Healing a fractured humanity

dreams realisedThe Apostle Paul had a big job on his hands while acting as a consultant to the factionalised Christian community of Corinth.

He appeals to theology, rhetoric and personal investment as he attempts to bring healing to human divisions based on status, party allegiance and ambition. It all sounds rather too familiar.

Our reflection today leads us to 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10, a window into Paul’s approach to bringing about reconciliation. Did it work? History on this particular phase of the story of the church in Corinth is silent. The fact that Paul’s rather disjointed Corinthian correspondence is included in the canon of Christian scripture, however, indicates that by about the 4th Century CE, his words were deemed universally worthy of classification as sacred writ.

In today’s passage, Paul appeals to the restored relationship with God through the acts of Jesus Christ as the unifying beacon to draw fractured parties together. Of course, this is another text that is employed to support the “original sin” doctrine, (only by the grace of God in Christ are we saved from the wretched state that fragments us, and boy, aren’t some of our sins here in Corinth original!). The text can just as easily, however, be interpreted through the exemplary atonement or “free will” lens. (Salvation – aka healing of division – is found by looking to the example of Christ in drawing people together – behave as Christ behaved, love as Christ loved, be enlivened by his Spirit that dwells within and amongst you, and the appeal of factionalism will melt away).

Succumbing to passive acceptance of human hubris will not heal the divisions in our community. Only alert awareness of the role to which the awakened are called in exemplifying the manner of the perfect love enacteded and revealed through Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, infiltrating the community as salt and light, will do the job.

Ash Wednesday Confessions

AshWedToday, Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, I respond to the challenge not to give up something, but to take something on – a discipline of some kind. A way forward might be to begin a daily reflection according to my spiritual tradition. This Ash Wednesday, my guide requires me to write a prayer of confession for use throughout Lent.

A resistance arises within me, for the traditional rubrics of confession across the spectrum of Christian traditions are rooted within the Augustinian notion of original sin, by no means a universally accepted Christian understanding of the human condition. The moulding of my understanding has been more influenced by Abelard, or even Pelagius, eschewing the notion that we are driven by an innate corrupt nature from birth, but acknowledging the freedom of choice in our moral judgements and expressions.

Psalm 51, set for the beginning of Lent, nevertheless says:
5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.

In isolation, it is a favourite proof text for the notion of original sin. The very event of being conceived and born into the human race seems to doom us to passive perdition. Our being is forged and lived out in this experience of corrupt alienation from the source of life for which we must continuously beg forgiveness and receive absolution. The dispensation of such absolution is institutionalised in systems open to manipulation and control by fellow human beings who are similarly blighted, no matter how sanctified. The fact that I rebel against the injustice of this might simply prove the point! On the other hand, I might be drawn to argue against such a defeatist notion of the human condition by focusing on the celebrated maxim of Augustine’s fellow great Doctor of the Church, Irenaeus: “The glory of God is humanity fully alive.”

The prooftext for so-called “original sin” is not the whole of Psalm 51, which pointedly, is not a treatise on systematic theology. Rather the Psalm in its fulness is the cry of a contrite heart, aware of falling short of one’s innate purpose and identity. The psalmist is aware of the way forward, and it is in the direction of awakening awareness:
6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.   

It is the psalm of someone who is aware of the choices and decision making pertaining to their destiny, and their willingness to steer the course that will take them there. The poet has a growing self-awareness of the traps and snares that lead to deviation from the way and his own susceptibility. He seeks to focus on the tradition, values and relationship that keeps him on a true path.

The psalm indicates no final arrival at a resolution to the disquiet it expresses, but confidence that contriteness and desire is benevolently received.
17The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

If one can confidently embrace one’s own brokenness and dissatisfaction at being “not yet there,” perhaps one is well oriented to begin the Lenten journey.

Oh, the prayer of confession I’m supposed to write?

Let the above words lead me to a place of stillness and quiet that, this day, reveals the opening of the way further forward.

 

 

New asylum seeker campaign ‘distasteful’ and ’embarrassing’

New asylum seeker campaign ‘distasteful’ and ’embarrassing’.

Just when you think the Australian Government can do no worse in its cruel and dispiriting treatment of maritime asylum seekers, it pulls another rabbit out of the hat.

This so-called low key cartoon strip campaign does little more than throw down a challenge to those desperate to flee to safety. Rather than threaten with blockades that grumble “no way” all sides of our parliament should be seeking ways to enable a safe way for people to seek asylum in this whole region.

This will demand imagination, leadership – and, most importantly, will – for many years of political and media propaganda have manipulated the public’s mindset to fearful and selfish preoccupation.

 

 

The department store era is over

The department store era is over.

Hmmm.

Started off in the electroplating industry when everyone wanted there stuff chromed. That era has gone.

Moved into department store retail,  and the end of this era is now pronounced.

But I was only there a short while before training for my life’s work – local church ministry (the end of which has been forecast for some years now).

At the age of 64 – I still might make it beyond what used to be the retirement age.

Then again I might have to return to blogging!

Onesimus wept

Denis Ladbrook leads reflection on the Philemon simulation
Denis Ladbrook leads reflection on the Philemon simulation

Church yesterday was an exercise in role-playing the 1st century church that met in the home of Philemon of Colossae. Creative imagination saw Philemon, his presumed wife Apphia and his presumed son and heir Archippus presiding over our regular congregation who had variously become the merchants, stewards and household slaves that met in Philemon’s atrium as a house-church.
The church meeting was in full swing when a messenger arrived bearing a letter from Philemon’s esteemed mentor, Paul. The porter was permitted to admit the messenger, who turned out to be Onesimus, a slave who had absconded Philemon’s household some time before.

