tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54457537091439422462024-02-20T07:16:45.877-08:00insoulpursuitacademic and experiential reflection on psychology, mindfulness, philosophy, spirituality and christianitypetertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-79400121929082822782021-05-23T09:20:00.002-07:002021-05-24T08:24:40.200-07:00A New Pentecost! petertylersoulpursuit.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyncym5rFG2J-aVSoKzqfjtp15nIEOe2EDAGpu-hx3_VnxzzhesOxZxq9w1yEjygirvyP4hi41a8t_376ykGRIKGajdfDc4uCtiE8xLn7BkLxKzVm3dZPD-QXaIkBIGl9aTEwMtLZtWw/s1492/elgrecopentecost.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyncym5rFG2J-aVSoKzqfjtp15nIEOe2EDAGpu-hx3_VnxzzhesOxZxq9w1yEjygirvyP4hi41a8t_376ykGRIKGajdfDc4uCtiE8xLn7BkLxKzVm3dZPD-QXaIkBIGl9aTEwMtLZtWw/s400/elgrecopentecost.jpg"/></a></div>
Dear All,
Happy Pentecost!
On this day of new beginnings and new languages I have decided to move this blog from its present home to a new domain: petertylersoulpursuit.com
This was not an easy decision but it has become increasingly difficult to use this blog so I was advised that I should set up a new blogsite. My last blog about my friend Fr Kevin Alban received many viewings stressing to me the need to continue this service. However my technical proficiency is limited so I will have to ‘move with the times’. So, thank you for all the feedback you have given here and I look forward to continuing the conversation as we pursue the soul together on the new site...
Come Holy Spirit!
<a href="">www.petertylersoulpursuit.com</a>
petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-52156668532143074892021-05-06T04:56:00.000-07:002021-05-06T04:56:34.413-07:00The Very Rev’d Professor Kevin Alban O. Carm. – An Appreciation<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7aP2REbjDaL9ZdWcDhNYeCkdoaoR-oI9G_NNokHRBtH3VyPIge12Rd3jHUjunqvLFmsCD9v8td2NzHpatPKlX-AvnYUX_0SIak0Pdw9eb5TIEe6CiqvitTYLCDlH8_fKrwgVYYYO4BQ/s900/kevin.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7aP2REbjDaL9ZdWcDhNYeCkdoaoR-oI9G_NNokHRBtH3VyPIge12Rd3jHUjunqvLFmsCD9v8td2NzHpatPKlX-AvnYUX_0SIak0Pdw9eb5TIEe6CiqvitTYLCDlH8_fKrwgVYYYO4BQ/s400/kevin.jpg"/></a></div>
It is with great sadness that the death was announced on 4th May of the Very Rev’d Professor Kevin Alban O. Carm. Since his return to England from Rome in 2014 Fr. Kevin had been very involved with the teaching and delivery of courses at the Institute of Theology and Liberal Arts and the Mater Ecclesiae College at St Mary’s, Twickenham. As well as teaching on the Undergraduate and Masters degrees he was a much valued Doctoral supervisor and examiner who will be greatly missed.
Fr. Kevin was born in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1958 and made his profession as a Carmelite friar in 1996 having worked for many years as an English language teacher. He studied history at Balliol College, the University of Oxford and theology in Rome and London. He was ordained priest in 2001 and has been Vocations Director and Director of St Jude’s Shrine in the British Province of Carmelites. From 2001 to 2007 he was based in Rome as Secretary General of the whole Order, and from 2007 to 2013 Bursar General. He was elected Prior Provincial of the British Carmelites in 2017 and died whilst serving in this office.
Fr Kevin’s doctorate was in the spiritual writings of the medieval English Carmelite, Thomas Netter, awarded from the University of London. It was published in 2010 by Brepols as The Teaching and Impact of the ‘Doctrinale’ of Thomas Netter of Walden (c.1374 – 1430).
As well as teaching at St Mary’s he latterly also taught theology at Blackfriars, Oxford and Mariology at Allen Hall, London. Whilst in Rome he taught at the Beda College and helped set up the collaboration with St Mary’s which is now celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Renowned for his love and enthusiasm for medieval Carmelite spirituality he was a leading expert in the field and contributed much to the establishment of St Mary’s MA in Christian Spirituality. He was a great ‘Italiophile’, loving Roman life and culture, but his heart was deeply connected to Aylesford Priory and the British Carmelites and it is fitting that he died there peacefully on 4th May after a short illness.
May he rest in peace.petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-82604921990979721962021-04-03T10:04:00.000-07:002021-04-03T10:04:51.985-07:00A Conversation with Gian Bellini OP<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Happy Easter! For my blog this week a short poem...</div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-27109030347074594242021-02-23T10:03:00.000-08:002021-02-23T10:03:04.206-08:00Fratelli Tutti Seminar - Wednesday 24th February Please see details below of the upcoming webinar hosted by Las Casas Institute/Blackfriars (University of Oxford) and St Mary's University – Poster also attached.
Being without Borders: A Symposium on Fratelli Tutti
24th February 2021
Part 1: 3.30-5pm: What does Fratelli Tutti mean for British society?
Part 2: 6-7.30pm: What does Fratelli Tutti mean for global co-operation?
Zoom Details: http://stmarys.zoom.us/j/82092043701?pwd=YWtFU1FVTFlwZmtQVlU1eGZpMlJEQT09
Fratelli Tutti is the latest Encyclical of Pope Francis. It translates simply as “All Brothers” and addresses issues of fraternity and social friendship in a post-COVID global context. He signed it in Assisi, a place synonymous with fraternity, faith and care for creation.
To explore the issues raised by Pope Francis, Las Casas Institute/Blackfriars (University of Oxford) and St Mary's University are hosting a symposium sponsored by The Pastoral Review on 24th February when leading academics and protagonists in the field will discuss the significance of Fratelli Tutti for the Church and for the World.petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-48786051359008881992020-10-08T04:22:00.003-07:002020-10-08T04:26:40.686-07:00Book Review: 'Saint Catherine of Siena: Mystic of Fire, Preacher of Freedom' by Paul Murray O.P.
<p class="MsoTitle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><strong><u></u></strong></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strong><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq2LmJ8vA1f_ZR1QA5A7pb3Hc-o3uRWfXs7B4WNZPRKMrqc9_4rI0C9kLbs5QEFqcSazVPaj4qlQg-AlM1roUpXAfGEPgu5l-hid9vFiNolvTsMJT7kj16nQc5LeF3gMxzIt6jQ2xICs/s346/catherine+murray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="231" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq2LmJ8vA1f_ZR1QA5A7pb3Hc-o3uRWfXs7B4WNZPRKMrqc9_4rI0C9kLbs5QEFqcSazVPaj4qlQg-AlM1roUpXAfGEPgu5l-hid9vFiNolvTsMJT7kj16nQc5LeF3gMxzIt6jQ2xICs/s320/catherine+murray.jpg" style="height: 413px; width: 342px;" width="214" /></a></u></strong></i></u></div><p class="MsoTitle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><u><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strong><u> </u></strong></i></u></p><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strong><u>
<span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><strong>Saint Catherine of Siena: Mystic of Fire, Preacher of Freedom<o:p></o:p></strong></span></u></strong></i><p><u>
</u><p align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u>Author: Paul Murray O.P.<o:p></o:p></u></span></p><u>
</u><p align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u>Date: 2020<o:p></o:p></u></span></p><u>
</u><p align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u>Publisher: Word on Fire
Institute<o:p></o:p></u></span></p><u>
</u><p align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u>ISBN: 978-1-943243-64-8<o:p></o:p></u></span></p><u>
</u><p align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u>pp. 184 hbk<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></u></span></p><u>
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</u><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">If ever the
world needed the help and wisdom of </span><span face=""Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Caterina di Giacomo di Benincasa, St Catherine of
Siena, it is now. In Professor Murray’s eyes, the ‘mystic of fire’, as he calls
her, speaks as clearly and loudly now as she did 650 years ago in her beloved
native Italy. ‘For all her brilliance’, as he writes in the Introduction to his
new book on her, ‘Catherine comes across to us more as an apostle than an
intellectual, more as a preacher than a scholar’ (iv). In this respect she
shares her theological method with her great late medieval sisters, Julian of
Norwich and Teresa of Avila (proclaimed, like Catherine, a Doctor of the
Church, 50 years ago in 1970 by St Pope Paul VI) - not scholastic but rather
women who speak to the hearts and minds of the faithful by means of direct
expression and exhortation. We will look in vain for a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Summa</i> from these women but rather, according to Murray, what we get
from Catherine is a ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Summa </i>set on
fire, her writings characterized not by academic speculation but rather by a
passionate and anguished concern for the salvation of the world’ (iv). And it is
on these dual aspects of Catherine’s message – her ‘mystical fire’ and her
‘preaching of freedom’ that Murray dwells in this attractive book. His work has
three distinctive parts. First, ‘Bondage into Freedom’, looks at the role of
freedom in Catherine’s writing. As unexpected as it is welcome, Murray wants to
show how the extraordinary and passionate life of Catherine, her brave
encounters with the ‘powers’ of her day, stem directly from a theology of
freedom that pervades her writing. To this end he brings her into conversation
with the first of two intriguing partners: the Renaissance Platonist and
philosopher, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola. In the second part, ‘Fire and
Shadow: Catherine’s Vision of the Self’, Murray examines Catherine’s writing on
self-knowledge and, like freedom, the central role that this plays in her
message. Here he introduces his second conversation partner, the 20<sup>th</sup>
Century Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. In particular, he explores here the
notion of ‘shadow’ in Jung and Catherine. Finally, the last section, ‘Laudare,
Benedicere, Praedicare’ is possibly the most Dominican section of the book as
he emphasizes the importance of praise, blessing and preaching in Catherine’s
theology. Again, Murray’s exposition of Catherine’s approach to prayer, the
wellspring of Christian life; apostolic ministry, especially to the poor and
marginalized and evangelical proclamation of the Gospel, offers a substantial
pastoral (Dominican) theology of practice which he demands the reader takes
seriously as a call to a new ‘order of life’. As with so much of Murray’s
writing what is attractive in this new book is that the reader can approach it
on several levels. For the serious scholar of Christian spirituality there are
riches indeed here. The author’s own translations of Catherine’s writings,
especially her letters, are fresh and appealing and in themselves are worth the
read. However (scholar of Christian spirituality as I am) I turned first and
avidly to the chapters on Pico della Mirandola and Jung. I was not
disappointed. By placing Catherine into dialogue with Mirandola, one of the leading
lights of Renaissance thought, we see how Catherine was very much a daughter of
her times, fitting into the open and questing culture of early Renaissance
Italy. It is not for nothing that she was canonized by her fellow Sienese,
Aeneas Piccolomini (Pope Pius II) a renowned master of Renaissance scholarship.
It is doubtful whether (Anglophone) scholars of Catherine will have read much
of Mirandola and by including substantial extracts from his writings it is
hoped that the author will initiate a deeper interest in this key figure.
