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!important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv7082464049 #yiv7082464049templateBody .yiv7082464049mcnTextContent, #yiv7082464049 #yiv7082464049templateBody .yiv7082464049mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv7082464049 #yiv7082464049templateFooter .yiv7082464049mcnTextContent, #yiv7082464049 #yiv7082464049templateFooter .yiv7082464049mcnTextContent p{ font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;} } Water’s presence in our reality is a precious, life-giving mystery. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Love Water | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Toni Reynolds October 17, 2019 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, we’re told that nothing existed except darkness and Water. As soon as God swept over the face of the deep, sound was used to command the emergence of light. From that moment forward a dance with Water proceeded, yielding all the elements of life we now know and struggle to appreciate. It wasn’t until recently that I read this creation account and heard so clearly the voice of Water. Everything that God called forth comes from the Water, everything we know in our world today was created except for Water, it was already here. Even among scientists there is continued debate about where Water came from, how it got here. No matter the angle, Water’s presence in our reality is a precious, life-giving mystery. Woman Stands Shining, also known as Pat McCabe, is a Diné/Navajo and Lakota activist, artist, and ceremonial leader. She reminds us that all the Water that has ever existed on earth, is still here. The closed network of our atmosphere has kept the Water used in ritual by our ancestors in close connection to us. Imagine, for just a moment, that this account of God sweeping over the Water to bring forth life is true. It would mean that the very voice of the Creator is still alive in the water we use and abuse with our individual and collective habits. If that creation account doesn’t work for you, imagine your own ancestors. Peoples who drank, sang, bathed, blessed, sailed, were displaced, simply lived -they all had access to the same water as you. This stirs something deep in my soul. To recognize the intimate connection with voices, stories, and songs from a time so long ago that I cannot even fathom the era. Even to think about the Water present for the ancestors of my own lineages - those stolen and first tortured on the waves between Africa and the Americas. The rivers used for cleansing, childbirth, baptism, and initiation... it sweeps me to a state of sheer bewilderment. How such a connection could be possible leaves me searching for healthier ways to be a part of this creation that has held so many human lives and stories. In a similar vein as the offerings from Woman Stands Shining, Dr. Masaru Emoto has left us with profound understandings of our creative connection to Water. Dr. Emoto’s Water study has reached worldwide recognition as it demonstrated the impact of positive, negative, and indifferent attention. It is a scientific way, to understand how our words help to create the world around us, Dr. Emoto’s study leaves me thinking about how Water responded when it first heard God’s loving, creative voice. I currently live near Newark, NJ. Recently I was in a neighboring city with my partner when we saw a flyer posted in city hall. It was information about an upcoming water drive. Thinking of the need to use an entire day to collect potable bottled water for residents of Newark, NJ angered me. Here there are whispers of Newark entering a water crisis equal to that of Flint, MI. Still, I wasn’t ready to accept how serious the water crisis is here in my area. It was troubling to see this flier. Poisonous water is such a deep disrespect of the world we have inherited, not only because it jeopardizes life for all living creatures, but also because most every major tradition of the world has so clearly stated how deeply tied to the Creator is our Water. It feels like we are disrespecting a loving parent. We are certainly missing the mark. As the Water crisis in my own neighborhood begins to mirror the Water crisis of cities around the world I begin to feel overwhelmed. Though my current spiritual life has taken me out of traditionally Christian practices, I can’t help but think about the presence of Water in the Christian traditions. Not only in scripture, just at the beginning of Genesis, but all throughout the Bible. Water parting in Exodus, Jesus baptized in River Jordan, Jonah in the whale in the sea, Jesus turning Water to wine, I’m sure you can think of others yourself. Water is everywhere. Even in the Teaching of the Twelve (or sometimes known as the Didache) are instructions about how disciples are to perform baptisms when Water is too scarce to use. That’s how central to the Christian practice Water was - it was central to the twelve-step manual for disciples. I wonder what would happen if we began to nurture a close relationship to the building blocks of life, central to so many traditions and all of life as we know it. My attempt here is to call attention to the ways our daily lives remain disconnected from the electric and vibrant reality of the elements that make up our world. To cultivate an acute awareness of the life that teems around us while our intellect, electronics, and logic tempt us into thinking that the world is dead and only available to use for convenience. I wish to encourage small habits, ritual, and focus that can be integrated into daily life, and ideally encourage you to participate in communal acts of gratitude and recognition of the elements. Personally, I am implementing a small practice of action in my daily life. Rather than remain in my head about these issues I am seeking for embodied, practical, life-affirming ways to demonstrate my faith and gratitude for this world we’ve been given. It would be easy to write for days about why we should be more careful of our water, both practically and spiritually. Regardless