|
NAINConnect 2008 - All Workshop Messages BEYOND THEOLOGY Workshop | Blog
1. type in google dr. jeremy taylor d.min stole the name, rev jeremy taylor stole a God spoken protected christians ministry name and wrote and called ministry above copyrights
2. Yesterday I happened to see author Rev. Dr. Cindi Love being interviewed on C-SPAN's "Book TV", regarding her new book, "Would Jesus Discriminate?"
Her interview is currently available online, in "Real" format Cindi Love is a former corporate executive and marketing person who is now the Executive Director of Metropolitan Community Churches -- http://www.mccchurch.org. She has a lot to say regarding the spirituality inherent in religion, and her book cover illustrates a theme that should be right up our alley...
Her quotation, from Galatians 3:28, points towards this emerging new theology of "Oneness". Some will say, of course, that her quotation leaves out the last couple of words -- "all of you are one in Jesus Christ".
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. But for some of us, this theme of Christ is a fully universal concept, not exclusive, not dividing, not either/or, but primary, ontological, and absolute. We say -- the Christ is Logos, and Jesus embodied it. The Christ is "The One" incarnate. But I understand why Cindi Love left out those words -- for some people, just citing Jesus could become divisive or confusing -- when, we believe, the intent is fully universal. Her quote also points towards this theme raised in the Beyond Theology introductory statement -- that "religions are converging". Whether this is true or not depends on how we see the issues. If we take a "strictly empirical view" -- and look at "the actual facts of what religious believers actually say and do" -- a very reasonable approach -- we can quickly affirm an impossibly complex diversity. Just looking carefully at fine-grained divisions within some branch of Christianity immediately establishes this point. Beliefs and ideologies vary widely -- extremely. So, if that is the case -- what is this talk of convergence? Let's say -- that maybe we need to take a slightly more expanded view -- an "integral" view, perhaps -- that includes the empirical facts -- but also embraces a broad understanding of the spirituality and fundamental intention of that body of beliefs. Cindi Love would say -- I am guessing -- that the fundamental and core teachings of the religion -- of Christianity, in this case -- should be seen as over-riding and transcending more specific and perhaps more confusing details. Jesus simply taught that "we should love one another". Is the message really that simple? Did he mean that in some cases, we should not love, on the grounds of a, b, c, or d.... ? Or, is this teaching an absolute, that must not be compromised in any case? For those of us who acknowledge and affirm this process of "convergence" -- we say and claim that all the great and enduring religions of the world teach love, mutual respect, community, and sacred listening. It's not an excluding process -- or if it is, it is a self-selecting kind of exclusion, where those who choose not to be of the communion say to themselves -- "sure, I will love -- some people -- but not those people...." For us, following this converging path -- the mandate seems clear and simple. You will love all people, and all who choose to join that communion of love will be accepted and embraced within it. In my experience, the starting point for most mainline interfaith groups -- is something like the Rodney King philosophy: "Can't we all get along?" That's a great start, and certainly something we need to do. Sometimes people use words like "tolerance" -- or maybe "acceptance" -- or "mutual respect", or the Golden Rule. For a rarer few, the word is "love". And maybe, as we practice that philosophy, and continue in this refining process of interfaith encounter, what some of us see as the common spiritual core of any enduring religion will begin to seem clearer. Give up the attachment to the human details, if in any way they compromise the full and open power of the spirit of love and inclusion. The divine current moves through that center, and all redemption and healing emerges out of it. The prophets knew that, and taught that. The great preachers and monks and saints teach and practice it. For me, the phrase "embracing an interfaith future" means "embracing the great universal truths and spirituality taught by every major and enduring religion, as those truths continue to emerge and become clear." The natural process of globalization, going on everywhere around us today, is inherently syncretic, in a converging kind of way, and these core principles are becoming clearer. Millions of people around the world know this, and are simply following it, in a spirit that is willing to detach from the traditional institutional mandates. Perhaps the "spirit of interfaith" can revitalize and invigorate these traditions and institutions -- affirming what they have always affirmed, and helping identify and vitalize their central message and vision, bringing a new spirit of community and brilliance into the vibrant world of spiritual and religious diversity.
