Celtic Spirituality

Here is a good overview of Celtic Christian spirituality, from Christine Sine. I especially like #2: "A belief in the thinness of the veil between this world and the next. Heaven and earth are interconnected and interacting." I'm intrigued by the blank #8 at the end of the article - perhaps indicating an open-endedness?

Link: Celtic Spirituality – What Is The Attraction? by Christine Sine

Strength Training Past 50

Research-based benefits to strength training for those of us age 50 and over: 

1. Strength training will help you avoid the 5 to 7 pounds per decade of muscle loss typically experienced by adults over the age of 50. In fact, research shows that adults average a 3-pound increase in muscle tissue after just 10 weeks of sensible strength exercise. 

2. Strength training will help you avoid the 3 to 5 percent per decade reduction in resting metabolic rate that adults over the age of 50 typically experience. In fact, research demonstrates a 7 percent increase in resting metabolism after just 3 months of sensible strength exercise. 

3. Strength training will help you lose fat even in the absence of dietary restriction. Research indicates approximately 4 pounds of fat loss from strength exercise alone after just 10 weeks of training and twice as much fat loss when combined with minor dietary adjustments. 

4. Strength training has been shown to significantly increase bone mineral density, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis. 

5. Strength training has been shown to significantly increase glucose uptake, thereby reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

6. Strength training has been shown to significantly increase gastrointestinal transit speed, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer. 

7. Strength training has been shown to significantly reduce resting blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

8. Strength training has been shown to significantly reduce improve blood lipid profiles, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

9. Strength training has been shown to significantly increase full-range lower back strength, thereby reducing the risk of low back pain. 

10. Strength training has been shown to significantly increase musculoskeletal function and concurrently ease the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. 

~ from the book Strength Training Past 50 by Wayne L.Westcott and Thomas R. Baechle

BookLog: Evolution’s Purpose

Evolution’s Purpose: An Integral Interpretation of the Scientific Story of Our Origins by Steve McIntosh is a fascinating book that proposes an intriguing link between purpose and the evolutionary process: 

“Examining what science has revealed about our evolving universe from the perspective of integral philosophy shows how evolution is not random, accidental, or otherwise meaningless. On the contrary, its progressive advance reveals the presence of purpose – not an entirely preplanned or externally controlled type of purpose, but rather a creative generation of value that has been continually building upon itself for billions of years.” 

McIntosh goes on to examine the evolutionary process from an integral perspective, while avoiding the jargon that makes some books about integral philosophy unreadable to those who are not in that particular “in” crowd. He examines what it means to have an evolutionary worldview and how that worldview can inform our spiritual lives. 

I have not finished reading the entire book yet, but I look forward to doing so. I’ve learned a lot from the book so far. I can see Evolution’s Purpose as a good choice for an Emergent book group where people can discuss it face to face. 


Links: 
Steve McIntosh’s Website 
Buy Evolution’s Purpose at Amazon

Powerlifting for Pink

My first powerlifting competition was on April 20, “Powerlifting for Pink” – a fundraiser for Paint Georgia Pink, a local volunteer-run charity that helps support breast cancer patients in Georgia. I started training in late November 2012, at a powerlifting class coached by the very knowledgable and supportive Vanessa Gale and David Bell, at CrossFit on the Square in Marietta. Our team is named PrettyStrong Powerlifting.

I won two medals, 1st place in Masters (age 40+) Novice for my weight class, and 2nd place in Mens Novice. My deadlift was 314 pounds (142.5 kg) and my squat was 226 pounds (102.5 kg) – both were PR’s (personal records) for me. I attempted 198 pounds on the bench press but didn’t get it, so my bench PR remains 190 pounds. You can see the video of my teammates and I lifting at the meet here, on the PrettyStrong blog.

In the picture I’m standing with friend and teammate Amanda Shumate Carroll, who was also an award-winner at the meet.

I’m looking forward to entering more competitions and to getting stronger and stronger!