of levels of comfort to the Bible, it seems to me that each of us is responsible for having a personal connection with the things we rely on for life. So, let’s explore that. When someone brings your food to your table, you say thank you. If someone holds the door open for you as you enter a building, you say thank you. When Water stretches from the earth to your faucet, what do you say? I realize that talking about Water this way can cause a feeling of strangeness. Talking to creation is left for hippies, people who we perceive to have lost their minds, and prophets of times long-past. I think we can begin to normalize this idea of connecting with nature in our own moment of time. This way, we will know we’ve done our part to keep the Creator-made world healthy and available to all. In order to encourage repairing and establishing a connection with Water, I’m offering the suggestions below. They come from my own spiritual practice and participation in rituals with the traditions of beloved spiritual teachers, close friends, and family. They are, at least, versions of practices I have seen done by priests, monks, shamans, and healers. They are available to you even if you do not identify as a priestess, monk, pastor, or shaman. I hope you will consider implementing at least one as a way of doing your part to support the elements we depend on as well as to connect with the Divine Source. On the next rainfall place a small cup of Water on a windowsill until it is full. When it has gathered enough rain speak a prayer of gratitude into the glass. Give the Water to the plants in your home, inviting the wisdom of the sky and water to dwell in your inner world. Another option is to take that same blessed Water to the nearest park or outdoor space, even the front of the place where you live will suffice. Give the Water back to the ground, river, or lake, asking for your blessings to be carried as deep, far, and wide as is possible. Your song will seamlessly join with those of every person who’s ever prayed, creating connection where there has been fracture, healing where there has been wound, and vision where there has been destructive void. If you are in a place where rain does not frequently fall, implementing a small version of Dr. Emoto’s experiment remains a powerful option. Simply write a word, the name of someone you deeply love, someone to whom you aspire to be like, or a prayer of affirmation. Place the prayer under your container of drinking Water. Recite the word, name, or prayer before drinking. I love the power of three, so I recite the intention three times before drinking the water. However frequently you wish, allow your voice to be as the Creator’s speaking life over the Water. To honor the Water inside and outside of you, find a local river clean up project. Volunteer your time to the Water nearest to you. Check with American Rivers to see if they work in your area, and when they can use your help. Generally, this is a wonderful resource to learn more about Water, how our global systems are affecting it, and what you can do to shift things. There is no limitation to ways you can be in touch with Water. The more you learn about it, the more inspired you will become to create rituals that send your gratitude to Water. If nothing else, do what you can to become more mindful of the state of Water right now. You can always learn more about Woman Stands Shining. Further investigate the legacy of Dr. Masaru Emoto. Seek ways to support other Water Defenders around the world, simply type the words, or a variation of, into your preferred search engine and learn of ways to connect with people repairing the human relationship to Water around the world. Please enjoy every precious bit of water you get to experience, and be grateful for every drop of it. ~ Toni 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 A Reader How should I respond if my young children take the stories of the Bible literally when I don’t believe in a literal reading? A: By Cindy Wang Brandt Dear Reader, Similar to the way you respond to children who believe in the myth of Santa and tooth fairies. As a family, you can choose to not participate in those particular myths at all, and from the get go, prioritize telling your children this isn’t real, these stories never happened, but you can enjoy them as fictional accounts that lots of people in the world have fun imagining. Perhaps this works for you, but to me, it feels like it robs children of a season of whimsy and delight. Or, you could fully immerse yourself in their world of imaginary thinking, and pretend with them it’s all real. Bake Santa cookies and tell stories of the elf’s adventures in the night. Although with this route, at some point when they outgrow their developmental stage of fantasy, you’ll have to contend with your white lies, as benign and well-intentioned they may be; and some children may not take well to this, breaching your trust with them. I think the best of both worlds is to affirm their imagination, honoring their brain development, and scaffold their understanding for more nuanced criticism as they grow into mature cognitive processes. It is possible to affirm their steadfast literal belief in stories while not necessarily endorsing their views. Validate their enthusiasm with open-ended questions, like, “Wow, you think that’s how it happened? How would you feel if you were Jonah in the belly of a big fish?” Entertain their imagination, not in a condescending way, but to participate in their mental world with empathy. When they begin asking direct questions like, “Mommy, did the fish REALLY swallow Jonah?” That’s a sign they are starting to mature and test the boundaries of fact or fiction. This would be a good time to scaffold our responses—challenging them to a higher-level of thinking without overwhelming them. Follow your child’s lead and interest to investigate with them how marine animals consume their food, whether humans can survive in the belly of animals. Let them connect the dots because there may still be a phase where they can