Of course we had to discuss the clergy thing, the clergy spouse thing, and the ecumenism thing during our courtship and engagement. No cozy combative chats about china patterns, flatware, or linens for us.Our conversations swirled around such topics as open communion, apostolic succession, and whether Nicaea or Trent caused a bigger mess. And it was not usual for me to hear sentences from my future husband start with the words, "In our tradition..."
In response, I'd roll my eyes and make snotty pointed comments about the durability of his Roman Catholic upbringing and education. His predictable response, "I'm still catholic, just not Roman Catholic."
In response, I'd roll my eyes again and usually default to my equally predictable harangue about being Jewish and how Christians ought to get smarter about that tradition. Truly a miracle the man married me.
What I should have paid more attention to and didn't at the time, was not the content but the construction of the phrase, "In our tradition..."
Fast forward and I'm now acutely aware of how often my beloved uses words like "whilst" and "methinks" during normal, daily conversation. Methinks "whilst" comes with the Anglican territory, which is pretty hilarious because he thinketh Rite I with all its thee's, thou's, etcetera is "theologically bankrupt."
I pretty much let it flow by me...until I cannot abide it anymore, as was recently the case when I sent this text message:
"When are you coming home?"
and received this:
"We are to be done at noon."
In response, I rolled my eyes whilst texting back:
"We are TO BE DONE at noon?!? Get away from those people. Come home immediately."
I should have added:
"Thou art trying my patience with thine overwrought language."
Yea, verily.
