jerryb
-
Posts
165 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Articles
Media Demo
Gallery
Downloads
Posts posted by jerryb
-
-
gain...thank you,
Blessings
Jerry
-
All things will be well, and all things will be well, and all manner of things will be well.
Christianity, or faith, gives me the assurance that whether or not I understand it, God has a purpose (to prosper, not harm) in it all. I know that I can't understand it all and I trust that He can, so I can relax.
The wonder of significance and love, IMO, Jerry, is that there is ever anything but static. Those moments of Knowing, brief flickers of contact give me hope and trust that sustain me. I tend to think that it is not God not broadcasting, but me not tuning in well.... once I learn (as I do over and over
)to get quiet and do the things that put me back in tune my life and sense of God improves.Cynthia,
Excellent post!
I especially like what you said about 'not tuning in'. I am still working on that myself.
And you are also right about 'the wonder that there is ever anything but static'.
Slowly,but surely I am learning to 'get quiet' and listen.
Thanks for reminding me to do that.
Blessings
Jerry
-
"My mother groaned,my father wept,into the dangerous world I lept".
William Blake.
It truly is a 'dangerous world'...this world where we seek to know the difference between right and wrong. And the question arises...do we need God for that?
Jean Sulivan wrote..." For the god who fills human hunger,is at the same time the Unknown,the Stranger. Only his absence-presence allows a person to be oneself".
So...are we on our own in discerning right from wrong? What say you?
Jerryb
-
I would say that it gives me a peace of mind that allows the core of my being to transcend the temporal limits of my flesh from time to time. And, it gives me an assurance that I will always be accepted as a significant, yet tiny, portion of a greater whole that is God's essence, whether I am living in this body or not.
flow....
Hi Flow,
I love that portion of your reply that says" I will ALWAYS be accepted as a significant,yet tiny,portion of a greater whole that is God's essence".
I don't mind being tiny....but I do weant to be significant. And that beautiful word 'essence'....which the dictionary defines as "a substance distilled or extracted from another substance(God). Maybe that's really all christianity was meant to be from the beginning....we are the distilled,extracted presence of God in this world.
I can live with that!
Blessings to you my friend,
Jerry
-
I guess my answer would depend on whether "moral non-Christian" meant atheist or if my friend had another faith.
Let's assume atheist.
I guess I'd tell her that my life as a Christian gives me hope ... Hope for purpose in this life ... Hope for something after this life ... I'd say that I love God and see God in every flower, every bug, every sunrise and even every person ... I'd say that I'm not a Christian so that I can have a moral code, and that I don't love God because I'm afraid that I'll be punished if I don't... I'd say I love God because I can't help it.
I might go on to explain "Why Christianity" instead of Buddhism or Neopaganism or Judaism ... but that is another story.
Aletheia.
I like what you said.."I'd say I love God because I can't help it".
I wish I could say that too....but the thing that haunts me is, I do have a choice...I don't have to love God....but oh,I so WANT to. I feel a bit like Yancey when he wrote,"For long stretches...achingly long stretches, I have sat with my headphones on,desperate for some message from the other world...yearning for reassuring
contact,and heard ONLY STATIC."
So what do I do when I hear only static?
Blessings
Jerry
-
"If a seeking person came to you,and asked how your life as a christian differs from hers as a moral non-christian,what would you tell her?" Phil Yancey
I am struck by the simplicity and yet the complexity of this question. What say you?
Blessings...and anticipation,
Jerryb
-
"We receive enlightenment only in proportion as we give ourselves more and more completly to God...we do not see first,then act: we act,then see...and that is why the man who waits to see clearly,before he will believe,never starts the journey". Philip Yancey..Reaching for the invisible God".
The topic description probably should read..People see through us I HOPE!"
C.S, Lewis writes."There comes a moment when people who have been 'dabbling' in religion, suddenly draw back. Supposing we REALLY found him?we never meant it to come to that. Worse still...supposing He found Us?
As I read that quote, I wondered how many times during 2005...I have just 'dabbled' in religion?
