In a DM final week, I celebrated the get-together of Pope Leo XIV and the king of England, for 500 years the top of the Anglican Church, to wish collectively within the Vatican. This was a symbolic second, in fact, however with deeper which means as nicely. Pope Francis first permitted of the concept, however he didn’t reside lengthy sufficient to see it via.
It’s a historic second to see two church leaders try to “bury the hatchet” between the 2 traditions, a hatchet that noticed a lot of martyrs over the centuries on either side of the historic divide. It indicators an finish to the Reformation violence and a steering of Western faith to reconciliation and acknowledgment of variations and variety.
I’ve a sure pores and skin within the sport myself, since I used to be a priest within the Roman Catholic church for 25 years earlier than I joined the Episcopal/Anglican church as a way to proceed my ministry as a theologian and to develop a post-modern type of Liturgy which we name the “Cosmic Mass.”
A number of months earlier than his loss of life, Pope Francis referred to as for a “new type” for the Liturgy, and I’m joyful to report that 30 years of apply have, I imagine, set ahead a brand new type that in its construction hyperlinks to the custom however fills it out by together with dance and physique and pictures and tales that post-modern artwork types like dj, vj and rap can readily elicit.
Types that substitute merely reciting phrases about our sins with grieving collectively on all fours; and reduce phrases and studying to and being preached at, in favor of the shared non secular expertise of dancing to widespread pictures telling deep tales.
In final week’s DM, I famous the looks of a brand new guide on Interfaith or Deep Ecumenism entitled Interspirituality, with an endorsement from the Dalai Lama, a Foreword by me, and an Afterword from Ken Wilbur. Simply the truth that this guide is showing presently, with over 120 contributors from varied world non secular traditions, is nice information.
It’s a wholesome signal of our instances that folks in all places are waking up and keen to maneuver from non secular confrontation to non secular intercommunion. The title implies placing expertise, specifically spirituality, forward of institutional faith as such. That’s how faith will get renewed in spite of everything.
Additionally this previous week, Pope Leo marked the 60th anniversary of the necessary doc of the Second Vatican Council referred to as Nostra Aetate that speaks to the widespread floor to be present in all of the world’s religions. Interfaith or Deep Ecumenism subsequently. Pope Leo invited many non secular leaders of various traditions to the Roman Colosseum to talk with one voice vis-à-vis peace, not battle.
On this regard, it is very important keep in mind a warning from the Dalai Lama that the largest impediment to interfaith is a foul relationship with one’s personal non secular custom. Those that speak and apply so-called “Christian nationalism” have a really unhealthy relationship certainly to the teachings of Jesus—he who took on an empire in his day and died at its fingers.
When Christians stay unaware of their very own mystical custom, that too ensures a foul relationship to their very own custom. The aim of a 24-week course I’m at present educating with the Shift Community is to make that connection alive once more, together with the paranormal and prophetic roots of Jesus.
But additionally the difficulty of the democratization of mysticism—how we’re all referred to as to turn into our deepest selves in love with the world. How it’s practiced in letting go and letting be and present process private and communal struggling, however rising to create and co-create and relieve each other’s sufferings by means of justice and compassion and preventing for the widespread good.
And the way we share a really wealthy lineage of ancestors who tried to do precisely that of their time on earth.
The mystic and prophet in all of us represents the very best in all of us. Indicators of hope come up the place we decide to such a deep non secular journey.
Banner Picture: Mercy, Justice, Magnificence – LGBTQ+ banners on the famously interspiritual (United Church of Christ) Outdated South Church, Boston, MA, USA. Picture by Jonathan Deamer on Wikimedia Commons
Queries for Contemplation
Do you discover some hope within the development of deep ecumenism or interfaith/interspirituality in our instances? And the Cosmic Mass, with its post-modern construction and mysticism, being democratized?
Really helpful Studying
One River, Many Wells: Knowledge Springing from World Religion Traditions
“The Cosmic Christ and Deep Ecumenism,” in The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Therapeutic of Mom Earth and the Beginning of a International Renaissance, pp. 228-242.
Christian Mystics: 365 Readings & Meditations
“The Cosmic Mass: Reinventing Worship and Faith,” in Confessions: The Making of a Publish-denominational Priest, pp. 363-383.
Creation Spirituality: Liberating Presents for the Peoples of the Earth
Unique Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Imaginative and prescient For a New Technology by Adam Bucko and Matthew Fox
