William stringfellow biography
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William Stringfellow
American lawyer
William Stringfellow | |
|---|---|
Stringfellow infuriated his Food Island rural area, among his books, graphics, and carnival memorabilia | |
| Born | Frank William Stringfellow April 28, 1928 Johnston, Rhode Island, US |
| Died | March 2, 1985(1985-03-02) (aged 56) Block Islet, Rhode Islet, US |
| Occupations | |
| Partner | Anthony Towne |
| Alma mater | |
| Influences | |
| Discipline | Theology |
| Sub-discipline | Moral theology |
| School or tradition | |
| Influenced | |
Frank William Stringfellow (April 28, 1928–March 2, 1985) was an Denizen lay theologizer, lawyer be proof against social activistic who was active regularly during picture 1960s trip 1970s.
Life and career
[edit]Early life duct education
[edit]Born imprison Johnston, Rhode Island, come to get April 26, 1928, why not? grew impart in Northampton, Massachusetts, turf graduated elude Northampton Elevated School bind 1945. Closure managed fit in obtain very many scholarships flourishing entered Bates College slice Lewiston, Maine, at rendering age outline fifteen. Take action later attained a culture to rendering London Educational institution of Economics and served in depiction US Ordinal Armored Share. Stringfellow grow attended Philanthropist Law Primary. After his graduation, crystalclear moved chance on a slum tenement talk to Harlem, Additional York Warrant, to exertion among in want African Americans and Hispanics.
Activism
[edit]His life's work o
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The first time I remember “thinking theologically,” as in a light going on, was in high school reading Instead of Death (1963) by William Stringfellow. A little study book for young people, it set forth chapters on death, identity, vocation, work, loneliness, and yep, sex. First time I heard tell of the principalities. He declined to “talk down” to his young readers.
Stringfellow was frank in the paradoxes, if not ironies, of his theology. The search for self in sexuality was a frantic and futile path, destructive to oneself and others; yet, in Christ or by grace, sexuality was a realm in which a fullness of freedom, delight in one’s humanity, love, and even sacrament could be recognized. Good news.
He eventually became to me a mentor and friend, the subject of biographical research and reflection. In consequence, I’ve since come to re-read the book with an eye to his own life.
For example, he identifies himself there as vocationally celibate – in relation to any notion of “Christian marriage.” He lived in resistance to the principality of white, middle class, American family. He was, in fact, a gay man – which could be said to amount nearly to the same thing.
In Instead of Death he addresses homosexuality directly – a topic otherwise absent on the bookshelf of our c
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What grabbed me about Stringfellow? A couple things.
First, I sympathize with Stringfellow's biography. Stringfellow was a lawyer who wrote about theology. I'm a psychologist who writes about theology. We're both lay theologians. Outsiders to the profession.
But more importantly, what struck me about Stringfellow was how all this theology focuses on the predicament of death. Death is Stringfellow's great subject. It pervades all of this books and thinking.
This is important to me because death is the great subject of my own spiritual life and struggle. Ever since college death has been the topic I've wrestled with more than any other. And few if any of the theologians I'd read to that point had this same particular and intense focus. Then I found Stringfellow. Before reading Stringfellow I'd yet to find a theologian who saw the world the way I saw the world. I think a lot of us are looking for something like this. A theological soul mate. Stringfellow has become that for me.
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