It should not come as a surprise that sometimes setting out on a particular path will lead to very different results than that which was intended. This may very well even lead someone in the direction that was the opposite of which they thought they were supposed to travel. How many times do we set out trying to accomplish something only to encounter divergences along the way that draw our attention elsewhere? And how many times do these lead to something more satisfying than that which we set out to obtain in the first place?
If you read the stories of two women, St. Faustina and Karen Armstrong, whose relationship and experiences may be curiously considered either as entirely contrary or stunningly complementary, you will find two people who share the joy and burden of each leading their own disparate paths. For those not familiar, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska was a nun who is responsible for the dispensation of the teachings of Divine Mercy, due to her mystical visions of Christ in which she received various messages from Jesus on the extent of his mercy and how she should be the dispenser of his message. She was born as Helen Kowalska on August 25th 1905 in the village of Glogowiec in Poland. Hearing a spiritual call from the Lord within her as early as 7 years of age, it is no surprise that she later joined a convent. However, she initially spurned the callings she felt within herself, prompting her to envision the suffering Christ and hear "How long shall I put up with you and how long shall you keep putting me off?" Eventually she announced her decision to join a convent. However, shortly after entering, just before 20 years of age, she felt she was in the wrong place and wanted to go to a convent that focused more on prayer and contemplation. Yet she heard Christ's call to remain where she was and ended up facing many challenges but receiving many joys, leading to her Sainthood at the turn of the century.
Karen Armstrong was likewise a nun - at least for a time (seven years to be exact). Today she is the established author of many books, all dealing mainly with religion. She was the initial opposite of Helen Kowalska - at approximately the age of seventeen she longed to enter a convent in order to delve into the mystery of God, yet having no prior mystical experience. As she lived in the convent she was also educated at Oxford, and, besides her studies of theology, also studied English. But instead of the spiritually imbued life she thought she would encounter, she instead lost her spiritual vivacity. This was largely due to her experience of the lifestyle of the Catholic female religious and her interactions with her superiors. She ended up leaving the convent and became an atheist, until later when she again enkindled her passion for the spiritual, this time, however, through other religions and not as a Catholic.
Why do I write about these two persons, who shared much but who ultimately were lead to different paths? It is probably because what struck me most was how similar their initial circumstances were and yet how differently they thought about and took to what was happening around them. And what I ultimately saw was how different people are and why it is necessary to understand these differences. I set out reading St. Faustina's Diary looking for relatability and a naïve desire for a how-to to encounter the Divine. Initially I expected to relate well to whatever St. Faustina had to say - but in the end found myself more and more frustrated. This was especially difficult for me since I believe that the words St. Faustina received were from Jesus himself and that therefore I could not relate to what Jesus was saying, but instead felt more spiritually divergent from him than before.
On the other side I found myself often relating well to Karen's experiences, even including her atheistic approaches at times. In fact, I feel that her writings have helped me to understand myself better than perhaps almost any other writings I have ever read.
Unfortunately I cannot write out how this is so all here on this blog as it would take much too long. However I can say a little. One thing is that I did find St. Faustina relatable at times and for that I am very grateful. This however, often came when she was discussing her feelings of rejection from God when she initially became a nun. Other times it was her descriptions of her frustration with her superiors who did not listen to her or believe her or who belittled her. Later, however, I felt more alienated from her. If I am honest I can accept that this is because I am certainly no saint and therefore am not yet able to relate or am even jealous of those who I perceive as having a higher level of spirituality than I. Therefore it is also because her actions later on, and those that lead her deeper into the Divine experience encompassed that which I have often desired but which I rarely find myself capable of. These are also incidentally the same types of circumstances and experiences which Karen Armstrong found herself so upset with.
To give an example, often in the convent it is expected that one remain silent during certain periods, attend prayer regularly, and be completely obedient to superiors. Although this is also the case today, before Vatican II it could be said that there were stricter standards, although this of course varied and still varies amongst different convents. However, as a nun Karen found herself repeatedly walled by this lifestyle. Often her mind raced during prayer and she could not find any still moments. Her superiors belittled her and did not sincerely admonish her intelligent queries or comments. They also ignored her fainting problems and instead scolded her for them. St. Faustina encountered similar challenges as she lead a very similar lifestyle; yet in the end she found solace in the silence. Both during St. Faustina's and Karen's time in the convent there was a stigma of forming close friendships or favoring one person over another. This left Karen cold and hard while it developed St. Faustina wonderfully by focusing her attention on Christ. Despite their similar circumstances, and with Karen having had such a strong desire to be a nun that she kept with it for seven years, she ultimately left the convent exhausted, secularly awkward, and more spiritually drained than ever. Yet with much the same conditions St. Faustina was gifted with deeper spirituality, more visions, and such intense yearnings and mystical desires for Christ that she ended up eventually being canonized by Pope John Paul II in November.
After her period of being a nun, Armstrong had difficulties fitting into secular culture. She continued studying at Oxford, yet became more and more disillusioned with the idea of being a professor, her previous number one objective. She experienced "visions" of a horrible nature that lead her to see the world in an almost ghastly appearance and even had to spend a very short amount of time in an insane asylum until the true culprit was revealed; her condition of temporal lobe epilepsy. She later joined a film crew, surveying holy spots in the Middle East and narrating documentaries designed to put a debunking spotlight on religious beliefs. Yet as she continued to study religion she grew more empathetic to the way in which religion is practiced and demonstrated among its practitioners. She eventually ended up finding a spiritually fulfilling devotion to the study of theology and religious texts and revitalized her feelings and compassion for others. And she concludes that this is the real mystical reality for her and many others. It is not in the visions she originally sought because she realizes in many ways that God cannot be contained by visions. In fact she goes on to allude to God as a sort of Nothingness, similar to Buddhist thought, because the Divine cannot be contained in any one way. Her mystical experience lies then in glimpses of the Divine after patiently waiting and working with a religious text.
It is interesting to note that in at least one point in St. Faustina's Diary that Jesus responds to a question she has by telling her to let those who are wise worry about it. Instead he tells her to remain in her simplicity because it is exactly in her simplicity that she is most beautiful and suited for him. Compare this to the fact that although Armstrong's intelligence was one of the primary factors for leaving the convent, she finally came back to religion through it.
It seems to me that God often leads us on a spiral path as Karen Armstrong's book The Spiral Staircase: My Journey Out of Darkness often iterates throughout the major points of her life. Because of this we are constantly turning, forced to find alternatives, and are often not suited for others' paths. Karen makes a major point that a lot of the problems and frustrations she encountered were in desiring another person's way of living. Likewise Christ admonishes St. Faustina and instructs her in her simplicity. Yet he guides both of them in learning how to be themselves, although ultimately this leads in some respects to very different results. In the end, though, it seems that if we are true to ourselves that we will end up exactly where God intended us to be in the first place. Often the only way we can do this is through heartache and stumbling so that we can first find out who we are not. Afterwards we can eliminate these factors and brush them away to reveal the true gem of our being beneath, which we previously had not been able to see before.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Farm of Peace and Sufi Dhikr Circle
As-salam alaykum! A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the Farm of Peace, located in south-central Pennsylvania in Warfordsburg, PA. The farm is also accompanied by a retreat center, both of which ally themselves with a Sufi religious framework. Although having had previous encounters with Sufism this was my first time visiting a farm that had a Sufi background, or the first time visiting a farm with an Islamic background for that matter.
For those not in the know, Sufism is a branch of Islam the name of which derives itself from coarse woolen garments that early followers wore. These seekers of God inhabit the more mystical realms of Islam, striving a more direct experience with God as a tangible reality in the here and now as opposed to merely waiting to see God after death. This can be observed in ritual practices such as the dhikr which I will describe later.
The Farm of Peace sits in a small valley, the entrance of which is found in the navigation of a long gravel road. This in turn leads into one's first view of the farm which consists of large sheep pastures and a holding pen where the sheep are humanely slaughtered. I was told that the total herd consisted of around 50 and that recently a handful were prepared for the Eid al-Fitr, a fast-breaking celebration commemorating the end of the spiritually and physically challenging Ramadan season. Sitting behind the pastures are the vegetable fields and a small cohort of young broiler chickens. The fields, which comprised a few acres, were flourishing with a variety of different vegetables and the chickens were kept in a pen that gave them access to grass and fresh air.
Later I was able to join in the dhikr, which functions primarily as a "remembrance" of God. Participants join together in a circle and repeatedly chant a series of phrases that allow one to more deeply center one's self in this form of remembrance. The idea is that one passes through the physical "world" into the spiritual and thus comes into closer contact with the Almighty. Although many phrases are used the one that stuck in my mind and which seemed to be used the most was lā ilāha illa ʾllāh, which means “there is no god but God.” Below I have posted a video from youtube that sounds somewhat like what I heard at the dhikr that I attended.
A key difference between the dhikr that I attended and that of one I attended at a Sufi mosque a year earlier was that in my previous experience it was only the men who formed a circle while the woman stood off to the side. However, in both genders, and in my recent experience as well, participants swayed back and forth to the chanting with the climax of each movement punctuated by a particular syllable in the chant.
