I’m breathing deep and taking a long pause to think carefully about what you have shared. The Hermitage Spiritual Retreat Center on Lake Pomme to Terre (‘Potato Lake’) where W. Paul Jones possibly is still the Resident Director, has on its website some amazing reflective comments by retreatants who have visited there. They are well worth reading through. I think part of the solution to dealing with the juxtapositions of Obsessio and Epiphania in our lives and various Christian communities, is to ascetically withdraw for a while, and take a spiritual and mental hiatus to embrace and rediscover who it is that we are, by emptying ourselves of all internal and external judgements and simply communing with Nature. Less of Me, more of Him! Eventually, all faith communities have the potential to become ‘lobster traps’ if we don’t allow ourselves to grow beyond their dogma. The Body of Christ is in the process of dynamic regeneration, and we must be a part of that change if our faith is real. The average human is made up of over 30 trillion cells, with about 330 billion being replaced daily. In about 100 days, that 30 trillion will have been totally replaced and replenished - essentially creating a ‘New You’. We are wonderfully made, but not meant to last in this present state. When we are subsumed into his presence, the borders and boundaries that separate us, melt and we experience a beautiful moment of what will be in our eternal regeneration. Rather than bifurcating one’s Obsessio and Epiphania, could they not be same thing coextensive within our consciousness? We ‘Existentially’ contrive a problem, only to then ‘Essentialistically’ resolve it.
This is all very interesting to reflect on. The language of theological worlds…
I remember once when I was thinking about all the different churches, I had this image come to mind to describe it, it helped me try to make sense of it:
I saw an open Bible. And, a multi-pack of highlighter pens. Various pages of the Bible were being flicked open and verses were being selected, then highlighted in the different colours. Each church had highlighted a different verse, using a different colour. I felt like this was what the church is like, different churches, denominations can often highlight a different ‘bit’ and then make it their thing, their expression, as if their chosen highlighted section IS the thing! I find this helpful, as it explains why I can sit in a church and sort of like it, I perhaps like the highlighted bit. However, I can also feel like I don’t fit in, as I cannot conform to the emphasis on the highlighted sections, or restrict my existence, my speech to ‘the bit’ that has been highlighted - it’s too narrowing, suffocating. It hurts my guts. And, I cannot just agree with the highlighted section to fit in. I guess in a way, the highlighted sections are a bit like each church, or each denomination’s selected, or assumed obsessio/epiphania.
it is true about evangelicalism. Very often the churches message is to try to convince people that their obsessio IS guilt, even if they do not actually feel it is! Interestingly, guilt is not really mentioned in the NT a lot! Churches can actually create this sense of judgement and move people into this obsessio!
Having said that, I am not completely dismissing the work of atonement. I do think this is part of salvation. Having previously worked in prison ministry for many years, I have seen how this message truly can be good good news for some. In can be received as good news, an epiphania for those that are literally living in the obsessio of guilt and enforced loss of liberty, confinement due to being judged and found guilty. Some do genuinely feel personal guilt, shame- evangelical language to describe atonement, being forgiven can truly be a grace. And, meet the criteria ‘good news’.
And, I remember once where I felt convicted of sin myself, the sudden stirrings of filth, shame were transformed to a feeling of being cleansed, lighter. The guilt, shame obsessio was a real theological world for me once upon a time, although it took the holy spirit to show me that it was. I do not feel guilt anymore. I do not have to wait for the eschaton to have this situation resolved.
And, I have a friend who is burdened by guilt. It is his obsessio, but the guilt hasn’t yet become so burdensome that he wants to act on it and perhaps move to the epiphania of forgiveness. The cost would be too high.
Conversely, I have seen some churches dismiss the realities of sin, they kind of brush it under the carpet because it is dealt with in Christ. They preach another aspect of the gospel which is our identity in Christ. They focus on the new identity we can claim in Christ. Sounds good. BUT, it is their epiphania that I struggle with, NOT their obsessio - they seem to preach and assume their audiences not knowing who they are, is their obsessio. For some perhaps this is the case. They assume their audience is looking for a secure identity. And, then knowing what their true identity is can solve all things, the epiphania is, it will lead you to doing great things. They forget that a lot of people in the pews just want to be able to get through the week, maybe enjoy it a little and doing great things is not on their list of priorities. Interestingly someone commented in the chat in this series that ‘identity’ could be an obsessio!
