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12/30/2021, Progressing Spirit: Matthew Fox:Origins and Common Meanings to Hanukkah and Christmas; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 30 Dec '21

30 Dec '21

| | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Origins and Common Meanings to Hanukkah and Christmas | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox December 30, 2021 Hanukkah and Christmas are both stories of promise and hope in a time of darkness. And both speak to miracles or marvels. According to Rabbi Arthur Green, the story of Hanukkah begins with the original victory of the Maccabees, a “ragtag little band of guerilla warriors,” who successfully expelled the large army that was the successor to Alexander the Great’s vast imperial army. To many, this seemed like a miracle. Was it the hand of God at work? “Who knows?” answers Rabbi Green in his important book, Judaism for the World: Reflections on God, Life, and Love. But the lesson is there: Miracles happen.[1] Christians too began as a ragtag little band, a band of believers hiding from the vast and all-powerful Roman Empire. Often they had to sequester in underground caves or catacombs to meet and practice their rituals in Jesus’s name. When aboveground, it was not unusual to encounter torture and death at the hand of the empire if they were found out. When Constantine came to power in 306 AD, the prevailing religion was Mithraism. On his being converted to Christianity, he rendered Christianity the state religion and public funds were put to building churches (above ground). Constantine built the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in a spot said to be the birthplace of Jesus. By the end of the fourth century, Christianity banned the old forms of worship. December 25 as a Christian festival dates to the fourth century. Rome first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in the year 336. (We possess one document suggesting Christmas was celebrated in Antioch, Turkey on December 25th in the second century.) In 350 Pope Julius I declared December 25 the official date for Christmas and in 529 Emperor Justinian declared Christmas a civic holiday. The Council of Tours in 567 declared Advent a period of fast and preparation for Christmas and the time from Christmas to Epiphany (12 days of Christmas) was declared part of the festive season. Ancient peoples felt the sun was abandoning them on the Winter Solstice, December 21, and offered rituals to appease the sun to get it to return. Fire, logs, trees, gifts, sacrifices were part of the festivals. Instead of abolishing these favorite pagan Winter solstice festivals, Christianity incorporated these old traditions into the celebration of Christmas. An interesting parallel exists between Hanukkah and Christmas in this regard: Both were established deliberately, the first by rabbis who did not want to endorse the descendants of the Maccabees who were considered decadent for having sold out to Greek culture and values; and the second by the popes who, following on Constantine’s making his empire Christian, found the ancient celebrations of Saturnalia, etc. to be too libertine. But neither could simply wipe away the festivals—they were too popular and imbedded in the DNA of the culture. What to do? Both rabbis and popes therefore chose a new miracle to celebrate at that same festival time. The rabbis chose the candle miracle. The popes chose the Christmas miracle. About the former, the story of the small bit of oil that burned for eight nights became the miracle of Hanukkah. Ever since then, Hanukkah has been the festival of light (and miracles). Coming at the beginning of winter, Rabbi Green calls it “a sign of hope that the brightness will grow again.” Miracles lie at the heart of the victory of the Maccabees and the story of the fire that burned non-stop for over eight days. Rabbi Green answers the question, “What is a miracle?” with another question: “What isn’t a miracle”? In summary, Hanukkah is “all about the light.” And it is also “a time of miracles.” “Miracle” in English means that at which we marvel and Green defines it as an experience that awakens a sense of wonder within you. One responds with prayer. In Hebrew, the word for miracle, nes, means “banner.” The miracle is a ‘banner moment,’ one that sticks out, rising above the rest and calls out: “Here I see the divine presence! Let me wave its banner!” In the Christmas story, there are many wonders and banner moments: a divine child; pagan astrologers following a bright star in the sky to the manger; the appearance of angels to the poorest of the poor, shepherds, announcing peace to all people of Good Will; the birth of a child in poverty in a manger to be called a “prince of peace” from a mother, Mary, who conceived by the Holy Spirit. Lots of miracles, wonders, divine presences there; lots to wave banners about. Lots of experiences of the divine presence, the name Emmanuel—God-with-us--is invoked. Both Hanukkah and Christmas are festivals of light occurring in the darkest time of the year in the northern hemisphere. Light and Divinity are closely associated around the world. Indeed, I found in researching my book on deep ecumenism, One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faith Traditions, that light is the most universal metaphor for Divinity among most cultures of the world. Rabbi Green reminds us that in the Jewish tradition, “light is the first of God’s creations.” We should remember that the light that was first created was not the sun or the moon however. They come later in the Genesis story (and today’s scientific creation story). Green tells how one “of the most ancient and beloved of Jewish legends,” is that the first light that God created was too bright for humans to handle because it would allow for no hiding and no secrets. “So God hid it away for the righteous, living in a future time when they could be trusted to handle it well.” In the Hebrew Scriptures, light very much accompanies the Divine. Psalm 27:1: “Yahweh is my light and my salvation.” Ps. 36:10: “In Your light we see light.” “Yahweh brightens my darkness (2 Sam. 22:29). “Yahweh shall be a light to you forever.” (Is. 60:20). “The soul of a human being is the lamp of Yahweh, revealing all the inmost parts.” (Prv. 20:27) The Torah too is associated with light. “Torah is light.” (Prv 6:23) Study and learning lead us to Enlightenment. Shabbat is associated with light—it begins and concludes with lighting of candles. In Jewish mysticism, Zohar means “Shining” or “Brilliance.” There is a “hidden light” also that we need to explore and eventually bring forward to share. That too is part of the mystical journey. The Christmas story also can be said to be “all about light.” Not only the light of the heavens that guided the magi, but the light of the Christ child born in the darkness of the night and in the darkest of times when the Roman empire ruled over the known world so cruelly. Indeed, its local chieftain, Herod, sought to kill the Christ child by murdering all the new-born boys in the area. So the story goes. The light of Promise vs. the darkness of Evil becomes a story that runs through the entire life of Jesus, culminating in his crucifixion at the hands of the Empire and the victorious resurrection that follows. Darkness however is not denigrated. After all, Wisdom literature tells us that in the silence and dark of the night the “stern warrior leapt to earth” to help humankind. Light comes out of the dark. So many statements on light and Jesus can be found. Matthew’s gospel tells us that Jesus’s preaching began with a citation from the prophet Isaiah (8:23-91): “The people that lived in darkness has sent a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.” His message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.” (Mt 4: 16f) Among Jesus’s teachings were these: “You are the light of the world…Do not hide your light under a bushel. Your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5. 14-16) In John’s Gospel, we hear: “I am the light of the world.” (8:12) “Be the children of light.” (12:36) “All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of humans; a light that shines in the dark; a light that darkness could not overpower.” (1:4f) In John’s epistle we learn that “God is light.” (1Jn 1:5) Paul talks of the “light of the glorious gospel of Christ” and the need to “give the light of the knowledge he tells us.” He tells us unbelievers have “minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God….It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness,’ who has shown in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.” (2 Cor 4: 4-6). And that we “reflect like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect.” (3:18) He instructs the Ephesians to “walk as children of light.” (5.8) Science contributes to the season also by telling us that “Matter is frozen light” (David Bohm). Has a more stark statement on Incarnation ever been spoken? All matter is light. No more fleeing matter to get to spirit (light) is needed. No wonder Einstein said he wanted to do nothing more than study light all his life. Jungian psychologist Marion Woodman relates how many people dream about the birth of a divine Child and “the dreamer is astonished by its beauty, and its capacity to talk with the wisdom of an elder…The old life dies; a new life is born. The soul is finding a new world.”[2] So a deep and meaningful promise is made at the time of Hanukkah and Christmas in a dark time of the year and a dark season in history. From darkness there emerges light and miracles or marvels that bring hope and empowerment, new birth and new life. May it be so. Blessed Hanukkah, Blessed Christmas to all! ~ Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox Read online here About the Author Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox holds a doctorate in spirituality from the Institut Catholique de Paris and has authored 35 books on spirituality and contemporary culture that have been translated into 74 languages. Fox has devoted 45 years to developing and teaching the tradition of Creation Spirituality and in doing so has reinvented forms of education and worship (called The Cosmic Mass). His work is inclusive of today’s science and world spiritual traditions and has awakened millions to the much neglected earth-based mystical tradition of the West. He has helped to rediscover Hildegard of Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Thomas Aquinas. Among his books are A Way To God: Thomas Merton's Creation Spirituality Journey; Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Times; Hildegard of Bingen: A Saint for Our Times; Stations of the Cosmic Christ; Order of the Sacred Earth; The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times; and Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic – And Beyond. To encourage a passionate response to the news of climate change advancing so rapidly, Fox started Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox. [1] See Arthur Green, Judaism for the World: Reflections on God, Life, and Love New Haven: Yale University Press, 2020), 153. Subsequent references are to Green’s fine chapter on “Hanukkah: All about the Light,” pp. 153-156.[2] Robert Bly and Marion Woodman, The Maiden King, p. 157. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Denis While reading this excellent book, "Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy" I am preoccupied by a burning question: The entire explanation of Matthews is based on a chronology of Jesus’ life having taken place between his birth around 4 BCE and his death around 30 CE. Both these dates are based solely on details found in the New Testament and not corroborated by any actual historic documentation that someone like Jesus was born during Herod’s reign and was put to death during Pontius Pilate’s governorship. The entire existence of Jesus is therefore based on a Jewish legend developed by Jewish preachers. Am I missing something? A: By Dr. Carl Krieg Dear Denis, The first step in the search for truth is always to ask the question, which, contrary to many trends in our society, you have done. The second step is to do some research, looking to people who have studied the issue, and have access to pertinent and reliable information. This also is a learning process contrary to many trends in our society. You and I are extremely fortunate to have at our fingertips almost unimaginable resources in books and the internet. As I was reading about your question, “Did Jesus exist?”, I became so entranced by the information on Google that I forgot all about the bread dough I had made, allowing it to over-rise, and flop. There is a lot to be learned! If you search for the historical Jesus, the historicity of Jesus, or the quest for the historical Jesus, you will find enough to keep you reading for the rest of your life, most of which is offered by scholars who have devoted their lives to answering your question. That search involves learning new languages, examining early texts, studying the evidence pertaining to first century Palestine, etc. In other words, they know their stuff. The unequivocal conclusion by the vast majority, including atheists and others who have no predisposition to be positive, is that, yes, Jesus really existed. Their conclusion is based, in part, on the non-biblical writings of Tacitus and Josephus, and is also based on careful analysis of evidence that can be gleaned from the letters of Paul as well as from the gospels themselves. There are those who believe that Jesus is “only” a myth, just as there are those who believe that the earth is flat, that there never was slavery in the United States, that the Holocaust never happened, and that the Jan 6 attack on the US Capitol was a peaceful, patriotic demonstration. Again, in all of these instances, the first task is to ask the question: what is true? and then seek reliable answers from those who have studied the issue. If we do neither of these, we are doomed to ignorance. For my own self, I have no doubt that Jesus existed, not the Jesus that church dogma presents to us, but the Jesus I have described in my other writings. The point of beginning for all our knowledge of Jesus is not when he was born, but when he encountered those who were to follow him. Had no one been so thoroughly impacted by him that they actually became his disciples, he would have disappeared into the dustbin of history as just another peasant. That these disciples so passionately believed and followed is proof enough for me that Jesus was a real person. ~ Dr. Carl Krieg Read and share online here About the Author Dr. Carl Krieg received his BA from Dartmouth College, MDiv from Union Theological Seminary in NYC and PhD from the University of Chicago Divinity School. He is the author of What to Believe? the Questions of Christian Faith and The Void and the Vision. As professor and pastor, Dr. Krieg has taught innumerable classes and led many discussion groups. He lives with his wife Margaret in Norwich, VT. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Howard Thurman reminded us that the work of Christmas goes far beyond a single day or even a season. The work of Christmas — social justice that lies at the heart of the Gospel — is absolutely central to how we must live year-round. As we prepare for a New Year, we need your help to do continue the work of Progressive Christianity in 2022. ProgressiveChristianity.org and Progressing Spirit strive to live authentically at the intersection of faith, reason, and justice. We strive to be a bold witness for the work of Christmas that Thurman described. If you have not yet made a donation to ProgressiveChristianity.org, but believe in the work that we are doing, we hope that you’ll consider making a year-end donation. Your gift makes an enormous impact and helps to ensure that a progressive Christian voice is amplified. Thank you for your generosity. Happy New Year from your friends at ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit! | | | | | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited Richard Dawkins and His Challenge to Christianity Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong October 12, 2011 Recently, the New York Times ran a major interview with Professor Richard Dawkins of Oxford University under the banner headline of “A Knack for Bashing Orthodoxy.” This world famous professor is now better known for his attacks on what he believes is the religious expression he calls Christianity than he is for his obviously brilliant work as a biologist. His book, The God Delusion, was for many months at or near the top of the best seller list in non-fiction not only in the New York Times, but in every other book-measuring list around the world. There is obviously enormous interest in religion that is abroad today, including an interest in religion’s demise that is the vein that Dawkins mines so well. In 1991 I was a “scholar in residence” at Magdalen College of Oxford University while researching material for my book Born of a Woman: A Bishop rethinks the Birth of Jesus and the place of Women in a Male-Dominated Church. Some people at New College, Oxford, heard that I was at the university and invited me to give a lecture. Accompanying that invitation was a second one inviting Christine and me to dine that evening at the “High Table” at New College with that college’s “Fellows.” For those not familiar with English practice, “The Fellows,” another name for the tenured faculty, eat three meals a day in their respective colleges at “High Table,” which is usually at an extended table with comfortable and sometimes well padded chairs and on an elevated stage, hence its name. Each course of this elegantly prepared formal dinner served at “High Table” is accompanied by the proper wine, poured by a host of attendants who seek to meet any need a faculty member might have. Prior to the meal, the “Fellows” meet in a faculty lounge for sherry and an interdisciplinary conversation and, following the meal, they adjourn to the same room for coffee, brandy and more conversation. Meanwhile, the students sit on benches around a table in a great hall, but distinctly on a lower level than the faculty. No wine is served to them and the menu for their meal is not only different, but quite inferior to that served to the faculty. Protocol requires that the students not begin to eat until the senior “fellow” present speaks the words of the blessing, usually in Latin, and they cannot leave until they are dismissed again by the same senior “fellow” when the faculty adjourns for coffee. The ancient English class system is clearly still operative. We accepted this invitation and, properly attired, we joined a faculty line to process to our seats. I had spent that day in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, one of the two or three great libraries of the world, reading a series of recommended books. One of then was a small book with a catchy title, The Selfish Gene, by a professor named Richard Dawkins in which he looked at evolution from the perspective of a single gene and its struggle to survive. It was a fascinating piece of work and it helped me to begin to develop a new understanding of the nature of life itself and even a new way to understand the human reality that theologians of the past have called “Original Sin” and “The Fall.” At that moment, I did not know who Richard Dawkins was or where he taught. When we sat down at the table, my wife was on my right and a member of the faculty of New College was on my left. I turned to this person with my hand outstretched and said, “I am Jack Spong, who are you?” His response was instant and his smile was warm, “I’m Richard Dawkins,” he said. The coincidence was almost more than I could embrace. I told him that I had just that day read The Selfish Gene. When he discovered I was an Anglican bishop, he was surprised that I had enjoyed the book as much as I had. It was distinctly anti-religious he asserted. That conversation stuck in my mind as the years passed and Richard Dawkins became more and more of a public figure and even a television regular. His popularity was easy to understand. He is photogenic, personable, warm and articulate. He also takes what he calls an anti-religious stance. Not only does he assert his atheism, but he also delights in ridiculing his understanding of religion, regarding it as childlike, ignorant, superstitious and, to use what seems to be his favorite word, “incurious.” Figures in the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Church of England have risen periodically to challenge him in public debate. One was John Hapgood, the former Archbishop of York, and a man of recognizable academic achievements. Another was Keith Ward, the Regius Professor of Divinity at Christ Church, Oxford, but these church-led attacks accomplished little. Each of these “defenders of the faith” suggested that Dawkins was reacting to a caricature of Christianity that would make a first year theology student wince at its naiveté. They even suggested that he study theology, suggesting that unless he did so, he would inevitably be dismissed in theological circles as “uneducated.” What none of them realized was that Dawkins was making contact with the public with his one liners and his penetrating insights, while these theologians, were seeking to make sense out of the convoluted theological explanations of the past that had been developed primarily to undergird and sustain ecclesiastical power. Before they had reached their point their audiences had turned glassy-eyed and were wearing “who gives a damn” faces. When Dawkin’s book The God Delusion came out in 2006, it was popularly received. I read it with interest and enthusiasm. What amazed me was that the God Dawkins criticized is the God that I too criticize. My primary problem with him was that he assumed that the God I worshiped was the same deity that he was so cleverly rejecting. I do not see God as an external being, supernatural in power, living above the sky and always prepared to intervene in human history to right a wrong, to do a miracle or to answer prayers. I do not see God as either a heavenly parent or a heavenly judge dispensing rewards and punishments to obedient or disobedient children according to their deserving. This rather juvenile God died centuries ago, the victim of a revolution in thought that produced the modern consciousness. This revolution was ignited by Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo, who together shattered God’s dwelling place above the sky and rendered the primitive God of the childhood of our religion to be “homeless.” Next came Isaac Newton, whose development of what later came to be called “natural law,” destroyed the idea of God as a supernatural figure, able to intervene in history by setting aside the physical laws by which this universe operated. In turn Newton rendered God “unemployed.” This God no longer had any work to do. This God did not bring victory in warfare, cure sicknesses, rescue people from peril or guarantee that God would prevail against evil. Newton was followed by Charles Darwin, who destroyed the primary myth by which Christians had traditionally told their faith story. How could there be a “fall” from an original, created perfection, Darwin asked, if evolution had moved from a single cell to cellular complexity? Without the foundational concept of a fall from perfection into “original sin” the sacred symbols of our popular faith story began to fall like bowling pins. If there was no fall, the idea that Jesus was God’s rescue operation, designed to overcome that fall, became absurd. The idea that God required the death of Jesus to pay the price of that sin became weird and seemed to define God as the ultimate child abuser, who required the death of the son before forgiveness could be extended. The off-stated Christian concept that “Jesus died for my sins” in fact filled worshipers with nothing other than debilitating guilt and the suggestion that we should be “washed in the blood of Jesus” in order to receive salvation or that we should drink the blood of Jesus in the Eucharist to be cleansed internally became grotesque images. Yet those are the things that Richard Dawkins was attacking in 2006! I can conceive of God apart from supernaturalism. I can deny the theistic definition of God without being an atheist, since the theistic definition of God is a human creation not a divine revelation. I believe I can experience a transcendent presence in the life of Jesus, which is my understanding of “divinity,” without buying the late first century explanation of the Virgin Birth and without affirming miracles as literally true. I believe that I can assert and enter the reality of eternal life while simultaneously dismissing the traditional definitions of heaven and hell. Those are, of course, not popular ideas in traditional modern religion, as we see it lived out in churches, on television and through the eyes of politicians, who use primitive religious concepts to create fear and to enhance electoral prospects. It is this popular religion to which Richard Dawkins reacts so relentlessly. Indeed in this interview he said that he wrote The God Delusion after enduring “four years of the public religion of the Bush administration.” In his Times interview, Dawkins said, “I have had perfectly wonderful conversations with Anglican bishops and I rather suspect if you ask them in a candid moment, they’d say they don’t believe in the Virgin Birth. But for every one of them, four others would tell a child she’ll rot in hell for doubting.” My friend Richard, it was not in a “candid moment,” but in a best-selling book written 20 years ago that I dismissed the birth stories of Matthew and Luke as anything more than mythological tales. Because medicine men in the past used voodoo and doctors in the 18th century bled their patients to release the evil spirits, does not mean that modern medicine still embraces these ideas. Because uneducated people and even some educated, but fragile people still cling to a fundamentalist literalism, does not mean that this is what Christianity means. Someone once asked me who I would choose if I could have dinner and conversation with anyone in the world? My answer was Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins. Someday perhaps that dream will come true. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements 2022 Certificate and Degree Programs | | | | | | | Spirituality & Practice invites you to become part of the inaugural group for two training programs based on the recognition that all of life is a spiritual practice. These programs are for individual seekers, spiritual leaders and companions, caregivers and service providers, and activists in change-making organizations. Read On... | | | | | | | | | | | | Sophia Theological Seminary, a new ‘little b’ baptist seminary located in Dinwiddie, VA, proudly announces that is now actively recruiting for an inaugural cohort of students to begin in June 2022. Read On... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Re: [Dialogue] [Oe List ...] Honoring 2021 and Anticipating 2022
by Dharmalingam Vinasithamby 26 Dec '21