BookLog: How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You

My review as posted on Goodreads:

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You by Matthew Inman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I do feel like this is the most important book I've read this year, but I was disappointed that it didn't cover the phenomenon of cats stealing computer thumb drives. I've caught my cat Guy, who is an anarchist, in the act of stealing a thumb drive, after I had "lost" two of them. I've asked Guy repeatedly about the missing drives but all he does is meow that when the revolution comes, all cats will have thumbs, and they will need thumb drives. Other than this glaring omission, the book contained very useful information about the warning signs to heed when living with cats, and the poster was a nice addition to the text.

On Reading Poetry

A book of poetry is best read
outdoors, surrounded by the beauty
of nature. If it's late at night
and too dark to read outside,
you may read your book
in the presence of a cat.

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In Response to Facebook's Inquiry

How am I feeling today? Thank you for asking, Facebook Robot. I'm feeling the constant undercurrent of existential dread, of course, over the ultimate absurdity of life. But I'm also feeling a deep sense of gratefulness for all the many blessings in my life. Most of those blessings are people, but some of them are cats. Cats are quite adept at balancing absurdity and grace.

There are no easy answers.

This blogpost about the tragic shooting of schoolchildren in Sandy Hook brought tears to my eyes. Mayim Bialik is not only a talented actress and neuroscientist, she is also a woman of deep faith who shares her insights on the Kveller website: 

Mayim Bialik on Sandy Hook, Faith & God

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BookLog: Constance: The Tragic and Scandalous Life of Mrs. Oscar Wilde

Constance Wilde, the wife of Oscar Wilde and the mother of his sons, was amazing. She was a proto-feminist who fought for women's rights, she was involved in esoteric spirituality (Theosophy; the Order of the Golden Dawn), and she was an author in her own right. In fact she may have been the primary author of some of the children's stories attributed to her husband. She did her best to stand by Oscar during his imprisonment and only divorced him to protect their children financially. I don't think she ever stopped loving Oscar, even when his love for her grew dim. 

This fascinating book, Constance: The Tragic and Scandalous Life of Mrs. Oscar Wilde,  draws upon Constance's correspondence with friends and relatives, as well as other sources, to tell her story. The book reads like a novel, and it provides a welcome glimpse into a little-known figure in literary history.

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Having seen all 3 Lord of the Rings movies multiple times, and having worked through my rage at Peter Jackson for omitting Tom Bombadil from the films, and knowing that Jackson was going to squeeze 3 movies out of one novel this time, I wasn't expecting the film The Hobbit to be faithful to the novel. Approaching the film as its own creation, I found it enjoyable and times deeply moving. Yes, I found the video-game CGI aspects of the battle scenes a bit tiresome (and I don't remember that many battles being in the first third of the novel). And I can understand the frustration many feel about Jackson turning a beloved childhood novel into another 3-movie "epic." But overall I loved the movie. I loved the humor, the rapport between the characters, the sheer beauty of the scenery throughout the movie (as well as the beauty of Cate Blanchett and Aidan Turner), the pathos and expressiveness of Andy Serkis as Gollum, and, as always, the depth and dignity Sir Ian McKellen brings to any role he plays. I'm certain I'll see it again on the big screen, and I'm certain I'll buy it on Blu-Ray and geekily enjoy all the extras and commentaries.

BookLog: Water from an Ancient Well

Water from an Ancient Well by Kenneth McIntosh is one of the most quietly wise books I've read in a long time. "Like a Celtic knot, this book is meant to be enjoyed in a nonlinear fashion," McIntosh states in his introduction. Each chapter is a self-contained essay on a particular topic in Celtic Christian spirituality, with stories, theological-historical background, and applications for today. A lot of my favorites are here: St. Brigid of Kildare, the Gaelic hymn "Be Thou My Vision," the Celtic sunwheel cross, St. Columba, St. Brendan the Voyager, even Merlin the Magician. Quotes from C. S. Lewis, "the great Celtic theologian of modern times," are peppered throughout the book. 

