Thursday, February 14, 2013

From the Back Porch

The view from the back porch of the church, instead of within it's four walls, is the analogy that Jerry Wright uses for his individual spiritual journey.  He writes about it here: http://www.jungatlanta.com/articles/spring09-backporch.pdf   The article is fantastic, and really sits well with my psyche right now, as I too feel like I'm on the back porch (by choice) of the church looking out into the vast fields before me that I couldn't see when I was inside.  I'm seeking fellow travelers on this journey.  Over the past few weeks, the transference that was  part of a current friendship was made conscious (thanks Guild for the work we are doing around shadow and transference!), and I began to see how I've been trying to force someone out of the paradigm that they wish to stay in.  I apologized, and it's all good, but it does highlight what Jerry says at the end.  He rephrases a quote from Jung during his Terry Lectures on psychology and religion, to talk about those he seeks to help.  I feel the same.  Here are both quotes (Jung's and then Jerry's re-phrasing):

Jung
I am not...addressing myself to the happy possessors of
faith, but to those many people for whom the light has gone
out, the mystery has faded, and God is dead. For most of
them there is no going back, and one does not know either
whether going back is always the better way. To gain an
understanding of religious matters, probably all that is left
us today is the psychological approach. That is why I take
these thought-forms that have become historically fixed, try
to melt them down again and pour them into moulds of
immediate experience. (CW:11:par 148)


Wright
My version of that address, as I sit on the back-porch of
the Church, is: I am not addressing those for whom the
traditional interpretations of the Christian story remain
vital and life-giving, but to the growing number of those
for whom the old, old story has been so literalized that it
has lost its power to stir and feed the soul; those for whom
the creeds no longer roll easily off the tongue; those who
hunger and thirst for God who has innumerable names,
and unlimited manifestations, a God to whom all can bow
and none can possess.


Yes, Jerry, I agree.  I wish to find those in that growing second category to come along side, so we can learn from each other and the vast community of those out there on a similar journey to find the God none can possess!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Church planting vs. Love fellowships

I could never quite put my finger on why much of evangelical/emergent/whatever church planting methodology just didn't sit right with me.  R Jay Pearson, a new favorite blogger of mine, nailed it pretty good, and offers an alternative.  Check out the post here: http://www.rjaypearson.com/2013/02/forget-church-planting-we-need-love.html

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Love and emotion

Elizabeth Esther continues to speak truth, from her experience, against the emotionally repressive ideas that kept her (and still keep many others in the church) in bondage.  Thank you EE, and continue to speak your truth.  Here's her latest blog post: http://www.elizabethesther.com/2013/02/love-is-a-choice.html