hold both facts and fiction in tandem. And of course, as they grow into even higher maturity in teen years and beyond, you can engage in deeper discussions of how ancient mythologies came to be, and offer your personal beliefs in how you hold biblical stories as valuable (or not) in your own life. ~ Cindy Wang Brandt Read and share online here About the Author Cindy Wang Brandt is a progressive Christian writer, but she has not always identified as progressive. In fact, she grew up conservative evangelical and was a career missionary for 5 and a half years. Cindy's experienced a radical faith shift and writes often about how that shapes who she is today. Along the way, she became a parent. Trying to navigate parenting when your faith has and is evolving has been complicated—but nobody ever said parenting is easy. However, she is convinced that one of the best ways we can make an impact in the world is to invest in the slow, unseen labor of cultivating values of hospitality, creativity, equality, social justice, and deep spirituality in the next generation. | | | | | | | | 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 our FB community today! Spread the word, share with friends. Thanks! | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited The Origins of the Bible, Part V: The Elohist Document Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong April 23, 2008 Most people do not seem to realize that events in what we call the secular world of history shaped so much of the writing of the biblical story. When I get to the formation of the gospels in this series, it will become obvious that the Jewish war with Rome that began in 66 CE in Galilee and ended in 73 CE in Masada shaped the content of all four gospels in a dramatic way. In 70 CE, in the midst of that war, the city of Rome fell and the Jewish nation for all practical purposes disappeared from the maps of the world until it was restored in 1948 under the plan that had been set out in the Balfour Declaration of 1917. To read the gospels with no sense of the historical context in which they were written leads to dramatically ill-informed understandings. Not only did the cataclysmic effects of this war shape the apocalyptic “end of the world” chapters in Mark, Matthew and Luke, but I would argue that the story of Jesus” transfiguration makes no sense unless the reader is aware that the Temple in Jerusalem has already been destroyed. This is one of the ways that we are able to date the gospels so accurately. Likewise, in Jewish history a wrenching and datable split in the nation of the Jews was responsible for the development of the second strain of written material that would someday constitute the Torah. This split was basically between the Joseph tribes in the north that came to be called the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the powerful southern tribe of Judah, from whom the north chose to separate itself around the year 920 B.C.E. This Jewish division, however, had its roots in a far more ancient time. Some scholars even suggest that the escaping slave people from Egypt, about whom the book of Exodus writes so lavishly, were not all of the Jewish people, but perhaps only those who would later be called the Joseph tribes. Certainly Joseph is the central figure, according to the biblical narrative, in the settlement of the Jews in Egypt. At the time of their escape the narrative tells us that life in Egypt had degenerated for the Jews because a Pharaoh arose in Egypt “who knew not Joseph.” Joseph, according to the Hebrew memory that stretched back some 400 years according to the book of Exodus, had risen to power in Egypt, achieving a position in the land second only to that of the Pharaoh. The Torah said that Joseph had done this through his prescience and foresight that enabled him to build up the food supply in time of plenty and then to administer it in time of famine. This allowed the Egyptian nation to survive hard times. When the Jews made their exit from Egypt, the book of Exodus informs us the Jews took with them the bones of Joseph so he could be buried in the soil of his former home. Joseph was a figure clearly identified with the Jewish slave people who came out of Egypt. More Semitic people than just the fleeing slaves, however, were included in the Jewish nation and clearly made up the conquering army that overran the Canaanites. In defense of this historical reconstruction of the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, these same scholars see evidence in the Torah itself, that during the wilderness years the escaping slaves came together with other nomadic Semites in an oasis named Kadesh to form a common cause. Their common ethnic kinship was recognized, as was their common heritage. Eventually they formed a political alliance and began to think of themselves as a single united people, but organized in a loose confederation. Even their folklore made it clear that while they recognized their kinship, there was always a distinct difference between the two groups. This split was accounted for in the biblical story by suggesting that their father Jacob has actually had two wives. Leah, the first one, was the mother of Judah, whose descendants formed the tribe that settled the South. Rachel, the second wife, was the mother of Joseph, whose descendants settled the North. There were of course other tribes, indeed twelve it was said, but they tended to be satellites of the two major tribes. The Northern Kingdom was later called the “Ten Tribes,” while the tiny tribe of Benjamin tended to be associated with Judah as the remaining two. They were more an alliance than a unified people. The biblical book of Judges described this phase of Jewish history. Survival in that day, however, required them to become a strong and unified nation. The way to reach that goal was to have a king. The first king of the unified nation was Saul, who was a member of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was not, however, able to bring about the needed unity or to pass the throne on to his son. The second