One thing I always find important when dealing with other religions is deciding whether to participate in certain rituals, practices, or other religious activities or whether to simply observe. It is not always an easy decision and during the dhikr I wondered if I may not have made a mistake when prayers to Muhammad, peace be upon him, were chanted, my own background being Christian. When attempting to navigate interreligious terrain I feel that one must have a sound understanding of both their own and the other parties beliefs in order to make a weighted decision as to their level of engagement with the other party's beliefs and customs. If one is not careful they may find themselves engaging in something which they do not truly believe in and thus debase their own beliefs and that of the other. And yet I think it is important that we push our religious limits and put ourselves into uncomfortable positions in order to remove our biases and gain a greater understanding of other traditions based on an actual spiritual experience of them instead of simply theorizing, in terms of words and concepts, what our relationship to them is. This is not easy and I feel that I am still very much in the learning process when to act in or when to be able to sit back and watch. But perhaps if more people joined in there would be less talking and a deeper striving to understand from an inner viewpoint rather than an outer one.
For those not in the know, Sufism is a branch of Islam the name of which derives itself from coarse woolen garments that early followers wore. These seekers of God inhabit the more mystical realms of Islam, striving a more direct experience with God as a tangible reality in the here and now as opposed to merely waiting to see God after death. This can be observed in ritual practices such as the dhikr which I will describe later.
The Farm of Peace sits in a small valley, the entrance of which is found in the navigation of a long gravel road. This in turn leads into one's first view of the farm which consists of large sheep pastures and a holding pen where the sheep are humanely slaughtered. I was told that the total herd consisted of around 50 and that recently a handful were prepared for the Eid al-Fitr, a fast-breaking celebration commemorating the end of the spiritually and physically challenging Ramadan season. Sitting behind the pastures are the vegetable fields and a small cohort of young broiler chickens. The fields, which comprised a few acres, were flourishing with a variety of different vegetables and the chickens were kept in a pen that gave them access to grass and fresh air.
Some photos of the Farm of Peace
My contact for the Farm of Peace, Halima, along with her husband Jesse, co-manage the farm which functions as Community Supported Agriculture, or a CSA, in which shares of produce are distributed among members who buy their share all at once at the beginning of the season as opposed to the purchasing of individual produce items. Although having only worked at the farm for a few years, Halima and Jesse seemed very knowledgeable about the requirements and proper care of the farm as was evidenced by their lush fields and healthy looking animals. Halima, however, shared her lesson of the need for patience while working in an agricultural setting, using the example of the asparagus plant which she had needed to wait from the beginning of her time at the farm until now simply to see it in its final stages of growth.Later I was able to join in the dhikr, which functions primarily as a "remembrance" of God. Participants join together in a circle and repeatedly chant a series of phrases that allow one to more deeply center one's self in this form of remembrance. The idea is that one passes through the physical "world" into the spiritual and thus comes into closer contact with the Almighty. Although many phrases are used the one that stuck in my mind and which seemed to be used the most was lā ilāha illa ʾllāh, which means “there is no god but God.” Below I have posted a video from youtube that sounds somewhat like what I heard at the dhikr that I attended.
A key difference between the dhikr that I attended and that of one I attended at a Sufi mosque a year earlier was that in my previous experience it was only the men who formed a circle while the woman stood off to the side. However, in both genders, and in my recent experience as well, participants swayed back and forth to the chanting with the climax of each movement punctuated by a particular syllable in the chant.
The meditation room where the dhikr took place.
Overall this provides for, at the very least, a surreal experience in which the chanting and accompanying movements may imbibe themselves in one's mind, thus setting a clear focus and rhythm that becomes a replacement for stray thoughts. This results in the meditative experience, although I admit that in regards to the immersing of my own mind, I did not seem to enter into any deeper states of consciousness or even produce a sufficiently tranquil state of mind. Yet I did feel somewhat more centered and as if my head was cleared - the need to thus worry about other perceived concerns was not as strong afterward since those concerns had henceforth decided that they needn't worry me so much for the time being. Part of me also felt a little awkward and uncomfortable since this was my first time in a new place and therefore those factors also weighed in upon my mental state.One thing I always find important when dealing with other religions is deciding whether to participate in certain rituals, practices, or other religious activities or whether to simply observe. It is not always an easy decision and during the dhikr I wondered if I may not have made a mistake when prayers to Muhammad, peace be upon him, were chanted, my own background being Christian. When attempting to navigate interreligious terrain I feel that one must have a sound understanding of both their own and the other parties beliefs in order to make a weighted decision as to their level of engagement with the other party's beliefs and customs. If one is not careful they may find themselves engaging in something which they do not truly believe in and thus debase their own beliefs and that of the other. And yet I think it is important that we push our religious limits and put ourselves into uncomfortable positions in order to remove our biases and gain a greater understanding of other traditions based on an actual spiritual experience of them instead of simply theorizing, in terms of words and concepts, what our relationship to them is. This is not easy and I feel that I am still very much in the learning process when to act in or when to be able to sit back and watch. But perhaps if more people joined in there would be less talking and a deeper striving to understand from an inner viewpoint rather than an outer one.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
A Greener Religion
Hello again! Unfortunately I have been very busy and have had trouble attending to this blog. However, I'd like to let it be known that I am still committed to working on it and keeping it updated. I am currently trying to arrange a visit to the Sufi farm I discussed earlier but in the meantime I just wanted to update with a post on what it means to better integrate one's spirituality/religion with nature and why that is important.
It has been my experience that, although the green movement now seems to be in full swing - a legitimately exciting and hopeful prospect for our children and future generations - there does not seem to be a strong tie between this movement and institutional religion. Rather, much of it is associated with those who fall under a secular or "SBNR" (spiritual but not religious) category that seems to go hand in hand an unassailable desire for social change, stronger liberal values, increased environmental awareness, and a return to increased diversity in purchasing local and fairly acquired goods. Perhaps because of the green movement's connection with this demographic traditional religious institutions, often upholding conservative values, have been wary of embracing or even exploring the ideas thus contained by what may appear to them as that which is supported by a young liberal agenda or "hippies."
This, I think, is a big mistake on the part of most religious organizations and one which needs to be rectified as soon as possible. One reason being the spiritual significance of nature and what it does for us as humans; not to mention what it asks of us in return. Often times, as a Christian, I have noticed many firm objectives to work on behalf of the poor through various church-allied volunteer services or other means offered through church. I have also seen these types of programs offered by other religions. These programs are great and I am by no means deriding them. They fulfill what is often (or what should often be) a primary purpose of what many people attest to is a principle foundation of their religious beliefs, which is compassionate care of one's neighbor. However they are often focused on contributing only a very particular set of services. And so when I realize that this is all the church or another religious institution offers I become disappointed and can see why many find religious institutions so unfulfilling.
By limiting their outreach to canned food drives (which, should be mentioned are, usually unhealthy processed foods that can lead to health problems), brief mission trips, and volunteer options that engage only a small part of an overall congregation, religious institutions usually miss the mark when it comes to engaging their overall communities. Then, when people leave or when they do not contribute, they are usually labeled as "secular" or "worldly" and quickly forgotten.
But what if there were programs to engage a wide variety of people's skills and interests? Programs that could help build community and foster relationships with people who are members of that community? And programs which are progressive in the sense that they take the best parts of modernization and apply it to deeply held spiritual values? Now, let's look at one of those areas - that which in the last century we have desperately tried to disconnect ourselves from - the realm of nature, of homegrown food, and of adequate nutrition.
It has been boggling to me why religious institutions have not pushed for greater reform in the area of green and local food, along with increased environmental concern. For one thing, these areas are intimately connected with concerns of social justice. Every part of our physical being depends upon what we give unto, and thus receive in return from, nature. When we allow massive corporations, such as Monsanto, to take advantage of local populations by creating plants whose seed does not germinate or when we think it is okay for poor populations to live off of cheap fast food we are ignoring a vital problem of modern society and thus not living out the beliefs which we hold closest to us. Of course, often times I will hear a call for greater awareness of the environment from clergy or religious establishments but only rarely is this truly backed up by a strategic plan of action.
What we need are religious institutions who are willing to build community gardens or greenhouses with which they can provide nutritious food for the poor. We need religious models that can take an active role in preserving nature through education and through explaining the fact that we must serve the earth if we are to receive from it. And we must learn to support more local ventures so that we can be more deeply connected as a community and foster awareness of each other. This will, in turn, lead to more personal relations that will prevent fear of the unknown when seen in the other and thus prevent alienation and hostility.
Of course, while saying all this, I also realize the hardships many institutions would face in trying to accomplish these goals. There are financial concerns and logistical problems that many institutions may not be even ready to begin with, considering most are already charitable organizations in some shape or form. Yet, I think it would not be too much to ask for them to try or become more aware of other areas in which they can meet with the modern outside world in forming new ideas that connect with people's deeply held interests, the secular and religious alike.
