Saturday, October 11, 2008
Beloved Community, Fred Plumer cont.
Spiritual practices have to go along with ethical implications of the teachings of Jesus. Create opportunities for people to take the teachings of Jesus and walk into them. How we treat eachother, the stranger, the enemy. How leadership is created and operates. How sexuality and gender is navigated without relying on cultural taboos to enforce our behavior. How to be fully spiritual and fully human at the same time.
Small groups have trouble in liberal community, because our love for community is greater than our zeal to deepen spiritual engagement. But we need non-judging communities where we can talk about our experiences of spirituality. Need mutual accountability, how to improve our living up to our own expectations and efforts.
Authentic community-transforming model of God's realm.
Work on our theology, let go of God in heaven randomly answering prayers. Need new models and new languages for God. Be clear about what they do and do not mean by God. Describing faith as the unknowable, not as religiosity. Get comfortable living with the mysteries of creation, dimly lit path that might lead to an experience of the holy.
Connect spirituality with a love for earth. Strong connections with mother earth, through beliefs and actions. Alternative ways of living.
All this is already happening.
Small groups have trouble in liberal community, because our love for community is greater than our zeal to deepen spiritual engagement. But we need non-judging communities where we can talk about our experiences of spirituality. Need mutual accountability, how to improve our living up to our own expectations and efforts.
Authentic community-transforming model of God's realm.
Work on our theology, let go of God in heaven randomly answering prayers. Need new models and new languages for God. Be clear about what they do and do not mean by God. Describing faith as the unknowable, not as religiosity. Get comfortable living with the mysteries of creation, dimly lit path that might lead to an experience of the holy.
Connect spirituality with a love for earth. Strong connections with mother earth, through beliefs and actions. Alternative ways of living.
All this is already happening.
Labels: Beloved Community, Progressive Christian
