It was in Delphi that we saw the amazing "Sacred Space" complex they had, with displays of wealth from all the various city-states, statues of honour in marble and bronze and sacrificial areas for gifts to the temple itself. All of it was contained within walls which delineated the temple area. This "sacred space" was set apart, holy for the purpose, and the wall was the defining barrier between what was sacred (and all sacred activities took place there) and what was on the other side, which was profane, everyday and not of interest to the holy ones at all.
This made me think about how we use the term "sacred space" - at Solace we use the term to mean the area set aside for prayer and communing with God, but is this really a good word? Does having a "sacred space" imply that other spaces are not sacred, or that God is not there? Or worse, that God is not interested in what goes in other parts of lives, away from the "sacred spaces"?
I know that I am inclined to compartmentalize my life - to think about family at one time, God at one time, work at one time, money at another time. But for a healthy life balance, God should be part of all the times. There should be no "sacred/profane" division in my life, especially since I believe that God made me a doctor and ordained that this would be my life at His command.
Maybe I should take my "sacred space" to be my whole life and make it all sacred, since God is there in all of it? Then there would be no "sacred spaces" only a sacred life, given and lived for God.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
One holy catholic and apostolic church?
1 Tim 3:15 ...if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.This verse is used a lot in some circles to promote the idea of a single unified church. While I agree that this is a lovely ideal, I am concerned about how this might work out in practice. Already even within denominations we see disagreements about interpretation of the Bible. People fight over deeply and sincerely held beliefs. As I see it, there are only three solutions to this:
1) allow difference by allowing denominations
2) allow difference by allowing disagreement within the one denomination
3) suppress all difference and expell the heretics.
We currently have 1) with lots of different denominations, some more similar than others. The different "flavours" of church have different audiences and appeal to different types of people, sometimes doing different types of work (mission, school ministry, hospital/teaching ministry, etc).
Option 2) has been tried by the Uniting Church, which resulted in such a watered down faith (IMO) that there is no longer anything certain and they might as well call themselves Unitarians. (Joke: on the front lawns of churches the rebels burn crosses, on the lawns of the UU they have to burn a question mark.)
Perhaps option 2) has a future in the Emerging Church movement, which has as a major belief the journey idea, rather than concentrating on held beliefs. Anglicans also do a bit of this between churches, along the lines of "in essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity". This allows a wide variance of practice while maintaining identity and beliefs. The problem comes when some insist on varieties of practice which others find unacceptable (women or homosexual ministers are the two issues which leap to mind) and ZAP! a new denomination is born...
Option 3) is usually the one the proponents of the "One Church" have in mind. Find the "right" beliefs and chuck everybody else out, since they are obviously heretics and have to either be brought into line or amputated for the good of everyone (they were probably never part of the real church to begin with. This is the idea I have a strong sense of uneasiness about.
Church history tells us that people are not going to agree easily on deeply held beliefs. These differences started with Peter and Paul arguing over how to bring Gentile Christians into the Jewish Christian community, and continue to this day. If there is to be One Church, somehow these differences must be dealt with, preferably without a huge cost in losing people who desperately want to follow the way of Christ but disagree with the church (Leo Tolstoy leaps to mind here).
In my opinion, denominations may in the end be the best of a series of non-ideal choices while we live here in the "not yet".
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Reflection vs Rumination
James was talking today about the difference between reflection and rumination. I think confusion of these two ideas has done a lot of harm to psychology in particular and in society in general.
Rumination is about stewing over something. Going back over part mistakes and hurts and chewing over the emotions and blame associated with them. Regretting what was or was not done or said and lamenting missed opportunities.
Reflection is about learning from past mistakes and hurts and using them as learning experiences to make things better next time. Realizing that the past cannot be changed, but that it can contribute to a better future. Realizing that the past is part of us, but doesn't have to dominate the future. Seeing what went wrong last time can be the first step to doing things differently next time.
Maybe psychiatry is useful after all!
Rumination is about stewing over something. Going back over part mistakes and hurts and chewing over the emotions and blame associated with them. Regretting what was or was not done or said and lamenting missed opportunities.
Reflection is about learning from past mistakes and hurts and using them as learning experiences to make things better next time. Realizing that the past cannot be changed, but that it can contribute to a better future. Realizing that the past is part of us, but doesn't have to dominate the future. Seeing what went wrong last time can be the first step to doing things differently next time.
Maybe psychiatry is useful after all!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
A vision of Jesus...
I don't often claim to have had a vision from God, but this one was so unexpected and so strong! It is part of the Greek trip, and when I get the rest of my diary entries online I will move it to its correct position, but for now I wanted to put it down.
