The gentle rays of dawn fell on my face this morning and the soft reddish glow of the morning filled my room. When I stirred, my cat, Tovi, jumped on my pillow and made sure he got his morning massage before I pulled the blanket over my head. An unexpected idea popped in my head as Tovi stretched and flexed his claws on my waxy surfboard. The selling phrases like "Yoga for Runners" or "Yoga for Surfers" melded into "Yoga on a Surfboard." Many surfboards have detachable fins and will thus lay flat on the floor.... so what's the difference between a mat and a board? ... it made sense in this early morning stupor. So, I laid my surfboard on the floor and did a short sun-salutation/downward dog routine. I also lighted an "ocean blossom" candle and the experience was uplifting. ...I meditated briefly and could taste/feel/see an empty beach before me. Pure bliss.
Homework brought me back to reality.... what is the role of the Bible in moral reasoning? This morning I woke and was inspired by the sunrise, Tovi's stretch routine, and memories of beachside yoga. In other words, I was inspired via my circumstances-culture, imagination, and memory of previous practice/instruction. This unique combination as a thought 'yoga on a surfboard' in a moment is a similar method of using the Bible as a Christian source to inform ethical action. You may scowl a bit at this "relative" (or maybe irreverent to some...) perspective. Yet, to understand commands like "be holy as I am holy" or "love your neighbor" drawn upon assumptions deep within a mind about "holy", "love", "neighbor", etc. What "holy" meant to Moses, David, Rahab, Ruth, or Jeremiah is different than Paul, Mary, or John would have envisioned. What these pillars of faith envisioned is different than persons born in the 20th-21st centuries envision "holy" to mean, and the further tangible expression of this meaning is shaped in a radically different way.
Unique expression of a word covered in theological seasoning, like "holy", is not something to grimace toward. It is human. Human is not a dirty word either... although "humanity" in biblical Hebrew can be translated "dirt" or "the ground"....rather 'human' is the organic image of God. The Breath of God (ruach) seeps through "the dirt" or human life to exhale beauty in creation. The ways Ruth and I embody organic beauty through our humanity is different because different worldviews move us and different experiences highlight different responses in light of our cultural context. Put another way, Ruth and I would respond differently to traffic sign like a red "stop" sign. I would stop because I have been conditioned to do so.... I know serious consequences may result should I ignore it. Ruth might see the sign and wonder at its construction, but would keep walking into the middle of a four-way stop intersection. The divine command in the Bible to "be holy as I am holy" spoken by Jesus (citing the Old Testament tradition) is similar. My disposition toward embodying a "holy" life as part of a Christian community is interpreted different than Ruth's decision to live "holy" despite her foreign ethnic status among Hebrews.
30 January 2011
25 January 2011
Guilty Pleasures
Introspective excavation usually discovers the complexity of emotional states and a root emotion that governs an individual's demeanor. An introspective person is one who instinctively navigates this sometimes dangerous world and is faced with a decision on how to best express her findings.
Unexpectedly, I find a philosophical-theology class most interesting, stimulating, and frustrating. The great significance of small words like "of" "in" "is" and the implied nuances further complicated with "whereas" "insomuch as" etc of other vocabulary words is enough to make abstract assertions concrete headaches. But, there is something so compelling about the writing... perhaps it is the challenge of depths in meaning or the tedious hours necessary to decode a short sentence that lures my interest. I understand the beauty and madness in theology and philosophy, but together the senses are intensified.
The above paragraph is a digression inspired by the philosopher-theologian who I am traveling with last semester as a transition into my exploration of an intense feeling of guilt sparked by an instinct to step beyond theological studies. I resonate with Paul Tillich who identified himself as a man who lived on the boundaries of his social worlds. The puzzling friendship I forged with Kierkegaard was surprisingly personal and guided me through an emotional-philosophical exploration of human anthropology. The intense descriptions of sin and the human condition allowed me to navigate my own complex feelings about formal theological studies and my career. (Not to mention how Kierkegaard sheds light on my interactions with humanity and creation.)
In short, a reluctant friendship with this philosophical theologian reminds me companionship is not always formed from ideological or personal commonalities. The shared human experiences binds all persons: past, present, and future together and our shared human-ness transcends the particularities that threaten to silence our connected reality.