26 Dec '21

Thanks Robyn for sharing Dr Anne's talk. Her phrase "We are all indigenous people" and the implication she draws from it regarding caring for the earth was inspiring. So glad people with such wisdom are around us. Dharma On Monday, 27 December 2021, 05:09:33 am MYT, John & Robyn Hutchinson via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: Dear colleagues, Thankyou Karen for pulling the transcripts of many hours (in two time zones), of conversation and sharing, by older and newer colleagues across the globe. 'Around the Campfire' has been captured so well - a fine document for taking us forward. The team had a great time putting this together, building on the momentum that has re-occurred in this grassroots movement and connection over the past couple of years. We invite you to continue to be 'around this campfire' in the coming months, as we all explore new ways of being the 'point off difference' in society. I would like to share a piece of listening, and an image via a photo, by one of our long term colleagues, Craig Cromelin, from Murrin Bridge, NSW Australia, 'Wake up the snake -we are building a coalition of hope' Anne is another Indigenous colleague doing amazing caring for country based in Western Australia. You may like to listen to Dr Anne's 'Wake up the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZmflOQarnM 'Collective wisdom brings nature back to balance' Grace and Peace for the year ahead Robyn Hutchinson, Member, Global communications Team -----Original Message----- From: OE <oe-bounces(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> On Behalf Of Karen Snyder via OE Sent: Thursday, 23 December 2021 12:48 PM To: ICA Dialogue <Dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net>; OE Community <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> Cc: Karen Snyder <karen.snyder10(a)gmail.com> Subject: [Oe List ...] Honoring 2021 and Anticipating 2022 You may have heard about, or even participated in, the global ICA conversations December 11th. Hosted by the Global Schedule Team and the ICAI Communications Team, we honored 2021 and shared glimmerings of the future. The attached is a sharing - a bit of documentation - to give you a taste of the events, to connect you with colleagues, and to inspire you with thinking about the future that emerged in the conversations. _______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net

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A Witness at Christmas
by Dharmalingam Vinasithamby 26 Dec '21

26 Dec '21

"We have been on a journey away from ourselves" - this phrase from a version of the Daily Office has stayed in my mind over the years. I am impressed by how apt the words are. I feel this in myself. I do not maintain my journal as I used to. The dialogue I have with myself in the full light of consciousness is something I've done less and less. It's only when I think of it and miss it that I realise the change, how much I have neglected the interior life. I've often thought of my companions in the Order/ICA as only part of the past. But now I realize that it's your company, even when only imagined, that keeps me conscious of the interior world. The journey we began has not ended, and if we think about it, we can take heart from the knowledge that all of us, fellow travellers, are still on the road. V. Dharmalingam26/12/2021

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12/23/2021, Progressing Spirit: Dr. Carl Krieg: Social Media: the Wizard Behind the Screen; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 23 Dec '21

