Falling Upwards

Richard Rohr’s “Falling Upwards”, recently read, offers some interesting insights as to our relationship with God. His basic premise is to divide life into two halves, the first around discovering who we are, and many never get past that, and the second around developing our relationship with God. More fundamentally, he stresses that all God wants of us is that we are ourselves – “All we can give back and all God wants from any of us is to humbly and proudly return the product that we have been given—which is ourselves!” He describes the distinction between these two elements, saying, “There is much evidence on several levels that there are at least two major tasks to human life. The first task is to build a strong “container” or identity; the second is to find the contents that the container was meant to hold.” One of the things I find particularly helpful in what Rohr says is connected to his recognition that sin is an inevitable part of the package that is us. He points out that this is not something that bothered Jesus in terms of his encounters during his earthly life. Rather, the challenge is to discover the positive elements in what is otherwise damaging. “You cannot avoid sin or mistake anyway (Romans 5:12), but if you try too fervently, it often creates even worse problems. Jesus loves to tell stories like those of the publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9–14) and the famous one about the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32), in which one character does his life totally right and is, in fact, wrong; and the other who does it totally wrong ends up God’s beloved! Now deal with that!” He expands this by commenting further – “If there is such a thing as human perfection, it seems to emerge precisely from how we handle the imperfection that is everywhere, especially our own.” And he adds -“A “perfect” person ends up being one who can consciously forgive and include imperfection rather than one who thinks he or she is totally above and beyond imperfection.” But perhaps what chimes most strongly is Rohr’s reminder that “Like skaters, we move forward by actually moving from side to side.”

Co-operating with People of Other Faiths and None

The United Reformed Church's National Synod of Scotland expresses its vision through a series of affirmations. These are not fixed in stone, but form a moving (and capable of being updated) vision statement. I am exploring these in turn in a series of brief articles. This piece reflects on the fifth aspiration, which focusses on our relationship with, and commitment to, people of OTHER FAITHS AND NONE. As a Synod we are committed to all who will work with us, from any faith or from no faith. The Synod is a participant in Interfaith Scotland. Many local Churches seek to build relationships with people of OTHER FAITHS AND NONE to nurture their local communities. We place great value on our common humanity and are happy to partner with others from all backgrounds and belief bases on any matters of common concern and in whatever way might be appropriate. That said, we are especially glad to work with other people of faith and value the things that we share. We therefore support and endorse the Statement of Mutual Commitment agreed by Scottish faith leaders at the September 2022 Interfaith Pilgrimage to the island of Iona. This stated: “WE, representatives of the Scottish Religious Leaders' Forum, meeting on the holy and historic Island of Iona, mark this, the twentieth anniversary of the Forum by restating our commitment to work together. We share this land of Scotland with people of diverse cultures, religions and beliefs. We know that our lives are connected closely to the lives of others around the world and to the earth, our common home. Yet we know that in this beautiful land many live in poverty, as do millions more around the world and we recognise that our way of life and over consumption is causing environmental damage and harm to all. We also acknowledge with sadness the suffering caused by prejudice, discrimination and war and recognise that religious discord has, at times, contributed to this suffering. With all our hearts and humility; 1. We commit to continuing to build good interfaith relations and trust across Scotland and beyond 2. We also commit to working with others to actively respond to the climate crisis; • by emphasising the importance of caring for the earth highlighted in our scriptures • by doing our utmost to live sustainably and encouraging our communities to do the same • by joining with others to convince those in positions of authority and influence to act urgently to implement the agreements made at Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 3. And finally, we commit to walk alongside and listen to local communities across Scotland and beyond that are facing many and diverse challenges, such as poverty, displacement, uncertainty and disorientation in a time of bewildering change. We share these words on the Isle of Iona, an island that is beautiful and sacred, but with a violent history, and which today is exposed to rising sea levels due to climate change. This Island stands as a metaphor for humanity, and other life on earth: vulnerable, sacred and to be cherished and loved but not abused and exploited. Inspired by this place we make this declaration.”

