That word 'God'

In God

Do not be afraid.  

This is not the name used to coerce compliance to a set of rules, or used to open wallets for personal profit.  It is not the name behind which people doing bad things have hidden, or the name in which truly awful things have been done.  Some people have always tried to coerce compliance, to prey on the finances of others.  Some people have always sought to get away with doing bad things.  And history is full of people being truly awful.  There will always be people using anything that works to do these things; and we must not be blind to it no matter where or when it happens. ‘God’ didn’t make them do it, no matter how much our cultures and societies may have enabled it.  Those people need to answer for their crimes, and alongside that, other people need to recognise the abuses of systems and to change the systems.

God is not a name.

God is a no-name.

And I believe in God.

I believe in God the way I believe in Justice, in Truth, in Beauty, in Good.  When I say I believe in all these things I am not opening up a debate about their existence, as if I can point at them — or as if anyone would settle anything by pointing to a place where they were not.  I am not using the phrase to ward off responsibility for my words and actions, and I am not using it to give me an authority or power over others, though that can be done with any of those other things I believe in too.  When I say I believe in God I am sharing my experience of the world, and of something important to me about how I live in that world.  

When I say I believe in God I am witnessing to God’s insistence, not God’s existence (John Caputo, The Weakness of God).

Personally or in my community, I have never experienced God as a rare creature found only in particularly unusual habitats, of which tall tales are told and dubious sightings are shared in hushed tones.  My belief in God isn’t a scientific fact to be verified or falsified; it’s my witness to a lived experience of more.  The experience of an insistence that I try to be a better person, that I try to understand the world around me and my place in it better.  An insistence not limited to the will and wants of the people around me, not limited to my ease or preference, not limited to current success or bound by past failures.  An unlimited insistence that is neither without me nor within me (John Henry Newman, A Proof of God).  The experience of an insistence that there is something else just over the horizon, just behind that cloud, or around that bend.  The insistence that things go on, wherever I look.  This experience is subjective, in the sense I can’t ever separate myself from it; but it is objective in the sense that I do not choose it, it does not stem from me alone, and — more yet — it is at the core of everything I do or say. 

That which we call God is always more (Anselm of Canterbury, Monologion). Every time we alight on something and would call it God we are disappointed because it falls short (Plato, Phaedrus).  God is more: we experience God in the difference between how things are and how we feel they ought to be; between what we know and what we feel there is to know. 

God is more, which means for every title we give, for every description we use — however true, however just, however beautiful — there is always more, which it does not convey, than it conveys.  For every new insight that comparison reveals to us about God, it turns out that God is always more NOT like that, than God IS like that.  God is always more NOT as we imagine or intuit, than anything we fixate on God being. 

Not this.

Not this.

Not even this.

That very urge that makes you feel uncomfortable with the word ‘God’, that makes you want to shy away from using it, is your own witness to knowing that God is more than what ‘God’ is said to be.  I, too, do not assert an old man with a long beard on a cloud; I, too, do not assert an angry, joyless dictator.  I, too, can all too often see the human behind the curtain when ‘God the great and powerful’ is proclaimed, and am angry, and sad, at the abuse and the greed and the power-mad, wanton cruelty.  None of this will I call God.

God is the insistence that I cannot deny that these things are wrong, that we can do better, that things can be better, that there is always more.  God is not ‘this being the case because I want it to be’: God is more, and I believe in God.

The twists and turns of colourful language are there for inspiration, not fact - Ringwood #Unitarians 8 Mar 2020

At this gathering we opened by musing a little on our respective religious denominational backgrounds.  That was entirely congruent with the theme the president for the day had chosen, based on his own experience: “Inspired, not dictated to”. (We use the phrase “president for the day” as an apt label — our gatherings are led by anyone we invite to lead, so there is no assumed leadership role; and those individuals ‘preside’ over the gathering on that day.)

Our opening hymn included the words by John Andrew Storey: “Confucian wisdom, Christian care / The Buddhist way of self-control / The Muslim’s daily call to prayer / Are proven pathways to the goal. / From many lips, in every age / The truth eternal is proclaimed / By western saint and eastern sage / And all the good, however named.”

The president then suggested that it is necessary now and then to hear from one person as to their life experience, leaving open how commonalities or recognised points of reference may be related to by the other participants.

The bidding words from Rev David Usher called that we be bound in compassion, love and understanding to other human beings and the interdependent web of all living things; and affirmed that we came together to renew our faith in the holiness, the goodness, the beauty of life and reclaim the vision of an earth more fair with all her people one.