And yet, even while saying all this, I realize my own shortcomings in this area. Often times I will opt for some fast food instead of bothering to take the time to prepare a full meal. Or I will ignore someone I am working in the field with instead of working to foster a better relationship with them because I am more interested in what is going on in my own mind. But at least what I can say for myself is that I am working toward being better and that a large part of that is realizing just how much we who are religious should be learning from the "hippies" in giving back to a Mother Earth that we believe has been given to us a divine gift and which we ought to know has only given its rewards to us ever since.
It has been my experience that, although the green movement now seems to be in full swing - a legitimately exciting and hopeful prospect for our children and future generations - there does not seem to be a strong tie between this movement and institutional religion. Rather, much of it is associated with those who fall under a secular or "SBNR" (spiritual but not religious) category that seems to go hand in hand an unassailable desire for social change, stronger liberal values, increased environmental awareness, and a return to increased diversity in purchasing local and fairly acquired goods. Perhaps because of the green movement's connection with this demographic traditional religious institutions, often upholding conservative values, have been wary of embracing or even exploring the ideas thus contained by what may appear to them as that which is supported by a young liberal agenda or "hippies."
This, I think, is a big mistake on the part of most religious organizations and one which needs to be rectified as soon as possible. One reason being the spiritual significance of nature and what it does for us as humans; not to mention what it asks of us in return. Often times, as a Christian, I have noticed many firm objectives to work on behalf of the poor through various church-allied volunteer services or other means offered through church. I have also seen these types of programs offered by other religions. These programs are great and I am by no means deriding them. They fulfill what is often (or what should often be) a primary purpose of what many people attest to is a principle foundation of their religious beliefs, which is compassionate care of one's neighbor. However they are often focused on contributing only a very particular set of services. And so when I realize that this is all the church or another religious institution offers I become disappointed and can see why many find religious institutions so unfulfilling.
By limiting their outreach to canned food drives (which, should be mentioned are, usually unhealthy processed foods that can lead to health problems), brief mission trips, and volunteer options that engage only a small part of an overall congregation, religious institutions usually miss the mark when it comes to engaging their overall communities. Then, when people leave or when they do not contribute, they are usually labeled as "secular" or "worldly" and quickly forgotten.
But what if there were programs to engage a wide variety of people's skills and interests? Programs that could help build community and foster relationships with people who are members of that community? And programs which are progressive in the sense that they take the best parts of modernization and apply it to deeply held spiritual values? Now, let's look at one of those areas - that which in the last century we have desperately tried to disconnect ourselves from - the realm of nature, of homegrown food, and of adequate nutrition.
It has been boggling to me why religious institutions have not pushed for greater reform in the area of green and local food, along with increased environmental concern. For one thing, these areas are intimately connected with concerns of social justice. Every part of our physical being depends upon what we give unto, and thus receive in return from, nature. When we allow massive corporations, such as Monsanto, to take advantage of local populations by creating plants whose seed does not germinate or when we think it is okay for poor populations to live off of cheap fast food we are ignoring a vital problem of modern society and thus not living out the beliefs which we hold closest to us. Of course, often times I will hear a call for greater awareness of the environment from clergy or religious establishments but only rarely is this truly backed up by a strategic plan of action.
What we need are religious institutions who are willing to build community gardens or greenhouses with which they can provide nutritious food for the poor. We need religious models that can take an active role in preserving nature through education and through explaining the fact that we must serve the earth if we are to receive from it. And we must learn to support more local ventures so that we can be more deeply connected as a community and foster awareness of each other. This will, in turn, lead to more personal relations that will prevent fear of the unknown when seen in the other and thus prevent alienation and hostility.
Of course, while saying all this, I also realize the hardships many institutions would face in trying to accomplish these goals. There are financial concerns and logistical problems that many institutions may not be even ready to begin with, considering most are already charitable organizations in some shape or form. Yet, I think it would not be too much to ask for them to try or become more aware of other areas in which they can meet with the modern outside world in forming new ideas that connect with people's deeply held interests, the secular and religious alike.
And yet, even while saying all this, I realize my own shortcomings in this area. Often times I will opt for some fast food instead of bothering to take the time to prepare a full meal. Or I will ignore someone I am working in the field with instead of working to foster a better relationship with them because I am more interested in what is going on in my own mind. But at least what I can say for myself is that I am working toward being better and that a large part of that is realizing just how much we who are religious should be learning from the "hippies" in giving back to a Mother Earth that we believe has been given to us a divine gift and which we ought to know has only given its rewards to us ever since.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
St. Ann's Byzantine Catholic Church
As I mentioned in last week's post, this weekend I was able to visit St. Ann's Byzantine Catholic Church in Harrisburg, PA in order to observe a service of the eastern Catholic church. The first thing you recognize about the church is its difference in style from the typical Roman Catholic church. The top of the church is adorned with golden, rounded steeples with Byzantine crosses, which are construed with two totally horizontal bars at the top and one diagonal one at the bottom. The top bar, which is the shortest, represents the INRI label on Christ's cross while the bottom represents the footrest. I was also told by a friend I went with who is a member of the church that the raised right side of the bottom bar indicates the good thief on Jesus' right during the crucifixion who went to Heaven. The lowered part represents the other thief's departure into Hell due to his unbelief and criticism of Christ. Inside there are also many more icons, or religious imagery of particular persons venerated by the church. There were no stain glass windows, although I was told that it is common for Byzantine Catholic churches to have stain glass windows like the Roman Catholic churches.
At the front of the church the sanctuary is separated by a wooden icon screen or iconostasis that consists of three doors: the Royal Doors in the center, the Deacon's Door on the south side and the server's door on the north. It is decorated with Jesus, the Theotokos, or the word used to venerate Mary as the mother of Christ, and the saints. Although some may construe the icon screen as something designed to keep the congregation separate from the priest and from God, it can be defined more fittingly as a link between where heaven and earth meet. Additionally, when the priest leaves the area of the altar and passes through icon screen, he often turns in the same direction of the congregation (east) in order to address God positioned within the sanctuary area (Roccasalvo, 1992: pg. 21-22). There is also a tetrapod before the sanctuary area where an icon is placed so that it may be kissed, and which, during feast days, holds the icon of the Saint whose feast day he or she is being venerated by.
Although the Byzantine Catholics do not use musical instruments during their services, they have hymns that are sung throughout most of the Liturgy. These vocal melodies are used for many responses and prayers and even the Gospel is chanted by the priest, a difference from the Roman Catholic church where it is simply read in a normal voice. A few of the hymns are sung in Slavonic, which is to the Byzantine Catholic Church what the Latin language is to the Roman Catholic church, and the alphabet of which was developed by St. Cyril and St Methodius. Another difference is the more frequent use of incense and the more continual use of body praising, which consists of bowing and the sign of the cross. And whereas the sign of the cross in the Roman Catholic church goes from left to right across the chest, in the Byzantine Church it goes from right to left. Overall, it seems that these additional features strive to draw the physical into the spiritual through the stimulation of our senses in order to make one become more aware of the sacredness of what is going on around them.
Other differences include the Byzantine Catholic church's stronger history of hesychastic spirituality or hesychasm which comes from the Greek, hesychia, meaning quiet. This form of contemplative prayer was the way of the early Christian monks who lived an ascetic lifestyle in the desert. It consists of an aphophatic position in relation to God which derives from the Greek, apo, having a negative connotation, and phemi, to affirm. Thus it is an "attitude of mind which refuses to form concepts of God." In some ways this is very similar to Buddhist thought, and especially Zen Buddhism, which refuses to form conceptual images of enlightenment and instead seeks to experience it for one's self in order to affirm and understand it. On the other hand is cataphatic spirituality which affirms God through what it finds as perfection in the created world (Roccasalvo, 1992: pg. 16-17).
I enjoyed the Byzantine Catholic Liturgy and its more rhythmic pace very much. The whole Liturgy is very beautiful, from all the beautiful art adorning the walls and ceilings of the church to the smell of the incense and the sounds of the unanimously sung hymns. In two weeks I will be going back to a Slavic festival held there which I can't wait for. At that point I also hope to update with more pictures of the beautiful artwork of the church.
There was a funny story after leaving the church with the friends I had visited there to go to a local diner. One of their daughters found a snapping turtle under their car which I and my friend's husband wrangled out from beneath of. We threw it into my car and went to find a nice creek for it to dwell in.
Once we had stopped by our prospect creek my friend's husband took the snapping turtle out of the back of my car and proceeded toward the water source. At this moment a man in a red pickup came by honking his horn. He went slightly past me and on the back of his car I could see an image of a figure peeing on the letters PETA. As you may be able to guess by now, he wanted to consume the turtle we had just hoped to save. We ended up leaving the turtle on the other side of the guard rail near the creek and kindly told him that he could be the one to get it if he wanted to, which he promptly did after we drove off. More irony is accrued from this experience given the fact that I was talking about eating turtles as we were driving toward the creek.
To many this may perhaps seem an unfortunate occurrence. However, when we consider in what way this man was acquiring his food, naturally from the environment around him, and the fact that he would probably be slaughtering it himself, we should remember that for those of us who buy meat from commercial farms, we are even more to blame than we might this man. Although we may feel pity for the snapping turtle we may not harbor the same feelings for the chickens and cows that we eat almost every day, and even though they live in even worse conditions than this turtle must have in order to provide us with food. Furthermore, if this man was poor, this would have certainly been a valued find for him. Perhaps that day it was more important to provide a man with a meal than to save a turtle who had regardless lived a healthy life in a natural environment.