My favorite chapters are the ones about the panentheism of John Scotus Erigena ("Every Bush Aflame: God Revealed in Nature") and the one about "Furred and Feathered Neighbors: Creatures of Grace," which shows how St. Columba, St. Brigid, and others related to their animal neighbors. From that chapter:

John Scotus Erigena (Charlemagne's Irish-born theologian) and C. S. Lewis (also born in Ireland, though many centuries later) both wrote about animal salvation, and both shared a similar view. Lewis and Erigena suggest that we are our pets' redeemers; our love for them is a part of God's restoration of all things. Erigena writes, "When man is recalled into the original grace of his nature... he will gather again to himself every sensible creature below him through the wonderful might exercised by the Divine Power in restoring man." In Lewis's novel The Great Divorce, he describes a "great lady" in heaven, surrounded by a small menagerie, and he explains, "Every beast and bird that came near her had its place in her love. In her they became themselves. And now the abundance of life she has in Christ from the Father flows over into them." On a more humorous note, Robert Louis Stevenson writes, "You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."

If you're not familiar with Celtic Christian spirituality, Water from an Ancient Well is a great introduction. Even if you are familiar, this book is a great way to revisit some of these stories, poems, and prayers and learn new ones - especially as we enter the contemplative season of Advent. 

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BookLog: The Cross in the Closet

Is it possible to love and hate a book at the same time? Here is my response to the controversial new book by Timothy Kurek:
Love, Hate, and Solidarity: One Response to "The Cross in the Closet"
at Whosoever, An Online Magazine for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Christians.

After Morning Prayer

Sometimes the Word of the Lord is found
not in the songs of the hymnal
or the prayers of the prayer book
or the words of the minister.

Sometimes the Word of the Lord is found
in the beauty of the grain
of the rough-hewn wood of the chapel

or the rustle of leaves
in the Autumn morning chill.

Silent Prayer, With Crows

Sitting in silent prayer, I hear 
the caw-caw-caw of a crow in the forest 
and off in the distance the caw-caw-caw 
of another crow in response. 
The caws go on and on - 
a deep conversation for the crows - 
but instead of letting it be a distraction 
I choose to let each caw be a Call 
to return to the center, 
return to the One 
who meets me in the silence 
and in the caw-caw-caw of the forest.

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Bear's Talking Points for Election 2012

• We will not force gay marriage on anyone unless you're really really cute.
• God doesn't care how many times he is mentioned in a political platform. God is not looking for plugs or endorsements.
• No one has ever been converted to Christianity by seeing the Ten Commandments displayed in a government building.
• All cats are anarchists. We have much to learn from them.
• If Obama were really a socialist, he would have a coherent and consistent political philosophy.
• Talking points are more valid if they're included in a list with bullet points.
• Cat people are superior to dog people.
• Real vampires don't sparkle.

Paul Ryan, Ayn Rand, H. P. Lovecraft, and Catholic Nuns

As we get closer to the presidential elections in November, we’re all going to see more news stories and Facebook posts about Paul Ryan and Ayn Rand – including on my own Facebook wall. I have been fascinated with Ayn Rand for many years, although I find her philosophy based on “The Virtue of Selfishness” (the title of her 1964 book) reprehensible and incompatible with my own Christian faith. I’ve read Ayn Rand’s novels “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged” (including the 70-page speech by John Galt that brings the novel to a grinding halt), as well as several collections of her essays (including “The Virtue of Selfishness”) and the two biographies of Rand that came out in 2009: “Ayn Rand and the World She Made” by Anne C. Heller, and “Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right” by Jennifer Burns. 

What led to my fascination with Ayn Rand was the 1949 film version of her novel “The Fountainhead” starring Gary Cooper and one of my all-time favorites, Patricia Neal. The movie, the screenplay of which was written by Ayn Rand herself, is overly melodramatic at times, but that’s one of the things I love about truly classic movies from that era (like the 1945 versions of “Mildred Pierce” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray”). I found myself admiring the integrity and philosophical consistency of Howard Roark (Gary Cooper) and Dominique Francon (Patricia Neal), even when I disagreed with them. (Barbara Stanwyck, another classic movie actress I love, had originally brought the novel to studio head Jack Warner, but she was passed over in favor of Patricia Neal to play Dominique. I can’t help but wonder how different the movie might have been if Stanwyck, who loved the novel and agreed with Ayn Rand’s philosophy, had been the star instead of Patricia Neal.) 