Mirandola’s notion of<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> umanesimo</i> -
humanity balanced between heaven and earth in a unique act of creation by God, as
expressed in the ‘Oration on the Dignity of Man’ – perfectly complements
Murray’s exposition of Catherine’s sacred humanity. As Mirandola expresses it
in words given to God the Creator in an imaginary conversation with Adam: ‘We
have made you neither celestial nor terrestrial, neither mortal now immortal,
so that, as the free and sovereign sculptor of your own being, you can fashion
yourself into whatever image you choose’ (p.30). In contrast, perhaps, Carl
Jung will be better known to readers of the book. Or is he? Following that
great Dominican son of Croydon, Victor White O.P., Murray questions some
received wisdom on Jung and quotes White with approval: ‘I think the
friendliness of Jung represents a far more serious and radical challenge to
religion as we know it than did ever the hostility of Freud’ (p.83). For White,
in his dialogue with Jung, this came down to Jung’s understanding of the shadow
and evil, which White, good Thomist that he was, interpreted through the
Angelic Doctor’s lens of ‘privatio boni’. In this respect Catherine too is a
true daughter of the Order as she proclaims that in God there can be no shadow
only ‘light surpassing all other light’ (p.84). In navigating these
psycho-spiritual rapids I usually advise students to recognise and acknowledge
Jung’s clinical importance and contribution whilst gently critiquing his less
well developed ventures into Christian theology. Fortunately Murray adopts a
similar tactic and accordingly allows us to see the profound psychological
wisdom of Catherine, tempered as always by her Dominican worldview. But for
those less interesting in academic disputes on the nature of evil, the book
will be equally rewarding. The final section, in particular, is a heartfelt
exposition of Catherine’s ‘practical theology’ by a celebrated modern master of
the subject. Throughout, Murray echoes Catherine in stressing that ‘I am not
writing to you about what God has done and is still doing, because there is no
language or pen up to the task’ (p.114), but rather rests his commentary on the
interface of ‘what can be said’ and ‘what cannot be said’. Catherine, through
Professor Murray’s pen, makes manifest the divine healing love of God that, as
I stated at the outset, the world sorely needs right now. A book to treasure
and return to. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p></p></p>petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-88788456639977755672020-07-23T03:13:00.003-07:002020-07-23T03:13:24.855-07:00Book Review: Ronald Rolheiser 'Domestic Monastery'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span abp="721" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I
must begin this review with a confession. I received this book just before
Christmas, read it on a grey misty day, made some notes for review and then put
it aside. The Christmas festivities and work demands took up my attention from
there and then the covid crisis hit… In many ways this has proved providential.
For if Fr Rolheiser’s new book was relevant BC (Before Covid), well it is
essential reading PC (Post Covid). His premise is simple, but in writing on
spirituality it is more often than not that simplicity hits the spot.
Essentially he hopes to persuade us that ‘monasticism’, ‘silent retreat’ and ‘spiritual
seclusion’ are not just for a cloistered elite but are not only accessible, but
even essential for all, especially those engaged in busy family and work lives.
To this end he weaves a short punchy text that is rather charmingly illustrated
with old woodblock drawings and etchings (no credits or references given,
alas). Those familiar with Fr Rolheiser’s style already – straightforward and
honest spiritual reflections founded on good learning and often delivering a
punch at the end – will not be disappointed. The text, though not long, has a
clean symmetry and structure which make it something to return to again and
again. Within are so many spiritual themes that it is invidious to pick out
examples. However to illustrate Fr Rolheiser’s argument I shall do just that.
The first of these, quoting St John of the Cross (one of his favourite
inspirations), is that the contemplative life is not based on abnegation and
denial but, rather, a mixture of withdrawal from the world and the cultivation
of tenderness and mildness: ‘withdraw from the world and become mild, bringing
the mild into harmony with the mild’ (p.11). Giving us numerous examples he
shows how this ‘milding’ is just as likely (if not more likely) to be achieved
by a busy mother as a spartan recluse. His second point, that great spiritual
progress can be achieved by ‘staying in our cell’ doesn’t need to be reiterated
PC. If we have learnt one thing over the past few months it has been the need
to live with, and face, our lives, warts and all, as we work out our own
socially isolated covid seclusion. Which draws us to Fr Rolheiser’s third
point: the need in the spiritual life for rhythm, routine and ritual. How many
of us, I wonder, have resorted to routine and ritual these past few months to
get us through the sheer mechanics of surviving the covid lock-down? As he
reminds us: ‘monks sustain themselves in prayer not through feeling, variety or
creativity, but through ritual, rhythm and routine’ (p.42). Prayer, for Fr
Rolheiser is ‘a relationship, a long term one and lives by those rules’ (p.43).
Pointing out the necessary tension that lies between contemplation and action
(as well as that between ‘passion and purity, intellect and will, community and
individuality’, p.55) Fr Rolheiser shows us the ‘creative tension’ that lies in
the path of those who seek a ‘Domestic Monastery’. One last point. I
particularly enjoyed Fr Rolheiser’s exposition of the spirituality at different
stages of life as he clearly and unflinchingly stresses the need in our final
years ‘to not so much struggle as to how to give our lives away but with how to
give our deaths away’ (p.69). Strong stuff but, again, so appropriate to our
mortality haunted times. So, in conclusion, I would not only recommend you buy
a copy of this small spiritual classic but that you purchase one as a gift for
those friends, colleagues, loved ones and family members who have struggled
these past few months to make sense of the impact of the deadly covid virus.
This charming little book will, I am sure, bring a lot of healing to a traumatised
world. Thank you Fr Rolheiser.<o:p abp="722"></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-7194359341463071792020-07-14T09:06:00.000-07:002020-07-14T09:06:03.811-07:00Healing Anger with Thomas Merton and Fr Thomas Kochumuttom CMI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b abp="666" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="667" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="668">Dear Friends,</o:p></span></b></div>
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<a abp="862" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCbsxGYE4UkrNt4c4G4vK5S0Fzr3I8KggEJLIVErqh59JHUpm1FYeEGtZbCMXsKOIMiHK_TuyZ37wCIoOiaWbroFSoFKjrvHOUQskB2sZ4MVdmSN2zbRD1nBNVx-xv1rvhqk36wW2tlE/s1600/kochumuttom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img abp="863" border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCbsxGYE4UkrNt4c4G4vK5S0Fzr3I8KggEJLIVErqh59JHUpm1FYeEGtZbCMXsKOIMiHK_TuyZ37wCIoOiaWbroFSoFKjrvHOUQskB2sZ4MVdmSN2zbRD1nBNVx-xv1rvhqk36wW2tlE/s320/kochumuttom.jpg" width="240" /></a><b abp="666" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="667" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="668">I was recently asked to celebrate the ministry of Fr Thomas Kochumuttom in India with a Festschrift. I was delighted to write a chapter on his approach to healing anger from a Buddhist and Christian perspective. I include here some of the last section of the chapter on how his writings relate to those of Thomas Merton. I hope the full chapter will be published later this year.</o:p></span></b></div>
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<b abp="666" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="667" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="668">Best wishes</o:p></span></b></div>
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<b abp="666" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="667" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="668">Peter</o:p></span></b></div>
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<span abp="689" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Having
engaged in dialogue with both Buddhist and Western psychological views of the
self I would like to return to the opening task set out in this chapter –
namely, how can this dialogue <i abp="690" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">help us</i>
when encountering the pastoral situation of healing anger in a Christian
context? Once again we can return to Fr Thomas’s writings on the subject where
he presents us with the Christian approach to the problem (CL: 117 – 118). This
can be summarised thus:<o:p abp="691"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="694" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1. We must
first ‘delve deep into the unconscious and uncover the hidden and forgotten
experiences and be reconciled with them’. Whether we are Buddhist, Christian or
Western Atheist, we all have the same minds as human beings. What the dialogue
of this chapter shows is that, to use the phrase of the Austrian philosopher
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951), we all form our ‘pictures of the facts’ (<i abp="695" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wir machen uns Bilder der Tatsachen, </i>Wittgenstein
1993 1:14). Whether we call that picture ‘unconscious’ or ‘skandha’, in our
reflection on our most shameful and negative acts we return to these ‘hidden
and forgotten experiences’ as we seek to be reconciled with them. How is that
done? Fr Thomas continues:<o:p abp="696"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="699" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2. By
‘positive thinking, forgiveness, repentance, rationalization and
self-acceptance’. A whole book could be written on this path and constraints of
space do not permit me to explore them further here. Perhaps Fr Thomas may yet
write another book that does that! For now, I refer the interested reader to my
book <i abp="700" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Confession: The Healing of the Soul</i>
(Tyler 2017) which in like fashion explored many of these themes as manifest in
the Christian sacrament of Reconciliation. <o:p abp="701"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="704" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If we follow this path, says Fr Thomas, ‘that is indeed liberation and
enlightenment’. Yet, running like a golden thread through his teachings, FrThomas
reminds us that for Christians this healing forgiveness has one mediation – in
the person of Jesus Christ, the living Lord and Guru. For whereas ‘Adam’ in the
Christian tradition holds all the sufferings and </span><i abp="705" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="706" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">du</span></i><i abp="707" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="708" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">ḥ</span></i><i abp="709" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="710" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">kha</span></i><span abp="711" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> described by the Buddhists, Christ, the ‘new man’,
the ‘new Adam’ holds the liberation , the <i abp="712" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">s</i></span><i abp="713" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="714" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">u</span></i><i abp="715" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="716" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">ḥ</span></i><i abp="717" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="718" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">kha</span></i><span abp="719" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, of all beings. And this perhaps marks the
strongest divergence between the Buddhist path presented above and the
Christian path followed by a Christian contemplative such as Fr Thomas. For as
Fr Thomas explained in his earlier <i abp="720" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Comparative
Theology</i>:<o:p abp="721"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="729" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Buddhist way is for the most part a psychotherapy. This is quite
understandable, indeed, for according to the Buddhist diagnosis the basic
illness of man is mental, namely that his mind is badly determined and
controlled <span abp="730" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by the unhealthy factors
generating in him restlessness, tension, anxiety etc., as a result of which he
is unable himself as a mature man. (Kochumuttom 1985:136)<a abp="731" href="file:///E:/Home/india/thomas%20festschrift/thomas%20festschrift.docx" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span abp="732" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="733" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="734" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="735" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p abp="736"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="744" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Writing on
this same point shortly before his death, the 20<sup abp="745">th</sup> Century American
Cistercian, Thomas Merton (1915 – 1968) in the Preface to his book <i abp="746" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Man</i> in 1967, mused on how we can
‘convert’ emotions and states of mind from the destructive to the constructive.
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<span abp="750" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">First, he suggests, there is psychoanalysis: ‘if you have a great deal
of money and can afford a long analysis – and can find an especially good
psychoanalyst’. Yet, even with this, psychoanalysis can, at the best he
suggests, only lead to ‘workable compromises which enable us to function... we
are not born again, we simply learnt to put up with ourselves’ (Merton 1989: 145).
