This Faith Practitioner

I began this blog with the idea that we need to talk about the most important of subjects, religion and politics but in a civil manner rather than the uncivil manner we see represented so much in our society. I continue writing based upon that belief. Recently the readers, few as they may be, the bog may appear to be more of a dialogue between my friend Tim and myself. That is partly true as we have carried on correspondence since June and I wished for a larger audience for our discussion, because I found them so delightful and edifying and personally pushing on my growth edges. I hope all enjoy them as I have.

I also feel the need to clarify my position as a practitioner of the Christian faith a wee bit. Buddha may have reached enlightenment at age 35, but it became clear to me and at age 19 where the path I was going to walk in life was going; to be a minister in the Presbyterian Church. I reached that point of understanding though the experiences in life I had had so far in life. But it became far more clarified in a discussion with a past pastor of mine when I was in junior high. We met again in my college years and debated an all night session, basically on the doctrine of predestination. I was thoroughly defeated in the debate, and so came to the basic belief system I have to this date.

Yet, I have always wanted to keep my mind open to all possibilities and would lay my belief system on the line consistently throughout the years and it has been challenged many times. There have been times when I felt I lost my faith completely only to find it in place shortly thereafter. For instance, when I was in seminary I was wrestling with the concept of the divinity of Christ, for which I could find no biblical or rational proof or need. My professors seemed to smile and let me find my way. Finally, I asked myself a question, the question Jesus asked of Peter, “Who do you think I am?” Lo and behold I found myself answering in a traditional Christian way, that I believed that Jesus was the son of God, the word incarnate, and redeemer of the world. Call it an epiphany, a moment of transcendence, or enlightenment; it was what I believed.

I have been practicing my belief now for a very long time and over the years have come to question it less and less and more on how to live this belief system, though I remain a tester of my own belief systems. The joy of my ministry has been sharing what I have learned in my quest with others mainly fellow believers in the church. It is the same love of learning and teaching I had when I taught school in the town where Tim lived but in the church I had more freedom to speak of my beliefs than I had anywhere else I could imagine.

I also want to point out that I am not and never have intended to be a missionary, or an evangelical, in the limited sense that I wanted to force my beliefs upon another. I share my beliefs and what people do with them is up to them, or in my theological point of view, how God draws them to herself. I find myself repelled by those who are known in our society as evangelists, because I believe they are coercers of belief rather than sharers of faith. As J.B. Phillips said and wrote, “You’re God is too small.

This is a reason why I use the phrase, “this I believe” often. It means this speaks only for me and my belief system and for no one else. We all have belief systems; various religious and philosophical beliefs including atheists whether we acknowledge them or not. At one time I believed that if we all had the same data and thought clearly we would arrive at the same conclusions; I no longer believe that.

I believe my belief system to be rational and also extends beyond the rational. But one of the things I love about Christianity and particularly the teachings of Jesus is the ability to believe in paradoxical things. For example, God is three, God is one. To be a slave of Christ is the most free. Jesus was totally human and totally God. I find their counterparts in Zen koans and the statements of the great religious and philosophical leaders.

I often struggled with the mechanics of the church and its restrictions when I was actively ministering, but now I have the freedom to do what I love most, discuss things of the most important nature.

I love to write and I love more when that writing is in dialogue with others. I treasure the comments folk make and crave and covet more of them. I also like being able to carry multiple conversations on a variety of subjects all at the same time, sometimes related and sometimes totally separate. It was another conversation I wished to open in the demeaning article.

With affection and respect to all,

Hugh