But, in my church this is truly individualised and can generate narcissistic traits, it is not a great message for those have a genuine narcissistic personality type. I see this as dangerous in churches. Wolves in sheep’s clothing. I literally do not want to hear another sermon on knowing my identity in Christ. I know what my identity in Christ is and this does not mean I am going to become a super hero, a Christian version of Elon Musk or a Christian version of Beyoncé. I think for me, my being ‘in Christ’ has led to more tribulation and suffering. Sometimes I feel my identity in Christ is the cause of me feeling like my obsessio is suffering!
But, my church doesn’t get this. They kind of preach, God loves us and wants to give us the ‘red bicycle’ we have asked our Daddy in Heaven for for Christmas - what good father wouldn’t want to give good gifts to his children? That is not the God I have experienced. I have asked for many ‘red bicycles’ and not one of them has arrived yet. I just think of the Christians in Gaza, praying for an end to the conflict to name just one conflict situation within the world. What my church preaches reminds me a bit of when Jesus suggested to his disciples that he would die and Peter was utterly offended that his Super Jesus would die. Peter said “no!” leading Jesus to rebuke him by saying “get behind me Satan!” Peter had a wrong concept of his epiphania I feel!
I like the phrase ‘cosmic mattering’ - people do want to hear this and yes, it is a thing in evangelical circles. I think this ties in with the trend for identity, purpose driven teaching and is preached A LOT. That isn’t to say we don’t matter - Jesus seemed to reach out to the ones and the twos, of course we matter, but there is an obsession with looking for ‘your purpose’. The trouble with this is we can actually miss the boat of everyday life itself. I think for many in the evangelical circles, finding your purpose is like finding your epiphania.
And, yes the songs do focus on ‘me’ and I would say over the last few years there have been many songs, again, about not just ‘me’ and my Jesus’, but who “I am”. They are hard to sing, as they feel more self affirmations, a therapeutic tool, rather than worship.
I have not been to church for a good while, not properly for many years - but as the new year unfolds I am going to try again! I will be armed with my new insights into different theological worlds to help me position myself securely and understand where ‘the others’ are coming from!
Ha!
Thank for this series, has been helpful and timely for me.
This post was interesting. I had not heard it put that way before. Your observation was astute.
Evangelicalism is obsessed with sin. It is also oblivious to righteousness, which is peculiar because justification is not by the absence of sin but the presence of righteousness. The Greek words for justification and righteousness are different forms of the same word. Evangelicalism champions the Great Commandment, but is oblivious to the New Commandment. They prefer the law of sin and death over the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; that is what they preach. They believe that loving one another as Jesus has loved you is the same as love your neighbor as yourself. Would you rather be loved as Christ loved, or as I loved myself. Christ loves me by the Spirit, I love me in the flesh.
The power of the law of Moses is condemnation - there is no provision for justification. The law of sin and death works against me. Violate it once and I am condemned.
The power of the law of the Spirit of life is justification - there is no provision of condemnation. This law works for me. Obey it once and I am justified.
The law I am under depends on the priesthood I am under (Hebrews 7:12) and Evangelicalism treats me like I am under the priesthood after the order of Aaron. Evangelicalism traffics in condemnation. I wish somebody would read them in, but I fear they would not be able to hear. If you try, they will treat you like the Catholic Church treated Martin Luther.
I am attending an independent church - at least their doctrine is not superseded at the denominational level where their essentials are carved in stone - in their hearts of stone.
With this, I have broken my New Year's resolution to stay positive.
I don't see an obsessio that includes the anxiety and anger of watching the world acting like a runaway train heading off a cliff and there's nothing you can do to stop it. I'm not just talking about ecological self-destruction, more about social, cultural, political self-destruction. The helplessness you feel watching your society going up in flames. Native cultures really resonate with this one. Where does this obsessio fit?
Some might put this in social justice I think? A sense that society needs to others? To actively believe and work towards this? But, I agree with you - I do not think in reality there is anything we can do about it - a runaway train is an apt description I feel …
Great series Richard. John Van Donk pointed out to me how applicable this was to my online community. Made a video this morning. Blessings on your continual work. https://youtu.be/-3L9PYM_mOo
Too much bigotry and hypocracy has turned me away from church.
Religions seem to have become a separation in human kind..
arrogance and ignorance is what I see..
7 different churches or more in even the smallest of towns show the division too...it has become an ego fest.. do as I say not as I do. I'm right and you are wrong.
The "church" has been currupted.. it started with the religous wars and oppression and silencing of "the female" .. another boys club gone mad, like government and industry.
Woman was not created to serve man, she was created as a counter balance to the male ego and vice versa.. all that imbalance has turned into toxic relationships.. less and less marriages .. un- natural is what it is.
Spiritual awakening is impossible in such an environment...
It's been going on for centuries and people cannot even discern the truth from the lies.
