A Luminous Tale … of Betrayal
The Madonna Secret by Sophie Strand (Rochester, VT: Bear & Company, 2023, 608pp)
David R. Weiss – September 14, 2023

Sophie Strand’s debut novel is audacious, inspired, mesmerizing. In The Madonna Secret she imagines—more accurately conjures up—the tale of Mary Magdalene, at once Jesus’ most intimate and most marginalized follower.

I first encountered Strand’s writing in essays on ecology, about which she writes with the twinned voice of science and mysticism. She brings that coupled awareness to this book as well. Her Mary is a nature mystic, who from her youth channels Earth energy as both moral force and erotic lure.

Her Mary is also Miriam, the Aramaic form of the name. This simple choice, to tell her tale by recasting persons (Jesus is Yeshua) and places (Jerusalem is Yerusalem) with Aramaic names constantly reminds us that Strand means to be speaking to us with an insider’s familiarity. The names are recognizable but not quite as we have known them (from the Greek), and this familiar-but-not-quite sensation helps persuade the reader that the story we are hearing is somehow closer to the truth than the one we have always been told.

Because Mary Magdalene exists as a character only at the edge of the gospels—and at its contested edges at that (prostitute? disciple? confidant? Lover?)—any telling of Miriam’s life must transcend both scholarship and legend. And Strand does this with supreme self-assurance. Her Miriam is alive with possibility. A figment of Strand’s imagination? Of course, but what a richly textured figment. She breathes believable life into Miriam.

Described as an eco-feminist tale, Strand captures both the vibrant ecology of the land and the oppressive ecology of Roman occupation and patriarchal culture/religion. Miriam moves through one with wonder and kinship. She bumps up against the other with indignant frustration and, at times, prophetic outrage. Whether either of these angles is historically accurate is immaterial. They are truthful to the tale Strand spins, and, in that spun world, they ring true. Moreover, they carry truth (wonder, kinship, frustration, outrage) from that world into our world, which is one of fiction’s generative gifts.

In her opening Author’s Note, Strand asserts, “because women are so often written out of stories, [this story] attempts to understand the diversity of female experiences during the Second Temple Period.” Hence, while Madonna features a whole cast of characters, both men and women, it is the women whose lives are plumbed at depth. Through them we experience the precarious edges of womanhood, from early (and violent) marriages, to birthing, to becoming accused and outcast. We also feel the silencing effect of tradition in limiting their learning, dismissing their voices, and fearing their power. And, in exquisite dialogue, we listen in as their living relationships unfold.

Similarly, Strand imbues Miriam’s entanglement with Power beyond-within herself with reverence for the ineffable sense of Mystery that sometimes haunts human life. It is an Earthen energy that is neither opposed to nor different than the biblical God, though never precisely identified with that God either. Rather it is Mystery that includes-eclipses the Jewish God. A numinous Presence that is not other than but larger than—and more sacredly sensual—than orthodox religious notions of divinity … framed mostly by male/patriarchal experience.

One might even venture to suspect that the Surging Energy Miriam channels is the same as that which the Hebrew prophets did. A presence more Real—both larger than and nearer than any Scriptural words can do justice to. Strand’s prose dances with this numinal energy, her words leaping across the page as if around a blazing bonfire (or burning bush?) … or with the devotional frenzy of a lover’s touch.

For all the story it tells, The Madonna Secret is at heart a narrative theology: an assertion-by-tale of the nature of Holy-Presence-as-Earthen-Love. In short, the book is a wonder. Which is why Strand’s portrait of Jesus (Yeshua) feels like … a betrayal.

Granted, she admits in her Author’s Note, “This book makes no claims to represent an authoritative interpretation of Jesus’s teaching or the meaning of his life. It is the story of one woman.” (One wonders, is that one woman Miriam or Sophie?—or both?) Yet she also avows that, even as a work of fiction, Madonna is “based on serious study of the primary documents” and “rigorous research.” And in her Acknowledgements, she credits the work of Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan, and several other Historical Jesus scholars.