Next week I am hoping to journey to a farm which is also associated with a Sufi Retreat Center. I hope to learn more about the contemplative Sufi tradition and the practice of Dhikr, which I understand to be a meditative religious exercise.
Peace be with you,
Matt
At the front of the church the sanctuary is separated by a wooden icon screen or iconostasis that consists of three doors: the Royal Doors in the center, the Deacon's Door on the south side and the server's door on the north. It is decorated with Jesus, the Theotokos, or the word used to venerate Mary as the mother of Christ, and the saints. Although some may construe the icon screen as something designed to keep the congregation separate from the priest and from God, it can be defined more fittingly as a link between where heaven and earth meet. Additionally, when the priest leaves the area of the altar and passes through icon screen, he often turns in the same direction of the congregation (east) in order to address God positioned within the sanctuary area (Roccasalvo, 1992: pg. 21-22). There is also a tetrapod before the sanctuary area where an icon is placed so that it may be kissed, and which, during feast days, holds the icon of the Saint whose feast day he or she is being venerated by.
Although the Byzantine Catholics do not use musical instruments during their services, they have hymns that are sung throughout most of the Liturgy. These vocal melodies are used for many responses and prayers and even the Gospel is chanted by the priest, a difference from the Roman Catholic church where it is simply read in a normal voice. A few of the hymns are sung in Slavonic, which is to the Byzantine Catholic Church what the Latin language is to the Roman Catholic church, and the alphabet of which was developed by St. Cyril and St Methodius. Another difference is the more frequent use of incense and the more continual use of body praising, which consists of bowing and the sign of the cross. And whereas the sign of the cross in the Roman Catholic church goes from left to right across the chest, in the Byzantine Church it goes from right to left. Overall, it seems that these additional features strive to draw the physical into the spiritual through the stimulation of our senses in order to make one become more aware of the sacredness of what is going on around them.
(Image taken from St. Ann's homepage)
Other differences include the Byzantine Catholic church's stronger history of hesychastic spirituality or hesychasm which comes from the Greek, hesychia, meaning quiet. This form of contemplative prayer was the way of the early Christian monks who lived an ascetic lifestyle in the desert. It consists of an aphophatic position in relation to God which derives from the Greek, apo, having a negative connotation, and phemi, to affirm. Thus it is an "attitude of mind which refuses to form concepts of God." In some ways this is very similar to Buddhist thought, and especially Zen Buddhism, which refuses to form conceptual images of enlightenment and instead seeks to experience it for one's self in order to affirm and understand it. On the other hand is cataphatic spirituality which affirms God through what it finds as perfection in the created world (Roccasalvo, 1992: pg. 16-17).
I enjoyed the Byzantine Catholic Liturgy and its more rhythmic pace very much. The whole Liturgy is very beautiful, from all the beautiful art adorning the walls and ceilings of the church to the smell of the incense and the sounds of the unanimously sung hymns. In two weeks I will be going back to a Slavic festival held there which I can't wait for. At that point I also hope to update with more pictures of the beautiful artwork of the church.
There was a funny story after leaving the church with the friends I had visited there to go to a local diner. One of their daughters found a snapping turtle under their car which I and my friend's husband wrangled out from beneath of. We threw it into my car and went to find a nice creek for it to dwell in.
Once we had stopped by our prospect creek my friend's husband took the snapping turtle out of the back of my car and proceeded toward the water source. At this moment a man in a red pickup came by honking his horn. He went slightly past me and on the back of his car I could see an image of a figure peeing on the letters PETA. As you may be able to guess by now, he wanted to consume the turtle we had just hoped to save. We ended up leaving the turtle on the other side of the guard rail near the creek and kindly told him that he could be the one to get it if he wanted to, which he promptly did after we drove off. More irony is accrued from this experience given the fact that I was talking about eating turtles as we were driving toward the creek.
To many this may perhaps seem an unfortunate occurrence. However, when we consider in what way this man was acquiring his food, naturally from the environment around him, and the fact that he would probably be slaughtering it himself, we should remember that for those of us who buy meat from commercial farms, we are even more to blame than we might this man. Although we may feel pity for the snapping turtle we may not harbor the same feelings for the chickens and cows that we eat almost every day, and even though they live in even worse conditions than this turtle must have in order to provide us with food. Furthermore, if this man was poor, this would have certainly been a valued find for him. Perhaps that day it was more important to provide a man with a meal than to save a turtle who had regardless lived a healthy life in a natural environment.
Next week I am hoping to journey to a farm which is also associated with a Sufi Retreat Center. I hope to learn more about the contemplative Sufi tradition and the practice of Dhikr, which I understand to be a meditative religious exercise.
Peace be with you,
Matt
Monday, July 1, 2013
Update on Future Excursions
One of my top priorities for this blog is to make it as diverse as possible with all different religions getting an equal representation. Unfortunately this is difficult due to the small amount of religious places of worship and congregations other than Christian churches in the area that I am currently living in. Also, some of my attempts to visit certain places has failed due to unforeseen circumstances. However, I would like to update by saying that while next week I am visiting another Christian institution, a Byzantine Catholic church, I plan to visit an Islamic Dhikr the week after, and that I have other places in mind for after that and which I am in the process of setting up visits to. Because of the difficulty and time required in setting these visits up and traveling there, you can expect to see a Christian visit posted about every other week and a non-Christian visit posted on the complementary weeks. However, I will try my best to also post about other religions through other ways, as well, such as commenting on or reviewing books I have read that deal with another religious tradition.
The Roman Catholic Church - St. Paul the Apostle Parish
This week I decided to do a post on the parish that I grew up in and whose summer bazaar I talked about in a previous post. If you are not Catholic but are interested in learning more about Catholic beliefs than I hope this entry will be of help to you. To begin I should say that I have been raised Roman Catholic and still practice and profess my beliefs as a Roman Catholic today.
Something that many do not know about the Catholic tradition, including many Catholics, is that in addition to the western Roman Catholic church, there are also other eastern churches that are an equal part of the entire Catholic church. These are not to be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is a similar but separate denomination of Christianity. And just as the Roman Catholic branch accepts the apostolic succession of the pope in Rome, so do the eastern Catholic churches, as well. So when one hears "Roman Catholic" they should be aware that, although a large part of the Catholic church in its entirety, is only one part of a body of interconnected churches.
All Catholics are required to attend mass, the Catholic word for our church services, on each Sunday of every week. In addition, most Catholic churches will offer daily masses, usually in the early morning. The mass is divided into a Liturgy of the Word and a Liturgy of the Eucharist, each of which take about the same amount of time.
The Liturgy of the Word is comparable to most other Christian services and consists of the reading of scripture and the singing of hymns. This week one of the hymns was "Transfigure us O' Lord."
Something that many do not know about the Catholic tradition, including many Catholics, is that in addition to the western Roman Catholic church, there are also other eastern churches that are an equal part of the entire Catholic church. These are not to be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is a similar but separate denomination of Christianity. And just as the Roman Catholic branch accepts the apostolic succession of the pope in Rome, so do the eastern Catholic churches, as well. So when one hears "Roman Catholic" they should be aware that, although a large part of the Catholic church in its entirety, is only one part of a body of interconnected churches.
All Catholics are required to attend mass, the Catholic word for our church services, on each Sunday of every week. In addition, most Catholic churches will offer daily masses, usually in the early morning. The mass is divided into a Liturgy of the Word and a Liturgy of the Eucharist, each of which take about the same amount of time.
The Liturgy of the Word is comparable to most other Christian services and consists of the reading of scripture and the singing of hymns. This week one of the hymns was "Transfigure us O' Lord."
The Liturgy of the Word is also when one hears the Gospel, or "The Good News," which are the narratives of Jesus' life contained in the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When the Gospel is presented and carried to the pulpit by the priest, the Alleluia is sung. As the priest announces which section of the Gospel is being read from, Catholics sign their foreheads, mouths, and hearts with the sign of the cross, signifying the desire for Christ to be reflected upon our minds, to be issued from our mouth, and to be within our hearts. Catholics will also often make a sign of the cross that proceeds from the head to the central region of the chest and then to each side of the body.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist is distinct from Protestant churches in that while many Protestant churches will on occasion take time for a communion meal in which they partake of bread and wine/grape juice in order to reflect upon Christ's death, recalling the Last Supper of Christ, Catholics believe that the bread and wine are actually transformed in a process called transubstantiation into the literal body and blood of Jesus, which are together referred to as the Eucharist. Because Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity which also contains the Father and the Holy Spirit, and because the Holy Trinity encompasses all of Heaven, the Eucharist also provides a form of heaven on earth. This creates in the mass a meeting place between heaven and earth and also connects it to all other masses that have ever been said or which will ever be said. In some ways it is similar to the idea of Shabbat in that the mass is paradoxically its own sacred "time" that exists out of time and is a place where the Divine descends down to earth to meet us. If, after Catholics have received communion, there is any of the Eucharist left, it is placed into the tabernacle where it is used for veneration or to be used at a later mass.
