Archbishop Williams Speaks Again

Time has an interview with Archbishop Williams. Fr. Jake has an interesting discussion going at his blog about the interview.

I won't say much, except to repeat what I said at the end of my comment there:

Let's hope that during his time of seclusion and study at Georgetown, that he receives a good lesson from Lady Sophia.


UPDATE: Roger, in the comments, says I should explain Lady Sophia. The book of "The Wisdom of Solomon" is not included in the Hebrew canon in the Old Testament, and is placed in The Apocrypha in the Protestant biblical canon. Readings from Wisdom are included in the Lectionary in the Episcopal Church.

"Sophia" is the Greek word for "wisdom". Since wisdom is personified in the book and is always referred to as feminine, the personification has come to be called "Lady Sophia" or Lady Wisdom". There are those who claim Lady Sophia for Gnosticism, but I don't use the name to refer to anything Gnostic.

The best way I can think of to describe Lady Sophia is to allow words from the book itself and from "Proverbs" to speak the description:


Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-16(NRSV)

Description of Wisdom

Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her,
and is found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.
One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.
To fix one's thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,
because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths,
and meets them in every thought


Wisdom of Solomon 7:25-30

For she is a breath of the power of God,
and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.
For she is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.
She is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light she is found to be superior,
for it is succeeded by the night,
but against wisdom evil does not prevail.


Proverbs 3:13-18

The True Wealth

Happy are those who find wisdom,
and those who get understanding,
for her income is better than silver,
and her revenue better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.


Proverbs 7:4-5

Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister’,
and call insight your intimate friend,
that they may keep you from the loose woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words.

6-09-07 - 11.15 AM