Two readings had been chosen.  The first was a rich extract from Phaedrus, written by Plato as part of his record of what the teacher Socrates had taught.  It spoke quite deliberately in figurative language, with Socrates developing a comprehensive metaphor for the experience of humankind — each person as a charioteer, struggling to control a mismatched pair of chariot horses; one divinely oriented, the other dropping ever downward to earth; the metaphor being robust enough to also accommodate the experience of the gods, as contrasted with human experience.  

The Charioteer represents intellect, reason, or the part of the soul that must guide the soul to truth; one horse represents rational or moral impulse or the positive part of passionate nature (e.g., righteous indignation); while the other represents the soul's irrational passions, appetites, or concupiscent nature. The Charioteer directs the entire chariot/soul, trying to stop the horses from going different ways, and to proceed towards enlightenment. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariot_Allegory

The second reading was a surprising contrast — it was the version of the parable Jesus had told about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37 NRSV).

While we were wondering what the interplay between the two readings could be made to be, we sang another hymn, ideally linked to the first reading: “It was the eager wish to soar / That gave the gods their wings. / … / The restless wish, the instant need / Still drove us up the slope.”

Then we were invited to give thanks for the gifts, challenges and blessings of the month that had passed since we last met, and to consider those aspects of our lives that we would most like to be washed away in healing and forgiveness.  We spent seven minutes in silent meditation, then lit candles for our hopes for others known to us, and for our absent friends.

And then we heard directly from the president of the day about his own path through faith and the denomination he had been raised in, and how that colours his life of faith today.  He explained from that context why he had chosen the two readings.

Looking at one person’s path as an example of how positions evolve, our president said that his experience had taught him the use of metaphors as a richer way of communication than mere transfer of information.  Something extra, which cannot be easily defined, is conveyed, when we use language that is figurative.

Having been raised in a Roman Catholic environment, our president had relatively recently come to see that the word parable applies twice-fold to the New Testament.  The routine use would be to use the word “parable” to point out the teaching stories ascribed to Jesus of Galilee.  But the word “parable” may also be applied to the narratives in the New Testament about Jesus himself.  For there was never the intention of the writers of the various books to merely convey information about the life of historical Jesus as he appeared in the common life: the writings were, right from the start, intended to evoke the passion of the hearer or reader.  The books were intended to inspire, as those who had walked alongside Jesus had, in their turn, been inspired.  It was very helpful for us to understand how his RC background had aided our president with this standpoint: this is in the latest version of the RC Catechism, at paragraphs 109-111:

109 In Sacred Scripture, God speaks to man in a human way. To interpret Scripture correctly, the reader must be attentive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm, and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words.⁷⁵

110 In order to discover the sacred authors' intention, the reader must take into account the conditions of their time and culture, the literary genres in use at that time, and the modes of feeling, speaking and narrating then current. "For the fact is that truth is differently presented and expressed in the various types of historical writing, in prophetical and poetical texts, and in other forms of literary expression."⁷⁶

111 But since Sacred Scripture is inspired, there is another and no less important principle of correct interpretation, without which Scripture would remain a dead letter. "Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written."⁷⁷

https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm

So summing up, our president said: “Words that inspire are never as simple as just a long or fancy way of saying something simpler. It's more and other than sharing information: it's igniting a passion.”

After some more music, the closing words were by Rev Andy Pakula:

Deep within you

Rev Andy Pakula

There is a place of peace

A place of wisdom,

A place of love.

May this sacred centre be your guide 

May it be you strength for the journey

May it fill you with hope when all seems hopeless

And may it lead you to know the sacredness in all.

And we raised our voices to one of our favourite hymns, which is usually sung at Christmas but which we enjoy all year round:  “Joy to the World, for peace shall come / Let this be our refrain! / In every heart, in every land / Let peace and freedom reign! / Let peace and freedom reign! / Let peace and love and freedom reign!”

Ringwood #Unitarians experiment in April with the “heart & soul” service using some key movements identified by @revwik

At our April gathering we for the first time took advantage of a new format of service.  We had experienced the format first hand at the Festival of Unitarians in the South East (FUSE) in Worthing, Sussex UK, in February.

We have chosen to try the new “heart and soul” format so that we are one of several UK Unitarian congregations now experimenting with it. Knowing that others are also trying it connects us a little bit more; on social media we can have conversations with others who are familiar with it; and it also means that visitors from other congregations may more readily recognise what is happening in our gatherings. In a widely scattered community like the Unitarian movement, even tenuous links like that can help to glue us all together.

The “heart and soul” format is more about experience than words or knowledge, and it was easy to fit our traditional, simple, experiential ritual into it.  The overall topic was “What is church?”, and no prescriptive answer was given.  As with all things Unitarian, it was anticipated that participants would place their own interpretation on what was offered.