Unexpectedly, I find a philosophical-theology class most interesting, stimulating, and frustrating. The great significance of small words like "of" "in" "is" and the implied nuances further complicated with "whereas" "insomuch as" etc of other vocabulary words is enough to make abstract assertions concrete headaches. But, there is something so compelling about the writing... perhaps it is the challenge of depths in meaning or the tedious hours necessary to decode a short sentence that lures my interest. I understand the beauty and madness in theology and philosophy, but together the senses are intensified.
The above paragraph is a digression inspired by the philosopher-theologian who I am traveling with last semester as a transition into my exploration of an intense feeling of guilt sparked by an instinct to step beyond theological studies. I resonate with Paul Tillich who identified himself as a man who lived on the boundaries of his social worlds. The puzzling friendship I forged with Kierkegaard was surprisingly personal and guided me through an emotional-philosophical exploration of human anthropology. The intense descriptions of sin and the human condition allowed me to navigate my own complex feelings about formal theological studies and my career. (Not to mention how Kierkegaard sheds light on my interactions with humanity and creation.)
In short, a reluctant friendship with this philosophical theologian reminds me companionship is not always formed from ideological or personal commonalities. The shared human experiences binds all persons: past, present, and future together and our shared human-ness transcends the particularities that threaten to silence our connected reality.
The Winter Sun
The soft brilliance of the winter sun warms without the harsh burns of summer and illuminates the crevices once hidden by foliage. The winter sun is a gift of winter's exposing hibernation.
Rarely do we encounter individuals face-to-face who inspire and dare ourselves to connect with our world in a profound way. I've recently engaged annually in half-marathons to maintain my fitness level. In this process, I have met people who run and raise money for amazing reasons. When you listen to the motivation of other racers who have overcome cancer or another life obstacle, it is hard to not feel that tingle of inspiration on your skin. Yet, the thousands of amazing and inspiring stories could not affect me the way another unexpected meeting did. A famous art gallery at Disney is a favorite spot for me escape the overwhelming tourism of Disney World and appreciate creation. With Christmas monies, I purchased a small piece of artwork and consequently was informed the artist himself would be stopping by the next day.
After hours of exposure to amazing runners, I went to the art gallery awaiting the artist. His famous marine life paintings, sculptures, etc indeed were a reflection of his passion for the waters of our world. He paints as an outpouring of his joy for creation and uses his success to advocate-teach the next generation his same passions for the water. An artist, an advocate, a scuba diver, a teacher, and joyful spirit, this man lives as a creative synthesis of passions and justice. His career history lives as a challenge to someone like me who is just stepping out into the world of careers and adventure. The power of autobiographies articulate the winding curves of human narratives and offer a perspective of hope for those listening. To me, this encounter warmed me gently as only a winter sun can do and offered some glimmer of light that I too will find my way.
Rarely do we encounter individuals face-to-face who inspire and dare ourselves to connect with our world in a profound way. I've recently engaged annually in half-marathons to maintain my fitness level. In this process, I have met people who run and raise money for amazing reasons. When you listen to the motivation of other racers who have overcome cancer or another life obstacle, it is hard to not feel that tingle of inspiration on your skin. Yet, the thousands of amazing and inspiring stories could not affect me the way another unexpected meeting did. A famous art gallery at Disney is a favorite spot for me escape the overwhelming tourism of Disney World and appreciate creation. With Christmas monies, I purchased a small piece of artwork and consequently was informed the artist himself would be stopping by the next day.
After hours of exposure to amazing runners, I went to the art gallery awaiting the artist. His famous marine life paintings, sculptures, etc indeed were a reflection of his passion for the waters of our world. He paints as an outpouring of his joy for creation and uses his success to advocate-teach the next generation his same passions for the water. An artist, an advocate, a scuba diver, a teacher, and joyful spirit, this man lives as a creative synthesis of passions and justice. His career history lives as a challenge to someone like me who is just stepping out into the world of careers and adventure. The power of autobiographies articulate the winding curves of human narratives and offer a perspective of hope for those listening. To me, this encounter warmed me gently as only a winter sun can do and offered some glimmer of light that I too will find my way.
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