As I have enjoyed all of the posts on this board since I joined, I am brought face to face with the fact that I have been more interested in getting my point across, than in being a transperant spiritual being,through which God can be seen.
So...as I ask myself the question posed by this topic..."Do people see through me? May my answer be I SURE HOPE SO.
Blessings...and transparency,
Jerry
-
Boy, you like to ask the hard questions don't you?
I've been thinking about it, and I don't honestly know if I coud explain what an authentic Christian spirituality would look like. It's difficult, because I find I don't want to judge anybody's relationship with God. That comes out a bit relativistic, which I don't intend it to be.
I guess I'd say that authentic Christian faith is a faith (love for God) that changes the inner person and prompts them (from that love) to do things "greater than Christ."
I'm sure that could be re-worded a bit better, but after thinking for the past half hour, it's what I decided to finally write.
Aletheia....I love the two 'key words' in your statement...CHANGES and PROMPTS.
I really believe that you have captured the 'minimum essence' of the christian life.
Change MUST happen...and when it does truly happen..the prompt becomes natural.
Thanks for your excellant post.
Blessings
Jerry
-
What would the latest model of authentic christian spirituality look like? Could you describe it if asked?
-
Remember that TCPC is mostly about questions and not answers.
When I read the Eight Points I see answers to questions I've had all my life. But that's not to say that we don't continue to love the questions.
Hi Mystictrek,
I like what you said about "continuing to love the questions"...I think that is really our only hope for progress along our spiritual paths.
And I believe,that we ought to strive to always have more questions than answers.
I read somewhere recently...."We can't really tell others about what we BELIEVE...only what we have EXPERIENCED". Anything we say beyond our experience, is only "preaching".
Is that too strong a statement of faith? What do you think?
Blessings to you,
Jerry
-
I've done this on a nonreligious forum. The off-topic areas often turn to religion, and mostly very anti-religion/Christianity. I have said there is a more progressive view of Christianity-- emphasizing his love and works in the world ( can't go into everything). I feel this view is not usually even considered.
--des
Good post Des...."emphasizing God's love and works in the world"...you can't get more progressive than that! If only the 'religious' world could get that picture.
Blessings
Jerryb
-
There are many times on this board where I'm following a discussion, commenting, and then I get to a point where I realize the debate can't really go any further. It would serve no purpose, because we're debating from different perspectives.
I definitely respect how frustrating that can be, especially being the "minority report." I appreciate that you continue to come back anyway. Putting myself in your shoes, I'm not sure how long I'd put myself through it!
On a side note, I do appreciate the challenge that you and our other more conservative brothers and sisters put on us to take the Bible's message with utmost seriousness. I agree that some progressive Christians do twist scripture and history to make it say just about anything they like -- indeed, many out there would accuse me of precisely that. Personally, I do everything in my power -- with the help of the Spirit, I trust -- to not let my interpretation of scripture be driven by what I like, or what I want, but by what in all earnestness I believe it communicates to us.
Some of what I believe the gospel to be about, truth be told, I really don't like or want that much at all, at least a whole lot of me doesn't. It calls me to such a degree of examination, purification, and transformation -- both of myself and of the world around me -- that the current state of my heart is embarrassing by contrast. In the biblical story of the passion, for example, I see an allegory of the path I must take to the Cross, to renounce my limited self, by God's grace, and all the battles that entails. None of this particularly excites me! But I believe it, and stand by it.
Hopefully this is still somewhat on-topic.
Fred.....I was deeply moved by your post today.
Especially the part where you said"the gospel......calls me to such a degree of examination,purification, and transformation...that the current state of my heart is embarrassing by contrast".
I share your feelings in this respect....and the phrase 'the CURRENT state of my heart', ah...there's the rub....what exactly IS the current state of my heart?
Sometimes I feel like old King Belshazzar in the old testament.."Weighed in the balance,and found wanting".
Thank you for bringing us back to keeping 'the Main thing..the main thing.
