If you have any other ideas, feel free to send them to asdspt@dspt.edu or leave them in the comments section. Remember: we will vote on the name at the first session of the Theological "Owl."
- Theology "Uncorked"
- Balaam's Ass
- The Owl and the Donkey
- The Lion and the Lamb
- The Dominican Ox
- The Ox of Aquinas
- The Dumb Ox
What I did in the summer… Hospital Chaplaincy
9 years ago
17 comments:
A few comments on the names already posted.
Theology "Uncorked".
Balaam's Ass.
I really dislike this name for at least two reasons. First, "ass" means "donkey" in England, but in the United States that usages is almost extinct. I don't think that even farmers use the term "ass" for an animal anymore. Second, even if people understand the reference to Balaam's donkey in the Book of Numbers, what in the world does that have to do with theology? The donkey saw an angel, but it surely didn't understand angelology, much less any other branch of theology.
The Owl and the Donkey.
This is the owl of Minerva combined with Balaam's Ass? Two animals that aren't theological don't add up to theology.
The Lion and the Lamb.
Makes me think of a lecture about war and peace, not theology in general.
The Dumb Ox.
I like this a lot. Question: will people recognize the reference?
The Dominican Ox.
This gets more subtle and farther from the point. And I'm not sure this forum is particularly Dominican as such.
The Ox of Aquinas.
Aquinas may have "been" an Ox, but he certainly didn't own an Ox.
Okay, my post is almost entirely negative.
Ah, I forgot to comment on Theology "Uncorked". I think this might work, but without the quotation marks. Still, it's a blatant plagiarism from Theology On Tap. And will we really serve wine or champagne at our event? If not, "uncorked" might be false advertising.
Some additional suggestions:
The Gored Ox.
Okay, not that great. "My Ox is Gored"? "My Ox Didn't Vote For Al Gore"? Maybe not.
Theology Lite.
A bit more honest, since the presentations are only 20 minutes plus discussion.
The Theological Discussion Program.
Sounds a bit formal.
Extracurricular Theology.
Since most of our clientele are working on theology degrees, this stresses the fact that this series is something extra, not for credit.
Theology After Hours.
Same comment as "Extracurricular Theology", but I like this title a bit more.
More ideas?
Well there will be wine, but I don't think Theology Uncorked sounds that great anyway.
Also, re: The Dumb Ox, we could have it be called officially something like "The Dumb Ox: A Theology Forum" and then have a little explanation about where the name comes from on the bottom of posters/emails, similar to the explanation about what the Owl of Minerva is that goes at the bottom of those emails.
My first choice is Balaam's Ass, exactly because Americans outside of a Theology school would think it scandalous. That might be attractive to them.
Second choice, I guess, is The Dumb Ox, though it might imply a strict Thomism which isn't necessarily what we'll have. (But then, the Owl doesn't focus on Hegelian philosophy, so...)
What about the DOVE?! See then we have three foul mascots Owl, Dove, and Chicken (Daughters of Mary). A Trinity of mascots if you will. Or maybe that would be fowl...Theology for Turkeys?
Theology for sinnners?
St Albert's at Arch?
Late-night Theology?
The Hound of Aquinas?
The Gold-in-Arch?
The Cross and the Crescent (or are
we just doing Christian Theology)?
Society of St Albert?
Contra haereticus?
The A All-stars? (Augustine, Anselm, Albert, Aquinas....)
Vino et veritas?
I do rather like 'Theology uncorked' (there WILL be wine, I'm quite sure
- and its apropos for CA...)
Pelican of the Wilderness
See Ps 102:6. Double meaning in this, which the fathers of the Church take up. Pelican is an emblem of gloom and loneliness, yet also a symbol of Christ, because it takes of its blood to feed its young (see also Gal 3:13 for reference to symbology being turned on its head). Wilderness of course, could mean the world that we live in. Hence it could mean that we are the dialectic for the world's lack of looking at itself in truth, or the symbol of Christ in the world.
Augustine, OP
Good ideas. I like the Dove suggestion (though it may have unintended political overtones) and the Pelican of the Wilderness. Vino et Veritas is also very good.
Now I'm even more undecided, because I still like Balaam's Ass and The Dumb Ox.
Just one question: Chicken? Wha?
Ladies and gentlemen,
I recently chanced upon a curious German monograph, which touches upon Mr King's question. Its title translates to "The Owl and the Eagle: Albert and Thomas on the Possibility of Metaphysics."
The author discusses the colourful history of Aristotle's bat-trope. The Stagirite, seeking to express the paradoxical nature of man's metaphyiscal vocation, used the metaphor of the bat. The bat has difficulty navigating through daylight, not because of an obscurity in the sun's rays, but on account of the weakness of the creature's eyes. Likewise, metaphyiscal principles are perfectly intelligible in themselves. And yet, their radiance dazzles our weak powers of apprehension, so we flitter and flutter about, in a clumsy and ungainly manner. (It's a wonder that we catch any mice, at all!)
As Aristotle's Metaphysics made its round from Greece to the Middle East to Latin Europe, the bat transmogrified into the owl--a more noble and elegant creature, but still expresing Aristotle's insight. And since the owl is the mascot of the great patroness of philosophers, it's a clearer connection.
Now Albertus Magnus was a wide-eyed, sanguine soul, and was relatively optimistic about human cognitive powers. Yes, we begin as owls, barely able to withstand the full radiance of intellectus agens universaliter. Yet, by discipline, training, and the grace of God, we could develop and strengthen our powers of supersensible intellection. Against the trope of the owl, Albert introduced the counter-trope of the eagle. The eagle, as any sound bestiary will tell you, is the one creature that can gaze directly into the face of the sun. Thus, Albert proposed that we can change from owls into eagles.
Hence, the patron of the local priory offers a mascot, one that exhibits the superiority of sacred theology to mere philosophy. Let the philosophers have the owl. The theologians can aspire to an aquiline nobility.
Regards,
Jason James van Boom
President, Berkeley Chapter,
Albertist Catholics for Luminous Understanding
I like EAGLE. It stays with my bird theme and is more appropriate because it refers to the superiority of Theology.
I don't think that we have to worry if not everyone gets the exact meaning behind our mascot. I don't think everyone who shows up to the Owl really knows all that it refers to. Besides, most of these ideas need explanation because they are somewhat obscure references. (Except the ones dealing with wine.)
But would we just call it "The Eagle" or would it have something else attached to it like "Owl of Minerva" or "Pious Chickens"?
I vote for the Dumb Ox.
It's historitically significant but soaked in oh-so-hip irony.
The "eagle" theme is cool, but we need an actual name using it!
The Sanguine Eagle
Eagle Eye on Theology
Eagle Gaze
Eagles Rule and Owls Drool
Trope Counter-Trope: The Eagle Theology Forum
Colleen, I'm sitting in the computer lab actually laughing out loud to myself about the "Eagles Rule and Owls Drool". I think that should be our motto. :)
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