Wondering about Wisdom

For my edification, I am reading Stephen S Hall, Wisdom: from philosophy to neuroscience.(University of Queensland Press, 2010).

As a science writer, the author is particularly keen to explore potential new insights provided by the emerging neurosciences without jettisoning  more conventional understandings of wisdom. In fact, he conjectures, wisdom is a phenomenon that cannot really be grasped without standing back and appreciating the multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, multi-faceted contributions of generations of human existence. One early observation, however, is that it is most often conveyed, not in the rarefied atmosphere of academia or sanctum, but among and within the human population at large.

Without daring to deign a definition, he does lay out some tentative principles associated with wise behaviour before launching into his investigation:

  • wisdom requires an experience-based knowledge of the world
  • wisdom requires mental focus, reflecting the ability to analyse and discern the most important aspects of acquired knowledge on a case by case basis.
  • wisdom requires mediating between conflicting inputs of emotion and reason, self-interest and social interest, instant rewards and future gains
  • wisdom expresses itself through a social vocabulary of interactive behaviour
  • wisdom is marked by a fundamental sense of justice and commitment to social well-being beyond the self
  • wisdom is able to defer immediate self-gratification to achieve the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people.
Not a bad check list! We’ll see how it unfolds. Right now I would like to line it up alongside the text of the Beatitudes which comes up this Sunday. This text opens the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew’s distillation of the teaching (and the wisdom) of Jesus. Hall’s book provides an opening for discourse between wisdom anciently and newly discerned.
Incidentally, Stephen Hall blogs on wisdom right here.

We acknowledge Aboriginal Australia

Today I join many others in saluting the first nations of our land.

An excellent coloured poster size map (small or large) depicting the language, tribal and nation groups of Australian Indigenous peoples is available for purchase from the Australian Institute of Aborigine and Torres Strait Islander Studies. The map does not claim precision, but relies on published works to depict the multi-faceted mosaic of human habitation in this land for thousands of years before European settlement.
Copyright restrictions prevent the map from being represented here, but a visit to the site will give you an idea of the nature of the map and how to purchase it.


Why Wattle Day should be our national day – Eureka Street

Paul Newbury argues for wattle as a potentially powerful unifying symbol for the journey of reconciliation in Australia.
Why not move our national day to September 1st – Wattle Day?

Why Wattle Day should be our national day – Eureka Street.

Something Oprah missed …

… on her pilgrimage Down Under.

The joys of beach cricket at twilight on Matilda Bay, Perth. Mild summer’s day, gentle breeze, the gathering of several generations, shared goodies to eat, ambient conversation, bocce, paddling and cricket. A great way to kick off the year as several churches gather to share this annual event.

Teaching disciples to suck eggs

Some may find it strange to be talking to veteran congregations about discipleship, as today’s texts lead me. Most have been making the journey a lot longer than I have, and I’m getting a bit long in the tooth. Yet, once again I will address what I have come to call the magnetic summons of Jesus and I anticipate this annual revisitation will revive impulses in veteran and novice alike to stretch a little further along the road of learning to live in the spirit and character of Jesus. Of course, most of the inspiration will come from the congregation itself. Many individuals, though they be unaware, have demonstrated insights into matters of discipleship of which I would not otherwise have been aware. Grace in difficult family issues, courage and generosity while grappling with debilitating illness, serenity in failed enterprise, forgiveness when grievously wronged – these all reflect the spirit of Jesus and are evidence of attentive awareness of his transforming work. So perhaps the morning harangue will be a celebration instead!

The Summons

This Sunday’s text (Matthew 4:12-23) considers the magnetic call of Jesus of Nazareth to those around him – a summons that has extended down the centuries with ever-increasing pulling power.
This is one of our favourite songs at Wembley Downs. I love the lyrics! It’s by John Bell of the Iona Community in Scotland and is published by Wild Goose Publications. (We sing it at a quicker tempo than this!)

Christ Has No Online Presence but Yours

Have a look at and consider this worthy 21st Century adaptation of St Teresa of Avila‘s work. Click on Christ Has No Online Presence but Yours.

The original text of this 16th century Carmelite mystic reads:

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Stories of rebuilding after the floods – Eureka Street

This morning’s Eureka Street article throws out a challenge. Following the stories of heroism, resilience and community cohesion during the peak of the flood crisis. Andrew Hamilton observes that the media will follow form and find few inspiring stories to engage us in the long hard process of assessment and reconstruction. Instead, the press will focus on the conflict and tensions that arise. He looks to Scripture for examples of genres and frameworks for story making during such times.

Stories of rebuilding after the floods – Eureka Street.

Unanswered prayers

Not a terribly good week so far. Two people within our circle of concern have died following debilitating illness, both leaving young families. Another’s grandson has received a long prison sentence. Some are wondering about the effect of long and sustained prayers for these individuals and their families.  Where is God in all this and how are we to understand what seems like God’s deaf ear when we call out to God? This in itself is a kind of prayer – the prayer of lament that unleashes the angst and pain of the wounded human spirit as much as seeks answers. The writers of the Psalms did it a lot.

But apart from expressing pain we really want to know. Why are some healed and not others? Many of us are privy to stories of wondrous healing that has unleashed the possibilities of life being lived more deeply and fully. We also know many who have missed out. I don’t think its trite to suggest we miss the nature of healing that takes place amongst us even as we grieve, particularly when there has been a season of preparation marked by community bonding, compassion, the sharing of stories and sheer imaginative exchanges of humanity.

However, there is a kind of  “I don’t know-ness” about the question of unanswered prayer that is sacred and to be honoured and quietly respected. Rather than attempt an answer, it would be better if we simply removed our shoes.

Motivational Cleanup!

Gotta cleanup the wall behind my desk.
It’s full of photos, quotes, motivational stuff and prayer joggers.
Some I’ll keep, some I’ll change.

But what to do with this one?

I would prefer to be able to say: ‘I am satiated,
What is given to taste in this life, I have tasted.’
But I am like someone in a window who draws aside a curtain
To look at a feast he does not comprehend.

– Czeslaw Milosz

Think I’ll keep it!