Indoctrination.. the child raping priests are a sign that we were not meant to live alone when it is forced upon us.. now it has become a save haven for pedophiles.. all hush hush of course for years.. shutteling the perpetrators from church to church instead of honesty and change.
Friday the 13th, another example.
Dishonesty for too long.
A friend of mine, big catholic just left the church because she had to leave a very abusive marriage, found a good man recently and tried to marry Mr. Right, she was told she is now "soiled" or something crazy like that. She was not allowed to take communion unless she takes "classes" with her perpetrator husband that beat her for years...
Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.
I’m breathing deep and taking a long pause to think carefully about what you have shared. The Hermitage Spiritual Retreat Center on Lake Pomme to Terre (‘Potato Lake’) where W. Paul Jones possibly is still the Resident Director, has on its website some amazing reflective comments by retreatants who have visited there. They are well worth reading through. I think part of the solution to dealing with the juxtapositions of Obsessio and Epiphania in our lives and various Christian communities, is to ascetically withdraw for a while, and take a spiritual and mental hiatus to embrace and rediscover who it is that we are, by emptying ourselves of all internal and external judgements and simply communing with Nature. Less of Me, more of Him! Eventually, all faith communities have the potential to become ‘lobster traps’ if we don’t allow ourselves to grow beyond their dogma. The Body of Christ is in the process of dynamic regeneration, and we must be a part of that change if our faith is real. The average human is made up of over 30 trillion cells, with about 330 billion being replaced daily. In about 100 days, that 30 trillion will have been totally replaced and replenished - essentially creating a ‘New You’. We are wonderfully made, but not meant to last in this present state. When we are subsumed into his presence, the borders and boundaries that separate us, melt and we experience a beautiful moment of what will be in our eternal regeneration. Rather than bifurcating one’s Obsessio and Epiphania, could they not be same thing coextensive within our consciousness? We ‘Existentially’ contrive a problem, only to then ‘Essentialistically’ resolve it.
This is all very interesting to reflect on. The language of theological worlds…
I remember once when I was thinking about all the different churches, I had this image come to mind to describe it, it helped me try to make sense of it:
I saw an open Bible. And, a multi-pack of highlighter pens. Various pages of the Bible were being flicked open and verses were being selected, then highlighted in the different colours. Each church had highlighted a different verse, using a different colour. I felt like this was what the church is like, different churches, denominations can often highlight a different ‘bit’ and then make it their thing, their expression, as if their chosen highlighted section IS the thing! I find this helpful, as it explains why I can sit in a church and sort of like it, I perhaps like the highlighted bit. However, I can also feel like I don’t fit in, as I cannot conform to the emphasis on the highlighted sections, or restrict my existence, my speech to ‘the bit’ that has been highlighted - it’s too narrowing, suffocating. It hurts my guts. And, I cannot just agree with the highlighted section to fit in. I guess in a way, the highlighted sections are a bit like each church, or each denomination’s selected, or assumed obsessio/epiphania.
it is true about evangelicalism. Very often the churches message is to try to convince people that their obsessio IS guilt, even if they do not actually feel it is! Interestingly, guilt is not really mentioned in the NT a lot! Churches can actually create this sense of judgement and move people into this obsessio!
Having said that, I am not completely dismissing the work of atonement. I do think this is part of salvation. Having previously worked in prison ministry for many years, I have seen how this message truly can be good good news for some. In can be received as good news, an epiphania for those that are literally living in the obsessio of guilt and enforced loss of liberty, confinement due to being judged and found guilty. Some do genuinely feel personal guilt, shame- evangelical language to describe atonement, being forgiven can truly be a grace. And, meet the criteria ‘good news’.
And, I remember once where I felt convicted of sin myself, the sudden stirrings of filth, shame were transformed to a feeling of being cleansed, lighter. The guilt, shame obsessio was a real theological world for me once upon a time, although it took the holy spirit to show me that it was. I do not feel guilt anymore. I do not have to wait for the eschaton to have this situation resolved.
And, I have a friend who is burdened by guilt. It is his obsessio, but the guilt hasn’t yet become so burdensome that he wants to act on it and perhaps move to the epiphania of forgiveness. The cost would be too high.
Conversely, I have seen some churches dismiss the realities of sin, they kind of brush it under the carpet because it is dealt with in Christ. They preach another aspect of the gospel which is our identity in Christ. They focus on the new identity we can claim in Christ. Sounds good. BUT, it is their epiphania that I struggle with, NOT their obsessio - they seem to preach and assume their audiences not knowing who they are, is their obsessio. For some perhaps this is the case. They assume their audience is looking for a secure identity. And, then knowing what their true identity is can solve all things, the epiphania is, it will lead you to doing great things. They forget that a lot of people in the pews just want to be able to get through the week, maybe enjoy it a little and doing great things is not on their list of priorities. Interestingly someone commented in the chat in this series that ‘identity’ could be an obsessio!