Freud himself held up no great hope for ultimate liberation or enlightenment
arising from therapy, rather he often expressed the aim as one of reaching
‘normal neurosis’ or ‘common unhappiness’ (see Tyler 2014: 98). <o:p abp="751"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="754" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A second means to transformation, according to Merton, is through mass
movements ‘sometimes of extremist character, sometimes messianic and political
quasi-religious’ (Merton 1989: 145). Yet this is an ideology or a political
‘cause’ rather than a metaphysical transformation. Merton wrote perceptively of
the movements he had witnessed in the 20<sup abp="755">th</sup> Century – Nazism and
Communism. Yet, as we now move into the post-pandemic phase are we not seeing
the rise of new political and ideological movements, often based on nationalist
or narrow racial bases? Can these liberate? Will these provide the answers our
times desperately seek? Our analysis here suggests not. Rather, as Fr Thomas
suggested earlier, we are to seek that spiritual transformation of the whole
person. Like him, Merton acknowledges a psychological ‘unconscious’ dimension
to this work:<o:p abp="756"></o:p></span></div>
<div abp="757">
</div>
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<span abp="759" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="760"><span abp="761" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div abp="762">
</div>
<div abp="763" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36pt;">
<span abp="764" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It is a deep spiritual consciousness which takes man beyond the level of
his individual ego. This deep consciousness, to which we are initiated by
spiritual rebirth, is an awareness that we are not merely our everyday selves
but we are also One who is beyond all human and individual self-limitation.
(Merton 1989: 146)<o:p abp="765"></o:p></span></div>
<div abp="766">
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<span abp="768" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="769"><span abp="770" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="773" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And as with
Fr Thomas, so Merton sees this ‘rebirth’ for Christians as the adoption of the <i abp="774" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">persona Christi</i>: ‘to be born again is to
be born beyond egoism, beyond selfishness, beyond individuality in Christ’ (1989:
146/7). This ‘rebirth in Christ’ is as much a ‘rebirth of the passions in Christ’.
With regards to anger this must be immersed constantly into the Jordan of the
unconscious so that Christ may absorb and transform it. This is not a one-off
process but something that recurs throughout life:<o:p abp="775"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="778" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="779"><span abp="780" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="783" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Birth in the Spirit happens many times in a man’s life, as he passes
through successive stages of spiritual development... True Christianity is
growth in the life of the Spirit, a deepening of the new life, a continuous
rebirth, in which the exterior and superficial life of the ego-self is discarded
like an old snake skin and the mysterious invisible self of the Spirit becomes
more present and more active. (Merton 1989: 147)<o:p abp="784"></o:p></span></div>
<div abp="785">
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<span abp="787" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="788"><span abp="789" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="792" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So then, to
conclude our dialogue and this chapter, Fr Thomas suggests in his essay that
when we deal with particular pastoral situations, such as the dealing with
anger, we do so on two levels. On one level there is our individual story
reflected in the conscious levels of the ‘ego’. But on the other there is a
metaphysical, or what he calls a ‘collective consciousness’. Our individuality
is thus a sharing in the mystical body of Christ:<o:p abp="793"></o:p></span></div>
<div abp="794">
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<span abp="796" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p abp="797"><span abp="798" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="801" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As each individual should become enlightened with regard to his personal
unconscious, so, in and through the same process of personal enlightenment, the
whole humanity becomes and should become enlightened with regard to the
collective unconscious, eventually resulting in the emergence of the new
creation – the new earth and the new heaven (Rev 21:1) with God becoming all in
all (I Cor 15:29). (CL: 119)<o:p abp="802"></o:p></span></div>
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<a abp="809" href="file:///E:/Home/india/thomas%20festschrift/thomas%20festschrift.docx" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span abp="810" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="811" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="812" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="813" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span abp="814" style="font-size: x-small;">
Gay Watson develops this theme in her ‘Resonance of Emptiness’ from which I
have drawn liberally in this chapter. She concludes by suggesting the ‘next
turning of the wheel of Dharma’ in the West will inevitably be connected with
its involvement with the evolving practices of psychology and psychotherapy.
This ‘prediction’ made in 1998 has partly been realised with the mass
‘mindfulness’ movement that has become so prevalent in the West in the past
decade. When I researched my ‘Christian Mindfulness’ in 2017-8 I had an
interesting conversation with the noted Buddhist scholar, Rupert Gethin, who
also suggested that what might be happening in the West today is the
development of<span abp="815" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mindfulness as a new
phenomenon in the West that ‘eschews traditional Buddhist practices (such as
devotional rituals) and the traditional framework of karma and rebirth... and
replaces these with a more therapeutic framework’ (Tyler 2018: 15). Thus, Fr
Thomas’s identification of the <i abp="816" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">samskara
skandha</i> with the Western unconscious, as explored in this chapter,<span abp="817" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>looks set to remain important as Buddhism evolves
and develops in the West in tandem with psychology and psychotherapeutic
practices.</span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-77660650368284647012020-05-29T08:43:00.001-07:002020-05-29T08:43:56.242-07:00Renewal of the Spirit: The Blessing of covid?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b abp="1" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="2" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Renewal
of the Holy Spirit: The Blessing of Covid?<o:p abp="3"></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span abp="19" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">With what we have
been through these last few months I never thought I would write the above
title – but as before the clues were in Blake’s drawings. We now move some way
forward to Job’s sacrifice. The plate illustrates the passage from <i abp="20" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Book of Job </i>42: 8 when the Lord
addresses the ‘comforters’:<o:p abp="21"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="26" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><em abp="1356">‘Now
therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer
up yourselves a burnt offering, and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I
will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you
have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.’<o:p abp="27"></o:p></em></span></div>
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<span abp="32" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Job’s posture is now
one of open acceptance to the will of the Lord and the open book below gives us
the injunction from the sermon on the Mount:<o:p abp="33"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="35" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="36"> </o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="38" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><em abp="1377">‘Love
your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those that hate you and
pray for those that despiseth you and persecute you’<o:p abp="39"></o:p></em></span></div>
</div>
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<span abp="44" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Throughout the series
of prints of Job’s trial the heavenly forces have been represented
figuratively: first Satan with his dancing, grinning gait and then the old
bearded figure of God the Father ‘speaking from the whirlwind’. In this print
no heavenly (or hellish) apparitions appear. Round the edges are our old
friends the angels but now the movement is from earth to heaven as a great
plume of smoke arises in Job’s heart and moves up to meet the great Sun of
Creation. This is the first sun we have seen since the beginning of the series
when Satan appeared as the sun set. His wife and the comforters adopt a
suitably penitent pose at Job’s feet. Wheat begins to grow as new life emerges
from its sleep.<o:p abp="45"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="47" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="48" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the last plate we encountered the
Trinitarian problem at the heart of Blake’s message – the absence of Jesus
Christ can be troubling for many Christians. Yet here, to my eyes anyway, just
as in the previous plate Christ was implied so the third ‘member’ of the
Christian trinity is implied here – the Holy Spirit. According to Christian
theology the ‘comforter’ comes to help convey our prayers to the Creator. After
His dramatic appearance in the whirlwind the Creator has now returned to his
inscrutable presence at the ground of all creation (‘unless I go He cannot
come’). From Job’s breast, now renewed and upright, the Holy Spirit arises and,
as Job decorates the margins of the plate, exhorts us to love our enemies and
pray for those who persecute us. <o:p abp="49"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="51" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="52" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We began our covid vigil at the
beginning of Lent and for many of us the lockdown now begins to an end as we
approach Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit. In the spirit of Blake’s
plate let us pray for the renewing force of the Holy Spirit to help us rebuild
our lives, cities, relationships and world as the ‘curse’ of covid reveals its
‘blessings’<o:p abp="53"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="1408">
<span abp="58" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Peter Tyler,
Pentecost 2020<o:p abp="59"></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-27927733322832926462020-05-19T03:35:00.000-07:002020-05-19T03:35:44.898-07:00The Sons of Morning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b abp="12" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="13" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Blake’s
Job: The Sons of Morning<o:p abp="14"></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span abp="34" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="35"></o:p></span> </div>
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<span abp="39" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">As the world begins
to wake from its covid sleep we come to Plate 14 in our journey with Job and
Blake through covid. The Plate illustrates the lines of renewal from the Book
as God describes the creation of the world:<o:p abp="40"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="42" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="43"> </o:p></span></div>
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<i abp="45" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="46" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">‘When
the morning Stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy’<o:p abp="47"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span abp="52" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">As is fitting for the
subject Blake produces one of his most beautiful and profound plates. Job, his
wife and comforters all kneel in suitable astonishment as God for a brief
moment unveils the mysteries of creation. The six days of creation from the
Book of Genesis are depicted around the edges as within we see the morning
stars and the ‘Sons of God’ dancing and singing together in what appears to be
a rather stately 18<sup abp="53">th</sup> Century galliard. More stars appear on the
edges: the belt of Orion and the Pleiades, ‘the Seven Sisters’. And as these
heavenly beings all rejoice in their renewal below we see the dark forces of
chaos and creation, the leathery scales of Satan and his dragons, lying
obediently and meekly tamed. <o:p abp="54"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="56" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="57" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Much has been made of Blake’s fourfold
division of the central panel between earth, heaven, the moon and the sun and
Jungian commentators point to the ‘mandala’ of this fourfold representation. <o:p abp="58"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="60" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="61" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For the purposes of these reflections
two points come to mind. First is the sheer inevitable renewal of creation. As
we slowly begin to throw off the shackles of covid who can deny that nature has
been one of the great sources of comfort in these difficult times. Here in
Northern Europe we have enjoyed one of the most beautiful springs we have had
for years and our towns and cities, cleared of pollution, have sparkled with
morning and midnight stars. A robin has been nesting in my garden and now daily
brings food to the chicks while goldfinches have feasted on the forget-me-not
seeds in the beds. One of the ‘blessings of covid’ has surely been our renewed
appreciation for the natural world and God’s creation around us.<o:p abp="62"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="64" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="65" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The second point is more theological.
Christians may be troubled perhaps that Christ does not appear in Blake’s <i abp="66" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book of Job</i>. If Christ were to appear
then this plate would be the point at which it would happen. The last plate
depicted the awesome ‘otherness’ of God the Creator – speaking ‘out of the
whirlwind’ as a great cosmic force. ‘The Sons of God’ depicted in this plate
are therefore the natural response to the ‘abyss of the Father’ – the intimate
touch of the divine in our own hearts as represented by Blake as the ‘sons’. Religion
seems to evoke two responses – the awe of the transcendent and the intimate
passion of devotion, what the Sanskrit tradition calls <i abp="67" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bhakti. </i>For Christians there is but one ‘Son’ who mediates between the
transcendent unknown ground of Being and ourselves and is the focus of this
devotion. For the past six weeks after Easter, Christians have been enjoying
the presence of the Risen Lord. Soon, on Ascension Thursday, we shall celebrate
the ‘return of the Son to the Father’. However Christ states that ‘unless I go
the Holy Spirit cannot come’. We shall explore this promised coming of the Holy
Spirit in our next post.<o:p abp="68"></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-34069874498107852192020-05-08T05:20:00.001-07:002020-05-08T05:20:30.878-07:00Divine Harmony: Zoom Conference on 23rd May 2020 - All Welcome!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-84823073514870858792020-04-29T03:08:00.000-07:002020-04-29T03:08:03.369-07:00A Journey through Covid with William Blake and Job<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b abp="12" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="13" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A
Journey through Covid with William Blake and Job<o:p abp="14"></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b abp="16" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="17" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Plate
13: Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirlwind<o:p abp="18"></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span abp="22" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome back to the next instalment of our journey
through the Book of Job with William Blake, genius illustrator, as our guide.
