Welcome everyone! And many thanks for subscribing to my
Ezine. I'm honored that you've visited my site and hope
you'll find the contents of each issue to be
informative, provocative and inspirational. So, without
further ado, let me introduce you to the contents of
this issue.
The following, offered for meditation and
contemplation, is a quote from the preface of C.S.
Lewis's Mere Christianity:
"I hope no reader will suppose that 'mere'
Christianity is here put forward as an alternative to
the creeds of the existing communions....It is more like
a hall out of which doors open into several rooms. If I
can bring anyone in to that hall I shall have done what
I attempted. But it is in the rooms, not in the hall,
that there are fires and chairs and meals. The hall is a
place to wait in, a place from which to try the various
doors, not a place to live in. For that purpose the
worst of the rooms (whichever that may be) is, I think,
preferable. It is true that some people may find they
have to wait in the hall for a considerable time, while
others feel certain almost at once which door they must
knock at. I do not know why there is this difference,
but I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He [sic]
sees that it is good for him [sic] to wait. When you do
get into your room you will find that the long wait has
done you some kind of good which you would not have had
otherwise. But you must regard it as waiting, not as
camping. You must keep on praying for light; and, of
course, even in the hall, you must begin trying to obey
the rules which are common to the whole house. And above
all you must be asking which door is the true one; not
which pleases you best by its paint and paneling. In
plain language, the question should never be : 'Do I
like that kind of service?' but "Are these doctrines
true: Is holiness here? Does my conscience move towards
this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door due to my
pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike of this
particular door-keeper?'
When you have reached your own room, be kind to those
who have chosen different doors and to those who are
still in the hall. If they are wrong they need your
prayers all the more; and if they are your enemies, then
you are under orders to pray for them. That is one of
the rules common to the whole house."
My challenge to all of you this month after reading
this passage is to contemplatively ask yourselves (and
in the spirit of true ecumenism, feel free to substitute
any religion or spiritual tradition in place of
Christianity, pace Lewis):
- What part(s) of this passage resonate most deeply
within me?
- What constitutes a path toward Truth for me?
- What does "holiness" look like?
- Am I ready to enter the hall?
- Am I in the hall or in one of the rooms?
- Have I peered into several rooms, but not
committed to staying in any particular one?
- Am I at peace with my choice(s)?
- Do I need some additional direction?
- Or have I fearfully run away from the house
altogether?
- Perhaps I never considered entering the house,
waiting in the hall or knocking at any of the doors?
- Am I ready to now or am I patiently waiting?
- Is there an obstacle(s) in my path preventing me
from making the journey to the house, into the hall or
into a room or two or three?
- If so, what is it?
- What constitutes the "wrong" door, and what does
"wrong" mean to me?
- Is "wrong" objective or subjective?
As a fellow pilgrim, I wish you peace and success on
your Path to finding the answers. I am committed to
facilitating this any way that I can. Remember, the
joy is in the journey!
WEBSITE(S) OF INTEREST:
The Jefferson Center for Religion and Philosophy:
http://www.thejeffcenter.org
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sometime in mid to late August I will be
facilitating an hour long round-table discussion via
telebridge line on the topic: "Naming and Overcoming
Spiritual Obstacles in an Age of Uncertainty". There
will be 30 spaces available and admission is free (other
than the long distance charges you may incur depending
on your calling plan). Please check my Website (
http://www.whitehawkspiritcoaching.com ) in July to
enroll. I look forward to "seeing" you there!
RECOMMENDED READING:
John Shelby Spong, Why Christianity Must Change
Or Die: A Bishop Speaks to Believers in Exile,
HarperSanFrancisco, 1998.
(My thumbnail review: "Fasten your seat belts, it's
going to be a bumpy night!" A highly informed
page-turner...not for the faint of heart, but for those
seeking a critically and intellectually informed faith.)
______________, A New Christianity for a New World:
Why Traditional Faith Is Dying and How a New Faith Is
Being Born, HarperSanFrancisco, 2001.
(My thumbnail review: A deeply compelling, moving and
resounding sequel to the aforementioned book...the
reader may never perceive the world (or its
religions/faith traditions) in quite the same way again,
which is the author's entire thesis..."we press on...")
Until next time, I wish you each of you peace that
passes all understanding. Be strong. Stand firm. And
keep asking questions.
"Seek and you will find."
Warmly,
Gavin
Gavin W. Young, Jr., M.A., M.A.P.M., C.T.A.C.;
Founder and CEO (Creative Executive Officer): Whitehawk
Spirit Coaching, LLC
