Berger has posted a response to Simcha's response to Berger's response to Simcha's response to Roth's teshuva. Berger states:

"I reject the (ostensible) compromise of 'only written under Divine inspiration and not dictated by God,' since this formulation is (a) banal, (b) inexact, and (c) lacking in any recognition of the mysterium tremendum which must accompany any discussion of the relationship between God and Torah. Matter-of-fact catechisms must not be the stuff of modern Jewish theology."

This is absolutely correct. I somewhat regret my attempt to reduce these complex ideas to simple statements in last Wednesday's post. Mostly, I was trying to convey that there is a middle ground between regarding the written Torah as "omniscient" and unassailable, and rejecting its authority entirely.

I am going to visit my family this weekend, so I won't be blogging for a while. When I return, I hope to move on to another topic. This discussion has been very interesting, but I don't think that anyone has or will change his or her mind. Also, I'm not the best person to be defending the Conservative approach to halakha. I don't want my ideas confused with the movement's ideology.

Of course, everyone should feel free to continue the discussion in the "comments." I may even respond :-).