23 Dec '21

| | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Social Media: the Wizard Behind the Screen | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Dr. Carl Krieg December 23, 2021 The largest human psychological event/experiment in history is happening as you read, it involves everyone, and has momentous consequences. To learn the details, tune in and watch “Our Social Dilemma”, a Netflix documentary featuring young former top executives of social media companies such as Google, Facebook, and Instagram. The common message is simple. Entities, business or political, pay the companies to influence the way people think. The influence can have two purposes: either entice people to buy my product, or entice people to behave in a certain way, such as voting, demonstrations, or activism of any kind. How do the social media companies achieve these goals? They know us, individually and collectively, as they continually gather data about us from the choices we make that are constantly being recorded on our computers, tablets and cell phones. Every day, all day. Huge memory banks hidden away in non-descript buildings contain the voluminous data that defines who we are. Given that information, which includes our personality traits deduced from our recorded behavior, they know how to fill the screen with suggestive material, the most obvious of which are advertisements, but also include content that is “suggested for you”. Raw Story, a small news organization, recently posed as a 13 year old, celebrating his birthday, who entered “Muslim” on tik tok, and within 10 days was receiving videos about killing Christians and Jews. Having initiated a search, algorithms lead us on. With the advent of biometrics [eg heartbeat recorded on your watch] the algorithm has that much more with which to work. Our excitability, as measured in our biometrics, provides suggestions as to what may be next suggested for us. Not only so, but the Artificial Intelligence, aka an algorithm, is able to identify thousands more who have the identical profile, and an army of consumers or activists becomes suddenly possible. Meanwhile, the tech companies make more money. Dopamine, along with oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins are referred to as the “feel good” chemicals that activate the pleasure center of our brain. Inasmuch as we prefer pleasure and not its opposite, we trend to those activities and thoughts that trigger the dopamine. Integral to the grand experiment going on today is the identification of what it is that activates the pleasure center. Different individuals can be under the influence of different triggers, which can change as life moves on, but there are also triggers that appear to be quite common, if not universal: violence and community. Yes, violence, strange as it may seem. We have long known that sex, food and drugs can be addictive, and we have more recently learned that money as well can have that effect. Big Tech has seen, in actual real time human behavior, that violence entices a person to click to the next screen, indicating that dopamine has been released. Studies with animals have also shown this to be true. Bar brawls apparently excite us, and social media knows how to manipulate this violent behavior to turn a profit. Of course, it’s not only Big Tech and it’s not only social media. The insurrection of January 6, 2021 is a prime example of violence feeding on itself in a dopamine feedback loop. Integral to that loop is a second major trigger of the feel good chemicals: community. Or at least some kind of togetherness with others who share our profile. We can accept it as well-established fact that homo sapiens is a social animal. We enjoy being with others who share our worldview, just as we find it uncomfortable to be with others who have a different perspective. We much prefer to have our biases confirmed rather than challenged. Here again, social media appeals to our sense of belonging, either through advertising that draws us into a community of fashion or product, or through the spouting of social critique and commentary that draws us into a certain brand of populism and activism. We have “friends” with whom we “like” things. Thousands of people will travel thousands of miles to join up with others who share the same belief, no matter how ludicrous. Being together validates the belief, incites the violence, and activates the dopamine. Why, we may ask, do community and violence create that good feeling? From a historical, evolutionary perspective, given that we have evolved and continue to evolve, community and violence must have proven advantageous to the survival of the species. The reason might lie in our hunter/gatherer days. We once existed as small tribes who hunted and gathered the food needed for survival. Although there must have been interpersonal tension in a tribe, the overarching necessity was tribal cooperation for survival. The opposite might have been the case for inter-tribal competition. Constantly moving, it was critical to have access to areas where food was plentiful, and it is easy to see how competition and conflict between tribes could arise. However, whether in peace or in conflict, intra-tribal cooperative community was mandatory and desirable, and in inter-tribal conflict, on the other hand, violence may have proven advantageous. In addition to evolutionary analysis, we can also analyze the situation from a logical perspective. We all come into this world and are bombarded by stimuli. We order the stimuli and create a worldview through which we filter future stimuli, and in so doing create a rather limited and egocentric view of reality. Two choices present themselves. We can either realize that our worldview is limited, and through contact with others seek to learn from them and expand our understanding accordingly, or we can become closed in upon oneself and live in the illusion that your world is the real world and that everyone must agree with you. The danger in becoming open to others is that one must become vulnerable. Suppose you are aware of your limitations, meet another, share what you know, and seek to learn from the other. Unfortunately, the other takes advantage of your honesty, learns where the good hunting is, and misleads you with false information about a watering hole. The peace-lover dies out, the violent competitor wins, and he is chemically rewarded for his deceit and violence with a good feeling induced by dopamine. This might explain why egocentrism is a universal situation. It just won out. That seems to be the point of the Cain and Abel story. Cain was a farmer while Abel was a shepherd, so it could be that this is a mythological explanation of why farmers and shepherds are always fighting. But there could be more. We don’t know much about Abel, other than that God looked upon him with favor and he was happy. The impression one gains of Cain is that he was a competitive crybaby [God likes Abel better than me], was sullen and angry, and took it out on Abel by killing him. It appears to be a case where the peace-lover loses out to the violent competitor just because that’s life, and, as a mythological statement, is meant to apply to all of us. Whatever the cause, be it rooted in evolution or logical inevitability, the fact is that today violence and community are dopamine triggers. The question is: is there a different way to put the pieces together? It may be that evolution has brought us to where we are, but inasmuch as evolution is an ongoing process, we have the potential to move on to a different place and need not remain as we are. Considering community, it is the case that belonging to a community does in fact trigger good feelings. That is not at issue. The issue is: to what kind of community do we belong? The best guess is that belonging to a loving community would precipitate all sorts of good feelings, creating a powerfully uplifting environment. We already know that sexual attraction makes us “in love” through release of oxytocin. Perhaps immersion in a community of agape love would trigger a cascade of chemicals, known and unknown. And perhaps that cascade would suppress the ability of violence to be a trigger. Think about that. We already know that nurturing love is required for an infant/baby to have a chance for a happy life. Might it not be the case that nurturing community is required for a happy life? Perhaps this was what Jesus was trying to do. He gathered a family of friends to be an example of what fulfilled life could be, a microcosm of a humanity wherein it is love that triggers the dopamine. After the manner of Jesus, it is our challenge today, a challenge to both the church and secular society, to offer an alternative algorithm in which clicking leads forward in a healthful, helpful direction. The community within our grasp can begin with as few as two and grow from there. We have reached a moment in our evolution where cooperation in community is necessary for survival. We know the way. Can we do it? Disclaimer: I am neither a neuroscientist nor a historian of evolution, and, though unintended, might be in error on some of the suggested connections. Comments most welcome! ~ Dr. Carl Krieg Read online here About the Author Dr. Carl Krieg received his BA from Dartmouth College, MDiv from Union Theological Seminary in NYC and PhD from the University of Chicago Divinity School. He is the author of What to Believe? the Questions of Christian Faith and The Void and the Vision. As professor and pastor, Dr. Krieg has taught innumerable classes and led many discussion groups. He lives with his wife Margaret in Norwich, VT. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By A Reader How can I get through to my friends and relatives who have been activated by Fox News and other extremist media to be afraid of Critical Race Theory? They don’t even know what CRT is, but they sure are afraid of it. A: By Brian D. McLaren Dear Reader, Your question brings to mind an experience from a couple years ago, before CRT was widely discussed. I was driving a relative to an airport not far from where I live in Florida. He was a reluctant but firm Trump supporter, terribly anxious about Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and everything else Fox News told him to fear. He said something critical of Colin Kaepernick and I said something supportive of him and pretty soon, we were on the verge of an argument. I took a breath … I knew an argument would only solidify us in our positions. What could I say? We drove along for two or three minutes in a tense silence. I passed a sign that said, “Entering Lee County.” I started telling my relative this story, keeping my eyes on the road. “We just entered Lee County. Before 1887, this was part of Monroe County. But local folks wanted their own county, and they needed a name for it. I can’t help but wonder why Floridians in 1887 would name their new county after Robert E. Lee, the leader of the confederacy, the defender of slavery, the general who lost the Civil War.” My relative didn’t say anything, but I could tell, instead of arguing, he was wondering, imagining, thinking. Over the next few moments, the tension began to dissipate. I said. “Today, about a quarter of Fort Myers, the largest city in Lee County, is black. If Black folks here need to go to court, they have to pass by a big statue of Robert E Lee before they enter the courthouse. Then, when they stand before the judge or the county council, they will see a huge mural of Robert E. Lee there behind them. I can’t help but wonder how that would feel for them.” There was silence, and after a few moments, my relative said, “Wow. I never thought of it that way before.” I hold no illusions that my relative gave up Fox and started voting Democratic from then on. But I know that one small moment of empathy occurred and took us to a place that no argument ever could. Perhaps small moments like that add up. Admittedly, these moments are rare. But I can’t help but wonder what would happen if more of us practiced ways to invite others out of argument and fear and into empathy and compassion. ~ Brian D. McLaren Read and share online here About the Author Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is an Auburn Senior Fellow and a leader in the Convergence Network, through which he is developing an innovative training/mentoring program for pastors, church planters, and lay leaders called Convergence Leadership Project. He works closely with the Center for Progressive Renewal/Convergence, the Wild Goose Festival and the Fair Food Program‘s Faith Working Group. His most recent book is Faith After Doubt. He is the author of the illustrated children’s book (for all ages) called Cory and the Seventh Story, The Great Spiritual Migration, We Make the Road by Walking, and Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? Brian's next book, Do I Stay Christian?, will be available May 24, 2022 (https://read.macmillan.com/lp/do-i-stay-christian/) He is a popular conference speaker, a frequent guest lecturer for denominational and ecumenical leadership gatherings, has written for or contributed interviews to many periodicals, including Leadership, Sojourners, Tikkun, Worship Leader, and Conversations, and is a frequent guest on television, radio, and news media programs. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Let me be honest. A year ago, we weren’t sure if our organization would survive. We, like so many religious nonprofits, have had to accept the changing realities of funding, as our traditional funding sources have evaporated. Many organizations would have given up, but we decided that this work was too important. I love the above quote from Oswald Chambers because it reminds us that we can’t just hope that God will intervene and save us… we have to work to change the things that are important to us. So, over the past year, through a great deal of determination, volunteer hours, and hard work, we have begun to turn things around at ProgressiveChristianity.org and we are certain that we will survive. However, if we are going to do the work that’s really needed – to confront the incredibly harmful and exclusionary theology proliferated by fundamentalists, while we spread the Gospel of God’s radical love – we need to not only survive, we need to thrive. We have a number of exciting things planned for 2022 that will greatly expand our impact, including a new podcast and some exciting video resources… but, if they’re going to come to fruition, we need your help. If you’re looking to make a year-end donation, we’d be very grateful if you’d consider ProgressiveChristianity.org. If you’re interested in supporting us on an ongoing basis, you might consider setting up a recurring donation. A recurring donation of $20/month could make a monumental difference for us. Thank you so much for your ongoing support and generosity! Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines, Co-Executive Director ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit | | | | | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited Looking at Christmas Through a Rear-View Window Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong January 7, 2009 It still has magic power. Across the Western world hearts beat lighter during the Christmas season, generosity expands and romance overflows its normal boundaries. Of course, there is a minority of the population for whom this is never true. For them the Christmas season is a cruel reminder of their plight. The picture of family members smiling around the decorated tree exacerbates the loneliness of those who have no families. The warmth of the burning fireplace seems insensitive to those who are cold. Yet, despite these hard reminders that Christmas joy is never universal, it is nonetheless true that the Christmas season grabs and warms the Western consciousness as does no other time of the year. These are data that beg the question why? Why is this the season of good cheer and romance? What is there about this season that brings dreams of peace and hope of good will so powerfully into focus? Part of the answer to this query is surely that in the Northern hemisphere the Christmas season comes at the darkest time of the year, when human beings yearn for the return of the sun that will inevitably hurl back this winter darkness. Perhaps we are still in touch, at least subliminally, with those elemental anxieties that marked our ancient ancestors, who feared each winter that the sun might be disappearing permanently and who were thus gripped by a deep sense of insecurity or angst. We do frame the Christmas story as one in which the darkness is penetrated first by a bright star in the East and later by an angelic chorus that opens the night sky to sing its heavenly message to hillside shepherds. We explain the power of Christmas through the symbol of light breaking darkness. Symbols, however, are tricky. We are always tempted to literalize them. Yet, increasingly, men and women today dismiss the literal understanding of the biblical Christmas myths. Only the biologically naïve still argue that a virgin can conceive. Only the astronomically challenged believe that a star can announce a human event or wander through the sky so slowly that wise men can actually keep up with it. Only the historically inept can still pretend that a decree was issued to all the descendants of King David ordering them to return to their ancestral home in Bethlehem to be enrolled. The time between King David and Jesus was about 1000 years, or some 50 generations. King David had multiple wives and numerous children. Stories about this family echo through the books of I and II Samuel. If this king had 50 direct heirs in his generation, which would represent a very conservative number for a royal figure in that polygamous and patriarchal age, try to imagine the number of direct heirs there would be 50 generations later. At the end of five generations the number would be approximately 30,000. Ten generations later that number would have expanded to more than 40 million and, by the twelfth generation, it would have passed the one billion number. Fifty generations would produce hundreds of billions of direct heirs. Can you imagine a real king issuing such a decree designed to reach all of the descendants of one who lived a thousand years ago, or that they would obey it? If that were literally true it should surprise no one that there was no room at the inn at Bethlehem, a village of less than 500 people! The myths are beautiful and appealing but they were never meant to be taken literally. Nonetheless, they have been read as the “Word of God,” placed into hymns, liturgies, pageants and repeated so often that most people grow up thinking of them as history. While no one with any scholarly background today regards them as literally true, their power is still undiminished. At pageants, we love to see that manger, listen to the angels sing and watch the wise men journey to Bethlehem. Something is powerfully real underneath even our non-literal symbols. Pious believers do not like to be confronted with facts. In the world of our experience, however, virgins do not conceive, stars do not wander, wise men do not leave their homes in search of a newborn king, angels do not sing and shepherds do not search for a baby lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Beyond that, it is an established fact that the birth stories do not appear in the Christian tradition until the ninth decade. Paul, who wrote from 51-64 CE, obviously had never heard of this tradition. Mark, the earliest gospel writer, portrays the mother of Jesus as thinking he was “beside himself,” that is, out of his mind, a kind of family embarrassment that must be put away by the time he was grown. That is not the response one would anticipate from the Jewish maiden to whom angels had made the annunciation and the promise that she would be the bearer of the “Son of the Highest.” Of course, Mark had never heard of the miraculous tales of Jesus’ birth because they had not been formulated when Mark wrote his gospel. It was in the 9th decade when Matthew first introduced this tradition to the Christian community. He did so, we now believe, to counter rampant rumors about Jesus’ questionable paternity that were being circulated by the enemies of the Christian movement. These rumors are stated quite overtly by Matthew in verse 18 of his opening chapter: “When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child…. And Joseph resolved to divorce her quietly.” Then Matthew tells us that Joseph learned from angelic sources that the child was holy and not illegitimate. Matthew explains this by saying that the miraculous birth of Jesus was predicted by the prophets and cites Isaiah 7:14 to buttress his case, but we now know that he mistranslated his proof text. Matthew said that this verse read, “Behold a virgin will conceive.” That text, however, announces only that “a woman is with child.” That is quite a difference. Matthew surely knew that and perhaps that is why in his seventeen-verse introduction to this narrative of Jesus’ miraculous birth he describes the strange genealogical line that he claims led to Jesus of Nazareth. The DNA that produced Jesus traveled, said Matthew, through some dark and sexually compromised waters. One of Jesus’ ancestors, he tells us, was born through an incestuous relationship between Tamar and her father in law, Judah. Others were born to the prostitute Rehab, through an act of seduction performed by Ruth and through the adultery of Bathsheba. That is quite a way to introduce a narrative of Jesus’ miraculous birth, but that is exactly how Matthew does it. About a decade after Matthew, Luke wrote his version of Jesus’ birth. He disagrees with Matthew on many details. Matthew says that the family of Jesus lived in Bethlehem, while Luke asserts that they lived in Nazareth. Only Matthew tells the story of a star and wise men, while only Luke has an account of angels and shepherds. Matthew has the holy family flee to Egypt, later return to their home in Bethlehem and finally make an angel driven retreat to settle in Galilee and Nazareth. Luke has this family remain in the Jerusalem area until the child is presented in the Temple on the fortieth day of his life before returning home to Nazareth in a leisurely fashion. When we come to the Fourth Gospel the birth stories, about which John must have known, simply disappear. John calls Jesus “the son of Joseph” twice, suggesting that his birth was quite natural. In this gospel it is not one’s natural birth that is significant, but one’s spiritual birth. That, John argued, was what made Jesus who he was. There is nothing even controversial about these data in the academic world where all birth stories are regarded as interpretive myths. That, however, does not diminish these myths’ power. Mythological truth is of a different order from either literalism or history. The purpose of the biblical stories of Jesus’ birth is to introduce us to this order. Hidden beneath these myths are expressions of the human hope that even in the darkness of winter we are not alone in this universe. There is within all human life a yearning to know that the realm of the spirit does enter and indeed does permeate the earthly realm that we inhabit. In our imagination we always tended to locate that spiritual realm above the sky. So our myths speak of mysterious signs in the skies of heaven all of which serve to announce that the Christ Child is the one life in whom God is experienced as fully present in the human realm. These symbols remind us that this planet earth is not just a tiny clod related to minor star located about two-thirds of the way toward the edge of our galaxy, but rather makes the claim that on this earth we bask in the direct gaze of the God, who is the source of the life that fills the universe. We further claim that it is within this life itself that we find meaning and purpose and that is how we know that we are not alone. That is the Christmas claim and its appeal is a very powerful one. That is also why we cling to our interpretive myths so tenaciously. No myth is literally true. It is the nature of myth to point to a truth that limited words cannot embrace. That is what the biblical stories of Jesus’ birth do and that is why we love them passionately and respect them so deeply. Our assertion in these stories is that there is a place in this world where God and human life come together. We call it Bethlehem, but it is not an external town located on a map, but a place deep within each of us. There is a manger at the end of the human journey where each of us lies in the crib of God, but to find it we must go deep within ourselves. There is a hunger in the human heart that only God can fill and so we tell of wise men and shepherds who take their journey in hope. That is why the search for God is always identical with and part of the search for ourselves. These meanings in the Christmas narratives never emerge until we surrender our need for truth to be literal. Perhaps that means that literal religion must die before God can be known. That idea grows on me the older I get. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements ILLUMINATING HOPE A TRANSFORMATIONAL ONLINE GALA! As our world faces continued instabilities and uncertainties, the sacred work of wisdom keeping has never been more necessary. People everywhere are looking for hope, support, and ways to remember the sacred in everyday life. READ ON ... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Honoring 2021 and Anticipating 2022
by Karen Snyder 23 Dec '21