Quite recently I had a very difficult experience of being helpless in a hospital corridor in Greece while a friend of mine was very ill. It was 4am and I was lost and alone and not even allowed in her room. I wanted someone to pray with me for her, and first I wanted my online CHFWeb friends (no internet access) then I wanted my church minister and friends (no mobile) then I wanted a chapel to pray in (couldn't leave) or at least some prayer beads to help me concentrate (didn't have any).
So I closed my eyes and prayed anyway and I had a strong sense of the presence of God saying "Why did you think you needed those things? I promised to listen to you, just you, because I love you and you are my child. You don't need to be in a church, or to have a saint or icon to pray to, or to have friends around or beads to count. I am here with you, and that's all you need." It was such a contrast to all the very elaborate churches and icons we have been seeing over the last few days, I suddenly felt so free, so unencumbered, that I don't need any of that because of the amazing privilege of being able to come directly before God. Amazing work of Jesus to make it so!
My other strong impression we of Jesus being right beside me, praying with me. I had been all prepared to kneel before the throne, to hammer on the doors of heaven, to plead my friend's case before God - all fairly confrontational images of prayer, as I realized later.
But right there in the hospital corridor, as I closed my eyes and prayed, I felt the presence of Jesus beside me, also weary and grieved for my friend's pain, also grieved about suffering and illness, also worried for her and wanting her good. He was there in shorts and sandals, unshaven, with his head in his hands, fingers slwoly massing his temples through his curly brown hair, sorrowful as he was for Lazarus' illness and death.
I realized then how much Jesus cares for our suffering and illness, regardless of the bigger questions about why God allows suffering and does God answer prayer. Jesus was there and Jesus cares. Where is Jesus when it hurts? He is here in us as we are hurting, not in the "it" which is hurting us.
God loves us, more than we realize!
Quite recently I had a very difficult experience of being helpless in a hospital corridor in Greece while a friend of mine was very ill. It was 4am and I was lost and alone and not even allowed in her room. I wanted someone to pray with me for her, and first I wanted my online CHFWeb friends (no internet access) then I wanted my church minister and friends (no mobile) then I wanted a chapel to pray in (couldn't leave) or at least some prayer beads to help me concentrate (didn't have any).
So I closed my eyes and prayed anyway and I had a strong sense of the presence of God saying "Why did you think you needed those things? I promised to listen to you, just you, because I love you and you are my child. You don't need to be in a church, or to have a saint or icon to pray to, or to have friends around or beads to count. I am here with you, and that's all you need." It was such a contrast to all the very elaborate churches and icons we have been seeing over the last few days, I suddenly felt so free, so unencumbered, that I don't need any of that because of the amazing privilege of being able to come directly before God. Amazing work of Jesus to make it so!
My other strong impression we of Jesus being right beside me, praying with me. I had been all prepared to kneel before the throne, to hammer on the doors of heaven, to plead my friend's case before God - all fairly confrontational images of prayer, as I realized later.
But right there in the hospital corridor, as I closed my eyes and prayed, I felt the presence of Jesus beside me, also weary and grieved for my friend's pain, also grieved about suffering and illness, also worried for her and wanting her good. He was there in shorts and sandals, unshaven, with his head in his hands, fingers slwoly massing his temples through his curly brown hair, sorrowful as he was for Lazarus' illness and death.
I realized then how much Jesus cares for our suffering and illness, regardless of the bigger questions about why God allows suffering and does God answer prayer. Jesus was there and Jesus cares. Where is Jesus when it hurts? He is here in us as we are hurting, not in the "it" which is hurting us.
God loves us, more than we realize!
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Greece Day 2 - Leptokaria
Our travels today took us away from Thessaloniki through Pella, which is the remains of the birthplace of Alexander the Great, which sounds much better than Alexander the Third. Pella was a planned city, with a layout which takes account of the rainfall and all the things which flow downhill. Amazing - they did better than Sydney which, though built over two millenia later is not planned half so well. Interestingly, Pella has the best houses at the top with the view and the rest lower down in the social order as you descend the hill. Gives a new meaning to "upper" class!
Vergina was our next stop, with the Royal Tomb of (maybe) Philip II, Alexander's father. The tomb had a suit of his armour, which showed that he seemed to have uneven leg length and wasn't very tall. The armour would have fitted me very well, making Philip about 165cm! There was also a woman buried with him, who got to keep all her amazing jewellery and dresses with her in the tomb. The dresses have rotted away, but there is so much gold thread in some parts of her clothing that the dress can be almost entirely reconstructed!