The tabernacle
Catholics also differ from Protestants in our veneration of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Typically, icons and other images are also used in Catholic churches for purposes of veneration of the Saints, people officially recognized by the Catholic church as those who have inherited eternal life and who have contributed their lives first and foremost to God.
An image of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, or "The Holy Family" above a baptismal font
Catholics also differ from Protestants in that we profess a belief in Holy Tradition in addition to Holy Scripture and not a belief in sola scriptura or in the bible alone. This ties into our belief in the apostolic succession of the popes, where we consider Simon Peter the first pope.
Next week I hope to go to a Byzantine Catholic service in order to compare the western and eastern traditions of the Catholic church. If you are not familiar with the Catholic church I hope this has been an informative introduction and that you will seek to learn more about its rich history and beliefs.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Celtic Fling and Highland Games at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire Grounds
Today I was able to journey over to the Renaissance Faire grounds in Manheim PA in order to enjoy the Celtic themed events that take place only once a year there. The Celtic Fling and Highland Games celebrates all things Celtic which includes Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Manx, Bretons, and Galecians/Asturians contributions and hosts a variety of bands, vendors, and, true to its namesake, athletes who compete in traditional highland games. These games include the clachneart, the 28 and 56 pound throw, the Scottish hammer, the sheaf toss, the 56-pound weight toss, and the caber toss, which involves heaving a tapered wooden pole that is 19 feet long and 130 pounds and which is the centerpiece event of modern highland games.
Besides having great modern and traditional Celtic themed music such as that performed by Irish entertainer Seamus Kennedy, there was also a great deal of traditional Celtic food and drink to be had. I was able to grab one of Scottland's most recognizable dishes, Haggis, which came with a side of Mash potatoes and gravy. Haggis is a mixture of sheep heart, lungs, and liver which is combined with added herbs and all encased within the sheep's stomach. Although looking somewhat like a sausage, it had a much more mild taste and smoother texture, and, in my opinion, had an overall better taste than sausage.
Later my father, who was accompanying me, and I watched the Scottish hammer event, in which a 22 pound hammer head is attached to a handle just a little longer than that of a basic sledge hammer. The hammer is then swung around in a circle above the competitors head and released in the opposite direction of which they are facing. All I can say is that anyone doubting the masculinity of a man wearing what would appear to be a woman's skirt would think twice after watching this event.
How could anyone think this is anything but delicious!?
One of the great things about the PA Renaissance Faire is that it is located on the Mount Hope Estate which also consists of a winery and brewery, allowing the beer and wine to be made onsite. I was able to try both a Buckwheat Honey Porter Braggot and a Highland Heather Ale. Braggot is a "marriage of ale and mead" that was a popular drink of medieval Europe. Besides honey, it utilizes the flavors of rum, raisins, and molasses. It had exactly what you would expect of a porter, having dark, roasted tones of flavor but with a combination of extra sugary sweetness, condolences of the honey. The Highland Heather Ale was my favorite of the two, and interestingly used heather flowers instead of hops, thus reducing its overall bitterness. Its light tones were complemented by an almost cider-like taste that provided a refreshing retreat from the summer heat.
The Porter Braggot (left) and Highland Heather Ale
There were also quite a few local vendors which included handmade soaps, local and natural cigars, and what might be described as hallucination inducing hot sauces. Concerning the latter, I had an epiphany that sampling a hot sauce made with Trinidad Scorpion peppers, the hottest peppers in the world, was probably not the most intelligent idea. While my mouth underwent something around the magnitude of a nuclear meltdown, I made sure to maintain a nonchalant attitude about the whole affair (thus reassuring myself of my manliness) and then departed with all due haste to the nearest beer and/or soda stand.Later my father, who was accompanying me, and I watched the Scottish hammer event, in which a 22 pound hammer head is attached to a handle just a little longer than that of a basic sledge hammer. The hammer is then swung around in a circle above the competitors head and released in the opposite direction of which they are facing. All I can say is that anyone doubting the masculinity of a man wearing what would appear to be a woman's skirt would think twice after watching this event.
If you would like to go to the Celtic Fling and Highland Games there is only one more day left so hurry there! Otherwise, it will be a whole year until it is back. Overall I would rate it a very fun event that was pleasantly surprising in terms of its genuineness in the form of great traditional food and music and local vendors. Next year I hope to go back, perhaps to spend not just one day but the whole weekend exploring this unique look at Celtic traditions.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
St. Paul the Apostle Church Summer Bazaar
Each year during mid-June one can visit St. Paul the Apostle Church in Annville, PA to check out their traditional summer bazaar. If you are not familiar with it, the word "bazaar" is of Middle-Eastern origin and describes a marketplace, or more commonly when used in the west, a charity fundraising event. The latter is the case for St. Paul's which relies on its annual bazaar for a significant amount of income. For example, last year the bazaar brought in over $70,000.00.
The bazaar has a long history that dates back to shortly after 1928, the time when St. Paul's first church building was officially acquired, where it initially existed as a flea market. It started in an alley behind the church and moved to a much larger lot shortly before the construction of a new church which started on July 27th, 1980. Since its initial conception, it has evolved into an event with a smorgasbord of different stands which incorporate games and activities such as cane toss, spin-art, darts, and many more. There is also a great deal of delicious and traditional festival food such as funnel cakes, sausage sandwiches, hamburgers, chicken BBQ, and even the inclusion of a beer garden. There is also live music - this year performed by the bands "Flamin Dick and the Hot Rods" and "The Uptown Band." Yet this summer carnival still keeps a connection with its initial design through a stand which operates in the manner of the flea market upon which the bazaar was built.
Because Sunday was Father's Day, I decided to interview my father who has worked to set up the bazaar for over ten years and who, for the last few, has played an instrumental part in keeping it running, along with a few other committed and long-standing volunteers. He told me that the hardest part of the bazaar set up is finding people who are willing to commit their time to help. Set up traditionally starts around 3 weeks before the actual event and construction happens about 4 to 5 times a week during weekday evenings; this year, however, Saturdays were included to accommodate church members who could not help during the week.
St. Paul the Apostle Church's bazaar, while being affiliated with a Catholic church, usually brings in a wide range of people who come to simply enjoy the food, the fun, and the company of others. If you are ever in Annville, PA around the middle of June I would recommend checking out St. Paul's bazaar for both its great taste of summer fun and its endearing and old-fashioned festival feel.
The bazaar has a long history that dates back to shortly after 1928, the time when St. Paul's first church building was officially acquired, where it initially existed as a flea market. It started in an alley behind the church and moved to a much larger lot shortly before the construction of a new church which started on July 27th, 1980. Since its initial conception, it has evolved into an event with a smorgasbord of different stands which incorporate games and activities such as cane toss, spin-art, darts, and many more. There is also a great deal of delicious and traditional festival food such as funnel cakes, sausage sandwiches, hamburgers, chicken BBQ, and even the inclusion of a beer garden. There is also live music - this year performed by the bands "Flamin Dick and the Hot Rods" and "The Uptown Band." Yet this summer carnival still keeps a connection with its initial design through a stand which operates in the manner of the flea market upon which the bazaar was built.
I made sure to take pictures early before the crowds arrive - generally the bazaar grounds become swamped with so many people that it becomes difficult to see from one end to the other.
Because Sunday was Father's Day, I decided to interview my father who has worked to set up the bazaar for over ten years and who, for the last few, has played an instrumental part in keeping it running, along with a few other committed and long-standing volunteers. He told me that the hardest part of the bazaar set up is finding people who are willing to commit their time to help. Set up traditionally starts around 3 weeks before the actual event and construction happens about 4 to 5 times a week during weekday evenings; this year, however, Saturdays were included to accommodate church members who could not help during the week.
St. Paul the Apostle Church's bazaar, while being affiliated with a Catholic church, usually brings in a wide range of people who come to simply enjoy the food, the fun, and the company of others. If you are ever in Annville, PA around the middle of June I would recommend checking out St. Paul's bazaar for both its great taste of summer fun and its endearing and old-fashioned festival feel.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Shabbat at Dickinson College and the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish Life
Shabbat is a time for weekly reflection, observance, and relaxation. I definitely needed the last of these three things after jumping through many hoops trying to find a Shabbat service to attend this past Friday evening. Although I mentioned in my last post that I would be taking a look at Liberal Judaism, the temple that I had planned to attend, The Congregation of the Sons of Israel in Chambersburg, PA, was in the midst of finding a new rabbi as their current rabbi was leaving and thus was not having any services this Friday.
Thus, I contacted the rabbi at B'nai Abraham, a Reformed temple in Hagerstown, MD, about the possibility of attending a Shabbat service and asking him some questions. Unfortunately, and by sheer coincidence, he also happened to be leaving the congregation, and thus I would not be able to attend that service either.
Finally I found a small Jewish meetinghouse called the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish Life, located on-campus at Dickinson College in Carlisle, and which held weekly Shabbat services during the summer. Thus I contacted a woman named Ethel, who told me they would be happy to have me come.
