Bill Parker is pushing our edge in understanding and embodying a transformational presence that our old pedagogical style has evolved into. (Oops, I know that's a dangling participle!) I think he probably meant 'eminently' when he wrote 'imminently'. But you never know. After all, it's a theology (and pedagogy) of immanence, or the presence of the divine dwelling among us. Marshall ________________________________ From: Herman Greene <hfgreenenc@gmail.com> To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 6:27 AM Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Some thoughts about the future Excellent Jann, ESI is something in which various organizations can collaborate without losing their identity. On the issue of a new teaching force, a new EI (either Ecumenical Institute around John Cock's redefinition of ecumenical) or an Ecozoic Institute drawing on Thomas Berry's understanding of that term but not making it a Thomas Berry institute) is something that I am probably in a strong minority in thinking about. The gist of the idea is that OE would turn over to a new generation an understanding of pedagogy around a new core curriculum. As I see it that would be a curriculum developed in the collaboration that ESI is, but there is also the possibility that some group would take it on as a project and there would be nothing wrong with that effort becoming organized. As I was going through materials yesterday from OE, I came across two article by Bill Parker on the new pedagogy. We are thinking along the same lines. They are both presented below and I can send them as attachments to anyone who asks for them. In one Bill makes this salient point: "The circumstances of our environment can no longer use facilitation as the awakenment tool at first. We are living in a time in which a “new pedagogy” must come into being; not facilitation of everyone’s mixed up and confused thinking." In the other Bill makes this point: "None of us as individuals woke up until someone awakened us personally. Only then did we grasp that we could be a skilled pedagogue awakening and training thousands in a new pedagogy for the sake of awakening the world to a new way of being human. " I too look forward to substantive dialogue around this. See articles below. Herman Colleagues, Speaking of the New Pedagogy, which implies a new pedagogue, perhaps the obvious needs to be pointed out. Here are some thoughts about the emerging shape of the New Pedagogy as seen through the presence of the new pedagogue. The New Pedagogy is remarkably different from anything we have ever done in our past because the pedagogue is completely different from the pedagogue of the past, even if the pedagogues are the same person. The pedagogue of the 60’s was not global, in spite of one’s self story, nor had the pedagogue of the 60’s spent 30 years living the Dark Night of the Soul. The 60’s pedagogue had no understanding of the terrain and topography of the other world in the midst of this world, the Kingdom of God, I believe Jesus called it. The old pedagogue had no first hand knowledge of what the pedagogy of the oppressed was nor how it worked in every land of the planet until they went there and did it. The old pedagogue had no clue as to how to be sustained in a solitary and self-sufficient life. The pedagogue of the 60’s was naïve about the world and about the consequences of not being responsible globally, theologically, or economically, as the human condition and the condition of the planet reveal so clearly today. The Pedagogue of the 60’s saw ecumenism insofar as the Christian community was concerned and not as a vehicle for global peace and diversity through interaction of an inter-faith community. The pedagogy of the past was but a prelude to the pedagogy we are now putting together. The pedagogue