king was Saul’s military captain, David, a member of the dominant tribe of Judah. About Judah’s power the Joseph tribes of the North were already apprehensive. David, with both military and political skill, unified the country and reigned for 40 years, passing on the throne to his son Solomon who, in turn, reigned for another 40 years. It was during the reign of Solomon that the first strand of the Bible identified today as the “Yahwist Document” was created to tell the story of the history of the Jewish people. As we noted in a former column in this series the “Yahwist Document” had a clear political agenda. It extolled the royal house of David, the capital city of Jerusalem and the Temple in Jerusalem from which the religious life of the nation was organized. The theme of this writer was that each of these centers of power was an expression of the will of God. To rebel against the king, the high priest or the city of Jerusalem was to rebel against God. Tensions, however, between these two ancient Jewish groups grew during the reign of Solomon as the people of the North felt that they were over taxed to provide the wealth of the people of Jerusalem. When Solomon died around the year 920 BCE the throne passed in an orderly fashion to his oldest son, Reheboam. The people of the North, however, were not ready to pledge their allegiance to Reheboam without some changes and so, led by one of their military generals named Jereboam, a delegation came to Jerusalem to negotiate their grievances with the new king. Those negotiations were not successful and when they collapsed the new, and perhaps rash, young King Reheboam decided that he must put this rebellion down with brute force. The people of the North, led by Jereboam, then organized for resistance and in the ensuing civil war won their independence. There were now two Jewish states: The Northern Kingdom that would build its capital in Samaria and the Southern Kingdom with its capital in Jerusalem. The only written narrative that either group possessed at this time was the Yahwist document that was so pro the institutions of the South that it would hardly do for the rebellious tribes of the North. That version implied that the Northern Jews had violated God’s chosen House of David, God’s dwelling place in the holy city of Jerusalem and God’s chosen high priest. It condemned all that they stood for and it did so in the name of God, so the Jews of the North began to feel a need to create a new version of the sacred history of the Jewish people. Once again a court historian was appointed, but now by the king of the Northern Kingdom, to write this story. The result was a second version of Jewish sacred history. There were many differences between the two documents. This writer called God by an earlier Canaanite name El or Elohim, so his work became known as the “Elohist Document.” For the Elohist writer Joseph, not David, was the hero. We see that idea develop in the story about Joseph being the favorite son of Jacob, his father. That is also why Joseph was said to have received the coat of many colors. Rachel, Joseph’s mother, was portrayed by this writer as Jacob’s favorite wife, while Leah, Rachel’s older sister and the mother of Judah, was pictured as having “eyes like a cow” and was actually thrust on Jacob by their scheming father, Laban. This “E” document also portrayed Judah as the evil brother who sold Joseph into slavery. He de-emphasized Jerusalem, relativized the Temple and reopened and re-sanctified the ancient shrines in the north. Finally the divine right of kings was dismissed by this writer, who claimed that the king was not chosen by God to rule the people, but was elected by the people and was, therefore, subject to the will of the people. If the king violated his trust, the people were competent to remove him. This was the claim that solidified the rightness of their rebellion against King Reheboam. While these differences were sharp, many of the stories in the two histories were nonetheless quite similar. By around 850 BCE the Elohist narrative appears to have been substantially complete. Now there were two Jewish nations, two kings, two worship centers and two sacred stories that were read in worship and each was called “The Word of God.” The two Jewish nations fought each other in numerous indecisive wars and formed competing alliances with foreign powers, frequently on opposite sides. When Assyria became the major Middle Eastern power, the Northern Kingdom joined Syria in armed resistance, while the Kingdom of Judah formed an alliance with Assyria and accepted vassal status. In 721 BCE the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom and exiled most of its people to lands under their control. Then they imported peoples to repopulate the land that had been the Northern Kingdom. In time these foreigners intermarried with the remaining Jews and their descendants became known as the half-breed Samaritans. After this defeat, however, some unknown person managed to escape to the South and brought with him or her a copy of the Elohist document. Over the years in Jerusalem the two sacred stories were merged. The dominant Yahwist version was given priority, but the Elohist story and the point of view of the lost Northern kingdom succeeded in being intertwined with it. By the turn of the century, certainly before 690 BCE, the sacred story of the Jews had become the Yahwist-Elohist version. The scriptures of the Jews were growing. There would be more changes and transitions to come, but this was stage two in the development of the Torah. Stage three will be discussed when this series continues. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements The 17th Annual Community Multifaith Summit Introducing the Platinum Rule The Key to Building Community October 27th in Seattle, WA we are convening the 17th Annual Community Multifaith Summit, to bring diverse spiritual people together to engage with one another, learn from one another and plan ways to improve our communities. READ ON ... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |