Path 1, Theme 4: Cosmic, Universalist: Harmony, Beauty, Justice as Cosmic Energies.
p. 70 the word "cosmos" is in fact the Greek word for "order." .... The Hebrew people believed that the entire cosmos stood on two pillars: a pillar of justice and a pillar of righteousness, which was justice internalized.
I found that fascinating. I makes me remember the two pillars in Solomon's Temple were called Jacan and Boaz. I did a little reading and found they stood for strength (Boaz) and stability (Jachin). Off the top of my head, it would seem it takes strength to stand in righteousness; yet it takes stability to to let our stability solidify enough to mold justice for others..... which reminds me of the Great Commandment or the Shema - to love God first and love others.
,
The author talks about Thomas Aquinas teaching on the cosmic dimension of love, faith and ecstacy. Although I have dozens of books on my "read next" list, I will add Aquinas to the list.
p. 73 Humankind cannot live wisely, sanely, or gently without the cosmos. Without the cosmos, humanity becomes arrogant and manipulative in its idolatry of itself and its ways.
At first I did not grasp this. But as I sat with it and let it speak to me, I realize if my life outlook is myself and not cosmic, then I have a small life outlook and I retreat into egocentricity - the me first and me only mentality. The more cosmic focus I have, the less room there will be for the egocentric me and more room in my inner manger for the Christ to be birthed and grown until I learn to have a sacrificial life. I'm not there. I want to be there. Yet, I trust God in me to bring me to that place in His timing and by situations He allows into my life to help form me into the image of His Son, my Saviour. The scriptures to back this up are Eph 1.3-23; Col 1:15,20; Phil 2:10,11; Rom. 8:22,23 and in the gospels, especially Luke 1 through 3 (1:35 summarizes)
p. 76 Augustine's genius was in writing what is probably the first biography in the West. But here too lies his weakness. Too much guilt, too much introspection, too much preoccupation with law, sin, and grace rendered Augustine, and the theology that was to prevail in his name for sixteen centuries in the West, oblivious of western Christian church celebrates as Theosis the divinization of the cosmos. The fall/redemption preoccupation with personal salvation destroy justice and cosmic connection.
As I learn to apply both/and thinking; it seems this is an either/or. Where I am now, I think there is a balance between applying myself to knowing God by expanding how I view God and growing in seeing God in nature, God in others and God in everything (cosmic); yet reaching out away from self into those cosmic realms to let God in me Light the world without hiding that light under a bushel for "us four and no more" as the old saying goes.
p.77 I believe it is important, in order to understand both the appeal and the tragedy of a too-introspective spirituality, to grasp the critical distinction between an inner journey and an inward one. An inner journey is altogether healthy and necessary--we take inner journeys into ourselves, into our loved ones, into trees, into Mozart's music, into death, into pain and suffering and injustice. ideally all the time. To pray is to enter in, thus to make an inner journey. But a person who takes an inward journey looks only into himself or herself for God or for spiritual refreshment. It is introspection. There lies the death of cosmic spirituality, the death of cosmos, and the excessive quest for personal salvation. The world does not need more inward journeys; but there are no limits to the inner journeys we can make.
That was certainly a new way of looking at egocentric v expansive faith.
p. 79 The most important function of art and science is to awaken the cosmic religious feeling and keep it alive.
I love how the author brings art and science together as almost tutors to help us grow spiritually. His religion is not constraining art or dismissing science but allowing all things to point to God. I think of Romans 8.28 "ALL THINGS work together for good...." So often I've taken my mental pencil and added a few words to that scripture to make it fit my doctrine or desires.
No comments:
Post a Comment