clicks in, especially now that the Great Minnesota Get Together is over and it is . (I didn’t see many of you at the State Fair sheep judging on Tuesday, by the way. I was deeply disappointed.)
Speaking of good laughs and context, this blog writer is going to share with you some “behind the scene” realities of the synod office – you know, your synod staff working for you as co-workers for the sake of the gospel. (You might question the “working” part when you finish the blog.)
WELL, ON A WALL IN THE OFFICE KITCHEN, we have what we call The Quote Wall (TQW). Maybe you have one, too. Staff members can get a “quotation” added to the wall when they utter a phrase that you wouldn’t expect to hear at a synod office … or anywhere else in polite company probably.
Perhaps a couple of examples would help. I’ll start with one of mine:
“Nuns were pretty hot.” Yep, I did say it. Without context you might have concerns about me. So, let me share the context. Over lunch the “more mature” staff members were recounting how many nun stories were very popular in the 1960s. Think of The Flying Nun and The Sound of Music. So, innocently, I said “nuns were pretty hot back then.”
“Over lunch the ‘more mature’ staff members were recounting how many nun stories were very popular in the 1960s.”
Here are some of the others. I will let you play the game of figuring out the context for each. Maybe someone will even be able to write a novel based on one of these out-of-context declarations.
“Why is God such a creeper?”
— Brenda
“Ugh. I hate being human. I wish I could photosynthesize.”
— Kayla
“Beige is the mushroom soup of afghan colors.”
— Emilie
“And, usually football commentators are so nice.”
— Candy
“John Legend is the Tom Hanks of our time.”
— Meghan
“Working with people is weird.”
— Jeni
“I love leading hymn sings.”
— Eric
“Between Aethelred and Edward I get very confused. I need a map.”
— Karen
“It’s hard to remember that there was a time before Lady Gaga.”
— Emilie
“I think it’s okay to compost people.”
— Jack (this one might be a comma problem)
“Take puffin and put B.A.”
— Lynda
“Who raised you, opposums?”
— Bob
“I can handle the pastors.”
— Meghan
“Bob and I are Oreo-simpatico.”
— Karen (with Jeni’ response: “That’s adorable.”)
So, while writing this blog, I made a keen observation: None of our ordained staff have made the kitchen’s quote wall. Why is that? Do they worry about saying things out of context? Or, did they just listen better to their religion professors?