What does the fox say?
Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Everybody knows that, right? My 5-year old granddaughter Rebecca knows the song and loves it. I kind of like it too! Written by the Norwegian comedy group Ylvis, The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) is a silly, nonsensical song written to promote the group’s new TV season in Norway. Quite accidentally, the song went viral on YouTube and now everybody is asking, “What does the fox say?”
Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!
Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!
Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!
Everybody knows that, right?
All silliness aside, a better question is, “What does Matthew Fox say?”
To some, Fox’s writings about spirituality are so much like Ylvis’ “Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!” and maybe some “Joff-tchoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!” thrown in for good measure.
But to others, Matthew Fox has a gift to offer the Church – indeed, the world.
It’s called, “Original Blessing.”
Fox was a Roman Catholic priest – a Dominican – who ruffled lots of religious feathers with his 1983 book, “Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality.” The writing called into question the Church’s traditional teaching about “original sin”. Fox cited many early Christian writings to advance a contrarian idea – “original blessing.” Essentially, Fox questioned whether we are born sinful and are destined to remain so all our lives, or are we born good and forget where we came from, where we are going, and to Whom we belong? (Thanks to Robin Meyers of Mayflower UCC for that description)
Almost as soon as “Original Blessing” was published, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger charged a panel of Dominican priests and others to review Fox’s work to see if it conformed to Catholic teaching. They concluded that Fox’s work was indeed within Christian tradition. Later, when Ratzinger became Pope Benedict, he overturned the panel’s decision. Then, after Fox wrote the Pope a letter entitled “Is the Catholic Church Today a Dysfunctional Family?” the axe fell, and the priest was expelled from the Dominican order for “disobedience.”
Fox is now an Episcopal priest.
What do you think?
Are people born sinful, or good?
Quaker pastor and author Philip Gulley writes of an experience that helps put this question into context:
“Several years ago, I was speaking at a church where the worship service was concluded with an infant baptism. During the ceremony the pastor spoke about the child’s being born in sin. As he spoke, I caught a glimpse of the child. His right hand was curled around one of his mother’s fingers, a beatific smile illuminated his face. Were I asked to paint a picture of an angel, I would have painted that infant. I wanted to stop the ceremony and ask the minister how that tiny, beautiful infant could possibly have sinned. Think of it! The church’s first liturgical words to that child were to condemn him.”
An important part of growing up spiritually is learning to discern between what is true and what is not. It is crucial to take our religious traditions and overlay them on life as it really is. Ask questions. Use common sense. Ask yourself if this tradition looks and sounds like the Gospel of Jesus.
In my view, that beautiful baby lying so peacefully in its mother’s arms reveals the “original sin” tradition to be what it really is – a whole heaping’ load of:
Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
What a silly song!
And what a dangerous doctrine.
We’ll talk about that next…
I would prefer to think of it this way . For so long I have only heard that we are born to be sinners . References being made to the preschoolers and how they fight with each other . But having taught 2 year olds in Sunday School for several years , I see just the opposite. Granted , developmentally they don’t know how to share ; but more times than not , I’ve seen one child offer a toy to another to comfort them when crying and upset . When I’ve seen one throwing a hissy fit (as we say here in the South ) it’s because they’ve been parented to act that way . The “Let’s give them everything they want ” Parenting Style . Results in a child that has no respect for anyone else and extreme selfishness. I think you’re on to something !