of the past was but a spiritual shadow of the pedagogues you have become today. But we must shake off our stylistic compromises and our preferred prejudices we acquired in order to be imminently presentable to our chosen markets, if we are to build the earth. We cannot keep doing what we have been doing, we cannot simply wrap our arms around everything everyone is doing and say that is it, we must courageously embrace a new role, take a new risk, embrace an open future, address the global contradiction and see to it that what needs to be done is getting done. None of us as individuals woke up until someone awakened us personally. Only then did we grasp that we could be a skilled pedagogue awakening and training thousands in a new pedagogy for the sake of awakening the world to a new way of being human. We live in urgent times now and our time is short. If we are going to move on this moment, now is the time to move. There is no doubt we have been prepared by the fire of life for this. The only question is who will. There is no new pedagogy nor new pedagogue without embodying that which is being disclosed in the style of the pedagogy. RSI changed our lives because the pedagogues were living their pedagogy! That reality was the methodology. We, too, are called to be that embodiment regardless of whether we say yes or no to what history is asking us to do. With profound respect, take care for there is little time and so much to do. Grace and Peace be unto you. Bill Given at thePeopleof theOrderGathering July 14, 15,2010 By BillParker THE NEWORDERWITNESS It wasremarkabletoseethetwentyorthirtypeopleoftheOrdercometoOklahomaandparticipateinthe SymposiumwithOCUfacultyandOIKOSstudentscholars.Thegatheringwaslikenothingelseandthat special,uniquerelationshipamongthePeopleof theOrderwasmanifestagain. Wehavecomeagreatdistancetogetherandalone.Whowewereasacommunityofpeoplemarkeda realitystillhavingamajorimpactonpeople’slives.If youdon’tbelieveme,ask JimWheeler,whojust borewitnessintheWheelerDeclarationandinwhathejustnowsharedwithus.Wewereacommunity transparentlygroundedinthefaithtraditionoftheChurch.Ourmissiontotheworldtookusdeeplyinto thegreattraditionof theChristianfaith.Everythingwesaid,thoughtanddidwascarefullyunderstoodto bebuildingonthegreattraditionofthefaith.Weprobeddeeplyintothehistoricalchurchbeforewe decidedtomovedirectlyintothe worldanddemonstratewhattheChurchlookedlikeinmissiononbehalf ofall. Ourmissiontotheworldtookustoplaceswherewealldiscoveredsomethingfarmorewasrequiredof us,somethingnew;somethingcapableofsustaininga pluriformcommunityinmission.Wecouldno longerfunctionasa transparentlygroundedcommunityoftheChristiantradition:wewerediverse,and yetweneedednewmyths,rites,andsymbols,aswellasapracticalcorporatediscipline. Inthisturningpoint,wemovedtoaseculardisciplinebaseduponthemostcommondenominator:“Those whocare”.WeencounteredaforkintheroadandwetookthisoneandbecametheInstituteof Cultural Affairs.Now,Iamnotcriticizingourdecision.It wasexactlywhatweneededtohavedone,aspainfulas thatturnedouttobe.Whatwedidsustainedthemovementanddemonstratedanentirelynew,radical andeffectivemethodforsustainablehumandevelopmenttheworldover.Butforus,theOrder,overtime, overastretchof a decade,thefoundationofourspiritlifewasexperiencedascloudy,orshallow.Yetwe couldnotgoback.Wehadbecomeglobal,spirituallyglobal,andwehadgonebeyondtheChristianfaith traditiontoapluriformtradition,ornotradition. THENEWTIMES EbooPatel,inhisbookActsofFaith:TheStoryof anAmericanMuslim,theStrugglefortheSoulofa Generation,saysthedivisionsin theworldtodayareininter-faithrelationships.But,thedivisionsarenot betweenChristianandMuslim,orMuslimsandJews,orHinduandChristian.Thelinethatdividesall faithsis betweentheReligiousTotalitariansandtheReligiousPluriformistswithinallfaithtraditions. TheReligiousTotalitariansisolatethemselvesandthinkof