We framed our time together using hymns, contemplative words from Unitarian leaders sourced from the www, a children’s story from the Brothers Grimm, and an extract from Plato ALCIBIADES I.  There was an exercise in selecting at random a line of poetry or a question, so that these could be explored together.

At the very heart of the “heart and soul” service there are four aspects: 

• Naming: an opportunity to give thanks 
• Knowing: a gentle reflection on our own day  
• Listening: a time of silent meditation
• Loving: offering prayers for others 

We first came across these aspects around 1999 when they were first set out by Rev Erik Walker Wikstrom @revwik, in an essay published in Everyday Spiritual Practice - Simple Pathways for Enriching Your Life, editor Scott W. Alexander  https://www.bookdepository.com/Everyday-Spiritual-Practice-Scott-W-Alexander/9781558963757. A wonderful book, highly recommended, which we hold in our library for anyone to borrow.

The people who took place in our first “heart and soul” gathering are now reflecting on how they feel about the new format, and it will be tried again in May.

“Heart and soul” has the benefit that there is more of a group collaboration in curating the safe space for reverence, and less pressure on the ‘president for the day’ to craft a coherent and intellectually satisfying gathering.  We always look for meaningful ideas, but we know it can feel daunting to be asked to lead, if leading requires a homily to be prepared.  Small groups without trained ministers can - and must - minister to each other, and as many people as possible must be given the chance to try.  A group that does not rely on one or two strong leaders will be more resilient in the long term.

November 2016 meeting for reverence turns into a commentary on a key world event #unitarians

Our service leaders are nothing if not adaptable!

This month our president for the day, for 13th November, had been planning to dwell on an ethics of identity.  So in the light of the announcement on 9th November of the name of the President-Elect, who in January 2017 will become 45th President of the United States of America, our leader adapted our service, whilst holding to the topic “Who do they say I am?”

In the light of the news, in a gathering that focused on who we say others are, and what narratives we allow to be built up around us, which can lead to persecution and hardship for others, we contemplated the documentary references below.  What do we allow to be said about others?  Do we challenge stereotypes and falsehoods?

We were glad to welcome four new faces on Sunday, some of whom we hope to see again at another of our meetings for reverence.

The Bible, Good News Translation

Mark Chapter 8

http://www.biblestudytools.com/gnt/mark/8.html

27  Then Jesus and his disciples went away to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Tell me, who do people say I am?"

28  "Some say that you are John the Baptist," they answered; "others say that you are Elijah, while others say that you are one of the prophets." 

29  "What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah." 

30  Then Jesus ordered them, "Do not tell anyone about me." 

31  Then Jesus began to teach his disciples: "The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. He will be put to death, but three days later he will rise to life." 

32  He made this very clear to them. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 

33  But Jesus turned around, looked at his disciples, and rebuked Peter. "Get away from me, Satan," he said. "Your thoughts don't come from God but from human nature!" 

The Apology by Plato (Socrates’ apology to the men of Athens, as recorded by Plato)

<a href="http://worldartsme.com/">WorldArtsMe</a>

http://www.sjsu.edu/people/james.lindahl/courses/Phil70A/s3/apology.pdf

  

“So let us take up from the beginning what the accusation is, from which has arisen the slander against me. ..... What did the slanderers say to slander me? Their sworn statement, just as though they were accusers, must be read: “Socrates does injustice and is meddlesome, by investigating the things under the earth and the heavenly things, and by making the weaker speech the stronger, and by teaching others these same things.” ... ...You yourselves also used to see these things in the comedy of Aristophanes: a certain Socrates was carried around there, claiming that he was treading on air and spouting much other drivel about which I have no expertise, either much or little. And I do not say this to dishonour this sort of knowledge, if anyone is wise in such things; but in fact I, men of Athens, have no share in these things.”

April 2015 meeting

Our group mixes people whose paths include influences ranging from a liberal interpretation of the teachings of Jesus and western Christian practice, also from Paganism, through classical philosophy, to Tibetan Buddhism.  Our worship on 10 April took the form of a simple ritual in silence, some readings, and some chanting.  The theme was “Sacred Fools” and the readings from “Apology” by Plato (pictured left) and “The Devils Picture Book” by Paul Husson were well received.  After that we heard the meeting leader’s personal reflections on the readings – why Socrates knowing that he did not know made him the wisest, and a reflection on The Fool  (Le Fou in French, pictured right) in the tarot deck respectively.  We enjoyed our chants very much and also our conversation over a long coffee afterwards.

We look forward to the next service when we know there will be more people.  And we welcome anyone with a curiosity about what we say, what we do, and how we manage to worship together when we have such different paths of faith.