christianmystics.com

Unlike some of the books of major religions, this small website is hardly a closed canon. In fact, I hope it reflects my own continuing journey. Things change. Bruce Robinson's strong concern about any religion that becomes corrupt or, more to the point, allows itself to be used by forces bent on their own rather nonspiritual agenda is well taken and applauded.

I wanted to take a moment outside of the more focused essay format to add just a bit of things, scrapbook style, from this whole subject.

First, after sending an email to Bruce (from which the essay itself was taken), I was humbled to wake up this morning and find his reply, which begins:

WOW.

That is a magnificent defense of Christian spirituality and rejection of the political forces in Christianity and other religions that have led to such disasters as we have seen in recent decades in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Cyprus, Nigeria, Sudan, Middle East, Iraq/Iran, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, etc. that are at least partly motivated by religion.

I think that it is important that your Email be preserved, perhaps in a modified form, on your web site.

Well, that's kinda what happened! I appreciate Bruce's passion and his kind words about my own attempt to put across what I feel.

I should issue a disclaimer on one thing. Although this thread of conversation and thought has a distinct political bent to it, ChristianMystics.com is not a site that I'd even dare to call politically active. In the same way, because we feature several articles on the Jesus Prayer it's not Christian Orthodox, nor is it a Catholic site because it features an article on St. Theresa.

The best I can do is to look out at the world while trying to live as God-centered a life as I am capable of and make my own imperfect attempts to express it.

I would, if I may, add one more point that I think is essential. From my point of view as a Christian, God does not spread that Divine Presence at the point of a sword. If that was the case, when the Roman guard's ear was cut off by Peter at Jesus' arrest, Jesus would have said, "That's the spirit, boys! Take up your swords and spread the Truth!" Instead, he repaired the damage and chided Peter for his actions. Most importantly, he then submitted not from cowardice but from a position deep within God's Presence.

Let me say this part first - Jesus made it very clear that our efforts at peace and helping others is absolutely essential. Yet, in the end, we know God not by our own efforts but by rather by God's Grace. That means that each person, no matter what tradition and what circumstance of geography, has the potential to receive God's Grace and Presence in a way and in a spiritual language that will reach them. How that happens is God's doing and business and not mine, for mine would be limited and potentially self-serving.

This one fact unites us with each person in this world, and we must have faith and be thankful that it is God and not our swords or missionaries that makes this happen.

back to True Christianity?