 So watching the movie led to reading the novel, which led to reading other works by and about Ayn Rand. In some ways my fascination with Ayn Rand parallels my fascination with the classic horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. Both were somewhat mediocre writers who nevertheless could tell a good story at times. Both led tragically self-centered lives that alienated them from others. Both were militant atheists who wrote essays denigrating those of us who believe in God. Both lashed out in anger and sometimes hatred at people who disagreed with them. Both were driven by ideologies I find reprehensible (Rand’s “virtue of selfishness” and Lovecraft’s vehement anti-Semitism and bigotry). And both were hugely influential in their respective fields. 

Ayn Rand is in the news again because of Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan to be his presidential running mate. Paul Ryan has been open about his admiration of Ayn Rand in the past, as seen in these quotes from a 2005 lecture he gave to The Atlas Society, a group devoted to the philosophy of Ayn Rand: 

The Atlantic: Audio Surfaces of Paul Ryan’s Effusive Love of Ayn Rand 

More recently, though, Paul Ryan has been distancing himself from Ayn Rand, probably because he knows his fellow conservative Catholics are extremely uncomfortable with Rand’s atheism and her strong support of abortion. 

CNN: Is Paul Ryan for or against Ayn Rand? 

National Review: Ryan Shrugged 

Paul Ryan seems to be contradicting himself, or at least his 2012 self is contradicting his 2005 statements about the huge influence Ayn Rand has had on him. Or perhaps over the last seven years he has genuinely changed his position on her philosophy; maybe he really does now prefer Thomas Aquinas to Ayn Rand, as he said to National Review in the link above. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But by referencing the Catholic principle of subsidiarity as an influence on his thinking, Ryan has opened himself up to criticism from the priests and nuns who are far better acquainted with Catholic social teaching than he is (and than I am). And even if he now renounces Ayn Rand, the influence of her philosophy is still clearly seen in his budget proposals and his overall political philosophy. 

Unlike some on the left, I do not feel the need to demonize Paul Ryan for his political views, although I disagree strongly with most of them. Any critiques of Paul Ryan or Mitt Romney that I post between now and November will be out of genuine concern that their policies, if enacted, may damage us as a nation (just as I’ve posted critiques and even angry rants about some of Obama’s actions that have eroded our constitutional rights as individuals and as a nation). 

The NETWORK Catholic social justice group has invited Mitt Romney to join a group of Catholic nuns for one day to learn about the plight of the poor: 

Nuns Challenge Romney To Spend A Day With Them To Learn About Plight Of America’s Poor 

I do hope Romney accepts the invitation, and I hope Paul Ryan accompanies him. For that matter, I think President Obama would do well to step out of the White House and spend a day with nuns who are actually feeding the poor and ministering to those in need, rather than pontificating about it from behind a guarded fence.

On the Chick-fil-A Boycott

I’m having trouble getting behind the Chick-fil-A boycott 100% because there's really nothing new here; Chick-fil-A has been supporting groups like Focus on the Family for decades. I can understand why many don’t want to support such groups, even indirectly, and I can understand why some feel a need to take a stand against what they see as “hate speech.”

But I don't think holding a particular view on homosexuality necessarily constitutes hate. If your view leads you to wave “God Hates Fags” signs at funerals or to bully a gay person, then yes, that's hate. But I don’t think it’s hate or even “anti-gay” if your reading of the Bible sincerely leads you to believe in what Dan Cathy calls “the biblical definition of the family unit.” (A straight friend pointed out that since she is divorced and remarried, she wouldn’t fit Dan Cathy’s definition either.) I have conservative friends who hold such views but who are wonderful people whose friendships I, as a gay man, value greatly.

Perhaps it’s easy for me to understand those who hold such “biblical views” because I held those views myself for many, many years. I didn’t hold those views because I was anti-gay or pro-hate, I held them because I sincerely thought that’s what the Bible taught. I no longer interpret the Bible in that way, and I’m grateful for the freedom that came in my life when I learned there are other ways of reading the Bible. I’ve written several articles about gay-affirming spirituality, and I’m proud that those articles have been published in gay websites and magazines. I will continue to take a stand for gay-affirming spirituality. But I don’t think that makes me superior to those who still read the Bible the same way I did for the first 30 years of my life. For me to condemn or even look down on someone because of a belief – that feels like intolerance to me.