She makes a number of “artistic license” choices rearranging relationships, characters, and events from their original gospel presentation. These all struck me as intriguing, evocative, sometimes even provocative twists. Except one. After Yeshua appears, first as a mystic in his own right, and a storyteller and community builder as well, it caught me off guard (the way a gut punch can catch you off guard) when Strand chooses to reduce him to an ultimately immature, tragic fool.

It is one thing for Strand to summon up, against the silencing forces of history, a very believable Miriam out of her aspirational eco-feminist imagination. One thing—and a wondrous thing. But it is quite another to decide in turn to silence the best Historical Jesus scholarship and frame Yeshua as a literary foil to Miriam. Of course, this is her tale, and there is nothing to say she can’t do this.

Still, I’m disappointed. Strand could have used her eco-feminist vision and her gift at narrative theology to reclaim the mystery and power of Yeshua alongside that of Miriam. If Mary Magdalene has been lost to a sort of vindictive silence; Jesus has been as effectively buried beneath a cacophony of doctrine that ironically domesticates the power of his humanity by clothing it in divinity. Instead of daring to reclaim the powerful humanity of both—as lovers, partners, birthers of a possible world—she seemingly chooses to sacrifice Jesus for the sins of patriarchy.

Truth is, that’s what killed him in the first place.

In any case, I commend the book. It’s a rich and captivating tale that surprises and enchants, even as it reveals a world fraught with struggle, terror, joy, and love. Plus, in rabbinic tradition, a good text is not one that settles questions but one that starts arguments. Because that’s where wisdom lies—in the tug (and play) of words between us. By that measure, The Madonna Secret is a rousing success.

If you read it, I’d be delighted to argue about it with you!

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David Weiss is a theologian, writer, poet and hymnist, “writing into the whirlwind” of contemporary challenges, joys, and sorrows around climate crisis, sexuality, justice, peace, and family. Reach him at drw59mn@gmail.com. Read more at www.davidrweiss.com where he blogs under the theme, “Full Frontal Faith: Erring on the Edge of Honest.” Support him in Writing into the Whirlwind at www.patreon.com/fullfrontalfaith.

Robert Reich Wants to Help Trump Win
David R. Weiss – September 13

I almost always appreciate Robert Reich’s op-ed columns. A former US secretary of labor and current professor of public policy at UC-Berkely, Reich usually offers a clear-eyed view of politics from the center-left. He vigorously defends labor and takes seriously the concerns of the working class and those at society’s edges.

His latest piece, however, “Third-party candidates will help Trump win,” misses the boat from its very first line to its very last. He begins, “Whether they intend to be or not, third-party groups such as No Labels and the Green Party are in effect front groups for Trump in 2024.” He concludes, “If Trump wins the Republican nomination for president, as seems highly likely despite (or because of) his coming trials, all Americans who believe in democracy must unite behind Joe Biden—to ensure that Trump, in the words of then representative Liz Cheney, “never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office’.”

That first line ought to read, “Whether they intend to be or not, the Democratic establishment, the Democratic National Committee, and Joe Biden himself, are in effect front groups for Trump in 2024.” There. Fixed it.

Nowhere in his piece does Reich acknowledge the impact of Biden’s policy failures* or his flagging mental sharpness and physical stamina on the (absent!) enthusiasm of even most Democrat voters, let alone independents and non-voters. It is simply a vacuous argument to let the (very real!) danger Trump poses to democracy become a blank check to a Democratic Party and a sitting President. Both of whom are more concerned about preserving their own institutional power than acting in ways that would actually secure a decisive share of the electorate and strengthen democracy as well.

*Clearly Biden’s policies are better than Trump’s. But he’s failed to address climate as the existential emergency it is (except in his rhetoric); indeed, alongside his “green” initiatives, he continues to approve new fossil fuel projects at a time when the overwhelming scientific consensus is an emphatic ZERO. Moreover, his inability to achieve significant progress on gun control, police violence, immigration, affordable housing, labor rights, voting rights, and student loan debt, coupled with an actively fraying social safety net, have left more and more people feeling forgotten, exposed, vulnerable. Even with the undeniable obstruction of MAGA-GOP forces, Biden has failed to lead with imagination or vision. Perhaps that was sufficient for a first term, where a return to well-managed mediocrity was a relief from the foolish, vengeful politics of a megalomaniac narcissist. But that was a damn low bar, and it’s wholly inadequate for re-election to a second term.

