Elements of Mission is a term used by Timothy Radcliffe at the CTE Forum a few weeks ago. I have previously discussed his thoughts on doctrine and morality and added my own about community. Before I finish I will add one more of my own; obedience.
Why? I suppose Radcliffe's reference to Sachs on obedience brought this to mind. In my last post I briefly mentioned the word obey does not feature in Biblical Hebrew. This means the concept only appears in Aramaic and common Greek scriptures.
I must confess I have a deep seated scepticism about authority and the idea of obedience to any church leader (or anyone else) is something I tend to resist. I find that in my own Church I do not share the deference to people in authority, so often found amongst church people. So, if obedience is an element of mission, in what sense am I called to be obedient?
When I think about obedience I remember the writings of Thomas Cullinan, a Benedictine monk, at Ampleforth when he wrote this:
The word obedience means, in its origins, being a good listener. And that connects with so much in the Gospel about watching, being sensitive to the signs of the times, and to what the Spirit is saying to the churches - be an attentive listener. So the opposite of obedience, in the Latin origin of these words, is, believe it or not, absurdity, being utterly deaf. So we have only two options, perhaps ultimate options, in life: we are obedient or we are absurd. (The Passion of Political Love, page 1).
This is something I can relate to but this way is much more difficult than simply doing what you are told. To listen fully, to all that is relevant and then to act in a non-absurd way is a tall order.
It seems to me obedience relates to many aspects of this blog's message.
- Conversation is about listening. To listen with care and to respond in a way that deepens the conversation is a core skill required by all ecumenists and indeed all Christians.
- Generative conversation strongly implies a commitment to act. Absurdity is something that happens where an activity is not part of a generative conversation.
- Absurdity is a result of idolatry. An idol is something which is not real It is a fixation on an imagined God or reality. Only careful listening can show us our idols. Research seems to show that most of our perceived world is already inside our head. We need to listen, to watch in order to challenge our own unconsidered assumptions.
The witness of religious orders is that it is through contemplation that we engage fully with the world around us. Contemplation is living fully in the present, being aware. Then our actions will complement the reality of God's world and so we will be obedient.
And what is contemplation? 'It is a wondrous thing, I draw water, I chop wood.'
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