Chick-fil-A is no longer my first choice for a fast-food meal, but I personally don’t feel a need to boycott it completely. You have every right to either boycott or support Chick-fil-A or any other company, and I certainly won’t judge you or condemn you either way. And I hope if you see me getting a Chick-fil-A sandwich or diet lemonade on a hot summer day, you won’t judge or condemn me either.

BookLog: Being Jesus in Nashville

Being Jesus in Nashville is an amazing book with an amazing backstory. The author, Jim Palmer, was a popular writer who had written two best-sellers in the evangelical Christian world: Divine Nobodies: Shedding Religion to Find God (and the unlikely people who help you) and Wide Open Spaces: Beyond Paint-by-Number Christianity. While working on his third book, under contract to a major Christian publisher, Palmer began doing what a lot of us in the Emergent Christian movement have done: he started asking questions – questions that made his Christian publisher so uncomfortable they cancelled his contract, stating that his manuscript did not “lie within the bounds of biblical, orthodox Christianity.” Palmer writes, “With outstanding medical payments still to pay from my near-death car accident, it was financially devastating not to receive the payment that was forthcoming based on my contract. My publisher decided this wasn’t enough and also demanded that I pay back the advance they had issued long ago when I first signed the contract.” So after being forced into bankruptcy, Palmer decided to self-publish the book, and I for one am grateful he did.

The book is largely a collection of stories about people Palmer has met, conversations they have had, questions he has wrestled with. The focus of Jim’s questions is what it means to be Jesus in the real world: in his case, on the streets and in the coffeehouses of Nashville. Not to be LIKE Jesus, but to actually BE Jesus – to take the incarnation of Christ seriously. This is not a new idea to Christian mystics or early church fathers like Iranaeus, who wrote, “The Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through his transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself.” But apparently this is a dangerous idea to evangelical Christian publishers. 

Jim’s voyage of discovery led him to new realizations about what it means to “be Jesus,” and he devotes a chapter to each of these insights. Being Jesus means… 
Parting with religious tradition when necessary; 
Seeing people as they truly are; 
Letting it happen, not making it happen; 
Being at peace, whatever happens; 
Putting no limitations on God; 
Living without separation from God; 
Following your own path; 
Realizing there is no problem; 
Living as everyone’s neighbor; 
Accepting help from others; 
Feeling it all deeply; 
Being a true friend; 
…and in a chapter that would do Pete Rollins proud, “Being Jesus Means… Letting Go of Jesus.” 

Usually when I read a book I know I’ll be blogging about, I’ll take the time to highlight note-worthy passages so I can refer to them in my review. That didn’t happen with this book, because I got swept up in the stories Palmer was telling, overwhelmed by the compassion he shows for the people in his life who are asking questions the institutionalized church will not – or cannot – answer. 

Being Jesus in Nashville is available as a Nook book from Barnes and Noble for only $3.39. Don’t look for it at your local evangelical bookstore, though. Being Jesus in Nashville is way too honest, way too real for them to tolerate.

You can visit Jim Palmer's blog at http://www.divinenobodies.com/blog/. He also has a great Facebook page, Occupy Religion.
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Obama Lets Go Of Fear

Andrew Sullivan's reaction to the ABC News interview today in which President Obama (finally) spoke out in favor of gay marriage: Obama Lets Go Of Fear.


This is a beginning. Right now Obama's support for gay marriage is nothing more than words; we'll see what actions (if any) follow. But the words are powerful. As a queer man it was very stirring - and even healing - to hear a sitting president affirm my equality. I'm not ashamed to say there were tears flowing down my cheeks when I heard the news story on NPR this afternoon. 


And of course there are conservatives who are already airing their homophobic rhetoric, which is to be expected. It was particularly sad to see what John Michael Talbot, a Christian singer whose music I have enjoyed for years, posted on his Facebook wall today. There is so much fear and doublespeak in what John Michael Talbot has written. It reminds me of what supporters of slavery said before, during, and even after the Civil War. They were able to quote the Bible too - even more convincingly than Talbot was today. 


