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Recently, a dear Christian woman spoke of this frustration of growth into new ways of seeing within a context without others to share her experience with. Rebecca had attended a two-year spiritual formation event through her Christian denomination. Being among Christians from varied denominations over such a long time and where persons felt safe to be open about their experiences, doubts, frustrations, questions, and longings regarding faith transformed Rebecca. She was transformed by the same openness that needs to exist, for the good of the whole Church, in every church. Before the spiritual formation event, Rebecca had fit in with the majority at her church. After the experience Rebecca had clearly undergone a deepening of her faith.
Rebecca continues faithfully seeking to reframe her faith as a faithful, growing Christian. However, Rebecca speaks of longing to have others to share this journey with, but she has not found others in her church for such sharing. Rebecca smiled with delight, as she held my hand, glad that she had met a Christian from her own faith communion that she can communicate with about her ongoing journey into this deeper experience of God-in-Christ that transforms her life. She has spoken on different occassions to me, "I can not go back." No, once such transformation happens, upon seeing the Immensity of God and the limitations of human knowledge, a person cannot go back.
Rebecca is like many of my dear Christian friends. God is calling many now to ways of experiencing and speaking of God that go outside the boundaries defined within modernism. Even though most Christians seem not to know it, the “church” they exists in often has abandoned the openness to Mystery that was lost through the positivism of the West, as the sense of mystery was pushed aside by the logic of scientism. Much Christianity, therefore, today and all over the theological spectrum, has lost all sense of vital connection to Mystery and the potentiality of living union with the Mystery.
However, Rebecca is no rebel, nor are my other friends who are experiencing God in ways they never dreamed possible. No, she is a dedicated United Methodist woman who is faithful to worship and service through her congregation and the larger United Methodist Church. Rebecca is a humble person. Indeed, that humbleness is evidenced in her seeking Truth and being willing to be vulnerable to not-knowing, so that she might know more of what God wants her to know and experience and, likewise, share that with others. Rebecca knows that the Love we mean when we say “God” or “Christ” or “Holy Spirit” is much more vast and mysterious than can be placed in any container of human, socially constructed thought.
Much of OneLife addresses persons like Rebecca. Why? For this journey into a faithful not-knowing is the journey of its founder and primary writer. Why? Brian knows the silence and felt-isolation of humble souls who are awakened to go beyond the boundaries of the majority definition of Reality. He knows, also, what it means for God providentially to direct his path to others who gave him a place to feel safe, explore, and grow, at a point in his life when he did not have such a place.
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I encourage you on the path of knowing into not-knowing. I assure you, there are others who are in silence, who are being called to this journey into the Mystery, deeper and deeper into surrender to Love. They are having experiences and insights that they would never share with their religious group.
Spirit is ushering in a new time. This new time is evidenced by the breakdown of traditional religious structures, structures that have sought to box God in, thereby defining the boundaries of the Boundless, which is impossible and certain to lead to repercussion of loss to that very system. Pockets of the in-the-know religion will continue to exist for those who are unwilling to accept the challenges of the journey of contemplative awareness. But the transition is occurring, unseen by many, toward a more open, loving, and universal expression of understanding, compassion, and community, as well as a deeper, more lively connection to the Spirit.
Today, this Path of Spirit is dedicated to this movement of the Spirit and to all persons, in all the religions, who are being led by God to a deeper experience that transcends all knowing. May they receive much and give much, and may they be sustained in Love and by Grace. May they have courage to share their transformation, for we are given insights into and experiences to share with others, others who are seeking the same peace that arises to us when we embrace the vulnerability of a faithful not-knowing.
I close with a message to my Christian readers. Recall that marvelously, when we sink into our not-knowing, our defenses are dissolved and we can truly meet, listen to, and be with others in our rapidly diversifying culture and Church. Then, we can most be the Presence of Christ to those hurting and seeking the experience of unconditional Love. As we live with our humble, faithful not-knowing, we have less sense of need to defend or convince, while we are able to be more open to the confusion, uncertainties, and seeking of others. When we accept not-knowing, we do not abdicate our faith, we acknowledge the Mystery that is God and practice the purity of heart, free of the stuffed closet of opinion, essential to deepening Christian fellowship in Love and a vital witness to Christ in our world.
Spiritual Exercises
1. Reflect on the opening saying by Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. What does it mean for you to live in a “dialogue of love” with the Spirit? What other aspects of the opening Sagely Word speaks to your heart? Challenges you?
2. What is not-knowing?
3. How does not-knowing relate to our relationships with others? With God?
4. Have you had experiences of God or thoughts about your faith that you do not feel you can share with others in your faith group, assured that what you say will be received with openness and prayerfulness?
5. Do your daily meditation and spiritual reading…
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