Parables

As I've mentioned before, I often think about how I would explain my faith and spiritual life with my main community being Christian and my growing practice of Zen Buddhism. More and more, I see a real consistency with how Buddhism and Christianity teach us to live. So I don't feel like I'm leaving Christianity as I practice and understand the Zen Buddhist view of the world. I think one could make a theological argument if they were so inclined. But pastors today with poor theology are quite popular, especially in Evangelical communities. Maybe this felt like nitpicking before, as long as they were focused on being a good neighbor. But Trumpism has taken over the Evangelical movement as they have felt affirmed by it, after feeling the wider community was not supporting their values. We talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water and it seems like they have been eager to save the bath water while not realizing they've thrown the baby out. They have gained political power but at the cost of following the teachings of Jesus. I don't think they realize how cynical Republican leaders are at feeding them supposed victories while ridiculing their beliefs and carrying on the agenda of big business.

So I think on the whole, most Christians do not understand orthodox Christian theology and pastors don't have much time for it since it isn't a priority for the congregation. So my explanation is that Christian theology took till the third century to coalesce and even after that it takes volumes to understand all these complex explanations. The gatherings that went through the approval process, that the emperor Constantine instituted, did not produce a legitimate result that Jesus would have wanted. Therefore my theology which seems so far off the mainstream has come about more thoughtfully than the popular culture theology which is heretical to most theological analysis. And correct theology has very little to do with how we live our daily lives which is where Faith really matters. When Jesus said, "Believe in me," Karen Armstrong would say that he was inviting them to perform acts of compassion as their path in life. Thomas Sheehan calls for a radical shift from believing the right things about Jesus (orthodoxy) to doing the just and merciful things Jesus commanded (orthopraxis).

The pastor's sermon today was focused on two of the three sequential parables in the 15th chapter of Luke wherein something was lost. As a pastor's daughter, she talked about how she felt the need to "get away from God" with pressure to act a certain way from the church. She was living with some type of group with other spiritualities For a year and a half, and someone asked her what grounds her. This is apparently what put her back into the church and on a path to be coming a pastor. She said the parables are not easy and we have to be willing to be in self-reflection with a receptive heart. The Pharisees stopped growing because they had it all. To be disciples is to live the life of Christ and grow with God. So we might be able to see ourselves in these lost parables but she said the flip side is to see the sacredness of every person. The other, the exile, is seen because everyone is included; we don't choose. She did mention that the theology of many popular songs is kind of flat. She had chosen a current song that she thought expressed this very well called Reckless Love. It was a very honest moment when she said wandering isn't inherently bad but she worries about her own kids. She asked if we're ready for radical change such as sharing acts of kindness, seeking the lost just as God befriends people where they are. Can we do the same and be non-judgmental in listening to our neighbor? As I've mentioned before, I see the faith of the people in church and want to hang in there with them.

Reconciling Buddhist practice with being a Christian

A form of Christian spiritual discipline is the practice of the presence of God. As Christians, we are looking for that radiance in all things that mystics call the face of God. That radiance is not hidden in some far-off place, but is here and now, right under our noses. Likewise, Dorothy realized that what she had been seeking all her life was simply her life itself: the people, the house, the rooms. All were the face of God. 

From Dorothy and the Locked Door page 262-3 Nothing Special by Charlotte Joko Beck

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Our pastor said Resurrection is a pillar of our faith. In times of chaos , we have hope because as the hymn proclaims, "Because he lives, life is worth living." Hope of God, love of community. The pastor says, We are Resurrection people. 

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John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, made it very clear in his writings that Christians generally base their understanding of God on four things. Known as the “The Wesley Quadrilateral,” they are 1.) scripture, 2). tradition, 3). experience, and 4). reason. Certainly, United Methodists believe that scripture contains all the information anyone needs for salvation. Nevertheless, in order to understand scripture properly, the teachings of the Church about the bible through the centuries (tradition), the way we see Christianity working in our lives as a church (experience), and using the bible in a way that makes sense (reason) is very important for us to take very seriously. We have to study these things so that we may grow in our faith. On top of this, United Methodists do not believe in “going it alone” when it comes to what we believe. We believe in something called “holy conferencing,” which is something that has been done since the earliest days of the church. This is when Christians get together on a regular basis to talk about what they believe and make decisions about the beliefs they agree to share as the people of God. As a church we do this every week in Sunday School and worship, every year in church conferences and annual conferences, and every four years in General Conferences. The process is done prayerfully and with trust that God’s Holy Spirit is guiding us. 

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I see these as two very different threads in my spiritual journey. My Christian faith has remained as I have studied the history of Christianity and Bible criticism. I have also made a long journey to having a Buddhist practice. So it's clear to me that the two are not in conflict as far as my faith. Clearly I violate the "United Methodists do not believe in “going it alone” when it comes to what we believe" admonition. That can't be helped. One of my spouse's friend, who I believe has an Asian Buddhist background, did show some interest in talking with my spouse. But that seems very rare. It will be interesting as it comes up more and more, usually because I'm at some gathering and hopefully in the future at a retreat, when my spouse tells friends where I am.

Another odd comparison, there is a tradition in Christianity that we don't suffer enough so people have performed practices of mutilation and martyrs are admired. Buddhists acknowledge there is suffering and encourage happiness.