Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The Fact that Morton Smith Didn't Pay Any Attention to the Marcionite Gospel of Mark Speaks Volumes About His Innocence

Morton Smith was a great scholar and he wasn't gay.  Jacques Derrida was a great scholar and he was gay. Not surprisingly Derrida say the 'homosocial,' 'homoerotic' and 'homosexual' implications of the early Greek interest in philia.  Morton Smith did not - presumably because he didn't identify or take an interest in the significance of ancient homosexuality.  This is why Smith didn't pay much attention to the Philosophumena's discussion of the 'longer gospel of Mark' and its interest in Empedoclean ('like attracts like') philia.  Derrida's classic paper on philia - the Politics of Friendship - is linked here.

As a closeted Nietzschean, I have to say I love reading philosophical papers as opposed to theological ones for a change (yuck!).  Closed-minded dogmatists are so boring.  I am not sure any of what they promote is in keeping with the spirit of Clement of Alexandria's community.  How then are these types to be expected to understand his community's "secret Gospel"?


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