We are now more than half-way through the plates when God finally makes an
appearance. God had been in the earliest plates in the court of heaven but as
yet has not manifested to Job himself – although as we saw earlier Lucifer
certainly has by means of plague, pestilence etc. <o:p abp="23"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="25" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It is worth spending some time pondering this
first appearance which is why I include the close up of the central plate as
well as the whole surrounding image. The relevant passage in the Book of Job (Chapter
38) is as follows:<o:p abp="26"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="31" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span abp="32" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i abp="33" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Then the Lord answered Job out of the
whirlwind:<o:p abp="34"></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i abp="36" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="37" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span abp="38" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘Who is this that darkens counsel by
words without knowledge?...<o:p abp="39"></o:p></span></i></div>
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foundation of the earth?<o:p abp="44"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span abp="55" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Who has not felt a whirlwind of emotions these
past few weeks? Have we not gone from denial to anger to frustration to
loneliness to helplessness to depression? Yet out of this whirlwind something
new, and yet very old, emerges. It is the ground-beat of creation. Throughout
our cities, towns and villages nature has reasserted itself. Here in the Northern
Latitudes the inevitable return of spring has brightened our dark covid days
and each evening, over London anyway, Venus and the great spring stars of
Regulus and Spica have shone through unusually clear skies. Nature has
returned, and with it the renewing force of creation. <o:p abp="56"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="58" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Blake depicts the Creator with a compassionate
gaze as he blesses Job and his wife. Using medieval iconography which he was
very aware of, Job and his wife are put on God’s right hand, the traditional
side of the blessed – Those ‘accusers’ who used all sorts of sophistry to bend
the truth go on the left-hand side with the unrighteous. They are even closer
to blindness and not seeing – let’s hope they too will eventually see something
of God’s wisdom and compassion. Job’s rough woollen ‘comfort blanket’ slips
away to reveal his nakedness beneath – ‘naked I came from my mother’s womb,
naked I return, Blessed be the name of the Lord’. The Lord’s whirlwind has a
placental shape and he points away to the distance. This is the moment of
renewal and new directions – Job is being prepared for the next phase of his
life. All masks have fallen now, we are faced with the truth – <i abp="59" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Satya</i> in Sanskrit – a word that combines
the notions of ‘truth’ and ‘being’. <o:p abp="60"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="62" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span abp="63" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If
nothing else the covid crisis has returned us to the fundamentals of life –
what and who really matters. As much as Job we have had an encounter with the
foundations of being, nature and creation. It is up to us now to grow wise from
this encounter so that from now on we cease uttering ‘words without knowledge’.<o:p abp="64"></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-15607233343691138512020-04-09T06:38:00.002-07:002020-04-09T06:44:47.809-07:00'Let Him Easter in us!'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b abp="678" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="679" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Some thoughts for Holy Week in a time of covid:</span></b></div>
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<b abp="4452" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="4453" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">‘Let Him Easter in Us!’<o:p abp="4454"></o:p></span></b></div>
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2020 will go down in history as the year the churches closed. In the 2,000
years of Christianity there have, of course, been other times when churches
were closed in cases of war, famine and civil rebellion. Yet there must be few
people living in Western Democratic countries today who have experienced this
in their lifetimes. I certainly haven’t.<o:p abp="4459"></o:p></span></div>
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I suppose we can go online and watch services and liturgies enacted by solitary
clergy in cavernous empty churches. I’m afraid this is a little too voyeuristic
for me, and besides, I have a sneaking feeling that this is not where we are
being called to now. Rather, in the words of <i abp="4469" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wreck of the Deutschland </i>by the great English Jesuit poet,
Gerard Manley Hopkins S.J., I believe we are being called towards the </span><span abp="4470" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">‘granite of being’. Or, as he addresses it in the
opening lines of the poem:</span><span abp="4471" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="4472"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4476" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Thou mastering me<o:p abp="4477"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4487" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">World’s strand, sway of the sea;<o:p abp="4488"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4498" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The poem is about the terrible sea-wreck and death of the passengers of
the German steamboat, <i abp="4499" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Deutschland, </i>off
the Kent coast in December 1875. </span><span abp="4500" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Amongst the
passengers were five Franciscan tertiaries, driven from Germany by the Falk
laws, all of whom drowned: Mothers Barbara Hultenschmidt, Norberta Reinkober,
Aurea Badziura, Brigitta Damhorst and Henrica Fassbaender. One of the them,
‘the tall nun’, was heard to cry before she perished: ‘Mein Gott! Mach es
schnell mit uns!’ (Philip Martin 1976). Poignantly, for Hopkins, they were
finally laid to rest near his childhood home at St Patrick’s Cemetery,
Leytonstone. Whilst discussing the incident with his rector Fr Jones</span><span abp="4501" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
</span><span abp="4502" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">at</span><span abp="4503" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
the Jesuit house of St Beuno’s, North Wales, where he was resident at the time,</span><span abp="4504" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
the priest opined that he ‘wished someone would write a poem on the sub</span><span abp="4505" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">ject’</span><span abp="4506" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">.
This was all Hopkins needed to rekindle his writing career and within a few
weeks he had produced the great ode o</span><span abp="4507" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">f 35 verses</span><span abp="4508" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">.</span><span abp="4509" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="4510"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4514" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="4515" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The genius of Hopkins’ work, a true
Paschal drama, is how he turns this disaster into a witness of Christ’s loving
work in the world. This I have recently argued is what we can call the ‘symbolic’
aspect of the Christian message. I am influenced heavily here by the French
Dominican </span><span abp="4516" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Marie-Dominique Chenu</span><span abp="4517" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
O.P. who describes the symbolic element of Christian life as revealing: </span><span abp="4518" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">‘the profound truth that lies hidden within the
dense substance of things and is revealed by these means’ (Chenu 1957: 99). The
Christian view is thus a </span><i abp="4519" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="4520" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">way
of seeing reality</span></i><span abp="4521" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> – a symbolic truth especially open to
the discerning eyes and ears of poets, artists and creators. <o:p abp="4522"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4526" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="4527" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What then is the symbolic meaning of
our present covid crisis? I have tried to explore this in other recent blogs
using the symbolism of Blake’s <i abp="4528" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book of
Job</i>, and hopefully I will continue this in the coming weeks. However for
today, this special Paschal day when we lay aside our everyday lives and enter
for three days into the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ, I return to
Hopkins and his exhortation at the end of the <i abp="4529" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deutschland</i>: ‘Let Him Easter in us.’<o:p abp="4530"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4534" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">For
sure the next few weeks will see a great deal of suffering, tragedy and death,
it has already begun. But as Christians I believe our role now is to see the ‘symbolic’
hand of God in this suffering as we are led down the Seven Steps into the
Underworld of Holy Saturday.<o:p abp="4535"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4539" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The shorthand for this symbolic form
is, of course, ‘the Cross’. The Cross, for the Christian, straddles the two
realities of despair and fulfillment. The Christian, as Edith Stein suggested,
thus becomes the symbol as they face the Cross in an act of faith, or as Chenu
put it:<o:p abp="4540"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4544" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">To
join two realities within a single symbol was to put the mind into secret
contact with transcendent reality… the result was a double resonance within the
single grasp of a ‘dissimilar similitude’ (Chenu 1957: 131, c.f., Dionysius, <i abp="4545" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Celestial Hierarchy</i>: 2<o:p abp="4546"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Therefore,
rather, than sitting at home waiting for the churches to reopen we are called
today to find Christ in our hearts, our homes, our families, our everyday lives.
‘Christ plays in ten thousand places’ says Hopkins, and why not in your living
room or garden? Also, during this difficult time we are asked, I believe, to find
Christ in each other and to pay particular attention to small acts of love and consideration.
J.R.R. Tolkein famously said at the completion of his epic <i abp="4551" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lord of the Rings</i> cycle that the world will be saved by small acts
of kindness. Accordingly, during this special Paschal time let us each see 2020
as an invitation to enter the symbolic reality of the moment in small acts of
kindness to those around us and in a deepening sense of the presence of Christ
in our lives through prayer. Let us take time each day to perform these acts,
and especially to contemplate Christ’s message for us through them. The covid crisis will then become an invitation to let Christ 'Easter in us' so that ultimately He becomes for us, as Hopkins concludes his epic poem: </span></div>
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<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span> </div>
<div abp="4549">
<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">'A dayspring to the dimness of us, be</span></div>
<div abp="4549">
<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> a crimson-cresseted east... </span></div>
<div abp="4549">
<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Pride, rose, prince, hero of us, high-priest, </span></div>
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<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Our heart's charity's hearth's fire, our thoughts' chivalry's throng's </span></div>
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<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Lord.' </span></div>
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<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span> </div>
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<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span> </div>
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<span abp="4550" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Happy Easter when it comes! Love Peter</span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-91013211722177581182020-04-06T10:54:00.001-07:002020-04-06T10:54:16.457-07:00Passover--Easter--Ramadan 2020 in a time of covid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span abp="18" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">This month three of
the major world religious celebrations of 2020 occur one after another in quick
succession: Passover, Easter and Ramadan. Like the annual renewal of Spring it
is reassuring that these ancient ceremonies repeat with their familiar summons
to repentance and soul-searching. Yet, this year all will be different. Communal
gatherings will be banned - mosques, synagogues and churches will be closed. In
terms of the covid crisis we have reached midnight. Deaths are predicted to
peak this month around the world as families will be shaken by the illness and
death of loved ones.<o:p abp="19"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="21" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">In reflecting upon
this I have turned once again to the Blake prints I commented on earlier in the
crisis. In the former blog we looked at the arrival of the angel of pestilence
– Satan – with his poetic pose and his halo and we saw then that, like the
Israelites of old, we were being summoned upon the journey of Exodus out of our
familiar world of ‘onions, cucumbers and melons’ to the harsh landscape of the
desert. Yet, as we discussed in the previous blog, in the desert we can see
wonders happen and like the silent bird of the <i abp="22" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Upanisads</i> we are being called to listen to the silent song within
our hearts. <o:p abp="23"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="25" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">In the cycle of Blake
prints we also reach midnight. Job, like our modern technocratic world, lies prone
at the bottom of the picture. All is seemingly paralysed, he can neither move
forward nor back. However, in the central panel he has now adopted a different
attitude to the one we saw in the last plate. He is attentive, humble even. He
realises that he has nowhere else to go. Even the three ‘accusers’ are silent,
his wife sits next to him with her head held in despair. Yet in contrast to
these five pitiful figures Blake introduces a new figure – Elihu, the young man
who will lead Job out of this mess. He begins his speech:<o:p abp="26"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="31" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">‘I am Young and ye
are very Old wherefore I was afraid to declare my opinion before you.’ The
scriptures tell us he ‘was angry at Job because he justified himself rather
than God, he was also angry at Job’s three friends because they had found no
answer though they had declared Job to be in the wrong.’ After the denial and
depression, as Kübler-Ross tells us, anger is the next stage in our mourning
for what has been lost and in these few weeks as people lose their livelihood,
cannot find health services or even simple foodstuff there has been a rising
anger. But Elihu’s anger is different, this is what used to be called in the old
days ‘righteous anger’. It is the anger of youth that has ‘waited for words,
listened for wise sayings’ and found none. <span abp="1419" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Blake makes him a prophetic figure full of
vitality and vigour in contrast to the five ‘oldies’ in front of him <span abp="31" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="1419" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">– this is
the <i abp="1420" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Parrhesia</i> that authors as diverse
as Michel Foucault and Hans Urs von Balthasar talk about – ‘speaking truth to
power’ as we would call it nowadays, the traditional role of the prophet. </span>Blake makes him a prophetic figure
full of vitality and vigour in contrast to the five ‘oldies’ in front of him.
