In love with the desert
The Christian desert tradition is undeniably male-centred. How the absent feminine paradoxically “appears” in stories and sayings of the tradition can, however, provide an antidote to the otherwise male-centred character of this literature. This article explores how the author, a female researcher...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Acta Theologica |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6445 |
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| author | R. Wheeler |
| author_facet | R. Wheeler |
| author_sort | R. Wheeler |
| collection | DOAJ |
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The Christian desert tradition is undeniably male-centred. How the absent feminine paradoxically “appears” in stories and sayings of the tradition can, however, provide an antidote to the otherwise male-centred character of this literature. This article explores how the author, a female researcher of this tradition, has grappled with the tradition’s male-centred character. It demonstrates a hermeneutic of charity requiring creativity to retrieve value from the literature associated with this tradition. It also acknowledges an inspirational encounter with Carmelite spirituality scholar Kees Waaijman that initiated a deepening of the researcher’s commitments to work that matters personally and to others. This article further shows that reading the literature of the Christian desert
tradition, alongside contemporary naturalists, reveals ways in which the desert and women’s lives, in particular, have been used, then and now, to reflect on experiences of vulnerability, loss, and discernment of vocation.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f4fa6ffdfbc34538b722ca0500975cc4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1015-8758 2309-9089 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Theologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-f4fa6ffdfbc34538b722ca0500975cc42025-02-11T09:34:18ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892022-06-0110.38140/at.vi.6445In love with the desertR. Wheeler0University of Portland, USA The Christian desert tradition is undeniably male-centred. How the absent feminine paradoxically “appears” in stories and sayings of the tradition can, however, provide an antidote to the otherwise male-centred character of this literature. This article explores how the author, a female researcher of this tradition, has grappled with the tradition’s male-centred character. It demonstrates a hermeneutic of charity requiring creativity to retrieve value from the literature associated with this tradition. It also acknowledges an inspirational encounter with Carmelite spirituality scholar Kees Waaijman that initiated a deepening of the researcher’s commitments to work that matters personally and to others. This article further shows that reading the literature of the Christian desert tradition, alongside contemporary naturalists, reveals ways in which the desert and women’s lives, in particular, have been used, then and now, to reflect on experiences of vulnerability, loss, and discernment of vocation. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6445Dessert ChristiansSpiritualityGenderKees Waaijman |
| spellingShingle | R. Wheeler In love with the desert Acta Theologica Dessert Christians Spirituality Gender Kees Waaijman |
| title | In love with the desert |
| title_full | In love with the desert |
| title_fullStr | In love with the desert |
| title_full_unstemmed | In love with the desert |
| title_short | In love with the desert |
| title_sort | in love with the desert |
| topic | Dessert Christians Spirituality Gender Kees Waaijman |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6445 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rwheeler inlovewiththedesert |