| Index |
Intro |
Video Presentation |
References |
| Introductory Comment by Wayne |
Gretta Vosper envisions a world where people of faith act in ways that
match their actions and hope replaces fear.
Participants had an opportunity to introduce themselves and share their
views on why they had chosen to take this course.
We listened to the words of Mark Hopkins, a son of our congregation, from
an article appearing in the current University of Calgary alumni magazine.
It is entitled: "Choosing Hope Over Helplessness."
Mark tells of discovering one day, several years ago, that his father Doug
had been diagnosed with ALS - for which there is no known cure. Mark writes
about the personal challenges he and his family went through as a result.
Doug died last year.
Mark does not resort to religious cliches, but the message he shares with
a pluralistic, secular readership is profoundly spiritual.
There is a authenticity in what Mark writes. His family values are reflected
in his behaviour. For him, hope overcomes fear.
This essay is a timely example of what Vosper envisions. A spiritual world
where the "old cliches" of religious dogma (faith, salvation,
eternal life, etc.) do not appear. These are replaced by what she considers
to be core human values like hope, peace, caring, love, courage and compassion.
You can read "Choosing Hope
Over Helplessness" by clicking:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/uofcpublications/umagazine/fall2008/opinion
As I reflect on Vosper's words I am impressed by the way the author "struggles"
and seeks to "work through issues" with intelligence and intention.
For Vosper, the theistic world of the past must be totally replaced by
a humanistic attentiveness to the present. "Reality" is how people
today wish to view things. Moderns function in the here and now. They value
the material and give scant attention to transcendent meanings.
For Vosper, tradition is nice but essentially unnecessary. Those who align
their faith with religious tradition are wrong-headed. For her, truth exists
where basic human values are reflected authentically in human behaviour.
Vosper is a Canadian disciple of Bishop John Spong with whose writings
many of us are familiar and whose personal visit among us at St. David's
several years ago is warmly remembered by many.
Like Spong, Vosper believes that dramatic, not cosmetic, change is required
of our contemporary church. Vosper directs strong criticism at the liberal
churches - to say nothing of the conservative ones. In some ways, she says,
conservative Christians have more integrity than liberal ones. We may disagree
with fundamentalists, for example, but many of them live their beliefs
while liberals do not. |
Video Presentation -
In a 35 minute Youtube presentation, Vosper made the following comments:
"Faith is a human, not a divine, construct"
"The Bible
was written by fallible humans"
"The church was not created by divine
hands"
"Worship, while important, is essentially a human
activity"
Because humans have created the religious forms and supports we have inherited,
humans can - indeed they must - set about changing what we have inherited
to make it more accessible and meaningful to people today. Vosper believes
that equal loyalty to the present and the past is impossible, and that
the "here and now" is what counts. |
|
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The first session of the series "With or Without God" concluded in a spirit of anticipation as members sensed that they would be dealing with important issues in the weeks ahead.
All knew they were free to express their fears and hopes in a climate of
mutual respect and relational learning. Each one could venture in this
course to the extent they chose.
Jock concluded the evening by reading a poem reflective of his own lifelong
faith struggles and satisfactions. |
|
 |
logos, life, love
over the ages we have disputed with integrity - and not,
we have pondered over holy scriptures - and fought.
we have laboured to frame our understanding -
to direct our perspective - and order our living.
in our great fear of life and of tomorrow -
we do not sleep except remembering our creator.
yet when dreaming dims we forget this knowing -
and create with focused hope our tapestries of belief.
what creed or rule or purpose might we respect?
what shines in us to light another's way?
what words invite us to better choices?
what divine energy awakens our conscience?
when jesus called the unfathomable g_d "father".
when his living and dying showed us g_d's intentions.
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| Wondering about the way religions both divide and inspire us. |
1journey.net  dec 2001, aug 2008 elias |
| last mountain lake, saskachewan - cc photo: wendy cooper |
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editorial courtesies. St. David's United Church.Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Jan 2008 |
