That said, it struck me as curious why Mr. Peterson would name his blog "Yes and No" knowing Mr. Peterson simply wouldn't name his blog Sic et Non without a good reason. Furthermore, as belied by his postings he's given to passive-aggressive jabs at people, and his responses on forums or even on his blog often times include a nuanced take shrouded, on purpose, in ambiguity (or plausible deniability for the rest of us in the real world).
Going to Wikipedia I read the following:
Sic et Non, an early scholastic text whose title translates from Medieval Latin as "Yes and No", was written by Pierre Abélard. In the work, Abélard juxtaposes apparently contradictory quotations from the Church Fathers on many of the traditional topics of Christian theology. In the Prologue, Abélard outlines rules for reconciling these contradictions, the most important of which is noting the multiple significations of a single word. However, Abélard does not himself apply these rules in the body of the Sic et non, which has led scholars to conclude that the work was meant as an exercise book for students in applying dialectic (logic) to theology.
In Sic et Non, Abelard presents 158 questions that present a theological assertion and allows its negation.
The first five questions are:
Must human faith be completed by reason, or not?
Does faith deal only with unseen things, or not?
Is there any knowledge of things unseen, or not?
May one believe only in God alone, or not?
Is God a single unitary being, or not?
The prologue frames the text as a professor's guide, "Aristotle, the most clear-sighted of all the philosophers, was desirous above all things else to arouse this questioning spirit ..." The act of questioning authority in the university context and arguing both sides, afforded him a healthy distance from official inquisition.
I was stunned. Mr. Peterson has sent a clear salvo across the bow to Mormon authorities, both at BYU and within the Church hierarchy questioning their authority on the divine!
I'll admit that on occasion as I would read through critics' summations on the interactions between Mopologists (Internet Mormons) and Chapel Mormons (The Church and its various subsidiaries) that they couldn't be serious that an open heretical insurrection was taking place, but there it is... Clear as day... A blog, by a BYU professor, questioning the very foundational principles of authority claimed by The Bretheren.
Peter Abelard, the author of Sic et Non, was viewed at the "the keenest thinker and boldest theologian of the 12th Century". What a stunning example of hubris, to attach yourself to the notion that you're among the keenest of thinkers and boldest of theologians. Sic et Non...
It's no wonder that Mr. Peterson views himself as having enemies, and that's he's "on his way back to Rome" to face charges of heresy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Abelard
By 1136, when he was heard by John of Salisbury, Abélard returned to the site of his early triumphs, lecturing on Mount St. Genevieve, but only for a brief time: a last trial awaited him. As far back as the Paraclete days, his chief enemy had been Bernard of Clairvaux, in whom was incarnated the principle of fervent and unhesitating faith, to which rational inquiry like Abélard's was sheer revolt, and now the uncompromising Bernard moved to crush the growing evil in the person of the boldest offender.
In 1141, after preliminary negotiations in which Bernard was roused by Abélard's steadfastness to put forth all his strength, a council met at Sens, before which Abélard, formally arraigned upon a number of heretical charges, prepared to plead his cause. When, however, Bernard had opened the case, Abélard appealed to Rome. Bernard, who had power to get a condemnation passed at the council, did not rest until a second condemnation was procured at Rome in the following year.
The parallels Mr. Peterson draws between himself and Peter Abelard are clearly shown not only in the title of his blog, but through his postings. Mr. Peterson thinks himself a modern day martyr, about ready to be denunciated by Rome/Salt Lake City. This is really fascinating stuff from a psychological perspective!
Rather than recuse himself to his Middle Eastern studies, as any professor might do, he's metaphorically jabbing at the hornets nest hoping to arouse a case against him for, I suppose, a Saint-like martyrdom.
It's my hope Mr. Peterson simply deletes his blog, secures his tenure, and focuses on his career. I'd hate to see a good guy like him get caught up in notions that are fanciful, but having real world implications for him, his academic legacy, and his family. Hopefully he'll calm down, get back on track, and leave the nasty world of Mopologetics behind him.
- VRDRC
* edits for grammar, etc...