He stands proud and upright pointing to the heavens while his other hand is a
rebuke and a blessing at the same time. The five listeners look suitably
impressed and hear him out. In contrast to Job and his crew he is half clothed
in shade and he occupies the same space as the twelve stars that Blake has
thoughtfully wrapped around him. It is clear that this is no ordinary young
man. </span></span></span></div>
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<span abp="31" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">In psychological terms we talk about two aspects of the psyche/soul; the <i abp="32" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">senex </i>or ‘old man’ and the <i abp="33" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">puer</i> or ‘youngster’. Elihu is clearly a
representative of the <i abp="34" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">puer</i> – to my
eyes Blake also seems to make him sexually ambivalent, he is neither male nor
female with his long hair and his gentle step. This is a figure from the part
of the psyche that has not been operative up to now. Again, as in the previous
plate, Blake gives us more clues as to what is going on in the surrounding to
the panel. Yes, the old figure asleep at the bottom seems unconscious but look
what streams from him: a series of naked free-flowing figures, again sexually
ambiguous, leading us up to the declaration at the top of the plate: ‘In a
Dream, In a Vision of the Night, in deep Slumberings upon the bed. Then he
openeth the ears of Men and sealeth their instruction...’ The unconscious is
now speaking via the puer-figure of Elihu and Job and his tribe are both
entranced and terrified. They know that however unpalatable the message this is
what they must hear...<o:p abp="35"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="37" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Which brings us back
to Passover, Easter and Ramadan.<o:p abp="38"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="40" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The Passover
celebrations will begin this week with the Seder meal, normally held at home
with the family. Towards the beginning of the meal the youngest child asks the
famous question: ‘How is this night different from all other nights?’ Like
Elihu, wisdom will come from the youngest as all look to them to start the
ceremony. Likewise, in the Christian version of the Seder, Christ’s Last Supper
in Jerusalem, also celebrated this week on Maundy Thursday, at a crucial moment in the meal Jesus ‘got up from the table,
took off his outer robe and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water
into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the
towel that around him’ (John 13: 4 – 5). The disciples were shocked and
scandalised, Peter even refusing to have his Master suffer this indignity to
which Jesus replies ‘unless I wash you , you can have no share with me...’<o:p abp="41"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="43" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">All this, starting
with Elihu, points the way out of our present crisis – like Job in this picture
we have to accept with humility what is happening to us and our societies and
realise that the Master must now become the Servant. <i abp="44" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Senex</i> must give way to <i abp="45" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Puer</i>
if we are to allow the human spirit to emerge from this crisis. One world is dying and a new one is arising. <span abp="48" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">As in Blake’s print
it may seem that we are at midnight, but this is where the seeds for renewal
lie – in our societies, in our homes and in our hearts. Let us continue to pray
for all the human family at this difficult time – especially that we may all experience the renewing humility depicted by Blake, whatever our race, creed or
religion. That we may listen again to the young and those on the margins of society. For the dawn will surely come again and let us be ready for it when it
does.<o:p abp="49"></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span abp="51" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">To close I leave a
link to the astonishingly beautiful depiction of this scene in Ralph
Vaughan-Williams’ ‘Job: A Masque for Dancing’. I hope you enjoy it. </span></div>
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<span abp="51" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span> </div>
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<span abp="51" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Love</span><div abp="1375">
<span abp="51" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<span abp="51" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="54" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Peter</span></span><br /></div>
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<span abp="60" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="61"> <a abp="270" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ2X0ab8kiU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ2X0ab8kiU</a></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-63778545031294037112020-03-22T05:12:00.000-07:002020-03-22T14:47:03.548-07:00Mindful Living in a Time of Covid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span abp="19" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Many of us wake up
today to the new normal: churches, mosques, synagogues and temples closed; restaurants,
bars and theatres closed. Even parks and home visits off limits. In response to
my blog last week some people have asked that I say a little more about the ‘mindful
living’ I mentioned earlier. I am happy to do this if it will help us to come
through this extraordinary and unprecedented situation. <o:p abp="20"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="22" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Accordingly I take as
my ‘text’ a verse from the 2,500 year old Sanskrit ‘Svestasvatara Upanisad’,
chapter 4, sloka 6:<o:p abp="23"></o:p></span></div>
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<i abp="28" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="29" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">dv</span></i><i abp="30" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="31" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="32" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="33" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="34" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> supar</span></i><span abp="35" style="font-family: "calibri";"><i abp="36" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="37" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";">ṇ</span></i><i abp="38" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="39" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">ā</span></i></span><i abp="40" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="41" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> sayuj</span></i><i abp="42" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="43" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="44" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="45" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="46" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> sakh</span></i><i abp="47" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="48" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="49" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="50" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="51" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">y</span></i><i abp="52" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="53" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="54" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="55" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="56" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> sam</span></i><i abp="57" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="58" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="59" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="60" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="61" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">na</span></i><i abp="62" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="63" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";"><span abp="64" style="font-family: "calibri";">ṃ</span></span></i><i abp="65" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="66" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
v</span></i><i abp="67" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="68" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";"><span abp="69" style="font-family: "calibri";">ṛ</span></span></i><i abp="70" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="71" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">k</span></i><i abp="72" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="73" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";"><span abp="74" style="font-family: "calibri";">ṣ</span></span></i><i abp="75" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="76" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">a</span></i><i abp="77" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="78" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";"><span abp="79" style="font-family: "calibri";">ṃ</span></span></i><i abp="80" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="81" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
pari</span></i><i abp="82" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="83" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";"><span abp="84" style="font-family: "calibri";">ṣ</span></span></i><i abp="85" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="86" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">asvaj</span></i><i abp="87" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="88" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="89" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="90" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="91" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">te / tayor
anya</span></i><i abp="92" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="93" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";"><span abp="94" style="font-family: "calibri";">ḥ</span></span></i><i abp="95" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="96" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> pippala</span></i><i abp="97" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="98" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Gill Sans MT";"><span abp="99" style="font-family: "calibri";">ṃ</span></span></i><i abp="100" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="101" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
sv</span></i><i abp="102" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="103" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="104" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="105" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="106" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">dv
atty anaśnann anyo abhic</span></i><i abp="107" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="108" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="109" style="font-family: "calibri";">ā</span></span></i><i abp="110" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="111" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">kaś</span></i><i abp="112" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="113" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="114" style="font-family: "calibri";">ī</span></span></i><i abp="115" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="116" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">ti<o:p abp="117"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i abp="122" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="123" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">[personhood]
is like two birds of golden plumage, inseparable companions, perched on the
branch of the same tree.<o:p abp="124"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i abp="126" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="127" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">One
of them tastes the sweet and bitter fruits of the tree; the other, tasting
neither, calmly looks on.<o:p abp="128"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span abp="133" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">I mentioned in the
last blog our ‘animal’ reaction to the covid crisis: fear, anxiety, the need to
get enough food, protect loved ones etc. This is the bird that ‘eats the sweet
and bitter fruit’. Edith Stein, the 20<sup abp="134">th</sup> Century German philosopher
calls it the ‘me-self’. Sigmund Freud and his followers call it the ‘ego’. And
it is important. In fact many branches of depth psychology are called ‘ego
psychology’ as they help us to develop and strengthen the ego. Many spiritual
practitioners today talk of ‘getting rid of the ego’. Which is a) not possible
and b) probably not desirable anyway... There are two birds on the branch - we
cannot kill two birds with one stone! Rather the ego must continue to eat its
bitter and sweet fruits – rushing around trying to get enough protective kit,
cans of soup and avoiding all contact with everyone else. This is a survival
strategy that is part of our make-up. Note that this bird has ‘golden plumage’
too – it is just as important as the other bird...<o:p abp="135"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="137" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="138" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But all the time the other silent bird
looks on – this is what Edith Stein and others call ‘the soul’. It is the
eternal part of us that can observe silently what happens in the ego. Now, this
is the part of the self that is normally hidden in our day-to-day lives. In
fact for most of us it often only a crisis – a bereavement, unemployment,
sickness – that can enable it to emerge. Well we have a big crisis now – in fact
all three rolled into one. Now is the time to listen to the song of the silent
bird (as St John of the Cross said). As we sit at home or out on our solitary
walks let us devote 10 – 15 minutes each day to listening to this song. Why not
dedicate the traditional time of sunrise and sunset to this practice? From this perspective we can
begin to redress the balance in our personalities – away from the ‘me-self’ to
the soul.<o:p abp="139"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="141" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="142" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One last thing. I mentioned in the
previous blog the Sanskrit notion of the ‘tirtha’ or ‘crossing place’ and
suggested we are at such a crossing place now. As well as a physical crossing
place – a pilgrimage – the Sanskrit texts talk of ‘tirthas of the heart’. There
are six of these ‘crossing places of the heart’: truth, charity, patience,
self-control, love and wisdom. As we stay at home with our loved ones and
family, as we interact with each other in the coming weeks and months, let us
aim to nurture these six qualities in our social interactions as we move into
the mystery we are all being invited to enter.<o:p abp="143"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="145" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="146" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yesterday I was able to work in the
garden, planting vegetables for the new season and sowing the first seeds of
the season on a bright spring day. As I watched the inevitable renewal of the
earth I remembered some of the last words of the Viennese composer Gustav
Mahler in his ‘Song of the Earth’, written as he was dying of heart disease in 1909.
I shall finish with these, thinking and praying for us all:<o:p abp="147"></o:p></span></div>
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<i abp="152" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="153" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The
well-loved earth everywhere and always<o:p abp="154"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i abp="156" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="157" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Blossoms
again in spring and grows green anew!<o:p abp="158"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i abp="160" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="161" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Everywhere
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<i abp="164" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="165" style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Forever...
Forever... Forever...Forever...<o:p abp="166"></o:p></span></i></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-67422255515708690092020-03-15T11:01:00.000-07:002020-03-15T11:01:30.306-07:00A Covid Lent with Job and William Blake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b abp="12" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i abp="13" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a abp="173" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1NfCG8DDjNG3_RgikO6jKCp5HkrBKFkp86QpO30ygYEAF2jAg0XFvIXUbp77rf9hFlelZ1j_OnUVR9c0IOI9CkTWWJsUVf9XxRUabICm4-cKUDKeooaq3eAZWg2jg9sd-nK4zOBSCdg/s1600/Blake_Job_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="174" border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="694" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1NfCG8DDjNG3_RgikO6jKCp5HkrBKFkp86QpO30ygYEAF2jAg0XFvIXUbp77rf9hFlelZ1j_OnUVR9c0IOI9CkTWWJsUVf9XxRUabICm4-cKUDKeooaq3eAZWg2jg9sd-nK4zOBSCdg/s640/Blake_Job_6.jpg" width="502" /></a></i></b></div>
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<i abp="19" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="20" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">‘Then Satan answered the Lord: ‘Skin
for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. But stretch
out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse you to
your face.’ The Lord said to Satan: ‘very well, he is in your power, only spare
his life...’<o:p abp="21"></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span abp="31" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The Book of Job is not my usual reading material but I
regularly ponder on William Blake’s famous illustrations for the same, given
here. In these unprecedented times it seems right to return to these monumental
sources. This Plate, Number 6, illustrates Satan returning to earth to give
plague and pestilence to the upstanding, moral and seemingly undeserving Job.