23 Dec '21

You may have heard about, or even participated in, the global ICA conversations December 11th. Hosted by the Global Schedule Team and the ICAI Communications Team, we honored 2021 and shared glimmerings of the future. The attached is a sharing - a bit of documentation - to give you a taste of the events, to connect you with colleagues, and to inspire you with thinking about the future that emerged in the conversations. All the best to you during these holy days and may 2022 bring you health and meaningful engagement. Peace and love, Karen

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2021 and 2022
by Robertson Work 18 Dec '21

18 Dec '21

Dear friends, Sending you warm wishes this holiday season and much happiness and good health in 2022! In case you would like to read it, here is my 2021 report on caring for the world, friends, family, and self. https://www.robertsonwork.com/post/my-2021-report-to-people-and-planet-a-ye… Looking forward to hearing from you now and again, Rob ............................................. Author page for my books: https://www.amazon.com/Robertson-Work/e/B075612GBF Blogsite: https://compassionatecivilization.blogspot.com/ Website: https://www.robertsonwork.com/

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Birthday Witness
by Richard Alton 14 Dec '21

14 Dec '21

*The Day of the Dead* I am writing this witness on this 2021 Day of the Dead as I am prepare for my 80th birthday witness. It seems an appropriate time as I enter, what is likely, my last decade. And the movie Coco (animated film about the Land of the Dead) had such a profound impact on me about what it means to honor the dead and prepare them to return from the Land of the Dead. You must have their picture on your desk or on your wall. The key to coming back from the Land of the Dead is knowing you are being remembered. I now have my Mom and Dad’s picture on my desk. Maybe more importantly, death has had a major impact in my last couple of years. But ever since reading the Carlos Castaneda quote, “When you need an answer look over your left shoulder and ask your death…. death is the only wise advisor we have”, I have been fascinated by death. I have always done something special on entering a new decade and, somehow, each has had something to do with a ‘death defining’ event. While celebrating my *50th birthday* I was in Zambia staying with the Bergdalls. They decided to help me celebrate my 50th by giving me a gift: free white water rafting down the Zambezi River. Should have known better when they said you first had to practice falling out of the raft in a swimming pool and explained the river is incredible, a class 5 rapids (only goes up to 5), rushing with many hidden dangers. And we practiced a dead man’s float. The guidebook said it was considered Extreme Entertainment. Plus, to get us in the right readiness, the guides told us about people they had lost in the last week. To say this was a life changing experience of living on the edge would put it mildly… but I made it. And then there was my *70th in Nepal*. Sally and two of our friends went four days early to the ICA Global Conference in Katmandu. My daughter, the travel planner said we would love walking the Himalayan Mountains foothills with guides and Sherpas (the guys who carry your bags). We chose the Annapurna area to go trekking along the foothills. We started talking about 20,000 feet (where you need additional oxygen) but kept lowering the height till we decided to go to 6,000 feet. Did well going up. But then on the third day it was time to come down. The new, added ingredient was rain- heavy rain. The trail is just rocks, but now wet and slippery- going down was twice as hard with death defying drops. I barely made it down. So, you can see my decade celebrations have turned out to be wild adventures that brought me to the edge of my life experiences. But this 80th decade decided to bring its own life-edge experiences. My partner Sally Stovall’s death was an awesome experience into the mystery of life. To mark this experience, a group of friends helped design a program for people dealing with death. Seva Gandhi was critical as a master of a zoom/google drive that allows for dialogue and a highly engaging process. The support team is Pam Bergdall, Cheryl Kartes and Mary D’Souza. I just wrote a note on the Last Chapter Program I would like to share- it is the results of focusing on our death. *The Last Chapter Program* *Shaping my relationship to the mystery of my death and, therefore, my life* . In 2020, we prepared a four-session program that would help people think through their aspirations for the later part of their life. This pilot program has guided seventy-two people from 5 different countries in 4 different cohorts: two in 2020 and two in 2021 There are currently 5 people who are coaches for the course. After 2021 we anticipate offering the program to the public. The demand to look at what some call “a real spiritual deficit in our society” is enormous. Before I die, what do I want to accomplish? Let’s be serious about this one life we have. *The What:* We are piloting a workshop/seminar or series, that would allow people (no matter what age) to think seriously and intentionally about their final journey in life, their death, and make concrete decisions about their funeral/memorial service, organ or body donation, distribution of assets, obituary, burial/ cremation/ natural, etc. The course allows for many small groups which is conducive to listening to others and doing exercises. *The Four Sessions*. One crucial aspect is that we end each of the 4 four-hour monthly sessions by sharing individually what we want to accomplish by our next gathering. *Session One*: *Life Story*. A lifetime Planning exercise: reflection on your life to tell your unique story through identifying turning points and themes. The session ends with what are your next steps of your life work: obituary work, book groups and movies to watch. *Session Two*: *Scenario Planning* Workshop: Identifying and then creating scenarios to enable you to intentionally and meaningfully live out the remainder of your life over the next ten years. What are key factors, external forces, and critical uncertainties of my future. Finally, what are common issues which are blocks to end of life planning? *Session Three*: Action Planning for the next six months; when, what and how; planning your memorial service. *Session Four:* Building your Life Plan and using it to help shape your constructive relationship to end of life. Life planning- What’s next. *Participants Reflections:* · “It provided a community learning experience regarding a topic not usually spoken about, while it is a universal experience.” · “It was a vehicle to state my intent for my wishes after death for my resources and legacy” · My starting premise is that many, many people need this and will benefit. It is a service to them, to their children and communities- and far too few have given this any thought, much less a thorough examination.” *A useful guide book: “I’m Dead, Now What?”* Dick Alton. A member of the Other World, since 1968 -- Richard H. T. Alton One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF) ICA Global Fund Methodist Eco-Sustainability T/F T: 773.344.7172 richard.alton(a)gmail.com **Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2022, March 4-13, Earth Day Fest, April 19-24* http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2 Won't you be my neighbor?

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Fwd: TOGO gathering
by Sunny Walker 10 Dec '21

10 Dec '21

From: Alan <agammel(a)ix.netcom.com> Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2021 at 4:00 PM Subject: TOGO gathering To: Sunny Walker <sunny.sunwalker(a)gmail.com> Alan Gammel is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Global ICA Community Gathering Time: Dec 11, 2021 04:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7023370344?pwd=L2FhcURHQm9kRTh4SGhjNWtUdXRDUT09 Meeting ID: 702 337 0344 Passcode: 387141 One tap mobile +13017158592,,7023370344#,,,,*387141# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,7023370344#,,,,*387141# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 702 337 0344 Passcode: 387141 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcXfGwgJQx

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Fwd: Chicago gathering
by Sunny Walker 10 Dec '21

10 Dec '21

From: Alan <agammel(a)ix.netcom.com> Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2021 at 4:02 PM Subject: Chicago gathering To: Sunny Walker <sunny.sunwalker(a)gmail.com> Alan Gammel is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Global ICA Community Gathering Time: Dec 11, 2021 01:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7023370344?pwd=L2FhcURHQm9kRTh4SGhjNWtUdXRDUT09 Meeting ID: 702 337 0344 Passcode: 387141 One tap mobile +13017158592,,7023370344#,,,,*387141# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,7023370344#,,,,*387141# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 702 337 0344 Passcode: 387141 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcXfGwgJQx

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12/09/2021, Progressing Spirit: Toni Anne Reynolds: Sankofa; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 09 Dec '21

