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We had a discussion about "Immanence" and "Transcendence."
From Wikipedia:
"Immanence, derived from the Latin in manere "to remain within", refers to philosophical and metaphysical theories of the divine as existing and acting within the mind or the world. This concept generally contrasts or coexists with the idea of transcendence."
"In religion, transcendence is a condition or state of being that surpasses physical existence, and in one form is also independent of it. It is affirmed in the concept of the divine in the major religious traditions, and contrasts with the notion of God, or the Absolute existing exclusively in the physical order (immanentism), or indistinguishable from it ( pantheism). Transcendence can be attributed to the divine not only in its being, but also in its knowability. Thus, God transcends the universe, but also transcends knowledge (is beyond the grasp of the human mind). Although transcendence is defined as the opposite of immanence, the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Some theologians and metaphysicians of the great religious traditions affirm that God, or Brahman, is both within and beyond the universe ( panentheism); in it, but not of it; simultaneously pervading it and surpassing it."
Other topics (I will expound on these topics later):
- Talking about God
- Practicing our faith
- Mediations on the Names of God
At our first meeting on Jan. 5, Alice asked each of us to briefly introduce ourselves, with the following questions as a framework:
* Where were you born?
* What is your church background, if any?
* What brought you to this Journey in Faith?
* What is your status? (baptism, confirmed, coming from another denomination)
I will essentially repeat what I said on Saturday morning, with perhaps a few embellishments.
Where was I born?
I was born in the fall of 1968 at Bergen Mercy Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. (My father was attending medical school at Creighton University.) 1968 was a tumultuous year of heartbreaking events; the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy immediately come to mind. On a personal note, my mom's 18-year old baby brother Billy was killed in Vietnam in the Spring of 1968, bringing the war directly home to my family.
What is my church background?
My parents, Art and Kathy, were raised Catholic (Catholic schools from K - 12; Heelan High School in Sioux City, Iowa). My father's family was especially devout; they attended services every week. Art served as an altar boy. My mother's family was less devout, but none-the-less insisted on Catholic schools for all six children. As they matured (and remember the context of the 1960s), both of my parents found the Church to be rigid, unforgiving, and lacking in adaption to human development (for example, the banning of birth control at a time in which people could really take control of family planning). As they entered adulthood, they left the Midwest and essentially abandoned the Church, to the great consternation of my paternal grandparents, Florence and Marvin.
Art and Kathy did not bring me and my brother to Church, except when Florence and Marvin visited us. When I queried my father about this, he replied casually that "... we have better things to do." Expressions of faith were not common in my family. My parents' alienation from the Church contributed to my own disillusionment with organized religion. During my 20s, I was fascinated with the principles of Buddhism; that suffering is innate to all humanity; that clinging causes suffering; that meditation leads to a path of diminished suffering; that we must treat all sentient beings with loving-kindness. I did not perceive my lack of involvement with organized religion or the fact that I had not accepted Jesus Christ as my savior as a detriment to my life.
It wasn't until my daughter entered OES in the fall of 2005 that I seriously started attending regular services at St. John's. I wanted to give my daughter an introduction to religion and the values of Christianity, and I wanted to live an authentic example for her. At first, it was like going through the motions; I didn't have high hopes that I would become seriously engaged with a quest for God in my life. But this is one of the beautiful aspects of God; He sometimes surprises us with amazing gifts that we did not expect. I became acquainted with Father Robert and Mother Julie, and some of the parishioners. I started to pray regularly. I really listened to the sermons and the Bible readings. And I started to understand the presence of God in our lives.
What brought me to this journey in faith?
And then I realized that I wasn't alone; other people were also on this amazing journey of discovering the love of Christ in their daily lives. So with curiosity and enthusiasm, I participated in the 2007 Catechumenate class, and it was a turning point in my life. I could face mid-life with courage and a profound sense that I had changed unalterably by embracing Christ in my life. I felt a sense of maturity, that I had chosen this path as an adult, rather than simply accepting the religious backgrounds of my parents. And now I feel such a sense of connection with my grandmother, even though she's been dead since 1997. Her faith was such a central part of her life, but I was never able to share it with her while she was alive. I know she is smiling now every time I take communion.
What is my status?
I was christened as a baby in the Catholic church. At the Easter Vigil in April 2007, I was confirmed at St. John's.
