Whew! So far, this has been a week of close battles unparalleled in Lent Madness history. On Monday Mechtild of Magdeburg defeated Odo of Cluny 52% to 48%. On Tuesday Raymond Nonnatus bested Moses the Black 51% to 49%. And yesterday Augustine of Canterbury snuck past Scholastica 51% to 49%.
This heart-pumping saintly action is enough to make you want to do some yoga. Or deep breathing exercises. Or drink some chamomile tea. Something calming! But instead, the battles just keep coming. Today it's the scrappy Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky taking on the heavyweight Martin Luther. Is an upset in the making? Another tight race? Or will a blowout break the string of hotly contested, halo-busting battles?
Note that yesterday's battle was not without controversy. The following was posted by the Supreme Executive Committee:
The SEC noticed an irregular surge of votes for Scholastica around midnight. Well over 6,000 votes were found to be cast irregularly in an attack using bots around the world. We have removed what we believe to be the correct amount of votes, and will continue to monitor this race. One person, one vote. If you break this rule, your votes will be removed and you will be cast off into the outer darkness of Lent Madness.
We are confident in the final result. But remember, Big Lent is watching.
Joseph Schereschewsky
SIJ Schereschewsky was a cleric, missionary, and renowned translator of the prayer book and Bible. He knew 13 languages, and spent the last twenty years of his life typing out his translations with the fingers he still could move. (Sources vary on whether it was one or two fingers. Either way--that sounds hard.)
First off, his last name is pronounced “Share-es-shev-ski”. Think of Duke men’s basketball’s famous head coach from that OTHER bracket game for reference.
Schereschewsky’s translation of the Bible into Mandarin was so well-done that it became the standard translation that is still in use today. It took him from 1862-1875, so all that time was clearly justified. But he didn’t stop there. He believed that people couldn’t be truly faithful without also being educated, so he founded St. John’s University at Shanghai, and then went to work translating everything also into Wenli--another Chinese dialect. It was the Wenli manuscript that he meticulously typed out using two fingers, after Parkinson’s disease left him entirely paralyzed. The disease had caused him to resign his seat as the bishop of Shanghai, but he was determined that it should not stop his ministry. He produced over 2,000 pages just by sitting in his chair, and hen-pecking.
His contemporary biographer describes him thus: "paralysed in every limb, and with his powers of speech partly gone, sitting for nearly twenty-five years in the same chair, slowly and painfully typing out with two fingers his Mandarin translation of the Old Testament and Easy Wen-li translation of the whole Bible."
Schereschewsky grew up Jewish, and until his conversion, intended to be a rabbi. This affinity for Judaism didn’t disappear after his ordination; while in China, a small group of Kaifeng Jews--a tiny minority of Jews who emigrated to central China from Persia in the Middle Ages, came to visit him. This began a friendship, and Shereschewsky gave their community the Hebrew Scriptures that he translated into Mandarin. The community termed it “The Two-Finger Bible” because of Schereschewsky’s disability. This also contributes to the longevity of his biblical translation. Because he knew Hebrew, and understood midrash and rabbinic ideas, modern scholar Irene Eder notes that his version “can be regarded as the only Chinese Old Testament to reflect not only the traditional Jewish text but to also included elements of the Jewish exegetical tradition.”
Regarding his work, he said, “I have sat in this chair for over twenty years. It seemed very hard at first. But God knew best. He kept me for the work for which I was best fitted.”
Martin Luther
Martin Luther’s life was filled with quirky meanderings. The path of his life bemused even him, “I am the son of a peasant…and the grandson and the great grandson. My father wanted to make me into a burgomaster. He went to Mansfeld and became a miner. I became a baccalaureate and a master. Then I became a monk and put off the brown beret. My father didn’t like it, and then I got into the pope’s hair and married an apostate nun. Who could have read that in the stars?” (Table Talk).
When he discovered that the people living around Wittenberg were not properly schooled in the basics of the faith, he wrote the Small Catechism, proposing this learning regimen “Children should be taught the habit of reciting [the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Our Father] daily... Until they recite them they should be given nothing to eat or drink.”
Luther took his faith and work seriously, but he also loved life: “Tomorrow I have to lecture on the drunkenness of Noah, so I should drink enough this evening to be able to talk about that wickedness as one who knows by experience.”
“Whenever the devil harasses you, seek the company of men or drink more, or joke and talk nonsense, or do some other merry thing. Sometimes we must drink more, sport, recreate ourselves, and even sin a little to spite the devil, so that we leave him no place for troubling our consciences with trifles. We are conquered if we try too conscientiously not to sin at all. So when the devil says to you: do not drink, answer him: I will drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to.”
