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author ht
date Tue, 12 Dec 2017 11:44:07 -0500
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37 <p>I was moved by my disappointment with where the theology think tank has 37 <p>I was moved by my disappointment with where the theology think tank has
38 left us to try to write down what I see as a better way to 38 left us to try to write down what I see as a better way to
39 distinguish <emph>us</emph>, to try to shift the ground of looking for language 39 distinguish <emph>us</emph>, to try to shift the ground of looking for language
40 that we can unite with, that works for us, from belief to practice, from 40 that we can unite with, that works for us, from belief to practice, from
41 ortho<emph>doxy</emph> to ortho<emph>praxy</emph>.</p> 41 ortho<emph>doxy</emph> to ortho<emph>praxy</emph>.</p>
42 <p>I don't claim originality in suggesting this: I think it's at the heart 42 <p>I don't claim originality in suggesting this: John Punshon, as quoted in
43 of what Ben Pink Dandelion has been writing and saying for some time, and I'd 43 QF&amp;P 20.18, pretty much writes exactly this in 1967, and I think it's at the heart
44 of what Ben Pink Dandelion has been writing and saying for some time. I'd
44 be surprised if there weren't others who will read this and say "But that's 45 be surprised if there weren't others who will read this and say "But that's
45 what I've been saying for <emph>years</emph>". I can only apologise for not 46 what I've been saying for <emph>years</emph>". I can only apologise for not
46 having read more widely or, increasingly likely, that I have simply forgotten 47 having read more widely or, increasingly likely, that I have simply forgotten
47 what I <emph>have</emph> read. My excuse for writing this none-the-less is to 48 what I <emph>have</emph> read. My excuse for writing this none-the-less is to
48 try to encourage people to read <emph>God, words and us</emph>, but avoid the 49 try to encourage people to read <emph>God, words and us</emph>, but avoid the
49 not unreasonable conclusion from doing so that 50 not unreasonable conclusion from doing so that
50 belief-talk is what matters.</p> 51 belief-talk is what matters most.</p>
51 </div> 52 </div>
52 <div> 53 <div>
53 <title>We already know this</title> 54 <title>We already know this</title>
54 <p>Listing a few well-known phrases will help me make my point</p> 55 <p>Quoting a few well-known phrases will help me make my point:</p>
55 <list type="naked"> 56 <list type="naked">
56 <item>Let your life speak</item> 57 <item>Let your life speak</item>
57 <item>Be patterns, be examples</item> 58 <item>Be patterns, be examples</item>
58 <item>A testimony to the grace of God as shown in the life of ...</item> 59 <item>A testimony to the grace of God as shown in the life of ...</item>
60 <item>A humble learner in the school of Christ</item>
59 <item>[For Quakers] Christianity is not a notion, but a way</item> 61 <item>[For Quakers] Christianity is not a notion, but a way</item>
60 <item>As Friends we commit ourselves to a way of worship</item> 62 <item>As Friends we commit ourselves to a way of worship</item>
61 <item>Come regularly to meeting for worship</item> 63 <item>Come regularly to meeting for worship</item>
64 <item>... in the manner of Friends</item>
65 <item>Swear not at all</item>
66 <item>Live simply</item>
67 <item>[need a quote for equality/justice testimony]</item>
68 <item>[L]ive in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars</item>
62 </list> 69 </list>
63 <p>And an old family story:</p> 70 <p>And an old family story:</p>
64 <list type="defn"> 71 <list type="defn">
65 <item term="visitor">Are you a Christian?</item> 72 <item term="visitor">Are you a Christian?</item>
66 <item term="host">[pause] You'll have to ask my neighbour</item> 73 <item term="host">[pause] You'll have to ask my neighbour</item>
67 </list> 74 </list>
75 <p>This emphasis on what we <emph>do</emph> as Quakers puts us, according to
76 Karen Armstrong, right back at the heart of the origins of the great monotheist religions:</p>
77 <display><p>"Religion as defined by the great sages of India, China, and the Middle East was not a notional activity but a practical one; it did not require belief in a set of doctrines but rather hard, disciplined work..."</p>
78 <p><emph>The Case for God</emph>, 2000</p></display>
79 <p>Armstrong suggests that contemporary Judaism and Islam have retained
80 their original self-definitions centred on orthopraxy ("uniformity of religious
81 practice"), whereas Christian denominations in the
82 main have shifted much more towards defining themselves in terms of orthodoxy ("correct belief").</p>
83 <p>It's not surprising that, surrounded as we are by churches for whom
84 orthodoxy is fundamental, as well as strident parodies of all religious people
85 as little better (indeed more dangerous) than flat-earthers, we should have
86 fallen into adopting their language for our own internal discourse.</p>
87 </div>
88 <div>
89 <title>And this [we know] experimentally</title>
90 <p>So, what's the problem? </p>
91 </div>
92 <div>
93 <title>There's nothing wrong with talking about belief</title>
94 <p>It's natural to want to dig in to <emph>why</emph> we do what we do. And
95 it's not surprising that we struggle to come up with agreed answers. The key
96 point to hold on to is <emph>that doesn't undermine the validity of the
97 doings</emph>. Or, rather, it only undermines our faith if we <emph>let</emph>
98 it. If we restricted ourselves to only doing things if we understood why they
99 worked, we'd have very little left. And, as the previous section tried to
100 explain, we know that what we do <emph>does</emph> work. So sure, keep trying
101 to figure out why. But meantime, keep cheerfully practicing.</p>
68 </div> 102 </div>
69 </body> 103 </body>
70 </doc> 104 </doc>