I use the word "homophobic" (fear of homosexuality or of homosexuals) not as a slur but because I believe it is the accurate word to use today: I believe the anti-gay sentiment in our country is really about fear, not hatred. Sometimes it morphs into outright hatred, but I choose to believe that most people who rail against gay marriage are doing so out of fear, not hatred. The institution of marriage is in a shambles today - just look at the divorce rate, domestic violence statistics, and 72-hour Hollywood "weddings" - and many fear that if I as a queer man have the right to marry, that will somehow impinge on their rights, or it will somehow damage the "sanctity" of an institution that has already become desacralized.   


Unlike many of my queer brothers and sisters, I believe it is possible for men and women of good will to disagree on this issue and still be friends or even worship together in the same churches. I love the Bible deeply and I revere it as inspired, but I view it as a collection of human documents, a record of humankind's progressive revelation and understanding of God over the course of many hundreds of years. My brothers and sisters who use the Bible to bash LGBTQ persons, sometimes without even realizing that's what they're doing, are reading the Bible outside of its historical context. I believe they will one day look back at their anti-gay rhetoric with embarrassment, much as the Southern Baptist church today looks back on its pro-slavery rhetoric, which was thoroughly "biblical," with embarrassment and apology. 


Thankfully, my standing before God as an out-and-proud queer man does not depend on being accepted or even understood by John Michael Talbot or anyone else. Including President Obama. But it was wonderful to hear Obama's words today, and to see a sitting president let go of fear. Others will follow. This is my affirmation and my prayer: Others will follow.


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The Werewolf Priest, part 2

“Of course life is meaningless,” said the werewolf priest. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t experience meaningful moments. Flashes of grace in an otherwise graceless world.”

“Meaningful moments? Really?” sneered the vampire. “You sound like a Hallmark card.”

“Why are you vampires always so morose?”

“Because we know what it is like to be cursed with immortality. How can you talk of faith from the pulpit on Sunday and meaninglessness on Monday?”

“Faith is where those flashes of grace, those moments of meaning, originate. And my faith is what helps me recognize them when they appear. Here comes the waitress.”

The vampire looked up at the waitress and pointed to the menu. “I’ll have the porterhouse, rare. Extremely rare.”

The werewolf priest snickered. “You’re so predictable,” he said, then he turned to the waitress and said “I’ll have the same.”

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Outrage & Beauty

There's a bumper sticker that has been popular in activist circles since the 1970's: "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." Today I saw the Tea Party version: "If you're not outraged, you're not paying taxes." I think there's a lot of truth to both bumper stickers! But I don't want to live in a state of outrage or perpetual anger. I'm trying to find a balance, a way of using the anger to do something constructive, then letting it go so I can enjoy my everyday life. That's why I participate in protests, prayer vigils, and workshops about fighting injustices and helping bring about positive change. I don't want to be one of those people who always complain about injustices but never DO anything positive. And I don't want to let those injustices rob me of the joy of living. As Emma Goldman said, "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution." Yes, you'll find the CD box set of Rage Against the Machine in my car, but you'll also find the box set of Thomas Tallis, who composed beautiful classical and liturgical music in the Tudor era. There's a lot of injustice in this world, but there is also a lot of beauty.

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A Book-Lover's Dream:

Benedictine Abbey of Kremsmünster, The Monk Library

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Ash Wednesday

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

When the priest makes the sign of the cross, with ashes, on my forehead, I find these words, this reminder of my mortality, not morbid, but comforting. I am dust. I am earth. I came from the stuff of the earth and to the earth I shall one day return. I am made of the same elements as my fellow human beings, my fellow non-human beings, my fellow trees and sunflowers and stars. I am connected to the Whole. I am earth, and fire, and water, and air, and spirit.

As I receive the Eucharist, the sign of the cross newly imprinted on my forehead, I feel my spirit remembering its connectedness to God, its sacred origin. The opening words of the Ash Wednesday prayer, “Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made,” remind me that the feelings of self-hate I sometimes feel, those moments of self-denigration when I forget my origin in the Divine Beloved – those moments do not come from God. God hates nothing God has made.

As children of God we all have what the Quakers call “the divine spark” within us. We are all connected to God. We are all connected to God's creation. We are all connected to each other.

