Ritual

Whew! I think I'm thinking too much this morning! I was thinking about a friend of ours who started out as a Mennonite Brethren pastor. Then he went Charismatic. Now he is into the Greek Orthodox Church where he is a priest. I can think of several friends who have gone on similar journeys. In fact, all I have to do is look at myself and my mission to find truth. I have gone from one thing to another, thinking that somewhere out there, some group has to have found the best way...

I am so excited about the things I have been learning recently! Reading "The Shack" by William P. Young has added to the excitement. What a marvelous little book. It has helped open the eyes of my heart in a new way.

I found this interesting...

"Catholicism increasingly followed the path of the cults in making a rite the center of its activities, and Protestantism followed the path of the synagogue in placing a book at the center of its services - it would be true to say that in most respects it remains no less revolutionary today. Of course the Bible and communion are fundamental to what takes place in church, but church should not be reduced to "word and sacrament." There is more to the Spirit's presence and work than this." ~ Robert Banks, Paul's Idea of Community

And this writing about religion seems to go with Banks' idea...

"The religious system of Israel (like any religious system today) was repeatedly used as a spiritual hideout for people with the guilty conscience. Rather than change how they live, the people of Israel simply added a little religion to their lives, to keep everything in balance. Like the godfather going to Mass on Sunday morning or going to confession before returning to his life of crime, religious systems make it all too easy for self-centered people to find complete familiar rituals without experiencing a change of heart or committing to a life of love." --from "The End of Religion" by Bruxy Cavey

I found this quote by Cavey on Wayne Jacobsen's website (Lifestream.org) where he was reviewing Cavey's book. Wayne was agreeing with Cavey when he says that "...the attempt to find life through ritual will always end up in weird places."

Wayne Jacobsen is one of the writers of "The Shack". When William P. Young met Wayne, he gave him a copy of the story he had written for his children. Wayne was so amazed by the story that he got together with Paul Young and they together wrote, "The Shack". I think I will read the book again soon as I feel like I am so steeped in religion and ritual. The book helped me shed a lot of the unnecessary burden that I carry. I just know there is a lot more to shed...

Enough thinking for this morning. The rest of the day is for connecting with my heart. If you are with me today in reading this, I ask you to please pray for me as I make these connections. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!