[Oe List ...] Some thoughts about the future

[W. J.]

Bill Parker is pushing our edge in understanding and embodying a transformational presence that our old pedagogical style has evolved into. (Oops, I know that's a dangling participle!)
I think he probably meant 'eminently' when he wrote 'imminently'. But you never know. After all, it's a theology (and pedagogy) of immanence, or the presence of the divine dwelling among us.
Marshall


________________________________
 From: Herman Greene <hfgreenenc at gmail.com>
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> 
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 6:27 AM
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Some thoughts about the future
 


Excellent Jann,

ESI is something in which various organizations can collaborate without losing their identity. 

On the issue of a new teaching force, a new EI (either Ecumenical Institute around John Cock's redefinition of ecumenical) or an Ecozoic Institute drawing on Thomas Berry's understanding of that term but not making it a Thomas Berry institute) is something that I am probably in a strong minority in thinking about. The gist of the idea is that OE would turn over to a new generation an understanding of pedagogy around a new core curriculum. As I see it that would be a curriculum developed in the collaboration that ESI is, but there is also the possibility that some group would take it on as a project and there would be nothing wrong with that effort becoming organized. 

As I was going through materials yesterday from OE, I came across two article by Bill Parker on the new pedagogy. We are thinking along the same lines. They are both presented below and I can send them as attachments to anyone who asks for them. 

In one Bill makes this salient point: "The circumstances of our environment can no longer use facilitation as the awakenment tool at first. We are living in a time in which a “new pedagogy” must come into being; not facilitation of everyone’s mixed up and confused thinking."

In the other Bill makes this point: "None
of us as individuals woke up until someone awakened us personally. Only then
did we grasp that we could be a skilled pedagogue awakening and training
thousands in a new pedagogy for the sake of awakening the world to a new way of
being human. "

I too look forward to substantive dialogue around this. 

See articles below.

Herman 

Colleagues,
Speaking of the New Pedagogy, which implies
a new pedagogue, perhaps the obvious needs to be pointed out. Here are
some thoughts about the emerging shape of the New Pedagogy as seen through the
presence of the new pedagogue. 
The New Pedagogy is remarkably different
from anything we have ever done in our past because the pedagogue is completely
different from the pedagogue of the past, even if the pedagogues are the same
person. The pedagogue of the 60’s was not global, in spite of one’s self story,
nor had the pedagogue of the 60’s spent 30 years living the Dark Night of the
Soul. The 60’s pedagogue had no understanding of the terrain and topography of
the other world in the midst of this world, the Kingdom of God,
I believe Jesus called it. The old pedagogue had no first hand knowledge of
what the pedagogy of the oppressed was nor how it worked in every land of the
planet until they went there and did it. The old pedagogue had no clue as to
how to be sustained in a solitary and self-sufficient life. The pedagogue of
the 60’s was naïve about the world and about the consequences of not being responsible
globally, theologically, or economically, as the human condition and the
condition of the planet reveal so clearly today. The Pedagogue of the 60’s saw
ecumenism insofar as the Christian community was concerned and not as a vehicle
for global peace and diversity through interaction of an inter-faith community. 
The pedagogy of the past was but a prelude
to the pedagogy we are now putting together. The pedagogue of the past was but
a spiritual shadow of the pedagogues you have become today. But we must shake
off our stylistic compromises and our preferred prejudices we acquired in order
to be imminently presentable to our chosen markets, if we are to build the
earth. We cannot keep doing what we have been doing, we cannot simply wrap our
arms around everything everyone is doing and say that is it, we must
courageously embrace a new role, take a new risk, embrace an open future,
address the global contradiction and see to it that what needs to be done is
getting done.
None of us as individuals woke up until
someone awakened us personally. Only then did we grasp that we could be a
skilled pedagogue awakening and training thousands in a new pedagogy for the
sake of awakening the world to a new way of being human.  We live in urgent times now and our time is
short.  If we are going to move on this
moment, now is the time to move.  There
is no doubt we have been prepared by the fire of life for this. The only
question is who will. 
There is no new pedagogy nor new pedagogue
without embodying that which is being disclosed in the style of the
pedagogy. RSI changed our lives because the pedagogues were living their
pedagogy! That reality was the methodology. We, too, are called to be that
embodiment regardless of whether we say yes or no to what history is asking us
to do. 
With profound respect, take care for there
is little time and so much to do. 
Grace and Peace be unto you.
Bill
Given at thePeopleof theOrderGathering
July 14, 15,2010
By BillParker
 
THE NEWORDERWITNESS
 
It wasremarkabletoseethetwentyorthirtypeopleoftheOrdercometoOklahomaandparticipateinthe SymposiumwithOCUfacultyandOIKOSstudentscholars.Thegatheringwaslikenothingelseandthat special,uniquerelationshipamongthePeopleof theOrderwasmanifestagain.
 
