Mud and the cosmos
My life is currently influenced by several key issues and involvements:
Most immediately, I am involved in the life of The Methodist Church in Singapore, which tonight officially concludes its 9th General Conference session with the re-dedication of Robert Solomon as Bishop. He was re-elected yesterday. I will play a humble role in that service.
I am also an American who gladly welcomes the hope of change in Barak Obama. I also observe with some concern the shifts and splits in American religious life, such as the formation of the new North American Anglican Church. Well, they can do what they want, but the action is one expression of a growing hermeneutical divide, which feels painful to me.
I consider myself a progressive evangelical. With my evangelical brothers and sisters I can sing "There's something about that name...", I study my Bible, I pray the BCP in morning, I affirm the great ecumencial creeds... But Christian faith is not some iron wall that separates those who are going to heaven from those going to hell.
But I always carry an impression with me, wherever I go. A deep embodied impression, based on the childhood formative experiences. I was privileged to have a father who continued farming as an avocation, even though his primary business was photography. So we had this little half-acre (or so) of grape vines next door. How hang out in the dirt (soil) and create whole worlds. I say whole worlds, because mud is inherently "holistic". I created rivers and lakes, towns, wonderlands, etc. Actually, I was supposed to be tending the vineyards, which I did, more or less. And to my parents' credit they didn't seem to mind, too much, as long as the vineyard was cared for and I didn't make too big of a mess.
Besides the dirty memories, what I carry with me is the formative question: what did I learn form playing the mud that prepared me for the current role? And I often ask that in each situation. How did mud prepare me to be a missionary in Singapore? How did mud play prepare me to preach, to lead worship, to consult and teach liturgy?
Hmm. I'll say more next time.
georgos
Most immediately, I am involved in the life of The Methodist Church in Singapore, which tonight officially concludes its 9th General Conference session with the re-dedication of Robert Solomon as Bishop. He was re-elected yesterday. I will play a humble role in that service.
I am also an American who gladly welcomes the hope of change in Barak Obama. I also observe with some concern the shifts and splits in American religious life, such as the formation of the new North American Anglican Church. Well, they can do what they want, but the action is one expression of a growing hermeneutical divide, which feels painful to me.
I consider myself a progressive evangelical. With my evangelical brothers and sisters I can sing "There's something about that name...", I study my Bible, I pray the BCP in morning, I affirm the great ecumencial creeds... But Christian faith is not some iron wall that separates those who are going to heaven from those going to hell.
But I always carry an impression with me, wherever I go. A deep embodied impression, based on the childhood formative experiences. I was privileged to have a father who continued farming as an avocation, even though his primary business was photography. So we had this little half-acre (or so) of grape vines next door. How hang out in the dirt (soil) and create whole worlds. I say whole worlds, because mud is inherently "holistic". I created rivers and lakes, towns, wonderlands, etc. Actually, I was supposed to be tending the vineyards, which I did, more or less. And to my parents' credit they didn't seem to mind, too much, as long as the vineyard was cared for and I didn't make too big of a mess.
Besides the dirty memories, what I carry with me is the formative question: what did I learn form playing the mud that prepared me for the current role? And I often ask that in each situation. How did mud prepare me to be a missionary in Singapore? How did mud play prepare me to preach, to lead worship, to consult and teach liturgy?
Hmm. I'll say more next time.
georgos
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