This week I recalled how much I enjoyed all the courses in sociology that I took many years ago. I've been reading a study on how religious groups grow, split, innovate, etc. and the principles that operate, especially focused on Christianity ("The Rise of Christianity, How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World for Centuries").
The study separates sects (breakaways from existing groups) and cults (new religions). It seems to me that Christianity was a bit of both in the beginning anyway, although this is not suggested as far as I can tell in the reading. I see it as a part of Judaism with a new addition until after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE and finally in 88 CE. Christians met in the synagogues with other Jews at first, telling their stories of Jesus as they related to the readings from the Torah, etc. that were the scriptures of that day. It morphed into a new religion beginning fully after 88 CE.
In the year 40 C.E. 0.00175% of the Greco-Roman World was Christian, in 239 CE it grew to 1.4% while by 315 CE it was around 17%. It grew slowly at first. Estimates say there were about 7,500 Christians by the year 100 for example.
The main growth in religious groups comes from relatives and friends and neighbors of converts and fans out in various directions from each new converted person. At first Christianity grew via Paul primarily in the artisan and fairly well off groups. As it moved out into the world, it became more Greek than Jewish in many ways. Some have suggested that Paul was a Plato kind of thinker.
What it means to be a Christian has changed dramatically over and over again. Even today, to say one is a Christian means widely divergent things depending on the group to which one adheres.
I've spent a great deal of time trying to understand the 1st century and what happened. And as a person fascinated by history, I watch in amazement as the streams spread out in a staggering array of beliefs, yet they all call themselves Christian.
We may never know all we want to know about beginnings and later meanderings through history, but we can do our best to discover and put the puzzle pieces together and then decide what seems to be the "truth" as best as we can discern it. And, we can be kind to those who followed a different stream and see from another vantage point. There is no way we can know it all.
Let us all do our best to be kinder and more open to explore the path - less authoritarian and dogmatic. What a difference that would make here on earth if we let go of hubris.
God bless us all.
As far back as I can remember, I have been focused on God & my spiritual life. I am writing thoughts & ideas here to share & hopefully to produce some dialogue with others also seeking. I hope others will join this spiritual quest with me.
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Monday, October 16, 2017
Ideas on Grace
Recently I've read an interesting idea about grace -- it exists at every level. I'd not thought of it in that way. Let's define terms - grace = unearned good, freely given. So what about levels of it?
1) Physical grace. This is the normal workings of our bodies when we are in health.
2) Intellectual grace. This is the normal workings of intuition and inspiration.
3) Spiritual grace. This is the normal awareness of God and the normal gifts of the Spirit.
Without interference, we live under the shining banner of these graces. Who or what interferes? We do.
1) We eat and drink and do things that are detrimental to our physical well-being. We manipulate foods so that they are no longer natural and therefore no longer in harmony with our bodies. We do not act as if our bodies are temples. We forget they are required in order for our souls/spirits to participate in earthly activities, are sort of spacesuits for our souls.
2) We often do not take care of our intellect so that we can be open to inspiration and intuition that pours upon us. We fill our heads with trivia, with dark things, with dead end alleys as we chase after the perfect product to make us acceptable. We succumb to mind-numbing hours of television, video games, and trashy novels. We forget that our intellect is perfectly suited to hear the murmurings of Spirit, being the perfect receptor to guide our lives on earth.
3) We either do not know that we are spiritual beings, or we purposely turn from our own Ground of Being as we pursue anything at all that is not God. Our souls yearn to know the Oneness, the Unitive Consciousness, our spiritual place in the vast expanses, but most of us turn away. As children of the Most High, we are capable of such union, but humans rarely go there.
What is required is for us to get out of our own way. Some ideas include:
1) Physical grace. This is the normal workings of our bodies when we are in health.
2) Intellectual grace. This is the normal workings of intuition and inspiration.
3) Spiritual grace. This is the normal awareness of God and the normal gifts of the Spirit.
Without interference, we live under the shining banner of these graces. Who or what interferes? We do.
1) We eat and drink and do things that are detrimental to our physical well-being. We manipulate foods so that they are no longer natural and therefore no longer in harmony with our bodies. We do not act as if our bodies are temples. We forget they are required in order for our souls/spirits to participate in earthly activities, are sort of spacesuits for our souls.