Blessings,
Jerryb
-
(First - I had previously posted under the name "sgb" - I created a new account to use my first name, scott, as everyone was so warm in response to such a general post that I felt the need to be more personal than going by my initials.)
Thank you for your words and advice. I do plan on visiting and using this board and the TCPC website often as a resource, sounding board and general meeting area. And thank you Cynthia for researching services in the UK. Leeds is about an hour away, but I think I'll venture over one Sunday.
I am currently reading Marcus Borg's The Heart of Christianity. It is inspiring. This journey I am on to re-engage myself with my faith is changing my life. I followed what the Pastor in Vermont told me is a "not uncommon" spiritual journey. I was raised Christian, attending church regularly until I was 16, then went to college and questioned EVERYTHING about what I knew thus far - declared myself an athiest, a buddhist, animist, whatever I had intellectually settled on at that moment. I kept wandering after college, and over the past decade, just entirely lost touch with any notion of faith. Being a very political and liberal person, each time the religious right would rear its head in media or politics, I would push my faith further to the back of my mind, too easily allowing their use of the word "Christian" to influence my own understanding of the word.
I rather unconciously settled into an unhappy frame of mind for the past couple years. Months ago a member of my family fell very ill, and soon after, due to my unconcious almost addiction to being unhappy and not embracing or enjoying any element of life outside of work (I am... was?... a severe workaholic)... my partner left me. Being a relatively new commer to this city, I had no social network locally to turn to, a family that had no emotional reserves to help with anyone else's problems, and was suddenly alone. Then one night I woke up at 2am and lied in my bed and felt, I can't describe it other than a thought wrapping itself around my entire being, telling me "you are not alone". At that moment I felt my faith begin to warm within me for the first time in 20 years, like a breath blowing on an ember.
In the future, I think I would like to share more of my journey (I don't have anyone here to really talk about it with), but don't want to do so here if this isn't the forum (or the right 'room' within the forum?)
Finding this forum means a lot to me. Thank you all for welcoming me so quickly and warmly, and I look forward to any websites, podcasts, or any references or words any of you care to share in the future. I'll be here...
Thank you,
Hi Scott....welcome to this "oasis" in the spiritual desert.
I know what you mean when you said" EACH TIME THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT WOULD REAR IT'S HEAD...I WOULD PUSH MY FAITH FURTHER TO THE BACK OF MY MIND".
Boy...been there...done that!
But you know Scott....I,ve decided that I'm not going to let the right spoil that good word "Christian". I won't claim to know all that that words means, but I'm having a great time trying to find out.
Blessings to you my friend
Jerryb
scott
(formerly posting as sgb)
-
Hello. I am very sorry if this is not the correct forum to ask this, but I have recently begun my journey to rediscover my relationship with God and strengthen my faith after almost 20 years of absence. This summer I attended a service in Vermont at a UCC Church which awoke my spirituality in new ways. Following a meeting with the Pastor, I explained the desire I had to renew my faith, yet the challenges I had in aligning myself with Christianity as I had come to know it in the current political climate and the conservative doctrine coming over the airwaves. He suggested I familiarise myself with this website and movement, and it has indeed felt like a coming home to what I feel in my heart. So... the reason that I am writing is that I live in Manchester UK (I'm an American, over here for work), and am unable to find any services locally that I would consider Progressive or in the UCC model. Does anyone know of any in the Manchester area? (Ideally in the city centre, but I won't be picky.) Thank you very much in advance for any help or references people on this board might be able to offer.
Hi sgb,
Welcome and greetings,
I too began my spiritual journey again about 5 years ago, after a 10 year absence. I can relate to the challenges you are facing regarding the conservative bent of most broadcasting.
That's why I'm enjoying this board so much...it gives me a chance to re-connect
in a non-threatening atomosphere.
I find myself reading everything I can get my hands on about progressive religion.
On this board...I am able to ask some of the hard questions without fear of being ridiculed by others.
So again...welcome,and enjoy the ride!
