Ron Poidevin's Thoughts On The Third Annual Gathering 2008
For the better part of almost 2 months I find that I continue to return to the wonder, and yes, the mystery, of our last gathering. The sheer energy that Rabbi Rami released, and our willful participation, continues to resonate in my heart. Yet the greatest prominence I feel centers around our discussions about the pledge, the future and our individual and collective grounded-ness reflected in OOOW.
As we concluded our time together a desire was expressed to continue the dialog with one another. While we did not finalize how to do this, there were two suggestions. One suggestion was to use our blog page and the other was via e-mail. Perhaps we can use both methods in whichever way best encourages us to enter into the dialog during the year. The blog page offers a way to see and respond to input from multiple sources. If used, remember that such a dialog is exploratory and may not represent anyone’s complete thoughts on the topic. In other words --- be gentle if I appear off base! The e-mail option may contribute more personal reflection and input that can be offered to an individual, to a select group or to all who participate with OOOW. Of course you can select either or both methods.
I offer the following thoughts with the hope of starting the sharing of perspectives and ideas to explore the continued formation of OOOW. During the several years prior to OOOW and continuing after the formation of OOOW a teaching focus has been on deepening the depth of our Christian spiritual heritage and/or broadening our awareness of the wisdom of other sacred traditions. Each of these learning paths has contributed to the strength of the other.
In 2003 as possibilities were discussed leading to the creation of OOOW, inclusivity was one of the stated foundations of the proposed ideas and was incorporated into the language of the Order. I celebrate the ease with which we work seamlessly across denominations sharing wisdom and experience and commitment. But inclusivity points to many other areas of integration that can be part of our future. As we continue to dialog directly with representatives of other traditions and each other we will be challenged too by the question: “Do we lose our grounded-ness in Christianity by integrating wisdom from other traditions or can non Christians participate with us fully?” That is “Does inclusivity in the Order extend to other traditions or even more broadly to humanity.” If so, “What then becomes the role of the Order?”
OK! Here is a shift from OOOW developmental background to a partial personal response to these challenging questions.
My cultural, social and spiritual grounding has been in Christianity – more specifically as an Anglican. Our work together has given to me a more exciting, and, I believe, a more accurate grasp of the Good News, The Gospel. However, Christianity does not have a “proprietary” claim to the wisdom of Yeshua who is the expression of the completed Human. As redeemer, Yeshua models for all that which has been God’s plan from the beginning of time and continues its expression in each one of us. Robert Capon in his book The Astonished Heart, says it this way “ ...the incarnation of the word revealed in Jesus is not the insertion of a fix into creation at some point in time and place; it is the sacramentalization at one point in history, of a Mystery that underlies all of history.” No institution, or tradition or individual is the complete expression of the Logos. While any individual denomination or church may have masked the good news of Apocatastasis it remains true even when we are unaware or even reject it. One task of the OOOW is to remain true to the inclusivity of all of humanity in God’s redemptive plan and to carry the message into our environments including (maybe even specifically) into our church environments.
The OOOW helps me personally by encouraging me to ask the questions, to express my experience and doubts without fear of rejection or expulsion. I love and honor the dialog we share in OOOW and the contributions to growth of wisdom that emanates from our time together. This helps me to strive to live in right relationship to all things in a world rampant with social and political conflicts. These conflicts may have us at a critical period in history that challenge all of us to respond in unique ways and challenge us to preserve an array of Wisdom that will be needed beyond our lifetimes. Therein lie the multiplicity of opportunities and paths for each of us as individuals while sharing the support of a unique community.
Let the dialog begin by hearing from each of you.
Blessings, Ron Poidevin
As we concluded our time together a desire was expressed to continue the dialog with one another. While we did not finalize how to do this, there were two suggestions. One suggestion was to use our blog page and the other was via e-mail. Perhaps we can use both methods in whichever way best encourages us to enter into the dialog during the year. The blog page offers a way to see and respond to input from multiple sources. If used, remember that such a dialog is exploratory and may not represent anyone’s complete thoughts on the topic. In other words --- be gentle if I appear off base! The e-mail option may contribute more personal reflection and input that can be offered to an individual, to a select group or to all who participate with OOOW. Of course you can select either or both methods.
I offer the following thoughts with the hope of starting the sharing of perspectives and ideas to explore the continued formation of OOOW. During the several years prior to OOOW and continuing after the formation of OOOW a teaching focus has been on deepening the depth of our Christian spiritual heritage and/or broadening our awareness of the wisdom of other sacred traditions. Each of these learning paths has contributed to the strength of the other.
In 2003 as possibilities were discussed leading to the creation of OOOW, inclusivity was one of the stated foundations of the proposed ideas and was incorporated into the language of the Order. I celebrate the ease with which we work seamlessly across denominations sharing wisdom and experience and commitment. But inclusivity points to many other areas of integration that can be part of our future. As we continue to dialog directly with representatives of other traditions and each other we will be challenged too by the question: “Do we lose our grounded-ness in Christianity by integrating wisdom from other traditions or can non Christians participate with us fully?” That is “Does inclusivity in the Order extend to other traditions or even more broadly to humanity.” If so, “What then becomes the role of the Order?”
OK! Here is a shift from OOOW developmental background to a partial personal response to these challenging questions.
My cultural, social and spiritual grounding has been in Christianity – more specifically as an Anglican. Our work together has given to me a more exciting, and, I believe, a more accurate grasp of the Good News, The Gospel. However, Christianity does not have a “proprietary” claim to the wisdom of Yeshua who is the expression of the completed Human. As redeemer, Yeshua models for all that which has been God’s plan from the beginning of time and continues its expression in each one of us. Robert Capon in his book The Astonished Heart, says it this way “ ...the incarnation of the word revealed in Jesus is not the insertion of a fix into creation at some point in time and place; it is the sacramentalization at one point in history, of a Mystery that underlies all of history.” No institution, or tradition or individual is the complete expression of the Logos. While any individual denomination or church may have masked the good news of Apocatastasis it remains true even when we are unaware or even reject it. One task of the OOOW is to remain true to the inclusivity of all of humanity in God’s redemptive plan and to carry the message into our environments including (maybe even specifically) into our church environments.
The OOOW helps me personally by encouraging me to ask the questions, to express my experience and doubts without fear of rejection or expulsion. I love and honor the dialog we share in OOOW and the contributions to growth of wisdom that emanates from our time together. This helps me to strive to live in right relationship to all things in a world rampant with social and political conflicts. These conflicts may have us at a critical period in history that challenge all of us to respond in unique ways and challenge us to preserve an array of Wisdom that will be needed beyond our lifetimes. Therein lie the multiplicity of opportunities and paths for each of us as individuals while sharing the support of a unique community.
Let the dialog begin by hearing from each of you.
Blessings, Ron Poidevin
posted by Lynn Bauman at 8:35 AM
2 Comments:
All mountain tops reach for the stars.
Therein lies the multiplicity of every religion, of every choice we make on our march to wisdom.
If not in this lifetime, then hopefully in the next.
The moving finger writes.
There are many mountain tops and they all reach for the stars.
The wisdom required may not be granted in this lifetime, or even the next.
But the magic, keep it close. It remains at our core despite all the efforts to comb, wash, spank and Sunday School it out of us.
Patience my friend.
The moving finger writes.
Namaste
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