dichotomies...

So Im writing one of my midterm papers for Ministry Studies on the relationship between private and collective religious experience. Im arguing that they are not at odds, as popular theology likes to assert, and I'm illustrating my point through the biographies and writings of Pope Gregory the Great and Emerson. Emerson is going to be especially fun, since most theologians think of him as the individualist that he was, and forget about his numerous attempts at reconciliating with organized ministry.. and the many wonderful quotes I'll be using.. and the fact that he was SO much into "choices" ...ah yes... so much fun.
So yeah... I'm using the false dichotomy philosophical fallacy:

“The supposed dichotomy between individual and collective spirituality fails to uphold both conditions for a valid dichotomy. Through his definition of pastoral ministry, Pope Gregory the Great illustrates how individual and collective spiritual experiences are complementary, not mutually exclusive; Emerson, on the other hand, is the very epitome of new spiritual and theological alternatives to individual and public spiritualities --alternatives that prove their joint exhaustiveness null.”

I'm having a lot of fun with it. maybe too much fun. I'm taking an idea I saw at a book in the Harvard store... this guy wrote an essay and gave it a "newspaper" look. I thought it was so much fun! so I'm trying it out... which is SO dangerous... given the fact that although this is not supposed to be a theological essay, it IS an essay :P So I'm thinking I will attach a "nomal" version to the essay... since my crazy version will look like (let's see if this works.... please ignore the text, as it makes no sense ..jiji...) this:



So the weekend has been good. Got a lof of material covered... went through 50 pages of Greek
syntax, vocabulary, and paradigms... I even went out last night and had a blast...
As I just told Q, it makes me happy.