And, scholars throughout history have been amused, occasionally appalled, by his scatological humor and insults: “Almost every night when I wake up the devil is there and wants to dispute with me. I have come to this conclusion: When the argument that the Christian is without the law and above the law doesn’t help, I instantly chase him away with a fart.” (Table Talk)
“Perhaps you want me to die of unrelieved boredom while you keep on talking.” (Luther’s Works)
And, some things haven’t changed even 500 years after Luther so pointedly highlighted time-wasting meetings: “If you who are assembled in a council are so frivolous and irresponsible as to waste time and money on unnecessary questions, when it is the business of a council to deal only with the important and necessary matters, we should not only refuse to obey you, but consider you insane or criminals.” (Luther’s Works).
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326 comments on “Joseph Schereschewsky vs. Martin Luther”
voted for Coach S.
The write up on Luther was a total turn off for me. Drunkenness is NOT acceptable at any time for me. Bishop Sam's story of percipience over major health challenges wins my vote.
As a translator myself, my vote has to go to SIJ and his twenty years of thirteen languages via two fingers. (For that matter, my son is named Isaac, and with one Isaac already knocked out of this race, I've got to do what I can for the other!)
Having read all the comments -- and having read the write-up on Martin Luther from the Round of 32, which was less humorous but more insightful than the current write-up -- I'm going with Luther. Lou Florio's comment about Luther's writings advocating kindness to Jews was especially helpful. Plus, I think Luther got a lousy deal in today's bios, and I'd like to offset that a tiny bit with my vote.
Can't deny Martin's place in history, however, the lesser-known Joseph gets my vote for his tenacity of spirit in the face of daunting physical inhibitions.
PS That last comment by Martin, regarding the conduct of 'councils' hit so close to home in light of our current political situation, that my vote wavered at the last moment! Still I say, "GO, Joe!"
I'm in Norway so should go for Martin, but Schereschewsky gets my vote.
Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky has been a hero of mine since first I heard about him. I would like to grow that kind of faithfulness and perseverance in the face of limitations.
Anyone but Martin Luther!
I had never heard of Raymond Nonnatus until I saw him here. Then he pulled an amazing upset! #blessup #Raymondisraving
Oh my God! Somebody stop her! If she rolls too much she might get hurt! Think of the children.
🙂
Tridekalingual.
I'm Catholic.
as in..."one holy catholic and apostolic," or "Roman"?
as in..."one holy catholic and apostolic," or "Roman"? (which would be both, I suppose)
We are all part of the one holy catholic and apostolic church. And Pope Benedict XVI has now acknowledged Luther was right in the main.
Maybe you should start backing the winner! That would be more fun! #blessup #Godhasaplan #TimSchenkismyhero
Yay Timmy! LAWL! I am so glad you are so #hyped for Lent Madness! Make sure to read lots of books, eat your veggies, and take the training wheels off your bike! The real world is out there, and it waits for no man. LAWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too bad I voted against Martin Luther... I guess this is your first taste of the real world.
I'll be honest, too. When I first learned about Martin Luther, I thought the teacher said Martin Lucifer. I'm sure you can understand my confusion of why we were so proud of Lucifer.
12 or more languages = hyperpolyglot. The more you know! Isn't everyone so glad Lent Madness is here to give us all a wonderful learning opportunity! I am hungry to learn. MUNCH!
Wow! I voted for Martin Luther, but I respect your choice anyway. I am 8.
Joe's awesome, one of the few lesser known saints I actually knew about before this madness. I absolutely love his story and his dedication. It's inspiring. But I had no idea how much of a bro Martin was. For a dude like that to start a revolution the way he did, that's pretty epic. It was a tough call but I went with Martin, even if it breaks my bracket.
Scholastica got robbed!!
I agree!
Me, too!
Delayed my vote to read all comments thus far. Although I was a Lutheran for many years, I do have some fairly significant issues with Luther. His extreme anti-semitism is shudder worthy! And, although I understand the indulgences thing, I am not so certain that the continual splintering and fracturing of the Church has been a good thing. Sorry, Martin, I think this one may go to Samuel Joe!
Gotta go with Joe!
So Luther's idea was that children should be given nothing to eat or drink if they didn't learn the Lord's Prayer and the 10 Commandments and the Creed by rote? I'm going to assume that this is not one of his jokes tho' it does fit in with his scatological humor. I can add proponent of child abuse to an already long list of his unsaintly character traits. Nevertheless, I cast my vote for Schereschewsky not as a vote against Martin but as a vote for Samuel, a model of "faithfulness and perseverance in the face of limitations." Thanks, Sarah, for providing that lovely phrase!
