Wednesday, I met with my pastor about some church business. As we were wrapping up, I brought up my issues with Spong. During the course of our discussion, she told me she thought Marcus Borg's writings on God and Jesus might help me understand Spong better.
Both of us agree that Spong has focused much more on his deconstruction of a theistic God without reconstructing who/what God in actuality is for him. It's not difficult in reading Spong to realize he has a deep love for, and spirituality rooted in, God; But his works, at least those read by us, haven't given us what we need to comprehend his view of God in a Post-Christian milieu.
Anyhow, I left that meeting determined to pick up Borg once I've struggled through the Spong work I'm currently reading ("Why Christianity must Change or Die")
Thursday morning, as I drove to work, I prayed about the spiritual dilemma my study has brought me to. It was one of my better prayer experiences of the past few weeks.
Then, yesterday at noon, I met with my Spiritual Director. In no time at all, we were embroiled in discussion about this dilemma, and about Spong. Once again, that name came up: "Read Marcus Borg", Don instructed me. "He's much more focused on a spiritual re-creation of the Divine."
We left, having determined the best course for my next few weeks would be to put Spong aside, and read Borg's "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time."
So, I dashed off to my favorite bookstore here in Omaha "Soul Desires". Yes, I was informed, they did have 3 copies in stock. But, they were nowhere to be found. Seems one of the owners had taken the entire Stock to some conference.
Man. I wanted that book, and I wanted it THEN. The other owner convinced me NOT to rush off to Borders but to wait until Monday... promising me I could borrow her copy (hopefully tonight). In the meantime, I picked up another Borg book... "A Portrait of Jesus". Thing is, I'm sometimes a bit too focused for my own good... I WANT MEETING JESUS AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I WANT IT NOW! :D
In other news, met with the doctor yesterday. I'm having recurring chest pains again. We're going to do some tests and increase the Beta-Blocker I'm on. Probably more nothing!
On another note... years ago in my seminary days, I had a professor, Aurelius, who had a humorous habit of snorting through his nose... a sound totally unrepresentable in writing. He'd end his classes with that snort, followed by "So There!". Gave us all something to chuckle about, and no end of fuel for good hearted mocking in our private moments.
Well, that's about it.
!snort!
So! There!
Friday, October 08, 2004
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Mental Blackhole
It's been a slow week. Really, I seem to be devoid of thoughts... like an automaton, I proceed about my life either dully performing necessary tasks, or drifting off into some pointless, mind-numbing exercise in fantasy.
So, I guess that's not totally devoid of thought, but it is of any thought worthwhile to be written down.
I think part of this is because I find myself slipping deeper and deeper into some dark night of spirituality.
I recently took up an interest in reading Bishop Spong's "Why Christianity must Change or Die". His thesis is challenging me immensely. It has called into question my entire faith structure and theology. I haven't fully comprehended his understanding of who/what God is, yet he successfully called into question my own view of who/what God is. I find myself on scary, and shaky, ground. And I'm totally confused as to his christology.
Jesus to me has been at once, through the years, companion, friend, brother, savior, master, and most recently I've come to relate to Jesus as "lover." As hard as it may be for some to conceive of this, I've found some of my deepest moments of communion with the Divine Presence to be when I am enfolded in my earthly lover's arms, approaching that ecstatic moment of release...
But, if I permit Spong to de-deify the Jesus of History, then what does that do to my theology, my christology, my entire understanding of that Divine Presence. How long will it take me to process all that needs processing to reconcile my faith with this new picture of Divinity? Gracious, it's scary!
I began this walk into such uncertain territories last summer... 2003, that is, when I opened my mind enough to listen to a presentation of the concept of Original Blessing as outlined by Matthew Fox. Roughly and poorly summarized, the point of this is that God created all things and blessed them. Far from humanity being conceived in/through original sin as espoused by much of mainstream Christianity, Fox challenges us to accept that all things are created in/through Original Blessing. I think once I get my mind wrapped around Spong, I need to revisit this concept. Because, as I understand it, I have little problem wrapping my mind around this concept. Original Sin as a doctrine is an ugly doctrine... albeit seemingly necessary for an understanding of current Christology.