Blake fills in the edges with illustrations suggesting that not only Job’s
health is ruined, but also his economic wellbeing and comfort – thistles grow,
creepy-crawlies abound and the yard is littered with rubbish and broken
potsherds. Things are looking bad for him. His wife lies mourning at his feet
whilst Job lies paralysed in agony, not even able to turn his palms upwards to
accept this willingly. <o:p abp="32"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="34" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Yet, as always with Blake we need to look at the details
and catch the allusions he is giving us. The main clue is in the accompanying
quotation from the Book of Job:<o:p abp="35"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="37" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb and Naked shall I
return thither –<o:p abp="38"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="40" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the
Name of the Lord.’<o:p abp="41"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="42" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="43" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The fact that this quote seems to be hymned by a chorus of
tiny whirling demons only adds to the mystery. <o:p abp="44"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="45" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="46" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">There are more clues in the engraving. There amongst the
broken pots and rubbish are frogs and locusts... Now we begin to see the allusion.
Blake is pointing us to the other time God’s destroying angel sent a plague –
the Book of Exodus and the plagues sent to Egypt. Now we begin to see them all
in Blake’s engraving – locusts, frogs,<span abp="47" style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Aaron’s broken staff turned into a snake, those little demons again - don’t
they look like the gnats and the flies? -, Job’s boils, the darkness, the
thunder and hail... And immediately we know where all this is leading. To the
final great plague God will send on to the Egyptians – the Passover and the
killing of the first born:<o:p abp="48"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="49" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="50" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">‘For I shall pass through the land of Egypt that night, and
I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and
animals...’ Exodus: 12.12<o:p abp="51"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="53" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">This is all strong stuff and perhaps not what we want to
think about during the present crisis but is not a deeper truth being shown to
us? The plague, or Covid 19, is it not a sign, a signifier? The Sanskrit term
is a ‘Tirtha’ – a ‘crossing place’ – from the ordinary world to the
transcendent realm. All of a sudden, without any preparation we have been given
a crossing place. Our ordinary lives have been turned upside down as Satan
appears to dance grinning over our prone society. Yet, Blake appears to give
Satan a halo and was he not instructed by God himself to undertake this act? At
present Christians are also engaged in the sacred preparations of Lent -
deliberately and consciously preparing themselves for the ‘great crossing’ that
will happen in Holy Week as they move through the suffering of Christ’s passion
and death to the resurrection of Easter morning. Is this then not part of our
Lent? We are being asked to let go of our ordinary attachments and prepare
ourselves for the great deliverance that we are assured will come to us.<o:p abp="54"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="55" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="56" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The incident portrayed here, as signified by Blake with an
enormous setting sun, is just the beginning of Job’s ‘night sea journey’. He
will have to suffer many more trials before the sun will rise again:
psychological and spiritual as well as physical and material. It seems as
though we too are just entering a ‘night sea journey’ as the sun goes down on
our everyday routines. I pray that wherever you are, however you are facing
this event, that, in solidarity with each other we approach it as mindfully as
possible, aware that, as the <i abp="57" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Upanisads </i>say,
we have ‘two selves’. One that is basically selfish and will want only to fight
for our own survival, but also another, the transcendent part, that will be able
to cope with this, reflect upon it, and perhaps, like Job, eventually achieve
Wisdom through mindfully facing the inevitable suffering we are all about to
undergo.<o:p abp="58"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="60" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">God bless<o:p abp="61"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="63" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;"><o:p abp="64"> </o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="66" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Peter<o:p abp="67"></o:p></span></div>
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<b abp="69" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="70" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-width: 95%;"><o:p abp="71"> </o:p></span></b></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-66398366026387594542019-12-15T10:06:00.002-08:002019-12-15T10:06:40.568-08:00Edith Stein and Resilience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Following the excellent conference in Cologne this summer here is an extract from my paper on Stein and Resilience. As well as a picture of the remarkable Stein memorial in Cologne.</div>
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best wishes</div>
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Peter</div>
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<i abp="154" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="155" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">‘A
</span></i><span abp="156" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">scientia
crucis <i abp="157" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(‘science of the cross’) can be
gained only when one comes to feel the Cross radically.’<a abp="158" href="file:///C:/Users/Peter/Desktop/peter/edith/stein%20resilience%20cologne.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span abp="159" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="160" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="161" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b abp="162" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="163" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
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<span abp="166" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="167"> </o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="169" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">In their 2016 essay
on the subject, Cook and White suggest that there are three essential elements
of resilience: <o:p abp="170"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="171" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="172" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">1. ‘Confrontation of
significant adversity or risk’<o:p abp="173"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="174" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="175" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">2. ‘The use of
internal and external resources to cope amidst adversity’ and<o:p abp="176"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="178" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">3. ‘A positive
outcome’ (Cook and White 2016: 2)<o:p abp="179"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="181" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Edith
Stein’s experience at the hands of the Nazis in the 1930s and 40s clearly came
under category one and she certainly displayed, in testimonials and letters, an
ability to ‘cope amidst adversity’. But, a ‘positive outcome’? Systematic
humiliation and trial, transportation across Germany in a stinking cattle wagon
with no food or water, leading to the eventual extermination of a wise, pious
and compassionate middle-aged woman in the degradation of Auschwitz - can <i abp="182" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this </i>be called a <i abp="183" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">positive </i>outcome? Well, on the basis of psycho-somatic metrics,
obviously not. Yet, this is a paper concerning <i abp="184" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">psycho-spiritual </i>reflection on resilience, and if there is one
thing we can learn from the Christian scriptures it is that the ‘foolishness of
God is wiser than human wisdom, and that God’s weakness is stronger than human
strength’ (1 Cor 1: 25). Thus, in this paper I want to bring Edith Stein, her
experiences and her reflections thereupon, into conversation with the emerging
discourse of resilience. Already it will be apparent that the unique
circumstances of Stein’s life, force us into new positions, perhaps
uncomfortable to the psychologist but always rewarding for the theologian. In
this respect I see this paper as part of an ongoing project of dialogue between
theology and psychology that began with my book <i abp="185" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pursuit of the Soul </i>(Tyler 2016). <o:p abp="186"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="187" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="188" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="189" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What is clear in the emerging
discourse of resilience, as initiated by scholars such as Cook and White, is
that a distinction can be made between the healthy individual and the resilient
individual, which distinguishes it from the now well established discourse of
mental health, with all its pitfalls and problems. <o:p abp="190"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="191" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span abp="192" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Which is to say that
rather than borrowing its terminology from medical tropes, the language of
resilience encourages us to move beyond the borders of the purely medical as we
stray into the borders of spirituality and religion. From this I would like to
suggest that pathology and human suffering, rather than being something to be
swept under the carpet are ‘authentic, real and valuable as they are’ (Hillman
1975: 75).<o:p abp="193"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="195" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="196"> </o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="198" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="199" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this respect the language of resilience, as
I argued in my earlier book, opens up the possibility of <b abp="200" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ambiguity, paradox, unknowing and the symbolic in our relationship to
the human psyche</b> (or, better, soul) when faced with the extreme conditions
of human existence (see Tyler 2016:177- 179) and this will be a major theme of
this paper as we explore the ‘soul-language’ of Edith Stein. <o:p abp="201"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="203" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span abp="204" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Secondly, the exploration of the
discourse of resilience allows us to expand upon the <b abp="205" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">transcendent perspective in relation to the individual</b>. <o:p abp="206"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="208" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p abp="209"> </o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="211" style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">As we shall see, the
transcendent perspective is an essential dimension of the psyche in Stein’s
anthropology and if we are to make sense of her resilience in the face of the
horrors and perversions of the Holocaust then we cannot avoid a discussion of
her analysis of the human being as being essentially a <i abp="212" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">homo transcendens.</i><o:p abp="213"></o:p></span></div>
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<a abp="219" href="file:///C:/Users/Peter/Desktop/peter/edith/stein%20resilience%20cologne.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span abp="220" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="221" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="222" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="223" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span abp="224" style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span abp="225" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;">Letter
to Mother Ambrosia Antonia Engelmann, the Prioress of Echt Convent, December
1941, 9 months before Edith Stein’s deportation to and death at Auschwitz
Concentration Camp (in Stein 1993: 341).<o:p abp="226"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="228" lang="X-NONE"><o:p abp="229"><span abp="230" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-72608209498855237822019-07-16T03:00:00.001-07:002019-07-16T03:00:49.868-07:00New Forms of Monasticism? December 2019, Twickenham<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Please find attached poster for our forthcoming conference with the Monos foundation which we are very much looking forward to.<br />
<br />
best wishes<br />
<br />
peter<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmemAHIENO3ZunBzxgYixgEwPADimKy5v6ip_Zd9B6Mk1IPvJtJnsqd_8lsOWSbmoRO9opc7-6kn6Sf_P_BC3RAYnLRcC6OcE4mszNT_t3H-lZlK8NN9QiyReaLHb3TPEFEZ6SGufmKc/s1600/Monos+Conference_A4+poster_19-081_MAR19_PROOF+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmemAHIENO3ZunBzxgYixgEwPADimKy5v6ip_Zd9B6Mk1IPvJtJnsqd_8lsOWSbmoRO9opc7-6kn6Sf_P_BC3RAYnLRcC6OcE4mszNT_t3H-lZlK8NN9QiyReaLHb3TPEFEZ6SGufmKc/s640/Monos+Conference_A4+poster_19-081_MAR19_PROOF+2.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-55519837674319797942019-07-16T02:58:00.000-07:002019-07-16T02:58:14.667-07:00St John of the Cross: Carmel, Desire and Transformation, Twickenham, June 2020<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Please find attached poster for our next International Conference which we are very much looking forward to.<br />
<br />
best wishes<br />
<br />
Peter<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml_hyphenhyphen8sZOl_0TsZkvUhZ8Ghe8lgDo_c_Om-9eScDiIN6XkNhlbJ8tmcopBMqPIl0qr8xiXXOKG71aaUt2oNq_M6oFH3Nvqjv10MPlX4PS-dOHbakFpex-dXPOEzYsfNK70vfmZjpE1VU/s1600/John+of+the+Cross_A4+poster_july+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1085" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml_hyphenhyphen8sZOl_0TsZkvUhZ8Ghe8lgDo_c_Om-9eScDiIN6XkNhlbJ8tmcopBMqPIl0qr8xiXXOKG71aaUt2oNq_M6oFH3Nvqjv10MPlX4PS-dOHbakFpex-dXPOEzYsfNK70vfmZjpE1VU/s640/John+of+the+Cross_A4+poster_july+19.jpg" width="432" /></a></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-13046915388460844012019-05-12T12:28:00.000-07:002019-05-12T12:28:19.481-07:00Spiritual Seasons of LIfe - Peter Tyler and Hymie Wyse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b abp="40"><span abp="41" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span abp="42" style="font-family: Arial;">Cockfosters
Centre for Spirituality, Church of Christ the King,<o:p abp="43"></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b abp="45"><span abp="46" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span abp="47" style="font-family: Arial;">29
Bramley Road, Oakwood, N14 4HE.<o:p abp="48"></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b abp="50"><span abp="51" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span abp="52" style="font-family: Arial;"><span abp="53" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Six minute walk from Oakwood Station)<o:p abp="54"></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span abp="56" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span abp="57" style="font-family: Arial;">Tel 020 8449 6648
Email </span></span><span abp="58" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-font-kerning: 1.5pt;"><a abp="59" href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span abp="60" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">cockfosterscs@rcdow.org.uk</span></a></span></div>
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<b abp="74" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="75" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 26pt;">May 18<sup abp="76">th<o:p abp="77"></o:p></sup></span></b></div>
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<b abp="79" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup abp="80"><span abp="81" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 26pt;">11am to
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</span><b abp="84" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="85" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 22pt;">'Spiritual Seasons of Life'</span></b><b abp="86" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="87" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><o:p abp="88"></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b abp="90" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="91" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">A day led
by Peter Tyler and Hymie Wyse<o:p abp="92"></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b abp="98" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="99" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Beginning with our earliest experiences of
the divine, we shall spend the day meditating on what it means to be aware of
God's presence throughout the 'spiritual seasons of life'. We shall accompany
our reflections with readings and sayings from Meister Eckhart - 'the one from
whom God hid nothing'.<o:p abp="100"></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span abp="106" style="font-family: Arial;"><b abp="107" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Peter Tyler</b> is a Professor of Pastoral Theology and Spirituality.