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The Amazing Story of the Televangelist and His Gay Grandson

This article in Details magazine, The Amazing Story of the Televangelist and His Gay Grandson, was difficult to read. I got choked up reading about the suicide of Oral Roberts' gay son Ronnie, then I got nauseated reading Oral's sermon against homosexuality, then I got angry reading how Randy Roberts Potts was denied access to his grandmother's funeral, then choked up again at the end of the article. Thank you, Randy, for sharing your story.

I attended Oral Roberts University for 2 years (1980-1983) and reading this article brought back a lot of negative memories. I'm grateful for the friendships I made during my time at ORU, and especially the relationship I now have with my godsons John and Sterling, the sons of 2 of my dearest friends from my ORU years.

The Goose and the Common

This anonymous protest poem from 17th century England reminds us that what we today call “privatization” of common resources is an old story. Let’s subvert the paradigm, by supporting public institutions like schools, libraries, and parks.

~ from the 2012 Peace Calendar, Syracuse Cultural Workers

The Goose and the Common

The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
But leaves the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from off the goose.

The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who take things that are yours and mine.

The poor and wretched don’t escape
If they conspire the law to break;
This must be so but they endure
Those who conspire to make the law.

The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
And geese will still a common lack
Till they go and steal it back.

~ 17th century protest against English enclosure

On Occupying Wall Street and Taking Action Locally

As a supporter of the Occupy Wall Street movement, I'm not looking to the government for solutions. The government might be able to provide some limited solutions, but most of us who walk that fine line between "liberal" (a believer in the self-correcting character of American democracy, to use Howard Zinn's definition) and "radical" (believing that something fundamental is wrong in this country - something rotten at the root; again quoting Zinn) believe government is just as much a problem as the corporations. In fact, the MAIN problem is the undue influence the two have over each other. The folks in the Occupy movements are not looking to Obama or any other government leaders, as witnessed by the fact that Congressman John Lewis, whom we all admire, was asked by the Occupy Atlanta assembly to wait until the appropriate time in the meeting before addressing us. (He understood but was unable to wait and left, which many misinterpreted as a refusal to let Rep. Lewis speak.)

A friend of mine who says he is "not a huge fan of Occupy Wall Street" posted this on Facebook: "...I'd advocate an organic approach to the problem. The rich have the power they do because consumers give it to them by the choices they make with their wealth. But if all Americans together chose to withdraw their funds from Bank of America, for example, it would destroy the corporation. If individuals worked together doing things like this, the rich would be at the mercy of the '99%'.”

I agree whole-heartedly with what my friend writes about an organic approach. Another friend of mine posted on her Facebook page, "It took a protest for people to know there are credit unions and local banks? Do you know about home gardening and local farmers yet? Recycling? Barter? DIY? Books?" I think both of my friends make a good point. A lot of the structure we need is already in place; we need for more people to be aware of these alternatives and start using them. I'd add to my friend's list: food co-ops like Sevananda in Atlanta and Life Grocery in Marietta; community radio stations like WRFG 89.3 Atlanta; and indie coffeehouses like Cool Beans on Marietta Square. Support local businesses rather than chains. Download ebooks from the website of an indie bookstore - find one at http://www.indiebound.org/google-ebooks - rather than from Kindle or Nook. Buy fresh food from your local farmer's market instead of cellophane-wrapped frankenfoods at the supermarket.

I think G. K. Chesterton, the English writer who had a huge influence on C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and many others, would agree about an organic approach. I'm reading Chesterton's book on economics, The Outline of Sanity (1926), and it is blowing my mind. According to him, capitalism is just as flawed as socialism. He defines capitalism as "that economic condition in which there is a class of capitalists, roughly recognisable and relatively small, in whose possession so much of the capital is concentrated as to necessitate a very large majority of the citizens serving those capitalists for a wage." According to Chesterton, small shopkeepers, craftsmen, co-operative owner-workers, and independent professionals [like me; I'm self-employed] are not capitalists because we're not wage earners. "They are people who work for themselves, not for others; they are people who possess private property - however limited and however precariously - and thus act according to their own reasonable wishes, not according to the demands and whims of a small governing class" (from the publisher's introduction). G. K. Chesterton views both capitalism and socialism as enemies of a truly free market.