If Biden and the party really believe their political agenda is a winning one, they ought to embrace the idea of a vibrant presidential primary as an opportunity to hone their presentation and unite voters. Instead, the DNC refuses to countenance anything other than servile acceptance of Biden as the “winning nominee,” without having measured his mettle against anyone. Because the party knows it simply wouldn’t measure up.

As it stands, Marianne Williamson, Robert Kennedy, Jr., and Cornell West all appeal to strands of the left-leaning electorate that Biden can’t afford to lose … but he also isn’t interested in seriously courting them to win. He’s simply counting on the fear of Trump (and the fear-mongering of pundits like Reich) to bring them into the fold. That’s bullshit.

And quite frankly, that position is, in effect, a front group for Trump. This is a precarious game of chicken for Biden and the DNC to play. “Stick with us, no matter how mediocre our vision is, because Trump is so much worse.” How long do Democrats actually think their on-brand message of mediocrity will be accepted, even if begrudgingly, as a “harm reduction” compromise? Spoiler alert: not much longer.

If a Trump candidacy presents an existential threat to democracy—it does!—then the determination of the DNC to shove a Biden candidacy down our throat is complicit in that existential threat. And Robert Reich is being dishonest in pretending otherwise.

I can admit that the candidacies of Williamson and West are unlikely to lead to the White House and yet also assert that their candidacies are worthy—essential, critical—expressions of political ideals that ought to be entertained by an electorate (at least) every four years. Ideals that ought to exert regular and consistent pressure on the corporately misshapen moral compass of the Democratic Party. Ideals that, if ever given a full hearing, just might resonate with a host of Americans aching for a society that soothes our shared sorrows, honors our shared hopes, and inspires our highest human aspirations. To silence their voices is to lay bare the bald disinterest of the party in these ideals ever being realized on its watch.

Ideally, for the sake of the country—for the existential stakes of democracy—Biden ought to announce with dignity, as a sign of his statesmanship, that he will not run again. He should declare his confidence in the multiple Democratic lawmakers whose social vision, political conviction, and personal integrity offer an overwhelmingly compelling alternative to Trump and the rest of the GOP. He should urge the DNC to make plans in haste and in earnest for a nomination process that will invite these persons (and Williamson!) to present their visions of a society that embodies its ideals from sea to shining sea. And he should urge the electorate (those who always vote, those who never vote, and those waiting for a good reason to vote) to get ready to defend democracy in 2024. Not by settling for bullshit, but by voting for a candidate whose mettle has been measured, whose vision is compelling, and whose appeal is authentic to the best of who we are as a people.

Anything less courts political catastrophe. And right now, Robert Reich is peddling anything less.

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David Weiss is a theologian, writer, poet and hymnist, “writing into the whirlwind” of contemporary challenges, joys, and sorrows around climate crisis, sexuality, justice, peace, and family. Reach him at drw59mn@gmail.com. Read more at www.davidrweiss.com where he blogs under the theme, “Full Frontal Faith: Erring on the Edge of Honest.” Support him in Writing into the Whirlwind at www.patreon.com/fullfrontalfaith.

Conversations in the Commons
David R. Weiss – September 2, 2023

NOTE: This announces a local (St. Paul) in-person event, so it won’t be accessible to many of my readers. But I want you to know that it’s happening. As I’m able, I hope to offer similar opportunities in a Zoom format …

I am pleased to announce my FIRST “Conversations in the Commons” around my work “Writing into the Whirlwind” on September 12!

Through a creative collaboration with Zion Lutheran Church as part of their commitment to serving as a community commons in their neighborhood, I’ll be hosting these conversations every second Tuesday of the month from 7-8:30pm.

The dates for the rest of 2023 are: September 12, October 10, November 14, and December 12.