Blessings
Jerryb
-
"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart, and try to love the questions themselves...LIVE THE QUESTIONS NOW. Perhaps you will gradually...without noticing it,live along some distant day into the answer". Rainer Maria Rilke
Do we present our soul as an empty container...or would we rather be teacher than student?
I worry that I shy away from vulnerability of soul, just when I need it most.
Maybe we need to be more vulnerable to each other on this board...so that as student/teachers,we may learn from each other. What do you think?
Looking forward to your thoughts,
Jerryb
-
That's just it, from the conservative/traditional Catholic perspective, the Catholic Church is not man-made, but definitively initiated by Jesus Christ, and perfectly guided into its present form by the Holy Spirit. This is not incidental to the disagreement: it is the disagreement. Without understanding this, any discussion concerning personal preferences about spirituality, what "works" and what doesn't for whom, etc., is ultimately beside the point.
Having said that, I believe that this claim to unique initiation and guidance status for Catholic Christianity in particular is notoriously circular, and falls quite short of James' desire to maintain a notion of Truth, and of "the ability of humans to know and to some degree prove it." The Catholic Church's ecclesiology of apostolic succession, for example, is based primarily on an idiosyncratic reading of a word-play in the gospels -- "You are Petros, and on this petra I will build my church..." -- a very convenient interpretation which (any Catholic will admit) no other church in the world recognizes. In fact, the New Testament, ounce for ounce, seems to paint St. Paul in the clear position of leadership, both doctrinally and pastorally. Of course, Rome can always haul out its arsenal of proof texts, as it always does; but it remains highly curious to me how its own claims to unique authority in the spiritual landscape are based on interpretations of texts and traditions that even other Christian churches don't share. We're far from the realm of clear and demonstrable Truth here, even if we're taking the Bible literally and/or seriously.
Incidentally, I was received into the Catholic Church as an adult too, in 1999, when I was not much older than James. I know all the arguments for the primacy of Peter, the role of Mary, and everything else. But I just couldn't continue to hold onto such a vicious circularity as the Catholic defense of its own authority structure. It has nothing to do with a modern criticism of Truth or Authority per se, but with these particular, idiosyncratic, and circular claims to them. Who gets to say that the integration of the gospel with Greek philosophy was God's will, but the integration of it with eastern philosophy is syncretistic? Only whichever Pope or council authorized the synthesis, apparently.
As for the spirituality movement being "dangerous to humanity because it recasts us in the role of the playthings of the gods from pagan times," well, I've already conceded elsewhere that there's enough New Age quackery out there to constitute a spiritual danger to humanity. When Sylvia Browne is on the same shelf as Ken Wilber, "metaphysics" and "spirituality" cease to have much substantial public meaning in the marketplace. But I'm being just as critical of the "mass-membership mentality" of New Ageism as that of conventional religion. Spirituality doesn't necessarily mean leaving religion behind, and this is where my initial comment about pinning the terms down with finality comes back around. Religion does give people some of the best spiritual resources you can find, if only most people would bother to drop the power and authority fixation and actually look for them.
Fred....How can you say that the Catholic Church is not man-made?
And if you believe that it was "perfectly guided"into it's present form, you must
believe that the bible is literally true and infallable.
Of course you have a perfect right to believe that,but from reading some of your other posts, I wouldn't take you for a literalist.
I wonder if you've read the book,"THe Dark Side Of Christianity"? It was a real eye-opener for me.
Looking forward to your further thoughts.
Jerryb
-
A long time ago I read Smith's opus, "The World's Religions " at least that's the title I remember. In it he describes the basic features of five great religions and relates them at their philosophical roots in some very important ways. I believe it was published in 1953, and I still point to this book as the beginning place on my "real" spiritual journey.
flow....
Hi Flowperson
I enjoyed your post about Smith's book,"The Wolrd's Religions". I've never seen the book, but I am going to look for it since you said how instrumental it was in helping you begin your "real" spiritual journey.