I'm not saying we don't need the protests in Occupy Atlanta and other cities around the world. I support them wholeheartedly, and I'm grateful I was present at the general assembly on October 7th when the Atlanta occupation began. As another friend said that night, I feel like I was present at a historic moment. But I do think we can do more than just protest. Yes, let's march on the Bank of America and exercise our constitutional right to protest. But let's also take action by taking our money OUT of Bank of America (and any other megacorporations) and putting it back into our local communities, our local economies, where it belongs.

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The Werewolf Priest

The vampire comes to my office for absolution, for the Rite of Reconciliation. I can’t tell if he is mocking me or if he is sincere.

“My name is Aaben, and I have a thousand demons in my head. Can you help me?”

If he thinks I can help him it is because, unlike my parishioners, he knows what I am. A werewolf, a creature of the night in some ways like him, in many ways not. He can smell it, just as I can smell the faint odor of death on him like cigarette smoke in his hair.

He leans across my desk, his profane elbows resting on my prayer book. “Is there absolution for monstrous creatures like us?”

“There is absolution for anyone,” I hear myself saying. “Even you and I. That’s what’s so deeply offensive, so horrific about this Gospel to which I am bound.”

“Which is more horrific?” he asks. “When you pray, or when you prey?”

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BookLog: Kissing Fish

Kissing Fish: Christianity for People Who Don't Like Christianity is an intriguing book from the moment you see its front cover: a photo of a Jesus fish and a Darwin fish kissing each other, surrounded by bumper stickers like “Christian, Not Closed Minded.” This is an unusual book in that it’s a serious theological work, but it’s also interspersed with deeply personal passages in which the author, Roger Wolsey, shares his own journey of faith. The result is a very readable and enjoyable book that shares theological insights without seeming preachy or overly scholastic.

Wolsey’s mission is to articulate a new understanding of Christianity, which he terms Progressive Christianity, and which differs significantly from the conservative evangelical faith that most Americans think of as “Christianity.” Wolsey’s Progressive Christianity is very similar to “the emerging Christian paradigm” Marcus Borg writes about in several of his books, including The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith. In a key passage in chapter 2 of Kissing Fish, which I will quote here at length, Wolsey gives an overview of Progressive Christianity as he sees it:

Progressive Christianity is a post-liberal, post-modern influenced approach to the Christian faith that: proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as Christ, Savior, and Lord; emphasizes the Way and teachings of Jesus, not merely His person; emphasizes God’s immanence not merely God’s transcendence; leans toward panentheism rather than supernatural theism; emphasizes salvation here and now instead of primarily in heaven later; emphasizes being saved for robust, abundant/eternal life over being saved from hell; emphasizes the social/communal aspects of salvation instead of merely the personal; stresses social justice as integral to Christian discipleship; takes the Bible seriously but not necessarily literally, embracing a more interpretive, metaphorical understanding; emphasizes orthopraxy instead of orthodoxy (right actions over right beliefs); embraces reason as well as paradox and mystery – instead of blind allegiance to rigid doctrines and dogmas; does not consider homosexuality to be sinful; and doesn’t claim that Christianity is the only valid or viable way to connect to God (is non-exclusive).

In Section I of Kissing Fish, Wolsey examines each of these tenets in detail, in chapters like “Heaven & Hell & what about all those other religions?” and “The Bible: Book of Science, Rules, Facts, Myths, or Life?” Section II (which I’ll write about in a future blogpost) is devoted to living a life of love, peace, and justice, including spiritual practices for the progressive Christian.

Here are some questions for my fellow progressive, emergent, and missional Christians (as well as for my post-Christian friends): What do you think of Wolsey’s summary of Progressive Christianity? Are there parts of his summary you disagree with, or might have worded differently? Are such summaries even useful, given the highly individualized nature of progressive or emergent faith? (I think they can be very useful, if only to let others know that there are other, valid forms of Christianity besides the evangelical, conservative versions.)

Kissing Fish is available from Wolsey’s website, www.progressivechristianitybook.com. It’s also available as an eBook from Nook, Kindle, iBooks, and Google eBooks. If you download it from this link you’ll be supporting Charis Books and More, Atlanta’s independent feminist bookstore. You can also check out the Facebook page for Kissing Fish.

Please feel free to add your comments and responses below. Comments on this blog are moderated, so your comments won't show up immediately.

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