09 Dec '21

| | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Toni Anne Reynolds December 9, 2021 | | | | | | Sankofa | | | | The United Nations, in partnership with the West African country of Ghana, marked 2019 as “The Year of Return”. It was a year to honor the 400-year stint of resilience of the people of the African Diaspora. 400 years since the first stolen Africans arrived in the Americas as part of the system of chattel slavery. During the Year of Return, thousands of people of the African Diaspora visited countries in West Africa as a way of honoring the lineage of strength. Ghana was host to most of these events and many of the festivities were advertised with the symbol of “Sankofa” (displayed in both images above). It has become a popular symbol and term throughout the United States as African American communities work to connect with the past to envision and build the future. The Sankofa symbol itself is inspired by an Akan proverb: “sƐ wo werƐ fi na wo sankƆfa a yenkyi”. This can be translated to “if you forget and you go back to take what you forgot, it is not a crime/taboo.” Typically, one might find the meaning of Sankofa explained as “to retrieve” or “to return and get it”. In either short or long form, the essence remains: visiting the past is a way to invest in and protect the future. Generally, Sankofa is invoked to encourage an entire generation, or the whole of a community, to embody the meaning. As was the case with "The Year of Return" events. The idea was, and continues to be, that knowing one’s lineage, culture, and history can ensure a lively future. The building of which will be strong and able to endure for many generations. There are several depictions of this wisdom symbol. One form looks like a heart with spirals incorporated on the top and bottom. Another common form of Sankofa is of a bird facing backward with a seed in its mouth, while it’s body and feet face forward. Internet searches will tell you this bird is mythical, but I have heard elders speak about this creature as one that truly exists in Nature, or did at one point in time. This bird is known for meticulously collecting food and strategically hiding it in its surroundings. Then, during times of scarcity, the bird returns to its hidden troves of nutrition - it will “go back and get it” so that death does not come to visit. To embrace the meaning of this symbol is to accept the invitation to behave with the same priorities of this bird. Regardless of ancestral lineage, ethnic and cultural makeup, each of us is responsible for protecting treasures so that they can be of benefit to coming generations. This value seems to be activated in today’s reality. At the beginning of 2019, The Year of Return, an estimated 26 million people used an at home genetics test to trace their ancestry. This staggering desire to trace roots lead to many people finding long lost family, discerning details about their familial origin stories, and connecting to cultures they once felt removed from. There’s no way of knowing what the driving motivation was for all 26 million people. However, anytime a trend takes off in society, it does seem to point to a stable truth. In this case, I offer that the widespread interest in exploring personal lineage is reflective of our collective call to “retrieve” what has been forgotten, as a way to supply future generations with much needed virtues. Virtues such as community, endurance, wise compassion, resilient creativity, ingenuity. Even on the level of so-called individual life, it can be the case that visiting the past reveals hidden gems that enrich the present and inform the way a person creates their future. I recently had such an experience in my “individual” life. I was participating in a Saturday Service facilitated by the beloved Rabbi Brian when he led a gratitude exercise. He asked everyone to open their text messages or email inboxes and scroll down several times so that we were deep in our inbox, and therefore likely to select someone who hadn’t heard from us in a long while. Without much analyzing, we picked a person and wrote them a simple message of thanks. “I’m glad you’re in my life.” “Thank you for being such a positive presence to those around you,” messages of this sentiment. The person I selected without thought was a college professor. She last messaged me in February of this year. Now, in October, I texted her to say, “thank you for being part of my journey.” What followed turned into a month’s long catch-up session. We have connected via video calls, emails, and are collaborating on a project that I left in 2011 before I graduated from college. The process of being in touch with her has enlivened corners of my life that I didn’t realize were becoming dull. Interests that fell to the wayside have been pulled back onto my path. A few other dearly held relationships that faded with time are coming back into focus as well. It has been a joyous few months feeling these closet lights turn back on. I had forgotten so much, so many people, so many inspirations. The biggest blessing in all of it is that the plan I had crafted for 2022 has been heavily edited by this surprising spark turned flame. Now my immediate future is made brighter after picking up the seeds I left hidden in my past, and in my reaching back I am reviving things that will be of great service to my community. It’s not lost on me that Rabbi asked us to “go back” in our inboxes to find a gem of a person. Or, that the conversation with that gem of a person resulted in even more reflecting and revisiting of the past. All of this, and the aspects that remain unshared, are part of the Sankofa experience. I wonder what ways you are you able to do something similar this week? It is not always easy to go back or to remember. I presume that acts of service, like this exercise in retrieving forgotten jewels, are meant to happen in community. Even if the community is a bit abstract, consisting of descendants and people you may never meet. You do belong to more than just yourself, and so does our legacy. In whatever way you are able to embody Sankofa this week, I hope you will do so with great expectancy. May your fetching be joyful, and your return to the present be met with great hopes for the future to come. There is a great deal of architecture to be constructed on the foundation of our past. Here’s to building something beautiful. Together.~ Toni Anne Reynolds Read online here About the Author Minister Toni Anne Reynolds is committed to singing flesh onto the bones of the Christian tradition by incorporating recently found texts of the ancient world into liturgy, sermons, and poetry. Toni’s Christianity forms a holy trinity with the psychological medicine of Tibetan Buddhism and the eternal Life found in Yoruba traditions. Balanced in an eclectic faith and focused in theology, Toni’s ministry offers a unique perspective on life, theology, and spirituality. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Roy As a progressive Christian, how should one read and understand the story about Lazarus and the rich man? A: By Rev. Jim Burklo Dear Roy, In the old Vulgate edition of the Bible, the rich man in Jesus’ parable in Luke 16: 19-31 is called “Dives”. Lazarus begs for crumbs from Dives’ table. At death, Dives is sent to Hades (the Greek version of hell) and Lazarus is directly delivered into the bosom of Abraham. Here is Martin Luther King’s interpretation of the story: “Dives is the white man who refuses to cross the gulf of segregation and lift his Negro brother to the position of first-class citizenship, because he thinks segregation is a part of the fixed structure of the universe. Dives is the Indian Brahman who refuses to bridge the gulf between himself and his brother, because he feels that the gulf which is set forth by the caste system is a final principle of the universe. Dives is the American capitalist who never seeks to bridge the economic gulf between himself and the laborer, because he feels that it is natural for some to live in inordinate luxury while others live in abject poverty. Dives’ sin was not that he was cruel to Lazarus, but that he refused to bridge the gap of misfortune that existed between them. Dives’ sin was not his wealth; his wealth was his opportunity. His sin was his refusal to use his wealth to bridge the gulf between the extremes of superfluous, inordinate wealth and abject, deadening poverty.” I don’t think I can improve on MLK’s commentary. His words ring as true today as they did in 1955 when he delivered them in a sermon. Jesus’ parable was old when he uttered it. A similar story circulated in ancient Egypt. The prophetic tradition has always exhorted the rich to attend and respond to the plight of the poor. Progressive Christians might be taken aback by the vivid imagery of hell (its Greek version, called Hades) in this passage. But note that the modern evangelical formula for hell-avoidance is missing! In this parable, you don’t have to “accept Jesus as your personal Lord and savior”. All that’s necessary to get to the bosom of Abraham is to follow the law of Moses and the guidance of the prophets. And there’s no mention of “heaven”. Genesis 25 tells us that “Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.” The people of early Israel did not believe in an afterlife: being “gathered to his people” meant being buried with them. Lazarus’ reward for following the law and the prophets was to die in peace and be gathered to Abraham and the rest of his people. The cultural context of this parable makes it clear that it is not to be taken literally as a description of life after death. But progressive Christians ought to take it seriously. Those of us with the resources to help those who lack them must pay attention and respond meaningfully to their needs – not just with traditional charity, but with a commitment to structural social and economic change.~ Rev. Jim Burklo Read and share online here About the Author Rev. Jim Burklo is the Senior Associate Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life at the University of Southern California. An ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ, he is the author of seven published books on progressive Christianity, his latest book is Tenderly Calling: An Invitation to the Way of Jesus (St Johann Press, 2021). His weekly blog, “Musings”, has a global readership. He serves on the board of ProgressiveChristiansUniting.org and is an honorary advisor and frequent content contributor for ProgressiveChristianity.org. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit rely heavily on the good will of our donors to help us continue to bring individuals and churches the messages of progressive Christians, Weekly Newsletters, along with the many other resources we provide. For years, the majority of our fundraising came at the end of the year. Looking at various ways to create a more reasonable amount of cash flow we decided rather than having a BIG ask at the end of each year, our more frequent asks give folks a chance to contribute when their funds are more flexible. We think that's a win for everyone. We also want to highlight the opportunity to become a sustaining supporter. If you are looking for the best way to help us continue to provide progressive Christian resources, become a sustaining supporter by choosing Recurring Donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited Troy Davis and the Debate over Capital Punishment Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong September 29, 2011Wednesday, September 21, 2011 was a consciousness-raising day in the United States. It is always a conscious-raising occasion when a high profile public execution is about to take place. The people of this country favor the death penalty for murder, the polls tell us, by about a 64 per cent majority, but there is a deep ambivalence even among those who say they approve. The support for the death penalty was 80 per cent as recently as 1994. It has declined because of publicity in cases where DNA evidence established innocence for some who were condemned and waiting on death row. The idea of executing an innocent person is deeply troubling. Death is so final. Mistakes cannot be rectified or restitution accomplished. On that particular September Wednesday two people were executed in the United States. Only one of them, however, received national attention. His name was Troy Davis, an African American man living in Georgia. The other was a white man named Lawrence Brewer, who was convicted along with two other men of tying a black man named James Byrd by his legs to their pick-up truck and dragging him along an unpaved gravel road in Jasper, Texas, until he was not only dead, but dismembered. The crime for which Troy Davis was put to death took place in 1989. According to the testimony at the trial the details were these: Police officer Mark MacPhail was off duty, but working a second job as a security guard. A homeless man called for help when he was being assaulted by a group of people including Troy Davis. Officer MacPhail came to his aid and was shot in the face and heart, presumably by Mr. Davis, who was at that time 20 years old. Officer MacPhail died immediately, leaving a widow and two small children to struggle through life without a husband or father. Mr. Davis was subsequently arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to die. He has been on death row for 22 years, spending that time exhausting the appeals process. His execution date had been set four times. On three previous occasions during 2007 and in 2008 Mr. Davis came near the moment of his execution, but received a stay, first from the State of Georgia Clemency Board and later from the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, having granted the stay, however, voted not to hear the case. The fourth date set for his lethal injection was the final one. It was after the appeals process had exhausted the possibilities for clemency that the case catapulted into national prominence as a number of anti-death penalty groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, People of Faith Against the Death Penalty, Amnesty International and the NAACP took up the cause. A majority of the witnesses who had testified against Mr. Davis at the trial publicly wavered and sought to withdraw their testimony, which they now said was coerced. Of course this case had racial overtones. Given Georgia’s racial history that is probably inevitable. When the final appeal to the Georgia State Clemency Board was turned down just before the execution, rumor had it that the vote of this five person board was three to two in favor of denying clemency and proceeding with the execution. That vote has not been confirmed, but it was noted that this board was made up of three white Americans and two black Americans, so the rumor, coupled with unverified assumptions, fueled the charges that racism was operative. Mr. Davis was said to have declined a final meal and to have been in “good spirits.” He was aware of the world-wide publicity that his case had attracted. Among those who appealed for clemency on his behalf were former President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pope Benedict XVI, fifty-one members of congress, people from the world of entertainment and even William S. Sessions, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation head and a strong supporter of capital punishment. There is a kind of fascination present in the American public that accompanies the process of execution. People want to know the details, to hear of the last words, to be informed of the behavior of the condemned person. For those who witness an execution there is always an audience to address. A public execution is an emotional experience for many, though after the deed is done people quickly forget all but the most notorious of the victims. Attending this execution were Officer MacPhail’s widow and her two now-grown children. This execution for them seemed finally to have closed a door on their pain and grief, allowing them to move on. The murder had obviously left deep scars on each of them and all three had clearly undergone real suffering. Mrs. MacPhail characterized her family, quite appropriately it seems, as “victims.” Also in attendance at this execution were members of Troy Davis’ family. This experience had also defined their lives as they watched one they loved spend 22 of his 42 years of life incarcerated. They made no comments, leaving us to wonder at their grief and the specter of the broken dreams and lost hopes that parents always seem to have for their children. There is a deep heaviness that accompanies a wasted life. The two families were kept apart. They made no attempt to see each other. No one needed that additional emotional load. When Troy Davis was pronounced dead at 11.08 p.m. that Wednesday night, those outside the Jackson, Georgia, jail demonstrating in support of Mr. Davis dispersed. Some were weeping, others were angry, all felt defeated. There were undoubtedly others across this land who rejoiced, who claimed that justice had been done, the laws upheld and proper punishment administered. There is always that division in the American body politic. The debate on the death penalty in America is an ongoing one. The Supreme Court temporarily suspended it in 1972 as “cruel and unusual punishment” and therefore for a time unconstitutional. They then reinstated it in 1976. Since that time 1269 people have been put to death. A particularly horrendous public crime always brings loud calls for capital punishment. Some of the people who support the death penalty surely want revenge. That is as basic and as ancient in human nature as “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Vengeful, hard justice seems to satisfy this emotion in some people. Others who support the death penalty believe that this punishment is a deterrent to further crime. Deterrence is also the major argument used by politicians who favor it, but all of the studies I have read fail to demonstrate that deterrence works. Nations that have the death penalty have no less murder and in most cases actually have a higher murder rate than those who do not. Psychologically the death penalty has always seemed strange to me. The argument that “because killing is so terrible a thing to do, we will punish those who kill by killing them,” does not make logical sense to me. I do understand the need for finality, for closing the door on a devastating episode that has been like a draining sore. I do understand the need for a government to protect its citizens from those who have demonstrated that they are not capable of living in society without doing violence to another. Both of these needs, however, I believe can be met with sentences of life imprisonment without parole. People argue the economics of this, suggesting that life time care for convicted murderers is an expense taxpayers ought not to be asked to bear. The facts, however, do not bear even this out. The endless appeals process in capital cases is far more expensive to the taxpayer than life-time incarceration for the convicted one. Others argue that our parole system ultimately sets free those with life time sentences. That does happen in some cases, but that can be fixed by a legislative body passing a law to make parole in these cases impossible. This argument is thus an excuse, not a reason. Deep down I know that I do not favor capital punishment under any circumstances. My reasons are convincing, at least to me. First, the wrong person can be and has been executed on more than one occasion. Second, there does appear to be economic and racial disparity in those who are sentenced to die. Very few wealthy people, who can afford top criminal lawyers, need fear this outcome. Poor people with court-appointed attorneys do. Far more blacks than whites face the threat of execution. That gives me pause since racism runs so deep in this nation that it inevitably distorts objectivity. Third, both the fields of sociology and psychology have taught us that life is not only deeply connected, but radically interdependent. None of us is an island complete in himself or herself. All of us have been shaped and formed by our human experiences. Is stealing wrong? Yes, of course, stealing is wrong, but so is an economic system that grinds some people so deeply into poverty that they steal in order to survive or to provide bread so that their children do not starve, as was the case with Victor Hugo’s character Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. Is murder wrong? Of course murder is wrong, but who created the murderer? No one is self-made. Abused children do become abusive adults. I do not intend to say that the individual can be relieved of any ultimate responsibility for his or her behavior, but I do want to say that individualism is not as individualistic as once we imagined. We are a deeply interrelated species and any of us can be warped, twisted and even destroyed by another. Given these facts I do not believe that the judgment of society can ever fall with appropriateness solely on the shoulders of the one who commits the crime or pulls the trigger. Finally, I am not able to square capital punishment with my faith as a Christian. I do not believe that capital punishment is or can ultimately ever be a moral option, nor do I think war today is or can ever be a moral option. I am also prepared to argue that if we had a vigorous and competent system of sex education in our public schools and if we made birth control universally available, I would regard abortion, save in the rarest of circumstances in which the mother’s life or health was at risk, as no longer a moral option. We live, however, in a compromised society. Executions strike me as the result of failed domestic policy. Wars strike me as the result of failed foreign policy. Most abortions strike me as the dreadful result of a compromise between rampant sexual ignorance and the inappropriate repression that rises from contrived and unhealthy sexual fears. I, furthermore, do not think that revenge and violence are the qualities of a civilized people. I do not think that state killing demonstrates an advanced civilization. I still hear the words of Jesus commanding us to love our enemies. Troy Davis, may you rest in peace.~ John Shelby Spong | | | | Announcements Tonight join the Justice Revival team and special guest speaker Lisa Sharon Harper for an inspirational evening of worship, music, and community to honor Human Rights Day and commemorate the Advent season. 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