Over the past three or four years, I too have begun what I would call my "real" spiritual journey. And sometimes...even now,it's a bit frightening to me. Mainly because some little voice in the back of my mind sometimes says..."look what you've given up to get here".
But then a much louder, saner voice says,"Yes...but look what you gained by giving up your fear of God that the church so often taught you".
And I guess that's where I am now...still learning...still fasinated by God..and sooo
enjoying the 'freedom from fear' that my present spiritual walk gives me.
Thanks for sharing with us about your journey...I'd would be interested in hearing more about how you came to where you are now spiritually.
Blessings to you,
Jerry
-
What Was Jesus' Core Teaching? - Let God's constant, unstinted love flow through you unobstructed.
- By Huston Smith (Excerpted from "The Soul of Christianity")
"Everything that came from Jesus’ lips worked like a magnifying glass to focus human awareness on the two most important facts about life: God’s overwhelming love of humanity, and the need for people to accept that love and let it flow through them in the way water passes without obstruction through a sea anemone.
Time after time, as in his story of the shepherd who risked ninety-nine sheep to go after the one that had strayed, Jesus tried to convey God’s absolute love for every single human being and for everything God has created. The hairs of each head are counted. God notices the death of each and every sparrow. And not even Solomon in all his glory was as majestically arrayed as the lilies of the field. If the infinity of God’s love pierces to the core of a being, only one response is possible--unobstructed gratitude for the wonder of God’s grace.
Stated slightly differently, the only way to make sense of Jesus’ extraordinary admonitions as to how people should live is to see them as cut from his understanding of the God who loves human beings absolutely and unconditionally, without pausing to calculate their worth or due.
We are to give others our cloak as well as our coat if they need it. Why? Because God has given us what we need many times over. We are to go with others the second mile. Again, why? Because we know, deeply, overwhelmingly, that God has borne with us for far longer stretches. Why should we love not only our friends but also our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us? “So that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the unrighteous as well as the righteous.” We must be perfect, as God is perfect.
We say Jesus’ ethic is perfectionistic--a polite word for unrealistic--because it asks that we love unreservedly. But the reason we consider that unrealistic, Jesus would have answered, is because we do not allow ourselves to experience the constant, unstinted love that flows from God to us. If we did experience it, problems would still arise. To which of the innumerable needy should limited supplies of coats and cloaks be given? When we run into mean bullies, are we to lie down and let them tromp over us?
Jesus offered no rulebook to obviate hard choices. What he argued for was for the stance from which we should approach those choices. All we can say in advance as we face the demands of our extravagantly complicated world is that we should respond to our neighbors--all of them that we think might be affected by our actions--not in proportion to what we see as their due but in proportion to their need. The cost to us personally should count for nothing."
Any thoughts regarding what Smith has said in the above quote?
Hi Aletheia,
The thing that struck me most was the quote..."The cost to us personally should count for nothing." Boy...is that hard to admit...and yet so important for us to learn. We/I are always trying to 'measure' what effect, if any, our lives and words are having on others. But I believe Smith is saying, "just do it...and don't worry about any kind of reward.
After reading that line...I feel like praying,"God...help me to step out of the way".
I think that the ONLY way anyone will see God's love in action is through we feeble,fallable human beings. God help us!
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Blessings
Jerry
-
"I fear that we have unconsciously accepted the model of "hard,cold,thin people" as the christian personality ideal". Philip Yancey..from his book"FINDING GOD IN UNEXPECTED PLACES".
Jesus was ALWAYS pushing people out of their comfort zones...always challenging them to think a different way...march to a different drummer. In one passage he said to fishermen who had fished all night and caught nothing.." Cast your nets on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOAT,and EXPECT a load of fish".
Linda Douty writes...." AUTHENTIC DOUBT IS THE CUTTING EDGE OF FAITH".
Do we check our brains at the church door?
Looking forward to YOUR thoughts!
Jerryb
-
Laying aside the contradiction in Sister Chittister's actions given the vows of obediance she took when becoming a Sister and her, repeated calls, to disobediance vis a vis the Church.