Wehavecomeagreatdistancetogetherandalone.Whowewereasacommunityofpeoplemarkeda realitystillhavingamajorimpactonpeople’slives.If youdon’tbelieveme,ask JimWheeler,whojust
borewitnessintheWheelerDeclarationandinwhathejustnowsharedwithus.Wewereacommunity
transparentlygroundedinthefaithtraditionoftheChurch.Ourmissiontotheworldtookusdeeplyinto
thegreattraditionof theChristianfaith.Everythingwesaid,thoughtanddidwascarefullyunderstoodto
bebuildingonthegreattraditionofthefaith.Weprobeddeeplyintothehistoricalchurchbeforewe
decidedtomovedirectlyintothe worldanddemonstratewhattheChurchlookedlikeinmissiononbehalf
ofall.
 
Ourmissiontotheworldtookustoplaceswherewealldiscoveredsomethingfarmorewasrequiredof
us,somethingnew;somethingcapableofsustaininga pluriformcommunityinmission.Wecouldno longerfunctionasa
transparentlygroundedcommunityoftheChristiantradition:wewerediverse,and yetweneedednewmyths,rites,andsymbols,aswellasapracticalcorporatediscipline.
 
Inthisturningpoint,wemovedtoaseculardisciplinebaseduponthemostcommondenominator:“Those
whocare”.WeencounteredaforkintheroadandwetookthisoneandbecametheInstituteof
Cultural Affairs.Now,Iamnotcriticizingourdecision.It
wasexactlywhatweneededtohavedone,aspainfulas thatturnedouttobe.Whatwedidsustainedthemovementanddemonstratedanentirelynew,radical
andeffectivemethodforsustainablehumandevelopmenttheworldover.Butforus,theOrder,overtime,
overastretchof
a decade,thefoundationofourspiritlifewasexperiencedascloudy,orshallow.Yetwe couldnotgoback.Wehadbecomeglobal,spirituallyglobal,andwehadgonebeyondtheChristianfaith traditiontoapluriformtradition,ornotradition.
 
THENEWTIMES
EbooPatel,inhisbookActsofFaith:TheStoryof anAmericanMuslim,theStrugglefortheSoulofa Generation,saysthedivisionsin theworldtodayareininter-faithrelationships.But,thedivisionsarenot
betweenChristianandMuslim,orMuslimsandJews,orHinduandChristian.Thelinethatdividesall faithsis
betweentheReligiousTotalitariansandtheReligiousPluriformistswithinallfaithtraditions.
TheReligiousTotalitariansisolatethemselvesandthinkof themselvesassuperior,orevencultivatehate towardthosewholookorbelievedifferentlyfrom
themselves.WhiletheReligiousPluriformistsembrace
diversityoffaith,cultureandpractice,andseekpeaceandcommunitybyworkingtogethertowarda
betterworld.Thatis theglobaldivisionthatthreatenseverythingthehumancommunityhas workedto
achieve.
 
Theremarkablefactinthis
divisionis thatReligiousTotalitarianshavefordecadesinvestedhundredsof millionsofdollarsinthecarefultraining,mentoring,andencouragingoftherisinggenerationsaboutwhat it meanstobehuman.Theyhavenurturedthe youngergenerationseversocarefullyinracialorreligious
hatredandtheaccompanyingself-righteousnessasatruepictureofreality.Theyhavebuiltandstaffed
Universities,HighSchools,MiddleSchools,ElementarySchools,andevendaycaretogroommore toward thatwayofseeingreality.Theyhavetrainingcampstogetthem preparedforthe“holy”struggle.
 
Whilethisis
goingon,duringthesamedecades,theReligiousPluriformistshaveinvestedpracticallyzero inthespecialnurturingformationanddevelopmentof
therisinggenerationstowardthedesirabilityand necessityofa worldofpluriformityanddiversity.
 
Patelwalksusthroughtheknownterroristsandtheviolentgroupsdevelopingrapidlyinthiscountryand
aroundtheworldduringthepastfewyears.Hepointsoutthatitis
theyoungwhoarecommittingthe terrorist’sacts,astheygivetheirlivestoit.Theyarehardlyoldenoughtoknowwhattheyaredoingbut
theoldermenbehindthem
arementoringthem inwhattheirfaithtraditionmeans,pushingthem toward
notionsofsuperiority,hatredof
differencesofotherpeople,violenceandactsofterrorism.Allthewhile
themenbehindtheseyoungpeopleareprovidingassurancesthattheirviolentactsarepure,necessary, andarethewillofGod.Theyassuretherisinggenerationthatthesebeliefs,attitudes,andactionsare
thefulfillmentof theirlives,climaxedbydyingforthestruggle.
 
Thetimeis nowforallthosewantingacultureof
peace,diversityandpluriformitytomakeabold
decision.Wehavecometo
ahistoricmomentinourlifewherewearefacinganotherforkintheroad.Jim
Wheeler,theauthoroftheWheelerDeclaration,sayswhentheOrdercametothatforkintheroadin
1970-1971itchosetheICA,thesecularoption;itlefttheotherfork,theEcumenicalInstitutefork,
becauseofthedifficultiesitsChristiantraditioncreatedinthediversesituationsinwhichwewerelocated.
Headds,however,thattheunrealizedopportunitiesnevergoaway.Theyonlyremainintheunconscious untilcircumstancescallthemforthasanecessityandthatispreciselywherewearetoday.
 
Wehadthatpossibilityin1970-1971,becauseweunderstoodourselvestobelivingoutofaNew ReligiousMode,tobecometheglobal,interfaithEcumenicalInstitutebutwechosenottoandforvery
goodreasons.Wehadtogothroughthatwhichwewentthrough,wherethebottomfelloutfrom
under us, and wewereshatteredovertime,andultimatelycalledourselvesoutof beingasanOrderin1988. WewerenotpreparedtomoveforwardastheEcumenicalInstituteinaglobal,interfaithwayandhadwe
donesoat
thattime,wewouldhavebecomejustanotherReligiousTotalitariancommunity.Godsavedus from that.
 
Returningtothatforkintheroadis preciselywhatis happeningtoday.Thecircumstancesofour environmentcannolonger
usefacilitationastheawakenmenttoolatfirst.Wearelivinginatimeinwhich a“newpedagogy”mustcomeintobeing;notfacilitationof
everyone’smixedupandconfusedthinking thatyieldsasenseofhopelessnessandcynicismexcepton amostreducedscale.Wehavetocut
throughallofthepopularrubbishandundergrowthtoreachtheindividualcenterof
people’slivessothey mayhavethepossibilityofdecidingforthemselveswhatitmeanstobeahumanbeingtoday,inthis momentandcircumstance.Ifyoudon’tseethedifferencesIampointingtoinfacilitationandpedagogy, then youdonotunderstandwhatIamtryingtosay.Imayneedtofinda
betterwaytosaythis.
 
THENEWPEDAGOGY
Thisreturningtotheforkdoesnotmeanwereturntotheoldpedagogyandtheoldcourses,butrathera “newpedagogy”basedupongroundingofChristian,Jewish,Islamic,Hindu,orotherfaithtraditions. Pedagogyis somethingwehaveallgottorelearn.Wehaveembracedourroleas facilitatorsfor40years
andwecannotfacilitatethisawakenment.Itrequirespedagogythatslicesthroughtheperipheraltothe depthsofthehumansoul.Thisis thecuttingedgetoday!Thisnewpedagogyis theawakenmenttask
beforeus.Inthiscontext,facilitationis ourtoolkit,our
hammerandscrewdriver,forengagementbutnot
ouredgeforawakenment.
 
WhatwehavebeendoingwithOIKOSandOCU,CentenaryUniversity,andotherassociationsisgetting
accesstotherisinggenerations,whobywayofthesecularandscientificculturalrealities,havenever beengiventhepossibilityof theirownfaithtraditionsasgroundedinlifeandhavingthosetraditions interpretthemeaningof theirlives.Instead,theyswirlaroundinconfusion,tryingtointerpretandmake senseof theirfaithtraditionanditsrelationshiptotheirlivesinparticular.
 
PateldescribeshimselfasbeingraisedinasecularMuslimfamilyinAmerica.HevisitedhisIslamicfamilyinIndia:Grandmother,aunts,andothermembersoftheirhousehold.Hewasawareofknowinghewasamemberofafaithtraditionbutactuallynotrelatingtoitverymuchinreallife.Aftermanyyears,during prayertoobserveLaylatulQadr,thenightinRamadanwhentheQur’anwasfirstrevealed,onNewYear’sEve,theturnofthemillennium,hehadamomentinhislifewhenhewasstruckwithastark clarity:he,EbooPatel,waspartofthestoryofIslam,he wasapartofthestoryofpluralism,hewaspartofthe storyofthespiritualprincipalofhumantogetherness.Hesawhimselfnotasamemberofafaithtradition
butasonewhois acarrierofhisfaithtraditionanda partof thelargerstory.
 
THENEWORDER
Thisis whereyoucanseethe21stCenturySpiritMovement.Itis
a vast,expansiveglobalmovementof thespirit.Itis diversifiedanditis alreadylocatedineveryaspectof
humancivilization.But,itmustbe
declared!Andwearetheoneswhocandothatanddoitonthefoundationofour faithtraditions, whateverthosetraditionsmaybe.
 
So,whenwelookatourpastjourney,itis
notsurprisingtoseehowstrongourgrowthwaswhenwewere standingona faithtraditionreachingbacktothebeginningof time,thousandsofyears.Thenweentered
adecadeorso ofanewsecularfaithtraditionthatwentallthewaybackto1970-1971.Nowwestandat a crucialvantagepointtoseethatweareaboutthetransparentgroundingofeveryfaithtraditioninorder tobringthefaithcontinuumfrom
thebeginningoftimeintothepresentandfuture.Onlythiswillenable thecareof thisworldbycreatingacultureof peace,economicjustice,andplanetarysustainability.
 
Weneedtopursuetheavenuesofaccessingtherisinggenerations,tobeamongthem,tobeagrounded presenceof knowledgeandexperiencefrom whichtheycanaccessthefoundationsforcreatingthe future.However,beforethiscanhappen,wemustcorporatelyworkthroughthecurrentperversions
blockingpeoplefrom havingtheopportunitytomakeadecisionaboutwhatitmeansforthem tobe human.
 
Wehavebeencalledtoawakenanewgenerationofpedagoguesin
theranksoftherisinggenerations, andprovidethesolid,sustaining,historicalfoundationsuponwhichtheycanprovideleadershipforthe
21stCenturySpiritMovement.Theywill,themselves,becomethefaceof theirownfaithtraditionsin caringforthe worldandshapingtheworldtocomeintoacultureofpeaceandworkingtogether.
 
Ifyourememberourfirstdecade,thenyouknowhowimportantour culticactsweretoeverythingwe
understoodaboutlife.Overtime,welostwhatweunderstoodforsomanyyearsas“thatwithoutwhich”
thereis
nosustainingsubstance.Irealized,asIlookedintoit,thatcorporatelywelostanysenseofthe culticpracticeslongbefore1988.WhenIdiddecide,notlongago,toliveoutofa spiritualdisciplinewitha continuumoffaithgoingfartherbackthan1971,IlookedfortheonlyculticactsIknewwhichhad connectedmetoallthepast,presentandfuture:theDailyOffice
andtheCommonMeal.Iwantedtosee
them foranalyticalreasonsatfirst:toseetheircomponents,thenthephrasing,andhowtheyconnected
totime.
 
Thework onspiritualpracticesandconsciousnessbyPatWebbandDavidMcCleskeyoftheSilence
FoundationandLarryWardoftheLotusInstitute,remindedmeof
thenecessityofculticactsforone’s consciousness,qualityoflife,andcareforthe world.Irealizedthatmyownpracticesdidnotgoback
beyondmemoriespriorto1971.SoIdecidedto reviewwhatIoncenewaboutour culticpracticesandI foundIhadforgottenmostof itandsuspectedI
wasnotalone.
 