themselvesassuperior,orevencultivatehate towardthosewholookorbelievedifferentlyfrom themselves.WhiletheReligiousPluriformistsembrace diversityoffaith,cultureandpractice,andseekpeaceandcommunitybyworkingtogethertowarda betterworld.Thatis theglobaldivisionthatthreatenseverythingthehumancommunityhas workedto achieve. Theremarkablefactinthis divisionis thatReligiousTotalitarianshavefordecadesinvestedhundredsof millionsofdollarsinthecarefultraining,mentoring,andencouragingoftherisinggenerationsaboutwhat it meanstobehuman.Theyhavenurturedthe youngergenerationseversocarefullyinracialorreligious hatredandtheaccompanyingself-righteousnessasatruepictureofreality.Theyhavebuiltandstaffed Universities,HighSchools,MiddleSchools,ElementarySchools,andevendaycaretogroommore toward thatwayofseeingreality.Theyhavetrainingcampstogetthem preparedforthe“holy”struggle. Whilethisis goingon,duringthesamedecades,theReligiousPluriformistshaveinvestedpracticallyzero inthespecialnurturingformationanddevelopmentof therisinggenerationstowardthedesirabilityand necessityofa worldofpluriformityanddiversity. Patelwalksusthroughtheknownterroristsandtheviolentgroupsdevelopingrapidlyinthiscountryand aroundtheworldduringthepastfewyears.Hepointsoutthatitis theyoungwhoarecommittingthe terrorist’sacts,astheygivetheirlivestoit.Theyarehardlyoldenoughtoknowwhattheyaredoingbut theoldermenbehindthem arementoringthem inwhattheirfaithtraditionmeans,pushingthem toward notionsofsuperiority,hatredof differencesofotherpeople,violenceandactsofterrorism.Allthewhile themenbehindtheseyoungpeopleareprovidingassurancesthattheirviolentactsarepure,necessary, andarethewillofGod.Theyassuretherisinggenerationthatthesebeliefs,attitudes,andactionsare thefulfillmentof theirlives,climaxedbydyingforthestruggle. Thetimeis nowforallthosewantingacultureof peace,diversityandpluriformitytomakeabold decision.Wehavecometo ahistoricmomentinourlifewherewearefacinganotherforkintheroad.Jim Wheeler,theauthoroftheWheelerDeclaration,sayswhentheOrdercametothatforkintheroadin 1970-1971itchosetheICA,thesecularoption;itlefttheotherfork,theEcumenicalInstitutefork, becauseofthedifficultiesitsChristiantraditioncreatedinthediversesituationsinwhichwewerelocated. Headds,however,thattheunrealizedopportunitiesnevergoaway.Theyonlyremainintheunconscious untilcircumstancescallthemforthasanecessityandthatispreciselywherewearetoday. Wehadthatpossibilityin1970-1971,becauseweunderstoodourselvestobelivingoutofaNew ReligiousMode,tobecometheglobal,interfaithEcumenicalInstitutebutwechosenottoandforvery goodreasons.Wehadtogothroughthatwhichwewentthrough,wherethebottomfelloutfrom under us, and wewereshatteredovertime,andultimatelycalledourselvesoutof beingasanOrderin1988. WewerenotpreparedtomoveforwardastheEcumenicalInstituteinaglobal,interfaithwayandhadwe donesoat thattime,wewouldhavebecomejustanotherReligiousTotalitariancommunity.Godsavedus from that. Returningtothatforkintheroadis preciselywhatis happeningtoday.Thecircumstancesofour environmentcannolonger usefacilitationastheawakenmenttoolatfirst.Wearelivinginatimeinwhich a“newpedagogy”mustcomeintobeing;notfacilitationof everyone’smixedupandconfusedthinking thatyieldsasenseofhopelessnessandcynicismexcepton amostreducedscale.Wehavetocut throughallofthepopularrubbishandundergrowthtoreachtheindividualcenterof people’slivessothey mayhavethepossibilityofdecidingforthemselveswhatitmeanstobeahumanbeingtoday,inthis momentandcircumstance.Ifyoudon’tseethedifferencesIampointingtoinfacilitationandpedagogy, then youdonotunderstandwhatIamtryingtosay.Imayneedtofinda betterwaytosaythis. THENEWPEDAGOGY Thisreturningtotheforkdoesnotmeanwereturntotheoldpedagogyandtheoldcourses,butrathera “newpedagogy”basedupongroundingofChristian,Jewish,Islamic,Hindu,orotherfaithtraditions. Pedagogyis