He is a UKCP registered psychotherapist and contributes to the current dialogue
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<span abp="109" style="font-family: Arial;"><b abp="110" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hymie Wyse</b> is a Therapist and Group Analyst and has been interested
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<span abp="115" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span abp="116" style="font-family: Arial;">Suggested donation
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<span abp="119" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span abp="120" style="font-family: Arial;">Tea/coffee and
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<b abp="123"><span abp="124" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span abp="125" style="font-family: Arial;">We do not wish cost to be a barrier so
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<span abp="128" style="font-family: Arial;"><b abp="129"><u abp="130"><span abp="131" style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Please note later start
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-69734667869520370502019-03-26T08:14:00.002-07:002019-03-26T08:14:31.992-07:00Recent Interview on Radio Slovenia...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUWQ3FLMrxM2_imtjw16ApqRi0p51CAF4aySntX_ABUVpRSgBxMee_8uYj_K72mLNcD9LxvYAFBbS_4JkuD5v7WJhD3YZisly6d-5uNAN9kge9K3CcUdJ9qKX0BY4J1WKTdU8m-sgs4Q/s1600/slovenia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUWQ3FLMrxM2_imtjw16ApqRi0p51CAF4aySntX_ABUVpRSgBxMee_8uYj_K72mLNcD9LxvYAFBbS_4JkuD5v7WJhD3YZisly6d-5uNAN9kge9K3CcUdJ9qKX0BY4J1WKTdU8m-sgs4Q/s400/slovenia.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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... with thanks to producer extraordinaire, Robert Kralj!<br />
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best wishes<br />
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Peter<br />
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<a href="https://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/novice/prva-zenska-v-zgodovini-ki-je-dobila-naziv-uciteljica-cerkve/483694">https://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/novice/prva-zenska-v-zgodovini-ki-je-dobila-naziv-uciteljica-cerkve/483694</a></div>
petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-48731078914628574542019-01-21T10:08:00.001-08:002019-01-21T10:08:33.828-08:00The Return of Wisdom! 11th May 2019 St Mary's University Twickenham London<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-83472668327239332292018-12-18T10:24:00.001-08:002018-12-18T10:24:57.482-08:00Abbot Timothy Wright OSB - Pilgrim for Peace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In a year that has seen so many beloved friends, family and colleagues depart this world one great loss was the former Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey, Timothy Wright OSB. For some years I worked closely with Abbot Timothy at the Beda College in Rome and when we ran an exciting conference in 2014 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pope St Paul VI's first encyclical, <em abp="12">Ecclesiam Suam</em>, he was an obvious choice for a speaker. In an extraordinary talk he surveyed the present state of Muslim-Catholic dialogue before introducing the powerful film <em abp="13">Of Gods and Men, </em>depicting the final days of the Tibhirine monastic martyrs of Algeria - many of whom he knew personally and of whom he spoke so movingly. My good friend, Prof Jose Nandhikkara CMI, editor of the Journal of Dharma in Bengaluru, <a abp="14" href="http://www.dharmaramjournals.in/JournalOfDharma/Default.aspx">http://www.dharmaramjournals.in/JournalOfDharma/Default.aspx</a> has kindly agreed to publish the address in the latest issue of <em abp="15">Journal of Dharma</em>. I reproduce a short extract here as a tribute to Abbot Timothy with the kind permission of the community of Ampleforth Abbey and the English Benedictine Congregation. May Abbot Timothy, that great pilgrim for peace, rest in peace.</div>
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<b abp="17" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="18" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul VI: <i abp="19" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ecclesiam Suam </i>and <i abp="20" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nostra
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<span abp="24" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Pope Paul VI with his encyclical <i abp="25" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ecclesiam
Suam</i> made a dialogical turn in Catholic Church’s relations with the rest of
the world with the call for dialogue with religions, cultures and all people of
good will, promoting mutual fellowship and harmony of life. </span><span abp="26" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">The term dialogue was used
seventy-seven times in the encyclical and two-thirds of the document was
devoted to its meaning and application. He wanted “to demonstrate with
increasing clarity how vital it is for the world, and how greatly desired by
the Catholic Church, that the two should meet together, and get to know and
love one another”<a abp="27" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span abp="28" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="29" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="30" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="31" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
and suggested dialogue as the preferred and natural means for such an encounter
and living together in harmony.</span><a abp="32" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span abp="33" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="34" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span abp="35" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="36" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="37" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="38" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span abp="39" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif";">The encyclical speaks about dialogue
in four concentric circles, beginning with the whole human race in the
outermost circle and the members of the Catholic Church in the innermost
circle. The second circle consists of people who believe in God, including
Judaism, Islam and Afro-Asian religions.</span><i abp="40" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="41" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
Ecclesiam Suam </span></i><span abp="42" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">shows a characteristic change of language towards Islam:
“worthy of our affection and respect… the adorers of God according to the
conception of monotheism, the Moslem religion especially, deserving of our
admiration for all that is true and good in their worship of God.”<a abp="43" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span abp="44" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="45" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="46" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="47" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
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<span abp="50" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span abp="51" style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Learning
from <i abp="52" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ecclesiam Suam</i> </span><span abp="53" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Vatican II
made a paradigm shift in Catholic Church’s relations with the rest of the
world, especially with the followers of other religions, with the call for
dialogue with religions, cultures and all people of good will, promoting mutual
fellowship and harmony of life. </span><i abp="54" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span abp="55" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Nostra
Aetate</span></i><span abp="56" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
of Vatican II confirmed the positive attitude to Muslims:<i abp="57" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <o:p abp="58"></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span abp="60" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Upon the
Moslems, too, the Church looks with esteem. They adore one God, living and
enduring, merciful and all-powerful, Maker of heaven and earth and Speaker to
men. They strive to submit wholeheartedly even to His inscrutable decrees, just
as did Abraham with whom the Islamic faith is pleased to associate itself.
Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They
also honor Mary, His virgin mother; at times they call on her, too, with
devotion. In addition they await the Day of Judgment when God will give each man
his due after raising him up.<a abp="61" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span abp="62" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="63" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="64" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="65" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p abp="66"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="68" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Significant here are the remarks of
Paul VI relating to ‘prayer’ and ‘worship’, repeated again saying that the
Muslims “enjoy special spiritual kinship with our faith,”<a abp="69" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span abp="70" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="71" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="72" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="73" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
then elaborating this ‘spirituality’ by linking it to the moral order. “All
those who worship the one and only God are called to establish an order of
justice and of peace on earth.”<a abp="74" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span abp="75" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="76" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="77" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="78" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
A couple of years later he takes another line, saying “we feel sure …. you join
in Our prayer to the Almighty, that he may grant all African believers the
desire for pardon and reconciliation so often commanded in the Gospels and the
Koran.”<a abp="79" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span abp="80" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="81" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="82" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="83" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
This invitation to become one in prayer was a step forward from <i abp="84" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nostra Aetate. <o:p abp="85"></o:p></i></span></div>
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<a abp="405" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvr7zLB2NXreXqXc0cH_xJSYXF7OM60AgWQ-84yLdY3EF2trtKxM4u9z_JIyuLGzTnPLrmFYjKDZhCF2b985dyZCM8ys8wqIKmyDMXaXAsk4Wf7a4lBMc9qrkvp1Wla495V-UXumXQ6ks/s1600/john+paul+ii+visits-the-omayyad-mosque-9baa5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img abp="406" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="321" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvr7zLB2NXreXqXc0cH_xJSYXF7OM60AgWQ-84yLdY3EF2trtKxM4u9z_JIyuLGzTnPLrmFYjKDZhCF2b985dyZCM8ys8wqIKmyDMXaXAsk4Wf7a4lBMc9qrkvp1Wla495V-UXumXQ6ks/s320/john+paul+ii+visits-the-omayyad-mosque-9baa5.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<b abp="87" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span abp="88" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3. John Paul II: Fertilizing the
Seed so that it Grows into a Large Tree<i abp="89" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p abp="90"></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span abp="92" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">St John Paul II developed this
teaching; changing the language and using his personal charisma. To the
Catholic Community of Ankara, Turkey he said on 29<sup abp="93">th</sup> November 1979: <o:p abp="94"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="95" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify;">
<span abp="96" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As a result
of this faith in God the Creator and transcendent, one man finds himself at the
summit of creation. He was created, the Bible teaches, ‘in the image and
likeness of God (Gen 1:27); for the Koran, the sacred book of the Muslims,
although man is made of dust, “God breathed into him his spirit and endowed him
with hearing, sight and heart,” that is intelligence (Surah 32:8). <span abp="97" style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p abp="98"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="100" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">By placing the two Scriptures
alongside each other John Paul II was suggesting an equality of value arising
from the deep commitment of each community to their own revelation from the One
God. A bridge was built, mutual recognition raised and a step to sharing
spirituality had been taken. Many Muslims felt affirmed. <o:p abp="101"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="102" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span abp="103" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A similar
affirmation was offered to Muslim Leaders in Kenya. The Pope said on 7<sup abp="104">h</sup>
May 1980: "The Catholic Church realizes that the element of worship given
to the one, living, subsistent, merciful and almighty Creator of heaven and
earth is common to Islam and herself and that it is a great link uniting all
Christians and Muslims," adding that the “the honor attributed to Jesus
Christ and his Virgin Mother" strengthened the link and reveals a desire
for greater intimacy, derived not so much from doctrine but from sharing in the
experience of God through prayer, received as gift from the One God, the ‘life’
of the spirituality. <o:p abp="105"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="106" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span abp="107" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This shows
the language and experience of spirituality builds a relationship of ‘love’
with the One God, Creator, Guide, Merciful Forgiver and Host to Eternal Life in
Resurrection. This is the path for a journey into the holiness of God, a
holiness available respectively to each community, for both are walking in
faith side by side to the One God, using different modes of transport. <o:p abp="108"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="109" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 1em 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span abp="110" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
following year on 20 February 1981 in the Philippines Pope St John Paul II went
further suggesting that the two were travelling alongside each other: <o:p abp="111"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="112" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify;">
<span abp="113" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Is it not
right to think that, in the Philippines, the Muslims and Christians are really
travelling on the same ship, for better or worse, and that in the storms that
sweep across the world the safety of each individual depends upon the effort
and cooperation of all? … We Christians, just like you [Muslims], seek the
basis and model of mercy in God himself, the God to whom your Book gives the
very beautiful name of ‘al-Rahman’, while the Bible calls him ‘al-Rahum,’ the
Merciful One. <o:p abp="114"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="116" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Within the framework of mercy both
see the necessity of prayer. The next day he laid the foundation for closer
relationship by focusing on the necessity of prayer: <o:p abp="117"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="118" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify;">
<span abp="119" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Muslims
adore the one God and associate themselves with Abraham, revering Christ and
honour Mary, professing esteem for moral living, prayer and fasting. …. What
seems to bring together and unite, … [is] the need for prayer as an expression
of man’s spirituality directed towards the Absolute. <o:p abp="120"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="122" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Later that year to the Bishops of
North Africa on 23 November he said, “Not infrequently a grace of prayer and contemplation