These evenings are an opportunity for me to share some of my recent work (or some of my favorite) and then open things up for conversation. I’ll typically identify the blog posts we’ll be discussing at least a week in advance so you can read them ahead of time and come ready to engage! My work has always been enriched by conversation, and that’s more important than ever today.

Here are the key details:

• Location: Zion Lutheran Church, 1697 LaFond Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104. No parking lot, but plenty of street parking right near the intersection. Unfortunately, Zion’s building is not accessible. I will work on exploring an accessible option, whether by Zoom or in another building.
• Entrance: Use the door along Aldine Street near the alley. Follow the staircase down to the basement; then follow the signs. We’ll meet in a room on the first floor, but the basement entrance is the only one open in the evening.
• If you plan to come, please RSVP by email (drw59mn@gmail.com) or on the FB event. This isn’t “required,” but will be helpful to make sure the room is set up appropriately.
• Each evening, I’ll offer a few opening reflections, and then invite conversation, which might simply be in response to my reflections and selected writings or in response to some posed questions.
• There is no cost to you. I will set out a donation basket if you feel moved to put a couple dollars to help offset the room cost. But all that I truly ask is your presence and participation!

For September 12 please read/review these two blog posts: “Giving up on Church for My Children,” 3/8/23, now my most read personal essay, and “Family Secrets – More than a Matter of Degree,” 7/8/23. Of course, you don’t need to read them in advance, but the conversation will be richer if you do! Bring your questions; I’ll bring mine.

Lastly, one extra special opportunity. The second Tuesday of each month Zion hosts a gluten-free, nut-free, vegan community meal prepared by Colin Anderson of Eureka Compass Vegan Foods. You’re welcome to come early for this pay as you can meal served in the church basement. Freewill donation benefits Zion Food Justice ministry. But you should RSVP separately by 8am Monday to Colin (eurekacompassveganfood@gmail.com) for this. See the full details below.

I really hope to see you on September 12^th!

About the Second Tuesday community meal at Zion Lutheran Church:

These full meals are prepared by chef Colin Anderson of Eureka Compass Vegan Foods as part of his passion for food solidarity. Each Community Dinner at Zion Lutheran benefits their Food Justice programs and Thursday food shelf program. You can read more about them here: https://eurekacompassveganfood.com/community-dinner.

The community meal is served all day, from 11am to 7pm.

Here are the important details:

Make Colin’s life easier by preordering your Community Dinner meals
no later than 8am on Monday. That’s his shopping day.

Here’s the preordering instructions:

• Email eurekacompassveganfood@gmail.com
• Let us know a window of time for pick up and how many meals you need—and if you’re bringing your own takeout containers or plan to dine in. (If you’re coming for “Conversations in the Commons,” you’ll want to arrive between 6:15 & 6:30 and dine in. We WON’T be meeting in the dining area, so you’ll want to finish your meal there and then head to our conversation room at 7pm.)
• Cash contributions are accepted the day of the dinner.
• If you’d like to contribute with a card, let us know how much you wish to contribute when you email your pre-order. You’ll receive an invoice by email that you can pay electronically via a prompt on the invoice.
• Show up on the day of the dinner at your designated time, and we’ll have your meals ready for you! If you have any questions, just send us an email! We’re happy to connect!

Each meal is gluten free, nut free, and vegan to make it accessible to as many in the community as possible. Other allergens such as corn and soy are rarely used. These meals are always offered “Pay what you want/can.” No one is turned away for lack of funds. Each Community Dinner has a philanthropic partner; half of all contributions at Tuesday dinners benefit Zion Lutheran’s Food Justice programs and Thursday food shelf program.

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David Weiss is a theologian, writer, poet and hymnist, “writing into the whirlwind” of contemporary challenges, joys, and sorrows around climate crisis, sexuality, justice, peace, and family. Reach him at drw59mn@gmail.com. Read more at www.davidrweiss.com where he blogs under the theme, “Full Frontal Faith: Erring on the Edge of Honest.” Support him in Writing into the Whirlwind at www.patreon.com/fullfrontalfaith.