2) We often do not take care of our intellect so that we can be open to inspiration and intuition that pours upon us. We fill our heads with trivia, with dark things, with dead end alleys as we chase after the perfect product to make us acceptable. We succumb to mind-numbing hours of television, video games, and trashy novels. We forget that our intellect is perfectly suited to hear the murmurings of Spirit, being the perfect receptor to guide our lives on earth.
3) We either do not know that we are spiritual beings, or we purposely turn from our own Ground of Being as we pursue anything at all that is not God. Our souls yearn to know the Oneness, the Unitive Consciousness, our spiritual place in the vast expanses, but most of us turn away. As children of the Most High, we are capable of such union, but humans rarely go there.
What is required is for us to get out of our own way. Some ideas include:
- Let go of ego. Stop being preoccupied with small letter self. Let go of the limited view of Reality that ego provides.
- Read writings of great thinkers who have reached out of the boxes we have self-made. There are so many that mean so much to me. Lao Tse, Jesus, James the brother of Jesus, Meister Eckhart, Hildegard of Bingen, Thomas Aquinas, and modern writers such as Aldous Huxley especially his "The Divine Within," and "Perennial Philosophy," Matthew Fox, Richard Rohr -- and many more. Start with one and let the trail unfold.
- Spend time every day in the silence. Turn off devices and just be. Spend time with what God created, such as a tree or a flower or a seashell. Write insights in a journal and re-read from time to time.
- Somehow get into the Light and let It shine. Find the imprisoned splendor within, and unleash it. Be willing to be the magnificent being you are in Truth.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Prayer
Today I want to share a prayer I wrote several years ago. I hope you'll read it several times and journal upon what meaning it brings to your life.
We are told we are children of the Light. We have the DNA, so to speak, of THE Light in us. We are children of the Most High.Lord, help us to peel away all that we have placed upon Your Light, so Light can shine through us & glorify You.You have placed in each of us talents that await use. As we move into living as Light, we ask You help us re-discover the talents within that wait to be expressed. We have come to the moment that we no longer wish to bury the gifts that You seeded in us.As we look out into our families, our church, our community, our nation & our world, we see that much has to be done to create the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.I come this day ready & willing to participate in a larger way. I come ready & willing to shine Your Light, to be the best I can be, to make a difference with my life. Lead me Lord.
What joy floods my soul as the glittering truth of these words filter into the very center of me. Thankfulness dances in me. I realize that You have heard my prayer. In the name of Christ I ask for it to be accomplished. I seal this with the ancient seal of faith as I say Amen, Amen & Amen
Monday, October 2, 2017
Turning It All Around
Turning from the horrendous "news" that bombards us each day can be challenging for sure. I have been pondering what to do to turn this world around from its downward-spiral. And an idea came to me that I am going to share with you here and ask you to be part of it.
World Lay Ministry Team/Task Force of Light
Premise: Together we can do amazing things. We can be a united force to lift and heal. We can be a task force of Light that dispels the darkness. The good people of earth are the vast majority. It is time to stop a tiny minority from wrecking havoc here. It is time to think new thoughts and do new things that support all life on earth.
Requirements to join: Sincere heart for peace. Filled with compassion. Belief in a Higher Power that is Good and Loving. Desire to be part of the lifting of the people of earth. Commitment to non-violence. Willingness to move beyond tribal lines to embrace all of the children of God, all people of earth. A love for our beautiful little blue planet in the corner of the Milky Way.
Tasks: Daily prayer for our planet and its inhabitants. Reach out to help and lift whenever and wherever possible. Seek ways to make a positive difference, remembering even seemingly tiny choices can make a difference. Refuse to let the darkness take over. Check in here weekly for a new prayer and read it prayerfully and thoughtfully, and if appropriate, share it with others and invite them to join.
Pledge: With all of the integrity of my being I promise to do my best to fulfill the requirements, do the tasks and move quietly to lift the people and all inhabitants of earth and earth itself. I promise to monitor my thoughts, words and deeds to focus my life upon peace, compassion and lifting.
If you agree, say "YES" deep inside. You are now a member. Tell others. Let's turn this planet around.
Prayer for Week
Source of all being, Divine One, I turn to You this day humbly committing myself to be a member of The Task Force of Light.
Open my eyes to see what I can do. Grant me the courage to follow the highest and best in all I do and say and think.
With deep love in my heart for this planet and for all of its inhabitants, knowing we all come from One Source, from You, I step into this new way to be.
I claim peace on earth. Let it be so.
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