Ecumenical

The National Synod of Scotland expresses its vision through a series of affirmations. These are not fixed in stone, but form a moving (and capable of being updated) vision statement. I am exploring these in turn in a series of brief articles. This piece reflects on the fourth aspiration, which focusses on our ecumenical commitment and journey. As a Synod we are committed to the ecumenical journey and to continuing ecumenical co-operation. From its formation in 1972 the United Reformed Church has been committed to JOURNEY to ecumenism and is a member of the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical bodies. The Synod of Scotland works closely with ecumenical partners through the Scottish Church Leaders Forum, the Ecumenical Officers’ Meeting and the Scottish Churches Committee. We maintain links with the world church by engaging with global partners, mainly other member denominations of the Council for World Mission. Jesus prayed for his followers, those whom we would now call the Church, asking ‘that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me’ (John 17:21). Diversity is of immense value, but should never lead to disunity. What we hold in common with other Christians is far more valuable than anything that divides us. The ecumenical journey is a complex one and the path to organic unity on which many of the mainline denominations seemed to be embarked during the 1970s, 1980s, and even into the 1990s has, for the most part, not borne the expected fruit. But, as William Countryman (writing in 1992 in The Language of Ordination) pointed out: “The unity of the church does not have to take one particular form. In the twentieth century, schemes of church union have usually stressed the consolidation of overlapping administrative units and the merging of church bureaucracies. This is perhaps not exactly what Jesus had in mind when he prayed that his followers might all be one.” Similarly, Christopher Ellis (in Together on the Way) comments that “Ecumenism is not about throwing all our treasures into a melting pot so that we end up with a uniform church.” Working together organically is one form of unity, and entirely valid, but not the only possible way for ecumenism. Models of co-operation, particularly in practical matters such as foodbanks and street pastors, and in what is often termed ‘receptive ecumenism’ which describes our recognising and valuing the gifts and contributions of others. Learning to appreciate what we can receive from each other as different church traditions has much to commend it. It is also worth exploring what we can gain from contact with the global church. We have a strong tradition of engagement with partners in world mission mainly, though not exclusively, discovered through our participation as a member denomination of the Council for World Mission. Thus, we value our contacts with other denominations in and beyond Scotland, recognising that such engagement demonstrates our unity in Christ, but also carries many benefits as we work with and pray for such partners.

Radical Welcome

The National Synod of Scotland of the United Reformed Church expresses its vision through a series of affirmations. These are not fixed in stone, but form a moving (and capable of being updated) vision statement. I am exploring these in turn in a series of brief articles. This piece reflects on the third aspiration, which focusses on the radical nature of God’s call and love. As a Synod we believe that God’s radical love includes everyone. We believe that God’s RADICAL love is for everyone regardless of age, gender, sexuality, physical and mental ability, social status, ethnicity. Young people are represented with full voting rights in our councils. We recognise that we are good at putting people into categories, and just how important it is to beyond that. We affirm the need to allow people to be themselves, and look to welcome each person and the gifts that person brings. We value the differences that enhance our communal life and we look to share, for the good of all, the experiences that we each bring because of who we are. We recall the apostle Paul’s use of the image of the body in explaining to the early church the importance of the different contributions that we each are called to make. ‘If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as God chose’ (1 Corinthians 12:17-18). We recognise that, traditionally and historically, the church has not always reflected God’s radical love, and we seek, as God does, to eradicate the barriers that divide us. We remember another indicator provided by Paul, when he wrote to the Christians in the church at Galatia: ‘There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28). We recognise that Paul would have used different categories if writing today, but value the concept here introduced as we make the translations into a variety of contexts. In particular, we notice that we have not always placed proper value on the contribution of children and young people. We recognise that they are part of today’s church and actively listen and watch for the insights they bring. This kind of radical inclusion of everyone seems to be an obvious gospel principle, reflecting Jesus’ unrestricted companionship for all and sundry, from the Pharisee to the prostitute, but including everyone in between and beyond. However, history and present-day practice demonstrates that it is not so easy, and we are committed to constantly exploring how we might make the ideal a reality. We recognise the need to, as Stephanie Spellers (in her book Radical Welcome) puts it, “ask the hard questions about who’s inside, who’s outside and what it would take to go beyond inclusion to mutual embrace and transformation.” One example of such questions comes in a further comment from Stephanie Spellers. “But who is The Other, the stranger, the one on the margins of your community whom God calls you to embrace and be changed by?”