Both of them had golden crowns made to look like oak leaves wound into wreaths (I think it might have been oak, but I'm no botanist) anyway whatever it was, it was perfectly represented so that those who are botanists would have known exactly what it was. Each crown consisted of over one hundred leaves, plus acorns (seeds) and a forehead wire to support it all. Apparently all made of 24 carat gold, and if so, one huge headache to wear! The size and elaborate decoration of the crown apparently correlated with the social standing of the wearer, so Philip had the best of the best!
Tomorrow, on to Olympia!
Vergina was our next stop, with the Royal Tomb of (maybe) Philip II, Alexander's father. The tomb had a suit of his armour, which showed that he seemed to have uneven leg length and wasn't very tall. The armour would have fitted me very well, making Philip about 165cm! There was also a woman buried with him, who got to keep all her amazing jewellery and dresses with her in the tomb. The dresses have rotted away, but there is so much gold thread in some parts of her clothing that the dress can be almost entirely reconstructed!
Both of them had golden crowns made to look like oak leaves wound into wreaths (I think it might have been oak, but I'm no botanist) anyway whatever it was, it was perfectly represented so that those who are botanists would have known exactly what it was. Each crown consisted of over one hundred leaves, plus acorns (seeds) and a forehead wire to support it all. Apparently all made of 24 carat gold, and if so, one huge headache to wear! The size and elaborate decoration of the crown apparently correlated with the social standing of the wearer, so Philip had the best of the best!
Tomorrow, on to Olympia!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Greece Day 1 - Thessaloniki
After a gruelling 30 hours travelling, we have arrived in Thessaloniki (the proper Greek name for Thessalonica). We are tired, grimy and out of sorts. I guess St Paul would have felt like this when he landed here as well! Although he didn't get to stop over in Singapore, Dubai and Athens on the way here.
Thessaloniki is a beach-side town with a large port, and used to be one of the largest cities of the Byzantine Empire, second only to Constantinople. We visited the famous "white tower" ironically named because of all the blood shed by executions within it. We also walked along a small remaining part of the main road which connected the East and the West (Via Egnatia).
Sophia, our knowledgeable guide, explained the whole Greek/Macedonia issue to us while we were there. It seems to me to be mostly a "branding" issue, in that the country called "Macedonia" is only a part of the larger area also called "Macedonia" and that used to be part of the Greek Empire. The Macedonians also use the symbols of Alexander the Great and the White Tower, which is undisputedly in Greek territory. So the Greeks say that "Macedonia" (the word and symbols) belong to them, but confusing the issue is that some less-informed modern Greeks think that this means they have a territorial claim on the country calling itself "Macedonia" but which used to be Yugoslavia.
Confusing! Whatever the reasons, the whole issue runs very hot and we tried not to talk about it apart from among ourselves.
While we were here we caught up with Helen and Maria Lelidis, who moved to Greece from Australia about eight years ago. Funny to think that their parents moved to Australia to give their children a better life, and now Maria and Helen have moved back to Greece for the same reason! Of course, things have changed a lot in Greece since then, and now that Greece is part of the European Union and very modern it is a much better place to live and work than during the war against the Ottoman Occupation, or the Second World War. Come to think of it, Greece has basically been either occupied or at war for the last few centuries! Makes me realize all over again how fortunate I am to have never experienced war first-hand, and to live in a country as lucky as Australia.
Thessaloniki is a beach-side town with a large port, and used to be one of the largest cities of the Byzantine Empire, second only to Constantinople. We visited the famous "white tower" ironically named because of all the blood shed by executions within it. We also walked along a small remaining part of the main road which connected the East and the West (Via Egnatia).
Sophia, our knowledgeable guide, explained the whole Greek/Macedonia issue to us while we were there. It seems to me to be mostly a "branding" issue, in that the country called "Macedonia" is only a part of the larger area also called "Macedonia" and that used to be part of the Greek Empire. The Macedonians also use the symbols of Alexander the Great and the White Tower, which is undisputedly in Greek territory. So the Greeks say that "Macedonia" (the word and symbols) belong to them, but confusing the issue is that some less-informed modern Greeks think that this means they have a territorial claim on the country calling itself "Macedonia" but which used to be Yugoslavia.
Confusing! Whatever the reasons, the whole issue runs very hot and we tried not to talk about it apart from among ourselves.
While we were here we caught up with Helen and Maria Lelidis, who moved to Greece from Australia about eight years ago. Funny to think that their parents moved to Australia to give their children a better life, and now Maria and Helen have moved back to Greece for the same reason! Of course, things have changed a lot in Greece since then, and now that Greece is part of the European Union and very modern it is a much better place to live and work than during the war against the Ottoman Occupation, or the Second World War. Come to think of it, Greece has basically been either occupied or at war for the last few centuries! Makes me realize all over again how fortunate I am to have never experienced war first-hand, and to live in a country as lucky as Australia.
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