It seems strange to me that so many people, especially on this board (but certainly not exclusively here), double-think their way into this mindset.
The double-think I'm referring to is the insistence on "the community" as a focus during worship and at the same time insisting on the absolute autonomy of religious belief. This autonomy is most often manifested in rejecting traditional religious practice and belief and creating syncretistic and personal ends of worship.
Ok, this has been all rambling and maybe hasn't made much sense. So at this point I'll abandon it until I get my thoughts clearer.
I have a question for jerry though. What makes spirituality superior to religion? Why should one prefer and seek it?
Hi James....very good point that you make here. Maybe I'm just looking for a better word to define a personal experience of God. But the only answer I can muster to your question"What makes spirituality superior to religion" is...one definition of religion in the dictionary is"the service and worship of God". I believe that you could serve and worship God.in the physical sense, without ever reaching the definition of spirituality defined as "relating to or AFFECTING the spirit".
But like I said...I'm reaching here.....can you help me with this?
Blessings
Jerry
I'm not sure if I can help because I fundamentally disagree with your a priori position, as best as I can see it. It seems to me that you are assuming that a a traditional religious experience necessarily is less affective spiritually and that the relationship with God is on a lower plane. You haven't offered any reasons or proof why this would be so. To me it seems quite elitist as it assumes that most fo humanity has and continues to order thier lives according to religious faiths which, in this thread, have been dismissed by some as "canned mass-membership mentality".
That was why I asked how and why what you are advocating, or seem to be advocating (a personalised, I-made-it-my-way-faith) would be superior to traditional religious experience. After all, for any faith to survive for several millenia, there must have been something that was satsifying to the people who practised it. And in terms of traditional Christianity, there must be some reason that it was so attractive to so many people from so many cultures in so many times.
But you did ask for my definition of "spirituality". If it wasn't made clear in my earlier remarks I have little respect for people who think they can create their own religious faith. There are two reasons for this, firstly the elitism involved and secondly the way that they deny Truth and almost always advocate some form of relativism.
I believe in Truth. I believe that God is a perfect and unified Trinity of Three Persons (Father, Son and Holy Ghost). I believe that God has revealed Himself throughout history, first through the Covenant with the Jews and their descendants and finally through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, His Passion, Death and Resurrection. He founded the Catholic Church on Saint Peter and the Apostles and instituted the Seven Sacraments.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Liturgy fo the Hours, the Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration and other traditional religous experiences are full incredibly meaningful to me. And not because I'm some angry octagenarian who wishes the Church would just "turn things back", I'm 24 years old and a convert (recieved into the Church in 2001)
This things are are open to debate (except my age and my conversion), a person can discuss how, why and whether these things are true. But what cannot be up for grabs is Truth itself and the ability of humans to know and to some degree proove it. It think the "spirituality" movement is dangerous to huamnity because it recasts us in the role of the playthings of the gods from pagan times, bits of whismy tossed about by powers we can never know or understand and fundamentally, meaningless.
Hi James,
You asked,"Why you are advocating a personal I-did-it-my-way- faith as superior to traditional religious experience". I'm not really saying that,what I am saying is that ALL religions are man-made. And just because some of them have endured for years, doesn't necessarily mean that they are the most personally fulfilling .
If it works for you...fine. But allow some of us to step out into unknown spiritual waters in search of a more meaningful faith for us personally.
I respect and honor your opinion on this subject...and I will give additional thought to your post.
Blessings
Jerry
-
Laying aside the contradiction in Sister Chittister's actions given the vows of obediance she took when becoming a Sister and her, repeated calls, to disobediance vis a vis the Church.
It seems strange to me that so many people, especially on this board (but certainly not exclusively here), double-think their way into this mindset.
The double-think I'm referring to is the insistence on "the community" as a focus during worship and at the same time insisting on the absolute autonomy of religious belief. This autonomy is most often manifested in rejecting traditional religious practice and belief and creating syncretistic and personal ends of worship.