somethingwehaveallgottorelearn.Wehaveembracedourroleas facilitatorsfor40years andwecannotfacilitatethisawakenment.Itrequirespedagogythatslicesthroughtheperipheraltothe depthsofthehumansoul.Thisis thecuttingedgetoday!Thisnewpedagogyis theawakenmenttask beforeus.Inthiscontext,facilitationis ourtoolkit,our hammerandscrewdriver,forengagementbutnot ouredgeforawakenment. WhatwehavebeendoingwithOIKOSandOCU,CentenaryUniversity,andotherassociationsisgetting accesstotherisinggenerations,whobywayofthesecularandscientificculturalrealities,havenever beengiventhepossibilityof theirownfaithtraditionsasgroundedinlifeandhavingthosetraditions interpretthemeaningof theirlives.Instead,theyswirlaroundinconfusion,tryingtointerpretandmake senseof theirfaithtraditionanditsrelationshiptotheirlivesinparticular. PateldescribeshimselfasbeingraisedinasecularMuslimfamilyinAmerica.HevisitedhisIslamicfamilyinIndia:Grandmother,aunts,andothermembersoftheirhousehold.Hewasawareofknowinghewasamemberofafaithtraditionbutactuallynotrelatingtoitverymuchinreallife.Aftermanyyears,during prayertoobserveLaylatulQadr,thenightinRamadanwhentheQur’anwasfirstrevealed,onNewYear’sEve,theturnofthemillennium,hehadamomentinhislifewhenhewasstruckwithastark clarity:he,EbooPatel,waspartofthestoryofIslam,he wasapartofthestoryofpluralism,hewaspartofthe storyofthespiritualprincipalofhumantogetherness.Hesawhimselfnotasamemberofafaithtradition butasonewhois acarrierofhisfaithtraditionanda partof thelargerstory. THENEWORDER Thisis whereyoucanseethe21stCenturySpiritMovement.Itis a vast,expansiveglobalmovementof thespirit.Itis diversifiedanditis alreadylocatedineveryaspectof humancivilization.But,itmustbe declared!Andwearetheoneswhocandothatanddoitonthefoundationofour faithtraditions, whateverthosetraditionsmaybe. So,whenwelookatourpastjourney,itis notsurprisingtoseehowstrongourgrowthwaswhenwewere standingona faithtraditionreachingbacktothebeginningof time,thousandsofyears.Thenweentered adecadeorso ofanewsecularfaithtraditionthatwentallthewaybackto1970-1971.Nowwestandat a crucialvantagepointtoseethatweareaboutthetransparentgroundingofeveryfaithtraditioninorder tobringthefaithcontinuumfrom thebeginningoftimeintothepresentandfuture.Onlythiswillenable thecareof thisworldbycreatingacultureof peace,economicjustice,andplanetarysustainability. Weneedtopursuetheavenuesofaccessingtherisinggenerations,tobeamongthem,tobeagrounded presenceof knowledgeandexperiencefrom whichtheycanaccessthefoundationsforcreatingthe future.However,beforethiscanhappen,wemustcorporatelyworkthroughthecurrentperversions blockingpeoplefrom havingtheopportunitytomakeadecisionaboutwhatitmeansforthem tobe human. Wehavebeencalledtoawakenanewgenerationofpedagoguesin theranksoftherisinggenerations, andprovidethesolid,sustaining,historicalfoundationsuponwhichtheycanprovideleadershipforthe 21stCenturySpiritMovement.Theywill,themselves,becomethefaceof theirownfaithtraditionsin caringforthe worldandshapingtheworldtocomeintoacultureofpeaceandworkingtogether. Ifyourememberourfirstdecade,thenyouknowhowimportantour culticactsweretoeverythingwe understoodaboutlife.Overtime,welostwhatweunderstoodforsomanyyearsas“thatwithoutwhich” thereis nosustainingsubstance.Irealized,asIlookedintoit,thatcorporatelywelostanysenseofthe culticpracticeslongbefore1988.WhenIdiddecide,notlongago,toliveoutofa spiritualdisciplinewitha continuumoffaithgoingfartherbackthan1971,IlookedfortheonlyculticactsIknewwhichhad connectedmetoallthepast,presentandfuture:theDailyOffice andtheCommonMeal.Iwantedtosee them foranalyticalreasonsatfirst:toseetheircomponents,thenthephrasing,andhowtheyconnected totime. Thework onspiritualpracticesandconsciousnessbyPatWebbandDavidMcCleskeyoftheSilence FoundationandLarryWardoftheLotusInstitute,remindedmeof thenecessityofculticactsforone’s consciousness,qualityoflife,andcareforthe