The service started at 7:15 p.m., and I arrived a little early. In the meantime, I admired the ornate buildings that adorned the college grounds. I had always wanted to visit Dickinson, mostly in order to observe their sustainable and agricultural enterprises, such as their 50-acre certified organic farm, the website for which can be found at the following address: http://www.dickinson.edu/about/sustainability/college-farm/
The visit, however, is worth it simply to see the beautiful college grounds, and I intend to go back to observe more of Dickinson and its environmentally savvy endeavors.
As the house was currently empty upon my arrival there, I waited on a bench on the front porch until a woman named Emily, a Jewish convert who was raised in the Christian Methodist tradition, came and invited me in. As we talked in the downstairs foyer more of the congregation arrived and we made our way up to a small sanctuary on the second floor which could probably fit no more than perhaps 20 people. The congregation size was very small, being no more than about 10 persons, most of them older, and as such departed an informal ambience to the whole affair. Noticing a box of spare head coverings, I asked if I should wear one, and was told that there was no need, and that in fact in Reformed Judaism, of which the Milton Asbell Center affiliated itself with, wearing a head covering during services is not required.
Judaism can be considered to have four main sects - Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Reconstructionist. I was told that Reformed Judaism was a response to a sterile rigidity of interpretation of the law and to commitment to ritual that resulted in a departure from much Jewish tradition and custom. For example, the inclusion of English or other native languages in exchange of the traditional Hebrew during services, the institution of female rabbis, the optionality of head coverings and of keeping kosher, and the optionality of keeping the Sabbath. I was even told that some early Reformed temples imitated Christian churches, with organs and choirs, more than they resembled their orthodox counterparts. The Conservative sect was a response to the Reform movement due to what was perceived as an over abundance of liberal renderings of Judaism and thus tried to find middle ground between Orthodoxy and the Reform movement. Reformed Judaism, however, began a move back to tradition after the events of the Holocaust, in what would be an effort to conserve Jewish heritage after their persecution.
Concerning Shabbat, it is the name for the Jewish Sabbath day and is typically celebrated on Friday night and extends until Saturday night. It recalls the significance of the Lord's day of rest from his creation and the Lord's command to observe the Sabbath day in the beginning of Exodus: 35. The Shabbat service was lead by Emily and started with the lighting of two candles which represent the call to reflection and observance. There was no rabbi, a rabbi not being needed to conduct the service, at least to my knowledge of the Reformed tradition. After this and throughout much of the service was singing in Hebrew, and sometimes in English, which consisted of recitations from the Torah or the Hebrew Bible which praised and blessed God, affirming his position as the one and only God of the universe. At one point during the beginning of the service we also faced the entrance of the room in order to welcome the Shabbat "bride." This nuptial metaphor for the welcoming of Shabbat is associated with the Jewish song we sung called "Lekhah Dodi" which means "come my beloved" and which addresses the expectation of the coming of Shabbat in the form of a bride. This was written by the Jewish rabbi and kabbalist, a Jewish mystic, Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz.
Another unique part of the Shabbat service is an asking of the angels to come and abide within the sanctuary where the Shabbat service is being held. Thus one can entertain the awe-inspiring conception of angelic beings intermingled with the congregation who are also gathered to join in the worshipping of God. Later is a silent recitation of prayers, followed by a discussion based on the parshah, or the weekly Torah portion. Because the Torah is read throughout the year, it is divided into 54 separate readings, one for each week, which coincide with the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunar calendar. This was lead by a woman from the congregation named Deanna. Part of her discussion focused on the Israelites journey through the desert and the Moabites cursing of the Israelites. The Israelites relationship with Moab is an interesting one in that they are actually related through Lot, Abraham's nephew, who was subjected to drunkenness and subsequent intercourse by his daughters, thus begetting the lines of the Moabite and Ammonite peoples through incest. Later, Israel and the Moabites enter into fighting with each other, described as Deanna as "fighting within the family." Ruth, a woman who is also a Moabite, seems to be the exception to the evil depiction of the Moabites and is even an ancestor of King David and therefore of Jesus, as well. Thus it was discussed how the Israelites were in a way fighting amongst themselves when it came to their relationship with the Moabites.
In a similar way I found my own relationships to members of this community where before similarities had not been evident. A few people in the congregation were not actually Jewish, but considered themselves Christian, with one being Episcopalian and one being Catholic. Deanna was also an adjunct professor at Lebanon Valley College, with which I am very familiar since I have taken courses there. Another woman there was coming within a couple of weeks with a group of school-aged children to visit the farm on which I work.
These general commonalities are a good example of what I think one person could find amongst any other given enough time to know the other person. It is a good example of human interdependence and connectivity and reminds us that although we all have our own individuality we are also all related in some way.
Additionally, I believe that it is important for Christians, and also to a degree for Muslims, to recognize and acknowledge our shared history with the Jews. Jesus, or Yeshua, was brought up in a Jewish society and was familiar with the Hebrew tradition, texts, traditions, and myths, and therefore I think that for Christians to be able to understand the Old Testament within our tradition and to understand Jesus, we must be willing and eager to understand Judaism, as well. Without it, we can never fully understand that which we call "Christianity." For followers of other religions, it is also important to understand Judaism since it is one of the world's oldest and longest surviving religions.
The service also included the Aleinu song, at which point the ark is opened so that the Torah can be seen. The service also included the Kiddush cup and the sharing of the challah, or a bread that is shared amongst the community. From past Shabbat experiences, I remembered that typically the community all drinks wine from the same Kiddush cup. Although the cup was present at this service, we did not all drink from it, but we all shared the delicious challah bread after the service ended.
The members of the community were then gracious enough to invite me to dinner, which I accepted, and which with my grateful appreciation they also paid for.
Ethel told me that Judaism is like Christianity in that we both have our "holiday church-goers." Whereas in Christianity these are those who go to Easter and Christmas services, in Judaism it is those who go to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Yet the fact of the matter is that Shabbat is actually considered to be the most holy time of the year. Judaism accounts for time in a way that sets aside certain times as holier than others.
In Jewish, the word for holy means separate. Thus, Shabbat is a time that is separate from the rest of time - a time that could be considered to be on a different plane of existence where one is closer to the spiritual realm and the spiritual realm is closer to our mundane one. Thus it is important to take advantage of this by means of reflection and relaxation. It is also a gift in that it relinquishes one from worries of mundane work and daily problems and encourages pursuits related to one's family, friends and most importantly to God.
We of other faiths can learn a lot from this type of observance, especially for those of us who do not take time to slow down and are always looking toward future pursuits. Shabbat helps me to reconsider my own Christian celebration of the Sabbath on Sunday and that I should slow down and take time to pray and seek God, especially in my family and in those around me. It also prepares one's self for the week to come by giving a spiritual fortress of peace that they can impregnate themselves within in regards to the coming of the stormy and impermanent qualities of everyday life.
I enjoyed my time at the Milton Asbell Center and would like to come back in September when the students at Dickinson are in session and conducting their own services there. Perhaps then I can take the time to look further into what, being of the younger generation and thus my peers, those who are young Jews think of their religion and spirituality.
I encourage you all to check out Dickinson College and the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish life if you are able and to also attend a Shabbat service where you can take time to reflect and relax.
Shalom,
Matt
Thus, I contacted the rabbi at B'nai Abraham, a Reformed temple in Hagerstown, MD, about the possibility of attending a Shabbat service and asking him some questions. Unfortunately, and by sheer coincidence, he also happened to be leaving the congregation, and thus I would not be able to attend that service either.
Finally I found a small Jewish meetinghouse called the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish Life, located on-campus at Dickinson College in Carlisle, and which held weekly Shabbat services during the summer. Thus I contacted a woman named Ethel, who told me they would be happy to have me come.
The service started at 7:15 p.m., and I arrived a little early. In the meantime, I admired the ornate buildings that adorned the college grounds. I had always wanted to visit Dickinson, mostly in order to observe their sustainable and agricultural enterprises, such as their 50-acre certified organic farm, the website for which can be found at the following address: http://www.dickinson.edu/about/sustainability/college-farm/
The visit, however, is worth it simply to see the beautiful college grounds, and I intend to go back to observe more of Dickinson and its environmentally savvy endeavors.
As the house was currently empty upon my arrival there, I waited on a bench on the front porch until a woman named Emily, a Jewish convert who was raised in the Christian Methodist tradition, came and invited me in. As we talked in the downstairs foyer more of the congregation arrived and we made our way up to a small sanctuary on the second floor which could probably fit no more than perhaps 20 people. The congregation size was very small, being no more than about 10 persons, most of them older, and as such departed an informal ambience to the whole affair. Noticing a box of spare head coverings, I asked if I should wear one, and was told that there was no need, and that in fact in Reformed Judaism, of which the Milton Asbell Center affiliated itself with, wearing a head covering during services is not required.
The Milton Asbell Center for Jewish Life at Dickinson College
Judaism can be considered to have four main sects - Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Reconstructionist. I was told that Reformed Judaism was a response to a sterile rigidity of interpretation of the law and to commitment to ritual that resulted in a departure from much Jewish tradition and custom. For example, the inclusion of English or other native languages in exchange of the traditional Hebrew during services, the institution of female rabbis, the optionality of head coverings and of keeping kosher, and the optionality of keeping the Sabbath. I was even told that some early Reformed temples imitated Christian churches, with organs and choirs, more than they resembled their orthodox counterparts. The Conservative sect was a response to the Reform movement due to what was perceived as an over abundance of liberal renderings of Judaism and thus tried to find middle ground between Orthodoxy and the Reform movement. Reformed Judaism, however, began a move back to tradition after the events of the Holocaust, in what would be an effort to conserve Jewish heritage after their persecution.
Concerning Shabbat, it is the name for the Jewish Sabbath day and is typically celebrated on Friday night and extends until Saturday night. It recalls the significance of the Lord's day of rest from his creation and the Lord's command to observe the Sabbath day in the beginning of Exodus: 35. The Shabbat service was lead by Emily and started with the lighting of two candles which represent the call to reflection and observance. There was no rabbi, a rabbi not being needed to conduct the service, at least to my knowledge of the Reformed tradition. After this and throughout much of the service was singing in Hebrew, and sometimes in English, which consisted of recitations from the Torah or the Hebrew Bible which praised and blessed God, affirming his position as the one and only God of the universe. At one point during the beginning of the service we also faced the entrance of the room in order to welcome the Shabbat "bride." This nuptial metaphor for the welcoming of Shabbat is associated with the Jewish song we sung called "Lekhah Dodi" which means "come my beloved" and which addresses the expectation of the coming of Shabbat in the form of a bride. This was written by the Jewish rabbi and kabbalist, a Jewish mystic, Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz.
Another unique part of the Shabbat service is an asking of the angels to come and abide within the sanctuary where the Shabbat service is being held. Thus one can entertain the awe-inspiring conception of angelic beings intermingled with the congregation who are also gathered to join in the worshipping of God. Later is a silent recitation of prayers, followed by a discussion based on the parshah, or the weekly Torah portion. Because the Torah is read throughout the year, it is divided into 54 separate readings, one for each week, which coincide with the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunar calendar. This was lead by a woman from the congregation named Deanna. Part of her discussion focused on the Israelites journey through the desert and the Moabites cursing of the Israelites. The Israelites relationship with Moab is an interesting one in that they are actually related through Lot, Abraham's nephew, who was subjected to drunkenness and subsequent intercourse by his daughters, thus begetting the lines of the Moabite and Ammonite peoples through incest. Later, Israel and the Moabites enter into fighting with each other, described as Deanna as "fighting within the family." Ruth, a woman who is also a Moabite, seems to be the exception to the evil depiction of the Moabites and is even an ancestor of King David and therefore of Jesus, as well. Thus it was discussed how the Israelites were in a way fighting amongst themselves when it came to their relationship with the Moabites.
In a similar way I found my own relationships to members of this community where before similarities had not been evident. A few people in the congregation were not actually Jewish, but considered themselves Christian, with one being Episcopalian and one being Catholic. Deanna was also an adjunct professor at Lebanon Valley College, with which I am very familiar since I have taken courses there. Another woman there was coming within a couple of weeks with a group of school-aged children to visit the farm on which I work.
These general commonalities are a good example of what I think one person could find amongst any other given enough time to know the other person. It is a good example of human interdependence and connectivity and reminds us that although we all have our own individuality we are also all related in some way.
Additionally, I believe that it is important for Christians, and also to a degree for Muslims, to recognize and acknowledge our shared history with the Jews. Jesus, or Yeshua, was brought up in a Jewish society and was familiar with the Hebrew tradition, texts, traditions, and myths, and therefore I think that for Christians to be able to understand the Old Testament within our tradition and to understand Jesus, we must be willing and eager to understand Judaism, as well. Without it, we can never fully understand that which we call "Christianity." For followers of other religions, it is also important to understand Judaism since it is one of the world's oldest and longest surviving religions.
The service also included the Aleinu song, at which point the ark is opened so that the Torah can be seen. The service also included the Kiddush cup and the sharing of the challah, or a bread that is shared amongst the community. From past Shabbat experiences, I remembered that typically the community all drinks wine from the same Kiddush cup. Although the cup was present at this service, we did not all drink from it, but we all shared the delicious challah bread after the service ended.
The members of the community were then gracious enough to invite me to dinner, which I accepted, and which with my grateful appreciation they also paid for.
Ethel told me that Judaism is like Christianity in that we both have our "holiday church-goers." Whereas in Christianity these are those who go to Easter and Christmas services, in Judaism it is those who go to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Yet the fact of the matter is that Shabbat is actually considered to be the most holy time of the year. Judaism accounts for time in a way that sets aside certain times as holier than others.
In Jewish, the word for holy means separate. Thus, Shabbat is a time that is separate from the rest of time - a time that could be considered to be on a different plane of existence where one is closer to the spiritual realm and the spiritual realm is closer to our mundane one. Thus it is important to take advantage of this by means of reflection and relaxation. It is also a gift in that it relinquishes one from worries of mundane work and daily problems and encourages pursuits related to one's family, friends and most importantly to God.
We of other faiths can learn a lot from this type of observance, especially for those of us who do not take time to slow down and are always looking toward future pursuits. Shabbat helps me to reconsider my own Christian celebration of the Sabbath on Sunday and that I should slow down and take time to pray and seek God, especially in my family and in those around me. It also prepares one's self for the week to come by giving a spiritual fortress of peace that they can impregnate themselves within in regards to the coming of the stormy and impermanent qualities of everyday life.
I enjoyed my time at the Milton Asbell Center and would like to come back in September when the students at Dickinson are in session and conducting their own services there. Perhaps then I can take the time to look further into what, being of the younger generation and thus my peers, those who are young Jews think of their religion and spirituality.
I encourage you all to check out Dickinson College and the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish life if you are able and to also attend a Shabbat service where you can take time to reflect and relax.
Shalom,
Matt
Sunday, June 9, 2013
To Love and Serve One Another - Falling Springs Presbyterian Church
Today I attended the 8:15 a.m. traditional service at Falling Springs Presbyterian Church in Chambersburg, PA. My choice to go to a Presbyterian church as the first step in my new religious undertaking was in large part due to my previous encounters with the Presbyterian Church which have subsequently and markedly introduced themselves into my life. These include two trips to the deep south in January 2011 and 2012 with the disaster relief and Presbyterian based organization Lend a Hand, a month and a half long stay and internship at the Stony Point Presbyterian Retreat Center in Stony Point, New York during the summer of 2012, and my current job at a farm that is allied with the Presbyterian based Wilson College. I have felt that each of these consecutive experiences in which the Presbyterian church has shown up in my life to be both impactful and perhaps beyond mere coincidence. Because of this, I chose the Falling Springs Presbyterian Church, established in 1734, as the first stop in my journey.
Hidden behind curtains of green foliage is a historic stone church with stained glass windows and two large wooden doors on each end of its front side. Inside the church is mainly congruent with the preconceived western idea of what a church should look like - rows of pews each containing hymnals and bibles and which lead up to an altar with a raised pulpit, behind which sits an organ. Additionally there was a grand piano to the front left side of the altar, and in the back corners of each side an American flag and a flag with the symbol of a cross in its top left corner.
I came a little early and took a seat near the front, feeling a little underdressed with my simple button down shirt and khakis while many there were in suit and tie. I was wished good morning by two people who, unknown to me at the time, would be the people who I would later talk to about the beliefs of the Presbyterians after the service. The service seemed somewhat empty, although I was informed that the contemporary and later traditional service at 11 were always better attended.
After some announcements, the service officially began with a morning greeting, or the "Passing of the Peace" between members of the congregation in which everyone stood up and went around to the people nearest them to wish them peace and a good morning. There was then organ music and a reading out of the bulletin which affirmed the congregations thanksgiving to God and their willingness to worship.
This was followed by the hymn "This is My Father's World" which I was unfamiliar with but which carried me away with its simple but powerful melody. It has many references to the beauty of God's creation, our place in it, and His relationship with it as exemplified by some of the following lyrics: "He trusts us with this world, to keep it fair and clean - all earth and trees and skies and seas, all creatures everywhere," and "in the rustling grass I hear him pass, he speaks to me everywhere."
After the hymn was the "Prayer of Confession and Silent Prayer" in which the congregation confesses their limitations and asks for God's forgiveness, which is followed by an assurance of pardon. This is somewhat different from my experience in the Catholic tradition where, although an act of contrition is recited during the mass, the sacrament of reconciliation in which one's sins are spoken to a priest is also expected of the parishioners to be performed, preferably at the frequency of one time per month.
After a reading from Micah 6:8 was the Gloria which was a sung "Glory Be" followed by the Apostle's Creed, common to most all Christians. After this were readings from Job 2 and 1 Samuel 24:80. Matthew 5: 38-48, a part of the sermon on the mount, was also read and then referred to during the homily. The pastor giving the homily focused on Jesus' calling to become disciples by "manning up" and having courage to do what we are called to do, even at our own expense. This related to Job's continued faith, even in the presence of great loss, and David's choice to spare Saul's life, even though Saul was after David's own life. The preacher also mentioned that as Presbyterians there is a belief in original sin and that that and all sin and evil is a separation from God.