Ok, this has been all rambling and maybe hasn't made much sense. So at this point I'll abandon it until I get my thoughts clearer.
I have a question for jerry though. What makes spirituality superior to religion? Why should one prefer and seek it?
Hi James....very good point that you make here. Maybe I'm just looking for a better word to define a personal experience of God. But the only answer I can muster to your question"What makes spirituality superior to religion" is...one definition of religion in the dictionary is"the service and worship of God". I believe that you could serve and worship God.in the physical sense, without ever reaching the definition of spirituality defined as "relating to or AFFECTING the spirit".
But like I said...I'm reaching here.....can you help me with this?
Blessings
Jerry
-
Hey Kendra
I'm also new. I'm learning to be Christian and came (back) to it through Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, CS Lewis so I'm glad to see there's so many here lean Eastward.
I look forward to getting to know more about Progressiveness, Christianity and all y'all.
Wecome Neandergirl....great to have you here.
Look forward to hearing how Thich Nhat Hanh helped bring you back to Christianity. It's amazing how many on this board have similar stoiries about their way back to a personal faith. It reminds me of what Wayne Dyer said in one of his tapes..."When the student is ready...the teacher will appear". I love that quote..it has been true in my own experience.
Blessings to you,
Jerrtb
-
Hi everyone, my name is Kendra and I am new here. I am definitely a progressive christian and am also interested in Buddhism. Can the two mix well?
I have been without a home church for some time since leaving the local Unitarian Universalist church. I found them to be a little less progressive than I had hoped and found that particular church to have major humanist leanings without being open to Christianity.
I have been attending a Presbyterian church and am really enjoying it. I plan on taking my daughter to start the children's class this sunday. My daughter is 4 and I am married to a humanist/buddhist. He plans on attending with me.
I love reading all kinds of books and am reading "You are Special" by Mr. Rogers. What a great man! I am also reading my other favorite kind of book, a British Mystery, the title escapes me.
Anyways, thats the basics.
Cheers,
Kendra
Welcome Kendra....you're in for quite a ride. I've only been here about three weeks...and already...these great posters have me scratching my head. I love the fact that I feel 'challenged' here.
This is a safe place,where you can ask any spiritual question that comes to mind...no matter how far-out it may seem. Try that in most main-stream churches!
Blessings,
Jerryb
-
I'm a great fan of the perennial philosophy or mysticism. Aldous Huxley wrote THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY in the 40s. It's part of my Bible! So is MYTH AND RITUAL IN CHRISTIANITY by Alan Watts. Watts left Christianity behind and became a Zen Buddhist but he demonstrates in this book how our Christian wisdom tradition fits into the perennial philosophy. He offers great insights into the seasons of the church. I have believed for a long time that the church year with all of its seasons is the best teaching tool we have.
I would love to share thoughts about these 2 books and other PP books with members of this forum.
I will wait patiently for sharing here since I know how busy the holiday season can be. But Advent is a good time to share thoughts about PP. I am more and more convinced that the discipline of being still is the only essential discipline since it slowly but surely opens us up to the greater reality, heaven.
+ "Be still and know that I am God."
+ "You do not need to do anything; you do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. You do not even need to listen; just wait. You do not even need to wait; just become still, quiet and solitary and the world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked. It has no choice. It will roll in ecstasy at your feet." -- Franz Kafka
Greetings Mystictrek,
I share your belief that being still is the only essential discipline of the spiritual quest. Some great sage said..."Silence is the only voice of our God"..to that I say Amen!
I look forward with great anticipation to your sharing of these books on PP.
Blessing to you,
Jerryb
)to get quiet and do the things that put me back in tune my life and sense of God improves.
What Is Your Theological Worldview?
in Progressive Christianity
Posted
Well friends....guess I'm really a mixed up guy. I scored 100% Classic Liberal,and 100% Emergent/Post modern. Oh well,it was fun anyway. Maybe now that you know my mixed-up spiritual status, you'll continue to be patient with my rantings. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this awesome board.
Blessings,
Jerry