3. Thanks for your comment, Dave. I was going to come back here today and post something in response to the introductory statement for this workshop, where someone suggests that "the spiritual traditions of the world are converging". That's a fascinating theme -- full of explosive possibilities for interfaith people -- and maybe pointing towards the "interfaith future we are embracing" -- and I will probably get into that.... As regards "integral" -- well, that's a big word for me. Of course, that theme has its own schools of thought -- the California Institute of Integral Studies, etc. -- plus, Ken Wilber has given that language some wide exposure. I have his recent book right here, "The Integral Vision". Sometimes, I think maybe the right way to see things -- to see everything -- is that all aspects and elements and details of reality and actuality and experience -- all should be, and properly must be -- viewed with an "integral" context -- or to put that in spiritual language -- within the context of The One. All things come from The One -- all things are held in unity through The One -- and -- maybe -- ?? -- only The One is real -- and any lesser view, or fragmented view -- is, in the Hindu term, "maya" -- or "illusion". We need a politics of The One. We need an integrated science ("the unity of the sciences") anchored in The One. We need an epistemology of The One (all knowledge, divided up as it is, like university departments and "-ologies", can perhaps be shown to emerge from that same underlying Logos -- another interpretation of The One...) We can see that idea in terms of metaphysics -- and build a big metaphysical theology around that concept. That could be a pretty strong thing, even if we are interested in getting "beyond theology". But this is not only metaphysical -- this concept includes everything -- all aspects of mind and thought and experience. It's not just developing some thesis like "all religions emerge from the One, and are alternative interpretations and expressions of it, emphasizing different aspects of its possibilities." This approach fully includes science as well as spirituality and religion. And it includes politics, and all the psychodynamics of the human social collective and global family.... This makes "integral" a really big word -- pointing towards -- a rather stunning and awesome possibility -- that some of us are sensing on the evolutionary horizon. There is this cliché -- "connecting the dots" -- but it's a pretty good term. This is something we need to do -- we, the human community, this "body of believers" that wants to stay alive on this one pretty little planet.... The mystics have been telling us forever -- that everything is interconnected, that everything is connected to everything else. John Donne said it centuries ago: "No man (woman) is an island, entire unto itself.... Do not ask for whom the bell tolls...." Ken Wilber has put out a spectrum of ideas on "integral"-- integral everything. I think he's on the right track -- and that we are heading for some kind of conceptual integration and synthesis -- that not only brings together "east and west" and "science and religion" and "right brain and left brain" and "analysis and synthesis" -- and "conservative and liberal" -- but places all of this within a single essentially simple framework -- that might turn out to be the conceptual and intellectual foundations for this "great awakening" called for by Dr. James Forbes, Jr. Interesting that Dr. Forbes' web site is http://healingofthenations.com. Years ago, I built a site on the domain "healingofthenations.org" -- about the indigenous and native peoples. That domain is not working right now, but the site is still up there, at http://interspirit.net/healingofthenations/ - Bruce
---- On Fri, Jul 11, 2008, Dave Kendall wrote ---- Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed response to our series, Bruce. The person you've quoted in regard to "another great awakening" is Dr. James Forbes, Jr., senior minister emeritus at Riverside Church in NYC and founder of Healing of the Nations Foundation. I notice that you've used the term "integral" several times. Is there any particular reason that you've chosen that word? ----
4. Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed response to our series, Bruce. The person you've quoted in regard to "another great awakening" is Dr. James Forbes, Jr., senior minister emeritus at Riverside Church in NYC and founder of Healing of the Nations Foundation. I notice that you've used the term "integral" several times. Is there any particular reason that you've chosen that word?
5. I was pleased and happy to see this workshop, when it was announced a few weeks ago. I immediately went to the Beyond Theology web site, and began to explore the very interesting materials offered there. Now, as the conference draws near -- I feel that there is a lot to discuss, and a lot that could emerge... Just picking one tiny theme from among many, there is a quote I just picked up from one of the videos. Somebody says
We are in desperate need of another great awakening. Regardless of the degree of desperation we may or may not be experiencing -- it seems that millions of people are feeling something like this. Out there at the cutting edge/fringe, where I tend to hang out -- people have been saying this for a long time. A careful review of the Beyond Theology series could lead to a solid outline of the many issues involved --who, how, why, what, where -- and maybe especially How... I guess for me, the big issue is -- how. How do these hundreds or thousands of simultaneous interdependent factors and issues come together to form a single integral world view and activist perspective -- that fully supports diversity, that fully honors and respects the core values that have vitalized civilization since the beginning -- and at the same time, help the human community overcome this fragmenting insularity that can be so injurious to the harmony of our larger civilization? The way I am seeing these things today -- some of the big questions and answers might include
Today, we are beginning to understand the flow of universal spirit in a diverse context. We are beginning to authenticate that experience, and reinforce it with better ideas, better research, better documentation. And we're beginning to understand the need for holistic and integral models -- that bring ALL the critical factors together, into a single framework. We are working on this very challenging issue of "connecting the dots." It seems to me -- that some of the things that are coming together, some of the hopeful signs -- include
Going "beyond theology" -- or maybe "beyond ideology" -- is a profound and beautiful and inspiring thing -- that does seem to be happening -- in many places, and through many groups and organizations, all over the world -- but it does take all of our skill and understanding and mastery. This is something new -- for the entire human community. We do have a lot on our plate. But the "answers" we are looking for, and the vision of integration we are seeking, and the flow of spirit that can inspire and uplift the entire process -- all seem to be simple, basic, clear, intuitive -- and even obvious. As all of this gets clearer, we can introduce these potentials into the world, one step at a time, one relationship at a time -- one conference at a time. Thanks for this interesting and fascinating series. I look forward to learning more.
|