The Promise and Perils of the Abrahamic Tradition
When we use these terms, we must always remember that we are not discussing a single human entity, Abraham, but a hylic unit, a pair, Abraham and Sarah combined who are the original great-grand parents of the three Abrahamic traditions. We went to the Middle East together to visit the “graves” and shrine sites of our spiritual ancestors, and most particularly the roots of our spiritual great grandparents—Abraham and Sarah. We went to explore and taste their spirit as it has become manifest in the later streams (or families) that have come from these two very prolific people.
Remember the promise made to Abraham and Sarah, indicating the starry heavens? The divine Presence pointed and said, “Your progeny shall be numbered like these myriad stars.” And so it has become true, a great family tree, with three main branches, Judaism, Christianity and Islam—differently shaped perhaps, but producing similar spiritual fruit (when they are in their “best” season of production).
The spirit of our spiritual great grandparents and ancestors is still quite evident today in that region of the world—and the memory of them, their lives and journeys exist almost everywhere. There is, you might say, an Abrahamic presence, and it is palpable and good. The first overwhelming aspect of that presence has to do with hospitality and generosity. It is clear from the ancient texts that Abraham and Sarah were generous and hospitable people—and that same spirit lives on today everywhere across the Middle East. There is a generosity of spirit that manifests in an almost overwhelming hospitality (when things are peaceful and balanced.
In addition, there are more subtle qualities which also exist, that I believe flow from our spiritual ancestors and affect and influence us now in the Tradition just the way the spirit and values of our own families affect us in some subtle way on a day-to-day basis.
For example, there is the fundamental sense that all of life is a Path, a journey, a pilgrimage, which we all are taking, and on this pathway certain things apply. First, in importance is honor and dignity of spirit, a nobility and integrity that aligns oneself with divine beauty and strength. Second, there is the quality of courage and patience because the journey is long and sometimes tedious. Third, the Abrahamic peoples have a fierce determination to live and move forward in some way that springs not from aggression, but from love. It is a quality where heart and will are combined, for without such a heart we are left with little or nothing.
These are what I would call “Abrahamic Characteristics”—qualities in the Abrahamic traditions and peoples when they are at their best. At their worst these can turn into stubbornness, narrow-minded dogmatism, and war-like violence or aggression. These are perils that also live inside “the family” structure—traits that turn against us when we get off track and wander aimlessly from our God-given Pathway of deep Spirit.
Remember the promise made to Abraham and Sarah, indicating the starry heavens? The divine Presence pointed and said, “Your progeny shall be numbered like these myriad stars.” And so it has become true, a great family tree, with three main branches, Judaism, Christianity and Islam—differently shaped perhaps, but producing similar spiritual fruit (when they are in their “best” season of production).
The spirit of our spiritual great grandparents and ancestors is still quite evident today in that region of the world—and the memory of them, their lives and journeys exist almost everywhere. There is, you might say, an Abrahamic presence, and it is palpable and good. The first overwhelming aspect of that presence has to do with hospitality and generosity. It is clear from the ancient texts that Abraham and Sarah were generous and hospitable people—and that same spirit lives on today everywhere across the Middle East. There is a generosity of spirit that manifests in an almost overwhelming hospitality (when things are peaceful and balanced.
In addition, there are more subtle qualities which also exist, that I believe flow from our spiritual ancestors and affect and influence us now in the Tradition just the way the spirit and values of our own families affect us in some subtle way on a day-to-day basis.
For example, there is the fundamental sense that all of life is a Path, a journey, a pilgrimage, which we all are taking, and on this pathway certain things apply. First, in importance is honor and dignity of spirit, a nobility and integrity that aligns oneself with divine beauty and strength. Second, there is the quality of courage and patience because the journey is long and sometimes tedious. Third, the Abrahamic peoples have a fierce determination to live and move forward in some way that springs not from aggression, but from love. It is a quality where heart and will are combined, for without such a heart we are left with little or nothing.
These are what I would call “Abrahamic Characteristics”—qualities in the Abrahamic traditions and peoples when they are at their best. At their worst these can turn into stubbornness, narrow-minded dogmatism, and war-like violence or aggression. These are perils that also live inside “the family” structure—traits that turn against us when we get off track and wander aimlessly from our God-given Pathway of deep Spirit.
posted by Lynn Bauman at 8:15 AM
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