After was an offeratory with music performed by the organist on the piano and a young music major who accompanied with the trumpet. It was a beautifully done rendition of "Be Thou My Vision/My Shepherd Will Supply My Need."
After this were more announcements, another hymn, a recitation of the Our Father (I had to remember to say debts and debtors instead of trespasses and trespassers) and a benediction.
The service ended and I was able to talk to a friendly man named Don who then introduced me to the interim pastor, Rev. Mark Medina, who had not participated in the liturgy that day but who, with Don, was one of the men who had wished me a good morning prior to the service. I explained my project of visiting different places of worship each week and asked if he could describe what sets the Presbyterians apart from other denominations.
He began by pointing out that the most important beliefs of the Presbyterian Church was also that which other Christians held to be true - a belief in scripture, in the Trinity, and in a church and a coming together to worship. A major difference was that each congregation elects their own people to serve, the basis of this thinking coming from the Book of Acts. This means that the church is a polity and includes everyone in the congregation. This was true throughout the service as three different people lead the beginning, middle, and end of the service.
There are also only 2 sacraments - baptism and communion. Baptism can be performed on infants - in other words Presbyterians are not Anabaptists who wait until one is old enough to decide if they want baptism or not. Thus, they honor parents wishes to have their children be inducted into the church community through this sacrament.
Communion is performed once a month with bread and grape juice. It is also performed unanimously among Presbyterians on World Communion Sunday, which is always the first Sunday of October. During the traditional service there many also be intinction, which is the dipping of the bread into the juice before serving.
Another bit of interesting historical information was that the namesake of Chambersburg, Colonel Benjamin Chambers, was buried with his wife Jane Chambers in the cemetery behind the church and had donated the land on which the church had been built.
The Presbyterian Church traces its roots back to the Reformation and to the geographical locations of Scotland and Ireland - perhaps that is why I heard the song "Be Thou My Vision" which, although a popular hymn among many Christian circles, is in fact an ancient Irish hymn, during the service. Being Irish myself I am now more interested to learn more of its history and how the Presbyterians formed and came to America. The following sign outside the church gives some rudimentary information concerning this.
Overall, I had a fulfilling time at this church. The minister I talked to was kind and knowledgeable and later in our talk asked me to come to the contemporary service. Although I declined for today, I will definitely be going back at a later time to learn more and experience the liturgy performed with a different and modern take. It was also fun to find out that he knew all about Lend a Hand and the Stony Point Retreat Center and its directors, not to mention the college where he directed me to seek out the college minister there, which I also plan to do.
Before ending this post I'd like to point out a reminder that my experiences will only scratch the tip of the iceberg in looking at different beliefs and, although I have done my best to reproduce what I have learned and have been told, that if you seek the truth you must go to its source. Additionally I will generally only have time to visit one place of worship per the type of religion or denomination that I am exploring and so remind myself and any readers that these experiences are just one look at much more complex and intricate structures in which there is room for fluctuation of beliefs down to the level of the individual. It is my hope and belief, however, that this posting is a genuine look and partial introduction to the Presbyterian Church.
Next I will be visiting a Jewish temple in town that describes itself as "honoring the ideals of a Liberal Judaism" on Friday evening for a Shabbat service. Please check back for an interesting look at Jewish faith and tradition!
Saturday, June 8, 2013
The Adventure Begins
Hello. If you are reading this blog I hope that you will find it informative, enlightening, and will perhaps provide a stimulus to seek out adventure and unique circumstances as they relate to what I will consider the three main features of this blog: culture, nature, and, of what shall be the focal point of my postings, religion and spirituality. Of course, I would be naïve to think that as this blog develops I will not want to include extraneous topics as pertains to these three categories and so I will also add in food, books, and whatever else I become interested in or find relevant as time goes by.
This blog will be the anchor for a commitment that for a while I have been wanting to make to myself and, in many respects, to others. Each week I hope to fulfill the main theme of this blog of religion and spirituality by visiting a different place of worship. To define "place of worship," it can be any place where people come together in a search or pursuit of life's most succulent questions: "why am I here?, what should I do with my life?, do I have a purpose" and, pertaining to that which is already established by religion and faith, "what is my spirituality?, why do we do things this way?, who is God?." It can also be any place where people seek comfort, solace, or community by means of spiritual devices or ties.
By doing this I hope to answer my own questions and to provide fun and interesting postings that can help to shed light on other's beliefs. One of the main reasons this idea appeals to me and why I want to go out and experience these things myself is because of my own great ignorance in what other people believe and the basis of the ways in which they live their life. By having others read my blog I also feel that there will be increased pressure that'll keep me going on my commitment! In the event that I can't visit a religious place of worship, I will update about other areas of interest as I described above.
Additionally, since I am Roman Catholic I will not hesitate to share my own understandings as they pertain to faith through my own lens. A major purpose of this will be to help me to be both aware of my understandings and biases when encountering another faith as well as celebrating my own faith and others by drawing connections between them.
Another goal for this blog, however, is to stay away from the "I" mentality that I feel accompanies most forms of social media. I'll certainly be giving my opinions, but in what I hope will be a constructive way, rather than just talking about my personal life. I'd like to try to look deeply into what I find and share it as best I can with others.
Finally this blog is a response to what I see in Christianity as a lack of initiatives to certain areas of the faith that have been long overdue. Mainly, deeper concern for nature, a stronger connection to the earth, an improved interior self-awareness, and the "faith" to step out of our own churches and into places that may make us a little uncomfortable, such as a mosque, temple, or even a different denomination! I will definitely be exploring these areas as they relate to the Christian faith as time goes on.
As an added note: when possible I will try to talk to practicing members or leaders of the congregation. This will be to help me with my problem of refusing to step out of my comfort zone and to help me get out of my shell. It will also be to find in-depth and genuine answers to questions about the beliefs which people profess.
Also, all pictures on the blog will be taken by me unless noted otherwise. As many know, I have not always been a huge fan of being in pictures or taking them but I am starting to realize the importance of them in conveying information and feelings. Like they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words."
Tomorrow I will start off my religious adventure by hopefully going to the traditional service at a local Presbyterian Church. Although I have already had a considerable exposure to other faiths, I still get that uncomfortable feeling of not knowing exactly what I am doing and feeling blind when walking into another temple, mosque, or even just walking into another Christian church!
Yet as St. John of the Cross says, “If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.”
This blog will be the anchor for a commitment that for a while I have been wanting to make to myself and, in many respects, to others. Each week I hope to fulfill the main theme of this blog of religion and spirituality by visiting a different place of worship. To define "place of worship," it can be any place where people come together in a search or pursuit of life's most succulent questions: "why am I here?, what should I do with my life?, do I have a purpose" and, pertaining to that which is already established by religion and faith, "what is my spirituality?, why do we do things this way?, who is God?." It can also be any place where people seek comfort, solace, or community by means of spiritual devices or ties.
By doing this I hope to answer my own questions and to provide fun and interesting postings that can help to shed light on other's beliefs. One of the main reasons this idea appeals to me and why I want to go out and experience these things myself is because of my own great ignorance in what other people believe and the basis of the ways in which they live their life. By having others read my blog I also feel that there will be increased pressure that'll keep me going on my commitment! In the event that I can't visit a religious place of worship, I will update about other areas of interest as I described above.
Additionally, since I am Roman Catholic I will not hesitate to share my own understandings as they pertain to faith through my own lens. A major purpose of this will be to help me to be both aware of my understandings and biases when encountering another faith as well as celebrating my own faith and others by drawing connections between them.
Another goal for this blog, however, is to stay away from the "I" mentality that I feel accompanies most forms of social media. I'll certainly be giving my opinions, but in what I hope will be a constructive way, rather than just talking about my personal life. I'd like to try to look deeply into what I find and share it as best I can with others.
Finally this blog is a response to what I see in Christianity as a lack of initiatives to certain areas of the faith that have been long overdue. Mainly, deeper concern for nature, a stronger connection to the earth, an improved interior self-awareness, and the "faith" to step out of our own churches and into places that may make us a little uncomfortable, such as a mosque, temple, or even a different denomination! I will definitely be exploring these areas as they relate to the Christian faith as time goes on.
As an added note: when possible I will try to talk to practicing members or leaders of the congregation. This will be to help me with my problem of refusing to step out of my comfort zone and to help me get out of my shell. It will also be to find in-depth and genuine answers to questions about the beliefs which people profess.
Also, all pictures on the blog will be taken by me unless noted otherwise. As many know, I have not always been a huge fan of being in pictures or taking them but I am starting to realize the importance of them in conveying information and feelings. Like they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words."
Tomorrow I will start off my religious adventure by hopefully going to the traditional service at a local Presbyterian Church. Although I have already had a considerable exposure to other faiths, I still get that uncomfortable feeling of not knowing exactly what I am doing and feeling blind when walking into another temple, mosque, or even just walking into another Christian church!
Yet as St. John of the Cross says, “If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.”
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