You never make it easy! But for me, you pulled the rug out from under Martin Luther. I had known nothing of Joe, who is a terrific guy. But your description of Martin undercuts everything I had known of him. Yes, he did a lot of very great stuff. But with his basic choices (I DON'T like his "humor."), he undercuts so much of what I treasure, ie valuing every individual and living a good sober life before them as I show the face of Jesus.
I agree, ML's narrative tanked his otherwise excellent chances of willing the Halo.
Minor, but deciding, reason for voting for Joseph: he's been in Lent Madness twice (2010 and 2014), while Luther's been only once (2013).
I also like to fart to chase away the devil. But usually it just bothers my wife. So I had to go for Joseph S. because of bad advice on spiritual warfare from Luther.
Some days, I hate democracy.
I'm sad Luther is lagging behind in the standings, I was so looking forward to his mug on my mug!
Here's why he deserves a rally: he was a faithful and brave - oh my word! Was he brave to confront the Church/One World Power that had gone off the rails to oppress uh, everyone - for their own apostate individual desires. As a result, all Christiandom (pretty sure that's a real word, despite spellcheck alerting...) agrees we are saved by grace through faith because we read it in our own bibles that we read in our own language.
I'm so bummed that his narrative sidelined this hero of our modern faith with stories of farts, barroom antics and repugnant yet commonly held bigoted views. I'm ready to go all Donald Trump and "cry fake news!" SEC.
Anti-Semetic views are horrid, and Luther was spooked by goblins residing near lakes in the deep, dark forests, yes, he was also a child of the Dark Ages. What makes him truly great is we have him to thank for moving the world out of that darkness into modernity.
Close -- it's Christendom.
I was so proud when I learned to pronounce the name Scherschewsky I just have to vote for him
Joseph 13 languages what do you even call that also typing with one or tweet fingers pure dedication.
Wow...close again!
Martin Luther was voted by A & E Channel the 3rd most influential person in the last millennium, behind only Gutenberg and Newton. And this is 1517 plus 500 years. How could I vote otherwise?
Who here doesn't say their prayers before breakfast? I can't think of any other context in which Luther's instructions could reasonably be interpreted.
SIJS is also a saintly person, no doubt. I would be tremendously saddened if we were to attribute some sort of moral failing in voting for one over the other. Vote for the person whose witness most fully strengthens your own walk with Christ.
It's the year of Luther. He gets my vote. If I want to ferret out anti-semitism and unintended consequences in the lives and writings of many of those on our Kalendar, Lesser Feasts & Fasts (HWHM, Cloud of Witnesses, whatever) would be a slim tract.
Do you want to read up on Luther's antisemitism? Visit here:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/martin-luther-quot-the-jews-and-their-lies-quot
Vote for Joseph or Martin
(Who seemed to like fartin')
The choice caused internal friction:
Though my son bears the name
Of 95 Theses fame
I must affirm a shared affliction.
Joseph's hands may have shook,
But he translated The Book
Because of his Christian conviction.
Nice rhyme Cheryle.
As an aside.....cheating in Lent Madness???? I mean, doesn't that seem like something that might adversely affect your soul????
I doubt bot deployers are part of this community; I further doubt that they are observing Lent.
Not to mention seriously tacky. Scholastica would be humbly horrified.
I can't forgive Luther for his antisemitic rants that were no doubt used to justify the Holocaust. Maybe Luther was a child of the Dark Ages, but he still knew he was supposed to love his neighbor as himself. I didn't know about this until I read all the comments in the first round.
I went with"Sam". It's the little guy that is often overlooked. His translation work had to have contributed to many persons spiritual life. His tolerance and acceptance was very Christ like. While my wedding ring is a copy of Luther's bride's ring, I did not respond well to what I read about Luther. I will follow up and read more but for today, it's Scherschewsky for me.
It's the 500th anniversary of the famous 95 theses that Luther posted on the door at Wittenburg (much less elaborate in the original than the metal door covering I saw when I visited there in 2010, I would wager). I'm taking a Protestant Reformation Pilgrimage to the Luther digs in June--tho as an Episcopal priest, I feel more "bridge" than "Protestant"), so I guess I'd better go w/ Luther this time. I don't want to forget my fondness for Schereschewsky, however, especially not since I learned how to spell his name.
Again two of my favorites matched up. I have admired Joe ever since I firat encountered him in Leaser Feasts and Fasts but, having served as an interim Lutheran pastor, I must vote for Martin Luther. For all his mortal faults, he remains at the very foundation of the church as we know it today.
Excellent point!
I thought your write-up was skewed in favor of Schereschewsky. I voted for M.Luther as much is being made this year within Lutheran churches and other denominations about how his work has influenced Christian bodies over the past five centuries. I'm currently reading Martin Marty's biography about Luther. How about a quote that is attributed to M.Luther - "God does not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for he is victorious over sin, death, and the world".