Deathly Hallows

I might also title this "Resurrection Hallows":

The new Harry Potter title, 7th in the series, has now been announced, and for those of us who still pray "hallowed be thy name" in the Lord's Prayer, it seems to forebode a resurrecting of the term. Here's a quick definition from Wikipedia:

Hallow is a word usually used as a verb, meaning "to make holy or sacred, to sanctify or consecrate, to venerate". [5] However, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the word hallows appears as a noun. In modern English, the word is used as a noun in "All Hallows' Day" or "All Saints' Day," which is the day after Hallowe'en or "All Hallows' Eve". Hallows can refer to saints, the relics of saints, or the relics of gods.[6] One story where hallows play a crucial role is in the grail legend. In the Grail legend, the Fisher King is the guardian of the four hallows, which include the Grail itself, the serving dish/or stone, the sword/or dagger, and the spear. [7] Many scholars have since identified the connection of these four hallows with four treasures of the Tuatha de Danaan, which include a chalice (Grail), a baton or wand (spear), a pentacle (serving dish), and a sword.

There has been much speculation from many Harry Potter fans about whether the grail legend might play a part in the final Harry Potter book. Many Harry Potter fans have seen a connection between the four founders of Hogwarts, their relics, and the four hallows in the grail legend.[8] It is known from the books that Godric Gryffindor's relic is a sword, Helga Hufflepuff's relic is a cup (chalice), and Salazar Slytherin's relic is a locket (pentacle), presumably leaving Rowena Ravenclaw's relic as a spear or wand. In addition, many scholars have argued that the four hallows in the Grail legend symbolize the four natural elements (earth, fire, water, and air).[9] J. K. Rowling has explicitly stated that the four Hogwarts founders represent the four natural elements, solidifying the connection between the four founders and the four hallows in the Grail legend.[10] It is also known that Harry Potter must find four horcruxes, and that Voldemort wanted a hallow, or relic, from each of the four founders.

So, apparently one can exegete Harry Potter.

Eyewitness Testimony vs. Historicity

"It is in the Jesus of testimony that theology and history meet." (Bauckham, p. 508) I'm afraid I can't agree with the idea that Bauckham is using a similar method to the historical critical school, even if he does inhabit some of their schools of thought. Although he makes use of historical research, he is working with a deeply theological category--testimony, martyria--and seeking to revive it in regard to our reading of the gospels. This is not a focus on historicity per se, but rather a recognition that testimony (the proclamation of the gospel in faith) is what it is, the passing on of the faith from one witness to the next.

The final chapter making use of Paul Ricouer is especially valuable, as his reflection on the literary genres that indicate the eyewitness character of the gospel narratives.

Jesus and the Eyewitnesses

Since I'm not a New Testament scholar, it is probably presumptuous of me to say that Richard Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses is an "important" contribution to the field, but I'll go ahead and say it, it is important.

How so? Well, it presents in convincing detail why the four Gospels are closely based on eyewitness testimony of those who knew Jesus. That sentence alone should send you to the book itself. Read it. It is important.

Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

That's the opening line of Michael Pollan's essay in the New York Times magazine, and it is worth its weight in gold. Reminiscent of Gary Snyder's final stanza of "For the Children": "Stay together/learn the flowers/go light." The whole poem reads:

--

For the Children

The rising hills, the slopes,
of statistics
lie before us.
the steep climb
of everything, going up,
up, as we all
go down.

In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures,
we can meet there in peace
if we make it.

To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:

stay together
learn the flowers
go light