I found myself re-reading today both a post I wrote and the comment dialogue on it. The post was about belonging and conflict among Friends. It was useful and grounding for me to re-read it.
I've just re-read it too! And I found it helpful to revisit what you had to say. I was particularly struck by your earlier remark that there is "no place for you in the meeting for good ideas."
I know that the presence of Pagans within the RSoF is seen by many as evidence of the lack of spiritual rootedness of liberal Quakers. How ironic, when it is when we are most deeply spiritually gathered that our differences matter least! There's a humility and a willingness to be led that comes with being gathered in Spirit that falls away too easily when we start relying too much, any of us, on our purely human understandings of God/the gods.
Perhaps Pagans among Friends will wind up being used by Spirit to encourage our meetings to ground more deeply into worship and into Spirit. Perhaps, contrary to what is feared, we can manage to be a catalyst for greater depth among Friends, rather than the reverse.
Holding you and your meeting in the Light, Friend.
I'm glad this was helpful re-reading for you as well.
"I know that the presence of Pagans within the RSoF is seen by many as evidence of the lack of spiritual rootedness of liberal Quakers."
I am sometimes able to see this as entertaining, given how much of a Quaker Curmudgeon I am. For example, on more than one occasion after spirited discussion has led to a seeming decision, I've been the person in Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business who's been unwilling to move forward without some silent worship to test our decision. When I've insisted on this, sometimes people have looked at me sourly, sometimes, appreciatively. :)
I think that, as Pagan Friends, we tend to be more aware of our theological/thealogical differences, and therefore perhaps may more easily recognize the need for our Meetings to be deeply grounded in the worship that unites us. I, too, hope that we will allow ourselves to be used as catalysts for greater depth. I know we can be such catalysts. And I'm not unaware of the irony. :)
Thank you, Friend, for holding me, and my Meeting, in the Light. I've learned over the years just how helpful being so held truly is.
3 comments:
I've just re-read it too! And I found it helpful to revisit what you had to say. I was particularly struck by your earlier remark that there is "no place for you in the meeting for good ideas."
I know that the presence of Pagans within the RSoF is seen by many as evidence of the lack of spiritual rootedness of liberal Quakers. How ironic, when it is when we are most deeply spiritually gathered that our differences matter least! There's a humility and a willingness to be led that comes with being gathered in Spirit that falls away too easily when we start relying too much, any of us, on our purely human understandings of God/the gods.
Perhaps Pagans among Friends will wind up being used by Spirit to encourage our meetings to ground more deeply into worship and into Spirit. Perhaps, contrary to what is feared, we can manage to be a catalyst for greater depth among Friends, rather than the reverse.
Holding you and your meeting in the Light, Friend.
Hi, Cat!
I'm glad this was helpful re-reading for you as well.
"I know that the presence of Pagans within the RSoF is seen by many as evidence of the lack of spiritual rootedness of liberal Quakers."
I am sometimes able to see this as entertaining, given how much of a Quaker Curmudgeon I am. For example, on more than one occasion after spirited discussion has led to a seeming decision, I've been the person in Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business who's been unwilling to move forward without some silent worship to test our decision. When I've insisted on this, sometimes people have looked at me sourly, sometimes, appreciatively. :)
I think that, as Pagan Friends, we tend to be more aware of our theological/thealogical differences, and therefore perhaps may more easily recognize the need for our Meetings to be deeply grounded in the worship that unites us. I, too, hope that we will allow ourselves to be used as catalysts for greater depth. I know we can be such catalysts. And I'm not unaware of the irony. :)
Thank you, Friend, for holding me, and my Meeting, in the Light. I've learned over the years just how helpful being so held truly is.
Blessings,
Stasa
p.s. It's also interesting to me how applicable that entry is now, when I wrote it months ago...
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