Thank you John Scoble from the St Lucia Spirituality Group for this insight which seems to be apposite for all our Explorers groups:
A Gathering of Loved Ones
In episode 1016 of On Being, Krista Tippett reads an extract from a book by Rachel Held Evans. It struck me as particularly apposite for our St Lucia spirituality group.
“Faith in Jesus has been recast as a position in a debate, not a way of life. But the truth is … I’ve found people to be much more receptive to the Gospel when they know becoming a Christian and being a Christian doesn’t require becoming a know-it-all. That is a form of faithful freedom too. There is liberation in not having to know everything and not having to impress everyone with that boundless knowledge … And many of us have found a renewed sense of possibility when we’ve realized how much of God’s beauty remains to be explored — and that the life of faith is also a life of holy curiosity. Anyway, most of the openhearted wanderers I’ve encountered are looking not for a bulletproof belief system but for a community of friends, not for a spiritual encyclopedia that contains every answer but for a gathering of loved ones in which they can ask the hard questions.”
oOo
THANKS JOHN. i COULD NOT AGREE MORE.
“A life of holy curiosity.” I could not ask for a more perfect Epiphany. Thank you.
Yes that is certainly what I am looking for a gathering where I am not nervous to ask the hard questions as part of a “life of holy curiosity” . Thanks John.
Many years ago (circa 1973) the late Rev Dr Noel Preston observed to a gathering of early progressive explorers in his home:
“God is relationships.”
An open hearted wanderer – holy curiosity – relationships- yep that all fits. And also partly explains why I don’t currently attend “my church” . I got tired of pretending to believe /express what I thought my fellow congregants believe ( but then who really knows what anyone else really believes ?) – and reasonably certain that a different view would not be welcome – or at least would not be open for discussion.
But then I suspect I’m just a coward and not game to test the waters! Perhaps even some members of my conservative congregation would like to venture into those unplumbed waters of belief.
Thankfully, there is a growing number of places that are open, inclusive and do not ask for conformity to one set of ideas.