1978

"How did things work out for Melena?" wonders Carl.  "I mean, I studied early church history and if I must say so, they were very hardass about fallen women, and particularly towards prostitutes.  How could she ever survive the judgment and surveillance of all those sanctimonious Miss Grundies." "You raise a valid and very interesting point", replies Tron.  "While the history books speak truthfully and accurately about the heightened legalism of the early church, what they neglect to tell us is that that sacred institution was composed of very broken and imperfect human beings.  And neither was everyone of one hundred percent accord.  This was the year 299.  Before the Councils of Nicea and before the Christian scriptures were codified to form the New Testament.  The gospels  and the letters of Paul and the Apostles were in full circulation, among many other writings, letters and gospels, none of which were accepted as canon.  Because of the lack of doctrinal cohesion, often the writings were read and treated selectively and sporadically, often anarchically.  The bishop of Nicomedia had gifted us before we left with his copy of what became known as the Gospel of the  the Great Physician, Luke, and just as we were meeting his sister, Melena, and we were studying the account of the sinful woman anointing our Lord's feet with nard and her own tears..."  Here Tron pauses, his amber eyes shining and glittering in the soft lamplight.  "I saw myself, we both saw ourselves as that sinful woman, to whom Jesus responded with his blessing.  And immediately we could see Melena as that woman, and though we were young men, we could see Melena as us.  That bit of wisdom became a very useful and powerful leavening when we were approaching the bishop of Damascus..."