Freeze-motion techniques enabled each group of participants to respond to what was about to unfold.

  • Philemon is suddenly confronted with a householder’s shame – a runaway slave.
  • Apphia presumably adhered to the strict Greco-Roman customs of managing the household. The absconding slave had disrupted the smooth manner of organising domestic arrangements.
  • The household slaves glanced uneasily. Onesimus’ disappearance had caused them trouble and some shifting in the pecking order.
  • Merchant guests and retinues forming the congregation were particularly interested in what was about to unfold. What would be the implications for their own household order?

Our role-players slipped into their roles as a forlorn Onesimus stood before Philemon clutching the scroll he had brought. Cat-calls, wise-cracks and incriminations filled the hall. Then Philemon commanded Onesimus to read the message aloud.

In faltering voice, Onesimus read the scroll which is the letter of Paul to Philemon.  Interjections from the gathered church continued and then abruptly stopped. The person playing Onesimus had stopped reading and was weeping real tears.  He had become Onesimus… and we had become the ones whom the apostle was directly addressing through Philemon.

It would have been easy to step in and halt the exercise. But no – now was the time to let the church be the church. The role play continued to its conclusion, but it was no longer a role play. It was church no longer separated by centuries, culture and tradition from its roots. The church in 1st century Collossae and 21st century Wembley Downs had become one.

The Onesimus in us all had become restored once more.

We could have explored further the issue of slavery and why it took 1700 years for Christians to raise a voice towards its abolition. Even now human bondage is deeply entrenched in our world community, deemed by multiple interests to be an economic reality that can’t really be completely dismantled (who made the clothes we wear right now, and under what conditions?). The Philemon exercise demonstrated unmistakably, however,  the radical dimensions of communal transformation that can take place even within inequitable and oppressive systems. The quest to transform human identity in the way of Christ does not stop within the church community, but it certainly starts there – and is nurtured there.

This exercise was inspired by the work of Dr Greg Jenks,  a presenter at the Common Dreams Conference, Canberra, 2013. 

An Evolutionary Theologian’s 10 pointers for progressive practice

Bruce Sanguin shared 10 succinct pegs for evolving practitioners of the Jesus way to hang their hats on at the Common Dreams Conference in Canberra tonight.

  1. Kick the apocalyptic habit. Things ain’t all bad, indeed the world is ablaze with the glory of God if one cares to look.
  2. Be inclusive of the tradition that nurtured you and provided your confessional DNA.
  3. Affirm providence – the loving nurture that pervades the cosmos.
  4. Get out of your heads – drop into your yearning. In avoiding the fear of the irrational, do not neglect to embrace the trans-rational.
  5. Offer hope.
  6. Preach beauty
  7. Return to the wisdom of the body – personal and planet – remember the Christian faith is incarnational.
  8. Redeem legacy of indigenous wisdom through listening to first peoples elders.
  9. Complain less and build the Kingdom of God more.
  10. Love all creation.

 

Is “Progressive” progressive enough?

 

This is the gist of one of many conversations emerging from today’s conversations at Common Dreams.

 

For some, the term “Progressive Christianity/Religion” sits uncomfortably – it can sound and feel elitist, judgemental and lack distinctiveness in articulating the motives of the gathering momentum (which are diverse and multi-directional anyway).

 

The metaphor of midwifery, also introduced today, informs the dilemma. After all, it is not usual to name a child until after it is born!

 

For now, progressive in the sense, of “moving forward”, “non-static”, “evolving”, seems to be OK for a peg to hang discussions on.

 

The movement looks for expressions of faith that are practical, based on Jesus inspired action rather than defining and debating Christological abstracts, inclusive rather than exclusive in transforming community, and ready to be caught up in wonder and partnership across a multiplicity of scientific, artistic and social disciplines.

 

In some ways, it’s back to the beginning, the core business of those who called themselves followers of the Way.

 

If this is what is meant by progressive, we are in for an interesting ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you hear what I hear? A voice in the wilderness ….

As our new government continues to dismantle structures of humanitarian aid through a policy of “absorption” and further bastardise our collective responsibility to the world refugee crisis, it was good to hear today of another voice of constructive protest.

A Progressive Christian Voice (Australia) described its manifesto at the Common Dreams Conference currently under way in Canberra.

APCV describes itself as a group of Christians who wish to contribute to a public debate by promoting a generous and future-focused understanding of the Christian faith.

It’s manifesto includes:

  • understanding Christian opinion to be more diverse and broader than portrayed by the media
  • contributing insights from progressive streams of Christianity
  • minimising effect of powerful lobby groups on public discourse
  • promoting public awareness of diversity of Christian opinion
  • welcoming fresh insights into the interpretation of Christian scriptures and tradition
  • not speaking on behalf of any Christian denomination, congregation, community or organisation

Think I can add my voice here! Let the green shoots burst forth from the cold earth.

Paradox of Spring

Today sees the installment of arguably Australia’s most conservative government ministry. It is also the eve, in the same city, of the Progressive Christian Common Dreams Conference. The juxtaposition of these two events creates a tension reminiscent of the paradoxes described by Parker Palmer when he explores the tug of war of life bursting forth from resistance – green shoots struggling from the cold dark earth towards the light. Today we will hear government pronouncements that reflect the cold philosophies of economic rationalism. Common Dreams, I anticipate, will fuel fires that warm earth sufficiently to nurture and germinates seeds of renewal and promise, so that compassion and natural justice once again have a voice that is heard in the crafting of public policy.