is attached to life. For many Muslims the Church is the sister: they are happy
to see the holiness of the Church in their features."<o:p abp="123"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="125" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A Symposium
on "Holiness in Christianity and Islam," he said 9 May 1985: <o:p abp="126"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="127" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify;">
<span abp="128" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All true
holiness comes from God, who is called ‘The Holy One’ in the sacred books of
the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Your Holy Koran calls God ‘Al Quddus’, as in
the verse: “He is God, besides whom there is no other, the Sovereign, the Holy,
the [source of] Peace” (Q 59:23). The prophet Hosea links God’s holiness with
his forgiving love for mankind, a love which surpasses our ability to
comprehend: ‘I am God, not man: I am the holy One in your midst and have no
wish to destroy” (Hosea 11:9).<b abp="129" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i abp="130" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <o:p abp="131"></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span abp="133" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In a second parallel he states: “Be
holy, even as your heavenly Father is holy” (Matthew 5:48) and compares it to
Qur’an 2:177, which the Pope summarizes: <o:p abp="134"></o:p></span></div>
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<div abp="135" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify;">
<span abp="136" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Koran
calls you to uprightness, to conscientious devotion, to goodness and to virtue
which is described as believing in God, giving one’s wealth to the needy,
freeing captives, being constant in prayer, and keeping one’s word and being
patient in times of suffering, hardship and violence.<o:p abp="137"></o:p></span></div>
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<span abp="138" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">These paragraphs show a
dramatic shift. It is through spirituality that Catholics and Muslims can come
closer together. Their shared belief in the One Communicating God provides the
path to holiness, shared by Muslims and Christians: not a skill to be acquired,
but a gift to be accepted. </span>
</div>
<div abp="139" style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br abp="140" clear="all" />
<hr abp="141" align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div abp="142" id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div abp="143" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<a abp="144" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span abp="145" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="146" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span abp="147" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="148" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="149" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="150" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul VI,
<i abp="151" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ecclesiam Suam</i>, Libreria Editrice
Vaticana, 1964, 3
<http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/ hf_p-vi_enc_06081964_ecclesiam.html>
(15 May 2014)<o:p abp="152"></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div abp="153" id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div abp="154" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<a abp="155" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span abp="156" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="157" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span abp="158" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="159" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="160" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="161" lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;">Jose Nandhikkara, CMI, “Vision and Mission of Dialogue
in the Vatican II: Investigations after Wittgenstein,” <i abp="162" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Revisiting Vatican II: 50 Years of Renewal</i>, Vol. II, ed. Shaji
George Kochuthara, Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications, 2014, 322-334.</span><span abp="163" lang="EN-IN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;"><o:p abp="164"></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div abp="165" id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div abp="166" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<a abp="167" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span abp="168" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="169" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span abp="170" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="171" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="172" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="173" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul VI,
<i abp="174" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ecclesiam Suam</i>, 107.</span></div>
</div>
<div abp="175" id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div abp="176" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<a abp="177" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span abp="178" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="179" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span abp="180" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="181" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="182" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="183" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Vatican II, “<i abp="184" style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nostra
aetate</i>, Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian
Religions,” 3 <http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_ councils/ ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html>
(16 February, 2014)</span><span abp="185" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">.</span><span abp="186" lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;"><o:p abp="187"></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div abp="188" id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div abp="189" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 17.85pt;">
<a abp="190" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span abp="191" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="192" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span abp="193" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="194" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="195" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="196" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul VI,
To the Faithful at the Angelus,<b abp="197" style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>17
October 1965.<o:p abp="198"></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<a abp="201" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span abp="202" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="203" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span abp="204" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="205" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="206" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="207" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul VI,
To Representatives of Muslims in Turkey, 25 July 1967.<o:p abp="208"></o:p></span></div>
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<a abp="211" href="file:///E:/Home/dialogue%20conference/43.4.3.Dialogue%20of%20Spirituality.Timothy.doc#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span abp="212" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="213" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span abp="214" style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span abp="215" class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span abp="216" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span abp="217" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul VI,
Address to Islamic Communities in Uganda, August 2<sup abp="218">nd</sup> 1969.</span><span abp="219" lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN;"><o:p abp="220"></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-89495675016218841122018-08-14T08:18:00.001-07:002018-08-14T08:18:22.028-07:00'Mystical Doctrines of Deification' edited by John Arblaster and Rob Faesen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Dear Friends,<br />
<br />
I am delighted to see that the proceedings of the Deification conference held in Leuven a few years ago will be published shortly. Go to <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Mystical-Doctrines-of-Deification-Case-Studies-in-the-Christian-Tradition/Arblaster-Faesen/p/book/9780815393245">https://www.routledge.com/Mystical-Doctrines-of-Deification-Case-Studies-in-the-Christian-Tradition/Arblaster-Faesen/p/book/9780815393245</a> for more information. It was a superb conference and this should be an excellent book.<br />
<br />
best wishes<br />
<br />
Peter</div>
petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-74397576981277092132018-07-20T03:57:00.001-07:002018-07-20T03:57:34.676-07:00Christian Mindfulness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Dear Friends,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I am enjoying going through the proofs of the above on these long hot summer days. SCM-Canterbury are doing a wonderful job. Below is some of the first chapter for your interest. We hope to have it launched in the autumn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">best wishes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Peter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">'We
seem to be in the midst of a mindfulness storm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Until very recently comparatively
few people, apart from a few dedicated practitioners, had heard of this form of
meditation. Yet today there seem very few areas of healthcare, psychological
intervention, education or even business and commerce that have not in some way
been touched by what has been termed ‘the mindfulness revolution’. Why this
should be so is anyone’s guess but the trend, especially in the older Western
democracies, for formal religious belonging to be replaced by looser forms of
spiritual expression, as traced by sociologists of religion such as Linda
Woodhead and Paul Heelas, seems by now well documented and well entrenched (see
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">inter alia </i>Heelas and Woodhead 2004;
Bullivant 2013). That this is related to the coming era of ‘mindfulness’ is no
doubt linked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">When the molecular biologist
Jon Kabat-Zinn first developed his mindfulness courses at the University of
Massachusetts in the late 1970s he was not so concerned with the metaphysical
implications of what were originally Buddhist meditation practices as their
clinical and medical efficacy. This novel notion of giving mindfulness
meditation a sound clinical and experimental basis is what proved the essential
catalyst for the subsequent explosion of mindfulness (See Boyce 2011, pp. xii‒xiii).
Thirty years later the clinical evidence for the efficacy of these methods in
treating illnesses as diverse as depression, cancer and eating disorders is
overwhelming (even though latterly there is the inevitable counter-movement
expressing the ‘dangers’ inherent in mindfulness). This, alongside courses such
as Kabat-Zinn’s own Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programme (MBSR) ‒ the
eight week forerunner for many of the later mindfulness courses - and the
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) developed at Oxford by Professor
Mark Williams and colleagues, have contributed to the success of mindfulness as
we know it today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Kabat-Zinn
himself defines mindfulness as ‘paying attention in a particular way: on
purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally’ (Kabat-Zinn 1994, p. 4).
This ‘bare’ definition is supplemented by many practitioners with wider values
drawing upon something closer to traditional Buddhist notions of mindfulness.
Thus Chozen Bays (2011) suggests that it is ‘deliberately paying attention,
being fully aware of what is happening both inside yourself – in your body,
heart and mind – and outside yourself in the environment... it is awareness
without judgement or criticism’ (Boyce 2011, p. 3). She goes further to state
that ‘when we are mindful, we are not comparing or judging. We are simply
witnessing the many sensations, thoughts and emotions that come up as we engage
in the ordinary activities of daily life.’ We could continue multiplying these
varying definitions yet, following Mace, what becomes clear when we analyse
these contemporary understandings of mindfulness is that there seem to be two
directions in current usage (see Mace 2008). First, the desire, as Mace himself
puts it, to concentrate on the ‘bare attention’ - to observe, Buddha-like, the
passing show of sensations, thoughts and emotion with no sticky entanglement.
As neuro-biologists and scientists have become interested in the subject this ‘pure
bare mindfulness’ (difficult as it is to isolate) has become the main source of
their study. On the other hand, writers such as Chozen Bays above or Shapiro
(2006) link the practice with wider connotations of ‘heartfulness’, compassion
and the general teleological development of character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Esoteric though
these debates may sound I think they go right to the heart of the subject we
shall be considering in the present volume: ‘How far, if at all, can
mindfulness be accommodated into an established religious practice such as
Christianity?’ And I think the answer will be (in typical philosophical
fashion) – ‘it depends what sort of mindfulness you are talking about’. Let me
explain further.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mace makes the
point that Kabat-Zinn’s original 1990s formulation of the basic notion of
mindfulness as commonly used today has ‘something of the spirit of the US
Founding Fathers’ in that he wanted ‘to make mindfulness available without any
requirement to accept or reject particular religious beliefs’ (Mace 2008, p.
59). And there can be no doubt that this agnostic method assuming no adherence
to any particular religious belief system (as expounded by Kabat-Zinn <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">et al</i>) has clearly filled a hole in the
collective psyche that was left when the box ‘no religion’ was ticked in
numerous surveys, censuses and questionnaires (see Bullivant 2013). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The sceptical
outlook of the Buddha himself – he always advised his followers not to trust
his teachings but to test them and scrape them (like a goldsmith) to see if
they were counterfeit – adds to their ability to fit into the prevailing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">zeitgeist </i>of sceptical humanism within
which we find ourselves. As Mace puts it, ‘part of the genius of Buddhism has
been to link aspects of spiritual attainment with psychological changes that
can be expressed in cognitive terms. This has made it appealing to people in
the West who are respectful of reason, and who believe in human potential, but
distrust deist religions’ (Mace 2008, p. 161). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So faced with the
question, ‘How far, if at all, can mindfulness be accommodated into an
established religious practice such as Christianity?’ as well as asking
ourselves what concept of mindfulness we are applying we also need to ask
ourselves a more fundamental question – what concept of religion are we
applying to ourselves? Indeed, a similar question might arise for any
practitioner of mindfulness whether they considered themselves a Muslim, Jew or
Sikh as they came to terms with the implications of the practice for their own
religion.'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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petertylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06497411936432871872noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445753709143942246.post-35240258029889380642018-02-05T11:17:00.001-08:002018-02-05T11:17:55.062-08:00Rediscovering the Roots of Franciscan Spirituality : 12th May 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear All,<br />
<br />
Please find below details of our next InSpiRe event, this time inspired and supported by the Franciscan community of the UK. You are all most welcome.<br />
<br />
Pax!<br />
<br />
Peter<br />
<br />
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