world.Irealizedthatmyownpracticesdidnotgoback beyondmemoriespriorto1971.SoIdecidedto reviewwhatIoncenewaboutour culticpracticesandI foundIhadforgottenmostof itandsuspectedI wasnotalone. IstartedsearchingforaDailyOfficeinmyfiles,onourvariouswebsites,andin theGoldenPathwaysCD butIcouldnotfindtheDailyOfficeIremembered!Icouldonlyfindsomethingthathadbeentranscribed intosomethingelseandmyexperienceof thechangewasthatsomeonehadtakenouttheculticnature oftheDailyOfficeresultinginwhatappearedtomeasseverallevelsofhigherabstraction. WhatIfoundstartedwith“IntheNameof theCreator.AndoftheRedeemer.AndoftheSustainer. Amen.” Thiseditedversiondidnotstrikemeasa“culticact”comingoutof allthepast,overthousandsof years.TheculticactI rememberedwas“IntheNameof theFather.AndoftheSon,AndoftheHoly Spirit.Amen.”Thatwascultic!HowmuchIhadforgottenandI wonderedaboutothers. Whatdowenotunderstandaboutaculticact?Itis anactforalltime:past,present,andfuture.Itisnot somethingweedittoconformtosomepressuresoftheculture.If wedo,wecreateadifferentculticact notnecessarilyconnectedtothefaithtradition. So,Ispentseveraldayspullingmyhairout tryingtoremembereveryphraseof theDailyOfficeand writingit,piecebypiece,puttingintheculticlanguage.AsI workedonthisIrealizedtheDailyOffice becameasolitarydisciplineformewhichconnectedmetoatraditiongoingbacktothebeginningoftime. Ihadaculticactuponwhichtoagaingroundmylifein myfaithtradition.IamgladIdidthat;ithas transformedmyawarenessofmyownlifeandtheunderstandingofthelifearoundme.Ilookforwardto examiningtheCommonMealas well.AsJimWheelersaidwhenhequotedfrom IsaiahintheWheeler Declaration:“LooktotheRockfrom whichyouwerehewn,andtothequarryfromwhichyouweredug.” Weknownowthateverythingwedidwasinpartdedicatedtodevelopingskilledpedagogueswho understoodthepowerofculticacts.Doyourememberallthosepedagogyweekendswehad,orifitwas nota pedagogyweekenditwasacoursethatneededtobetaught?Doyourememberhowourfaculty wasstructuredsothatpedagogicaltrainingwasaco-objectiveof everycoursewetaught?Thinkalsoof theoperationsofthecorporatelifeof theReligiousHouses,allfocusedonpedagogicaldevelopmentof everyoneintheHouse.Thatwashowpedagogicalformationhappened:welivedit,wetookeveryone underourwingforthesakeof theirformation,anditwasn’tjustpractice,itwasworkinginthepresenceof theOrderwhowasgroundedintheirfaithtraditionandwhobecamethetranscendenceofthatfaith traditiontotheworld. Thisis whatwehavebeencalledto doandithasrequiredallofourpasttoprepareustosayyesandto assumetherole.Andyouknowsomethingreallyneataboutthishistoricalmomentforus?Wedon’thave towaittoseewhattheICAdecides,ordoes.NordoweneedtowaittoseewhatMarkDaviesdecides,or OCU,orOIKOS.Thisis a decisionwecanmakerightnow,hereinthisroom,herewiththesepeople.We cannowleavetheoldOrderEcumenicalbehind.Wecandecidetobea newOrder,thesameinsome ways,buttotallytransformedbyourpastlifeasa Religious/SecularOrderandour journeythroughthe DarkNightof theSoul.Bornanewforanewtime,anewage,anewpedagogy,anda newOrder,the GlobalInter-FaithEcumenicalOrder! ThisOrderis nottobe structuredlikethepastOrderbutitalreadyis self-sufficientinitscovenanttoa corporatelifeandmission.Itis anOrderofindividualswhoknowthatengagementinaspecificdaily spiritualdisciplineis thebasisforeverythingelse.WherevertherearetwoormoretheOrderwillhavea corporatecelebrationweeklyormonthly.Thereshallbeaquarterlyplanningcouncilfortheglobal mission,thegreatwork.ThereshallbeanannualOrderCouncilforthework ofaccountingandstrategic commitments.TheOrdershallstudytogethersuchmissionallyfocusedwork asEbooPatel’sbook,for example. Now,I amgoingtostopandlettherestofyouhavea chanceto tellmehowwrongIam. Thankyou -- __________________________________________________ Herman F. Greene 2516 Winningham Road Chapel Hill, NC 27516 919-942-4358 (ph & fax) hfgreenenc@gmail.com _______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net