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The tributes to Wayne that have come in catalogue many of his multiple
and admirable qualities. He was a gifted facilitator, an
extraordinary community developer, an artistic woodworker, a consummate
story-teller, a skilled outdoorsman, and a talented IT guru. That barely
scratches the surface, but it’s difficult at the completion of a life to
formulate an appropriate tribute to one of such diverse abilities.<br>
<br>
There’s one, however, that needs additional mention: Wayne was also a
philosopher of considerable prowess. The question which he pursued with
passion and intensity was: What are the philosophical roots of the
ToP<sup>®</sup> (Technology of Participation) methods? And he didn't mean
Bultmann, Niebuhr, Tillich, and Bonhoeffer. He meant their ancestors. He
meant Heidegger and Husserl, Kierkegaard and Sartre, Bergson, and Hume
and many others. And he was working to document how their insights
influenced and shaped what became our methods and how these foundations
might guide us in the future. <br>
<br>
The aim of his research was to prevent the ToP methods from becoming
perfunctory or shallow and reflecting only superficial pop-psychology. As
he said, <i>“That's not us, and I believe our approach is significantly
unique and valuable enough to carry it firmly into this century.
This ontological, participatory approach to group work is totally
necessary if the world is to move forward.”</i> (2 May 2011)<br>
<br>
Wayne has written a 35-page paper entitled “ToP Foundations: Facilitating
the Consciousness of Consciousness of Consciousness.” That title clearly
indicates Wayne’s passion for getting to the substance of what we’re all
about. As he put it, <i>“Where have these ideas come from? What do we
have now? Where can they take us?”<br>
</i> <br>
Those pages are the Introduction and first chapter of a book that now he
will not complete. It would be a fitting tribute to this great colleague
to have them published for the ToP Network. <br>
<br>
We will greatly miss this man of passion and depth. <br>
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--Ann and John Epps<br>
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