[December 1999 journal entry]
Reflections on the ‘sheep’ and ‘shepherd’ metaphors after a sermon by and subsequent conversation with a senior Presbyterian USA pastor – The pastor accented (1) a shepherd’s gentleness, patience, sensitivity and (2) differences between cattle being driven and sheep being led. He did not attribute the existence of ‘wolves’ to ‘God’. He also avoided suggestions of invulnerability to ‘wolves’ in his comments about the ‘sheep’ and ‘shepherd’ metaphors.
I have reservations about retaining/redeeming these metaphors as insightful for a ‘non-religious’ ethics and spirituality. The ‘sheep’ metaphor tends to sanction/assume (idealize?) weakness, passivity, naiveté, fear, timidity, innocence, ‘easy prey’. A sheep has no chance against a wolf. Within the ‘religious’ T/O paradigm, these traits are encouraged and reinforced by the ‘sheep’ metaphor, with the promise of insulation/protection for the adherent if s/he stays safely/deeply within the ‘fold’ that is guarded by the clergy.
Reflections on the ‘sheep’ and ‘shepherd’ metaphors after a sermon by and subsequent conversation with a senior Presbyterian USA pastor – The pastor accented (1) a shepherd’s gentleness, patience, sensitivity and (2) differences between cattle being driven and sheep being led. He did not attribute the existence of ‘wolves’ to ‘God’. He also avoided suggestions of invulnerability to ‘wolves’ in his comments about the ‘sheep’ and ‘shepherd’ metaphors.
I have reservations about retaining/redeeming these metaphors as insightful for a ‘non-religious’ ethics and spirituality. The ‘sheep’ metaphor tends to sanction/assume (idealize?) weakness, passivity, naiveté, fear, timidity, innocence, ‘easy prey’. A sheep has no chance against a wolf. Within the ‘religious’ T/O paradigm, these traits are encouraged and reinforced by the ‘sheep’ metaphor, with the promise of insulation/protection for the adherent if s/he stays safely/deeply within the ‘fold’ that is guarded by the clergy.