Corpus-Paul

["Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D." <smcginn AT jcu.edu>]

Apologies to the Corpus for this delayed reaction; I have been off-line for 
the last
week.

Dr. Eriksson,

You asked (about a week ago) re: my analysis of 1 Cor 14:34f:

> May I ask you if you have a subjective position on this issue which might 
> influence
> your judgment? [i.e., that it is a scribal insertion]  Do you want to 
> portray Paul
> as a nice guy?

Do you know the American slang expression about "yanking my chain?"  It's 
sort of like
"pulling my leg" with a slightly more provocative edge to it.  That is how I 
took your
question, so please correct me if I am wrong.

At any rate, to answer it.  I think it is beyond a doubt that I have a 
subjective
position which influences my judgment, and you were quite right to point to 
it.  I am
a woman -- and an Irish American at that -- and I don't like being told to 
shut up.
On the other hand, I don't like being told that by anyone, not just Paul.  I 
admit my
"point of engagement," to use the feminist jargon, but I don't see it 
connected with
the Paul/nice guy issue.  I tried to stay out of the "nice guy" discussion 
because I
basically view Paul as a worthy adversary, someone worth grappling with, but 
not
someone with whom I always agree in the last analysis.

One further apologetic point -- I don't think there is nor ever has been a 
human being
who does not have "a subjective position ... which might influence [his/her]
judgment."  So, while I have admitted that I know whence mine comes (at least 
in this
case), that does not make my "bias" any stronger than anyone else's.  It just 
makes
mine open rather than hidden.

BTW, I was absolutely delighted with the question.  We Irish types don't 
really
believe someone is a friend until they begin to "rag" on us.  I take it as a 
sign of
great maturity already for such a neophyte List.

SEM
--
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biblical Studies & Early Christianity
John Carroll University
Cleveland, Ohio 44118
smcginn AT jcu.edu
www1.jcu.edu/religion/mcginn/mcginn.htm


"It didn't take long to see morality as the quickest way to avoid 
self-loathing."
     Sue Grafton, "L" is for Lawless (New York: Holt, 1995), 205.