Practical Mysticism

Evelyn Underhill’s “Practical Mysticism” has some interesting things to say about how we engage with the mysteries of prayer and the enrichment of contemplation. In particular, she points out that we should not pitch what we might define and the spiritual against each other. They are complementary, rather than different ways of doing things. As Underhill says, “contemplation and action are not opposites, but two interdependent forms of a life that is one–a life that rushes out to a passionate communion with the true and beautiful, only that it may draw from this direct experience of Reality a new intensity wherewith to handle the world of things; and remake it, or at least some little bit of it, “nearer to the heart’s desire.”” Contemplation is not a matter of escapism or irrelevance, but of bringing the eternal into ordinary, everyday matters, a critical part of a balance and fulfilled approach. Underhill recognises that to achieve this connection with any degree of success requires deliberate effort, but it is so worthwhile. “To “bring Eternity into Time,” the “invisible into concrete expression”; to “be to the Eternal Goodness what his own hand is to a man”–these are the plainly expressed desires of all the great mystics. One and all, they demand earnest and deliberate action, the insertion of the purified and ardent will into the world of things. The mystics are artists; and the stuff in which they work is most often human life. They want to heal the disharmony between the actual and the real: and since, in the white-hot radiance of that faith, hope, and charity which burns in them, they discern such a reconciliation to be possible, they are able to work for it with a singleness of purpose and an invincible optimism denied to other (sic) men.”

Inclusive Worship

The National Synod of Scotland of the United Reformed Church expresses its vision through a series of affirmations. I am exploring these in turn in a series of brief articles. This piece reflects on the second aspiration. As a Synod we aspire to practise inclusive worship. Our INCLUSIVE worship reflects a broad variety of sources and styles. Local churches offer weekly worship, regular celebration of Holy Communion and mark the stages of life in Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals. Worship is a key element in our following our Christian faith. It is the way in which we demonstrate just how much God means to us. Some of the best Biblical expressions of worship are to be found in the Psalms. For example: ‘Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendour’ (Psalm 29:2); ‘I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations’ (Psalm 57:9); ‘Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise’ (Psalm 66:1-2); ‘O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!’ (Psalm 95:1). These extracts from the psalms, along with very many others that could be cited, offer a clear indication that our worship is essentially a celebration of all that God is and that God does. Richard Foster emphasises this point (in Celebration of Discipline) commenting that “Praise brings us into worship. The psalms are the literature of worship and their most prominent feature is praise. “Praise the Lord!” is the shout that reverberates from one end of the Psalter to the other, Singing, shouting, dancing, rejoicing, adoring – all are the language of praise.” Of course, worship takes many forms. It can be exuberant and it can also be reflective and meditative, and a lot of things between those two. Particular elements in worship are the celebration of the sacraments, baptism, the mark of entry to the church, and holy communion, our following Jesus’ command to remember and God’s love for us as we share bread and wine, but also the rites of passage when we celebrate a marriage or remember a loved one at a funeral. Not all worship can be the best experience for every individual all the time; but we strive to engage in worship that fits each given context, and that therefore is inclusive, doing everything possible to be a good expression of relationship with God for those present. In public worship we give expression to our faith, mostly by singing hymns, praying, reading the Scriptures and preaching the Word, alongside the celebration of the Sacraments. However, other elements, such as reflective music, drama, dialogue and even silence, also have a part to play. We mark the Christian festivals, especially Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, but also other important moments in each year, such as Harvest and Remembrance, seeking to do so in ways that are attractive and relevant and that demonstrate the important underlying and inclusive concept that all are welcome.

It's Worth Struggling With Prayer

Martin Laird’s “A Sunlit Absence – Silence, Awareness and Contemplation” is a helpful reminder that prayer can be a struggle – and there is nothing wrong with that – though it is a struggle worth the engagement. As Laird comments: “When prayer becomes what orders our day, as something we attempt to live out of moment by moment, rather than the tail pinned blindly onto the donkey of daily life, then prayer will integrate us into itself.”