Wherein we discuss the topic of fatherhood, especially in light of the many cultural portrayals ancient and modern of less-than-admirable fathers, and the role of the Judeo-Christian conception of God as Father in shaping our expectations.
Joseph just finished reading John W. Miller's book, Calling God 'Father': Essays on the Bible, Fatherhood, and Culture, so we decided to talk about it. In a Christian bubble, it's easy to take fatherhood for granted. Outside of that bubble (and even in some parts of that bubble), the conditions for fatherhood are dissipating. We talk about what those conditions are (and reference the as-of-yet-incomplete trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicles to do so, though the reference is in book 2...).
Joseph begins by referencing Hesiod's Theogony-- it's been around long enough you can find public domain translations, but you may want to find a bound copy...It's usually one of the first books listed in most 100-greatest-books-of-western-civilization, so it might be worth having...
Big picture idea-- fatherhood is a pretty vulnerable cultural feature, and one that we don't often get right. Our modern ideas of fatherhood, and the kind of expectations we have for fathers, can be linked to the influence of Judaism and Christianity, and while they raise the bar for men, they also reassure us that God is the best of all fathers, and He makes up for what is lacking.
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As always,
