new site

i have transferred this blog to wordpress.com.

please follow this link to the new site: http://uncertaindogma.wordpress.com

i also have a seconndary blog that focuses on issues of justice: http://hopeinaction.wordpress.com

spiritual disciplines and the beautiful

spiritual disciplines. at the core of christian belief is that there is a god that is infinite and incomprehensible. s/he is outside of any of our categories of knowledge. whenever we speak of god, we use metaphorical language. there is no one-to-one correspondence between our language and expressions to that of god. now this god, as christians believe, has chosen to interact with this world that we experience. exactly how this interaction works is a mystery. the celtics used to call the spaces of interaction, thin spaces. so spiritual disciplines are practices that we undertake with our physical bodies to prepare ourselves to become a thin space.

beauty. there seems to be two types of knowledge claims. a mathematical claim that 7 + 4 = 11 is true in all times, cultures and expereince. to use liebniz's terms, it is true in all "possible worlds." the second type is a value judgment. these are things such as good and bad, or beautiful and ugly. what people call beautiful does vary with time, culture and experience. empirically, this world is pluralistic in its value judgments. interestingly, chistian theology has chosen to apply value judgments to the characteristics of god. even further, we say that god is goodness, god is beauty, god is love, god is justice. so in order to make value judgments, it seems that one would have to know god.

how does one come to know god? by experiencing god in your life. which it seems the best way to go about having these experiences through spiritual disciplines.

what about the practice of goodness, justice and beauty? i would conclude that the best expressions would come from god as s/he interacts with our world. in the context of spiritual disciplines, an artist can become a thin space where beauty can overflow.

questions for further reflection:

• what is the role of the artist's intention, or should she even be intentional?
• what about iconography? it is viewed as a spiritual discipline itself, bu is it art?
• should we only observe christian artistic expressions, or can the metaphors of god be found in all expressions, whether they by buddhist, muslim or other?
• is art a communal or private expression?
  

rule IV: peace

i will seek to live a life of peace. to be a voice of love, compassion, reconciliation and forgiveness.
i will take 5 deep breaths whenever i feel like i am losing control.
i will seek to forgive myself and others.


almighty god, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquility your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through jesus christ our lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the holy spirit, one god, now and for ever. amen.

lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy;

lord, grant that i may seek rather
to comfort than to be comforted,
to understand than to be understood,
to love than to be loved.
for it is in giving that we receive,
in forgiving that we are forgiven,
and in dying that we are born to eternal life.

- prayer of st. francis of assisi

rule III: prayer

i will create a rhythm of prayer in my life by praying the divine office.

• morning
• afternoon
• evening
• at close of day

i will not beat myself up when i fail to meet this standard because of my lack of self-discipline and consistency. and i will seek to actually be honest with myself and god.

rule II: abstinence and fasting

i will create regular days of silence and fasting for myself and molly. with the realization that it is about god's doing and my being there, on these days of silence i will:

• abstain from food
• focus on the gospels if any reading is done
• abstain from talking
• abstain from trying to figure it all out
• focus on communion
• focus on others

"keep your love for food in check and you will find it easier to control all inclinations of the flesh.
- thomas a kempis, the imitation of christ

slavery still exists

here is an article about alleged human trafficking in our own backyard (kansas city)

here there is no gentile or jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, scythian, slave or free, but christ is all, and is in all.
- colossians 3.11


在 此 并 不 分 希 利 尼 人 、 犹 太 人 ， 受 割 礼 的 、 未 受 割 礼 的 ， 化 外 人 ， 西 古 提 人 ， 为 奴 的 、 自 主 的 ， 惟 有 基 督 是 包 括 一 切 ， 又 住 在 各 人 之 内 。

i posted some additional stuff about this at hope in action

rule I: daily life

in my daily life i will seek simplicity. outward and inward.

outward simplicity ::

• simplify wardrobe
• get rid of the physical clutter
• honestly asses needs vs. wants
• spend time doing nothing

inward simplicity ::

if god gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? what i'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to god's giving. people who don't know god and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both god and how he works. steep your life in god-reality, god-initiative, god-provisions. don't worry about missing out. you'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
- matt. 6.30-33, the message