A Leap to Everyday Spirituality: In the Eternal Atmosphere of Possibilities

by Dejean, Edgar K.

• ISBN13: 9781467870580
• ISBN10: 1467870587
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-12-19
• Publisher: Author Solutions

Summary

This book is directed toward fulfilling the wisdom of Yogi Berra as stated in the Preface of the book: "You got to be very careful if you don't know Where you're going, because you might not get there." There are some readers whose traditional bents may lead them to question the direction(s) the book is taking. The author concedes this but hopes that his integrity of purpose ("where he's going") will lead to consideration as opposed to consternation. Here, in no rigid linear sequence, are some (not all) of the areas the book explores. The primate as animal evolved to become the primate as human, first through an awareness of compassion (responsible to species) and later through an awareness of religion (response-able to God). Why, then, has the human forsaken the value and purposefulness of compassion that permitted humanity to evolve and survive, and has become obsessed with taking religious beliefs too seriously (e.g. religious chaos, religious wars)? In keeping with Yogi Berra's advice the book was given a sense of direction. First it would explore examples of taking life too seriously. Then expand to observations of taking one's beliefs too seriously followed by taking religion too seriously (religiosity) and finally arrive at taking theology inappropriately where the author suggests that traditionalism and theism have brought Christianity today. The book offers the thought that two essential human capabilities within the purpose for existence are underutilized by humanity: compassion and spirituality. It concludes with the question: Could the intentional utilization of these two possibilities as capabilities support the morphing of Christianity? This book ("A Leap to Everyday Spirituality, In the Eternal Atmosphere of Possibilities") is a candid invitation to readers to explore their beliefs, not a request to agree with the author.

Excerpts

78. Can Creeds and Confessions Be Theistic?(368382)
The Scriptural basis of Judeo-Christianity was spoken, then written
and finally canonized as the portrayal of a Directive God in relationship with
specific humans over a restricted frame of time. These scriptural accounts
were prepared by humans having insights compatible with the cultures and
knowledge of their various, extant times. There were of course humans
within this process who realized that there was "a something that gave
purpose to what they viewed as the universe." It was most natural that this
something was an anthropomorphic being directing earthly affairs from
"somewhere beyond the sky." (Probably from a throne?)
The scriptures should not be faulted because they are theistic. We
humans of today should be faulted because we still accept a theism that was
essential to those who structured it in another time. We should be faulted
further because we accept the tradition that subsequent concepts, creeds and
confessions are to be based on these theistic scriptures.
As Part 1 of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) this
denomination enfolds its several Confessional Documents into a Book of
Confessions. I have read these documents plus considerable critiquing of the
same. In all reverence I must offer that much of the content could be
classified as apophatic and kataphatic redundancies of a theological nature
which are stored in the box that I must leap beyond to find a viable
spirituality that I can utilize and fulfill in my every-day existence.
Just now the PCUSA Presbyteries are voting whether to add another
Confession to the Book of Confessions. This is the Belhar Confession.
On the day of voting on the acceptance of this Belhar Confession by
one PCUSA Presbytery a seminary student rose to ask the Assembly to
reject the addition of the Confession. Here is a condensed version of the
student's statement:
"Does this Assembly grasp how much the addition of this confession
will add to the load seminary students must assimilate and be tested on as
they go through their studies and ordination exams?"
Laypersons cope with the volumes of material they are asked by our
denomination (PCUSA) to absorb as confessions, creeds and theological
constructs. I pose this question: Does my church grasp how much the
addition of this confession will add to the contents of the box that I must
leap beyond to find a viable spirituality that I can utilize in fulfilling my
every-day existence?
Technically an atheist is one who does not believe in a theistic
(directive) God. In that usage of the word I am an atheist. One who does not
believe in any God would more accurately be an adeist – but this word does
not exist. In a world that is coming to be more holistic than theistic, I would
offer that the metaphysical force that renders value and purpose to the all of
existence is better conceptualized as the Atmosphere of Possibilities than as
a Library of Theism.