The other thing that brought me into contact with Bishop Spong was this doxological formula:
This one resonates with me.
When I came to MCC Omaha, I was confronted with the UFMCC policy of "inclusification". I stopped hearing references to God as Father only, but also as Mother, as Parent, and a plethora of other images. It caused me to confront my understanding... I always knew "Father" to be metaphorical, that God is spirit, and thus Father was too limiting for the Divine Presence. But I continued on with that way of thinking. I still do... when it suits me, when it doesn't Mother often works, as does Parent. But when I truly consider this parent, I realize how limiting any of these images... ALL of these images... really is.
We used to say "God is no gender, thus we can't call God 'Father' or 'Him'... or Mother, for that matter." Yet that is so limiting in itself. God I think is ALL gender, perfect gender. God is the synergistic totality of both genders... God is more than both female and male... God is totally all. I'm not sure I know how to take it beyond that.
So. There!
So, I guess that's not totally devoid of thought, but it is of any thought worthwhile to be written down.
I think part of this is because I find myself slipping deeper and deeper into some dark night of spirituality.
I recently took up an interest in reading Bishop Spong's "Why Christianity must Change or Die". His thesis is challenging me immensely. It has called into question my entire faith structure and theology. I haven't fully comprehended his understanding of who/what God is, yet he successfully called into question my own view of who/what God is. I find myself on scary, and shaky, ground. And I'm totally confused as to his christology.
Jesus to me has been at once, through the years, companion, friend, brother, savior, master, and most recently I've come to relate to Jesus as "lover." As hard as it may be for some to conceive of this, I've found some of my deepest moments of communion with the Divine Presence to be when I am enfolded in my earthly lover's arms, approaching that ecstatic moment of release...
But, if I permit Spong to de-deify the Jesus of History, then what does that do to my theology, my christology, my entire understanding of that Divine Presence. How long will it take me to process all that needs processing to reconcile my faith with this new picture of Divinity? Gracious, it's scary!
I began this walk into such uncertain territories last summer... 2003, that is, when I opened my mind enough to listen to a presentation of the concept of Original Blessing as outlined by Matthew Fox. Roughly and poorly summarized, the point of this is that God created all things and blessed them. Far from humanity being conceived in/through original sin as espoused by much of mainstream Christianity, Fox challenges us to accept that all things are created in/through Original Blessing. I think once I get my mind wrapped around Spong, I need to revisit this concept. Because, as I understand it, I have little problem wrapping my mind around this concept. Original Sin as a doctrine is an ugly doctrine... albeit seemingly necessary for an understanding of current Christology.
The other thing that brought me into contact with Bishop Spong was this doxological formula:
"I experience God as that which is beyond all human categories, the Infinite Other. That is what Christians call the "Father and Almighty Creator." I experience God as Depth within, closer than my breath. That is what Christians call the Holy Spirit. Lastly, I experience God as a reality flowing through human lives and, for me, uniquely present in the life of Jesus. That is what Christians call 'The Son'..."
This one resonates with me.
When I came to MCC Omaha, I was confronted with the UFMCC policy of "inclusification". I stopped hearing references to God as Father only, but also as Mother, as Parent, and a plethora of other images. It caused me to confront my understanding... I always knew "Father" to be metaphorical, that God is spirit, and thus Father was too limiting for the Divine Presence. But I continued on with that way of thinking. I still do... when it suits me, when it doesn't Mother often works, as does Parent. But when I truly consider this parent, I realize how limiting any of these images... ALL of these images... really is.
We used to say "God is no gender, thus we can't call God 'Father' or 'Him'... or Mother, for that matter." Yet that is so limiting in itself. God I think is ALL gender, perfect gender. God is the synergistic totality of both genders... God is more than both female and male... God is totally all. I'm not sure I know how to take it beyond that.
So. There!
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