Learning from William Johnston
After the Second Vatican Council, scholasticism collapsed. New theological methods arose. No one can question the value of the historical critical approach to Scripture and patristics that is now in vogue; no one can deny the immense value of modern, scientific scholarship and research. Yet the West has to learn an important lesson from the Orthodox tradition: the value of prayer and mystical experience for theology. Profound wisdom comes not only from scientific research but also from contemplation. This is the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas who speaks of connatuarality and knowledge that comes from love. Such wisdom will be all the more necessary as Christianity enters into dialogue with the mystical religions of Asia.
~ William Johnson, "Mystical Theology: The Science of Love"
TALK ABOUT IT What could mystical experience contribute beyond reason, research, and rational thought to theological study (the study of God and God's nature, attributes, and relation to the world)?
DO IT (INNER PRACTICE) What inner (contemplative) practices are helping you (or what inner practices do you think might help you) to know and understand God's nature and relation to the world?
DO IT (OUTER PRACTICE) What relationship can you discover between you inner practice and your outward relationships with / behaviors toward others?
LEARNING FROM WILLIAM JOHNSTON: CHURCH OF RECONCILIATION
It seems to me that theology is fine... up to a point, but it touches my intellect not my heart, not the center of my being. Theological constructs are created by man to help us develop a frame of a reference to better understand the Holy. It may be a "finger pointing to the moon" but it is not the "moon". Only when I can settle in to that space with God am I able to catch a glimpse of the "moon" as best I can given the limits of human awareness. Once you begin to "experience" God in this reality, your theological views change and often dramatically. Sometimes in fact, you find that theology is not very important. Only that which "IS" is (important).
ReplyDeleteThe question to me is how to bring cardial knowing into the arena of theology. I think that is what theology was like in the beginning -before it became so rational. I'm thinking that introducing direct experiential knowing into theology in the West now will be difficult since, with all our rationality, we have not learned to discern truth at that level. We are vulnerable to all the subjective New Age spirituality that floods the market already. Perhaps we just have to wade into it and give ourselves time to mature.
ReplyDeleteFR Bruce, I think it is really hard to move into our hearts when we spend so much time being "in our heads". Sometimes we can break through this through music, poetry, dance or similar, but it is such a challenge...
ReplyDelete