IstartedsearchingforaDailyOfficeinmyfiles,onourvariouswebsites,andin
theGoldenPathwaysCD butIcouldnotfindtheDailyOfficeIremembered!Icouldonlyfindsomethingthathadbeentranscribed intosomethingelseandmyexperienceof thechangewasthatsomeonehadtakenouttheculticnature oftheDailyOfficeresultinginwhatappearedtomeasseverallevelsofhigherabstraction. WhatIfoundstartedwith“IntheNameof
theCreator.AndoftheRedeemer.AndoftheSustainer. Amen.” Thiseditedversiondidnotstrikemeasa“culticact”comingoutof allthepast,overthousandsof years.TheculticactI
rememberedwas“IntheNameof theFather.AndoftheSon,AndoftheHoly
Spirit.Amen.”Thatwascultic!HowmuchIhadforgottenandI wonderedaboutothers. Whatdowenotunderstandaboutaculticact?Itis anactforalltime:past,present,andfuture.Itisnot somethingweedittoconformtosomepressuresoftheculture.If wedo,wecreateadifferentculticact
notnecessarilyconnectedtothefaithtradition.
 
So,Ispentseveraldayspullingmyhairout
tryingtoremembereveryphraseof theDailyOfficeand writingit,piecebypiece,puttingintheculticlanguage.AsI
workedonthisIrealizedtheDailyOffice becameasolitarydisciplineformewhichconnectedmetoatraditiongoingbacktothebeginningoftime.
Ihadaculticactuponwhichtoagaingroundmylifein myfaithtradition.IamgladIdidthat;ithas
transformedmyawarenessofmyownlifeandtheunderstandingofthelifearoundme.Ilookforwardto
examiningtheCommonMealas well.AsJimWheelersaidwhenhequotedfrom IsaiahintheWheeler
Declaration:“LooktotheRockfrom whichyouwerehewn,andtothequarryfromwhichyouweredug.”
 
Weknownowthateverythingwedidwasinpartdedicatedtodevelopingskilledpedagogueswho understoodthepowerofculticacts.Doyourememberallthosepedagogyweekendswehad,orifitwas
nota pedagogyweekenditwasacoursethatneededtobetaught?Doyourememberhowourfaculty wasstructuredsothatpedagogicaltrainingwasaco-objectiveof everycoursewetaught?Thinkalsoof
theoperationsofthecorporatelifeof theReligiousHouses,allfocusedonpedagogicaldevelopmentof
everyoneintheHouse.Thatwashowpedagogicalformationhappened:welivedit,wetookeveryone
underourwingforthesakeof
theirformation,anditwasn’tjustpractice,itwasworkinginthepresenceof
theOrderwhowasgroundedintheirfaithtraditionandwhobecamethetranscendenceofthatfaith
traditiontotheworld.
 
Thisis whatwehavebeencalledto
doandithasrequiredallofourpasttoprepareustosayyesandto assumetherole.Andyouknowsomethingreallyneataboutthishistoricalmomentforus?Wedon’thave towaittoseewhattheICAdecides,ordoes.NordoweneedtowaittoseewhatMarkDaviesdecides,or OCU,orOIKOS.Thisis a decisionwecanmakerightnow,hereinthisroom,herewiththesepeople.We cannowleavetheoldOrderEcumenicalbehind.Wecandecidetobea newOrder,thesameinsome ways,buttotallytransformedbyourpastlifeasa
Religious/SecularOrderandour journeythroughthe
DarkNightof
theSoul.Bornanewforanewtime,anewage,anewpedagogy,anda newOrder,the GlobalInter-FaithEcumenicalOrder!
 
ThisOrderis
nottobe structuredlikethepastOrderbutitalreadyis self-sufficientinitscovenanttoa corporatelifeandmission.Itis
anOrderofindividualswhoknowthatengagementinaspecificdaily spiritualdisciplineis
thebasisforeverythingelse.WherevertherearetwoormoretheOrderwillhavea corporatecelebrationweeklyormonthly.Thereshallbeaquarterlyplanningcouncilfortheglobal mission,thegreatwork.ThereshallbeanannualOrderCouncilforthework ofaccountingandstrategic commitments.TheOrdershallstudytogethersuchmissionallyfocusedwork
asEbooPatel’sbook,for example.
 
Now,I
amgoingtostopandlettherestofyouhavea chanceto
tellmehowwrongIam. Thankyou


-- 
__________________________________________________
Herman F. Greene
2516 Winningham Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919-942-4358 (ph & fax)
hfgreenenc at gmail.com
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