But, in my church this is truly individualised and can generate narcissistic traits, it is not a great message for those have a genuine narcissistic personality type. I see this as dangerous in churches. Wolves in sheep’s clothing. I literally do not want to hear another sermon on knowing my identity in Christ. I know what my identity in Christ is and this does not mean I am going to become a super hero, a Christian version of Elon Musk or a Christian version of Beyoncé. I think for me, my being ‘in Christ’ has led to more tribulation and suffering. Sometimes I feel my identity in Christ is the cause of me feeling like my obsessio is suffering!
But, my church doesn’t get this. They kind of preach, God loves us and wants to give us the ‘red bicycle’ we have asked our Daddy in Heaven for for Christmas - what good father wouldn’t want to give good gifts to his children? That is not the God I have experienced. I have asked for many ‘red bicycles’ and not one of them has arrived yet. I just think of the Christians in Gaza, praying for an end to the conflict to name just one conflict situation within the world. What my church preaches reminds me a bit of when Jesus suggested to his disciples that he would die and Peter was utterly offended that his Super Jesus would die. Peter said “no!” leading Jesus to rebuke him by saying “get behind me Satan!” Peter had a wrong concept of his epiphania I feel!
I like the phrase ‘cosmic mattering’ - people do want to hear this and yes, it is a thing in evangelical circles. I think this ties in with the trend for identity, purpose driven teaching and is preached A LOT. That isn’t to say we don’t matter - Jesus seemed to reach out to the ones and the twos, of course we matter, but there is an obsession with looking for ‘your purpose’. The trouble with this is we can actually miss the boat of everyday life itself. I think for many in the evangelical circles, finding your purpose is like finding your epiphania.
And, yes the songs do focus on ‘me’ and I would say over the last few years there have been many songs, again, about not just ‘me’ and my Jesus’, but who “I am”. They are hard to sing, as they feel more self affirmations, a therapeutic tool, rather than worship.
I have not been to church for a good while, not properly for many years - but as the new year unfolds I am going to try again! I will be armed with my new insights into different theological worlds to help me position myself securely and understand where ‘the others’ are coming from!
Ha!
Thank for this series, has been helpful and timely for me.
This post was interesting. I had not heard it put that way before. Your observation was astute.
Evangelicalism is obsessed with sin. It is also oblivious to righteousness, which is peculiar because justification is not by the absence of sin but the presence of righteousness. The Greek words for justification and righteousness are different forms of the same word. Evangelicalism champions the Great Commandment, but is oblivious to the New Commandment. They prefer the law of sin and death over the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; that is what they preach. They believe that loving one another as Jesus has loved you is the same as love your neighbor as yourself. Would you rather be loved as Christ loved, or as I loved myself. Christ loves me by the Spirit, I love me in the flesh.
The power of the law of Moses is condemnation - there is no provision for justification. The law of sin and death works against me. Violate it once and I am condemned.
The power of the law of the Spirit of life is justification - there is no provision of condemnation. This law works for me. Obey it once and I am justified.
The law I am under depends on the priesthood I am under (Hebrews 7:12) and Evangelicalism treats me like I am under the priesthood after the order of Aaron. Evangelicalism traffics in condemnation. I wish somebody would read them in, but I fear they would not be able to hear. If you try, they will treat you like the Catholic Church treated Martin Luther.
I am attending an independent church - at least their doctrine is not superseded at the denominational level where their essentials are carved in stone - in their hearts of stone.
With this, I have broken my New Year's resolution to stay positive.
Hopefully Mr. Right's first name is not Always.
I like the piano/music analogy with theological worlds and obsessios.
I don't see an obsessio that includes the anxiety and anger of watching the world acting like a runaway train heading off a cliff and there's nothing you can do to stop it. I'm not just talking about ecological self-destruction, more about social, cultural, political self-destruction. The helplessness you feel watching your society going up in flames. Native cultures really resonate with this one. Where does this obsessio fit?
Some might put this in social justice I think? A sense that society needs to others? To actively believe and work towards this? But, I agree with you - I do not think in reality there is anything we can do about it - a runaway train is an apt description I feel …
Great series Richard. John Van Donk pointed out to me how applicable this was to my online community. Made a video this morning. Blessings on your continual work. https://youtu.be/-3L9PYM_mOo
Too much bigotry and hypocracy has turned me away from church.
Religions seem to have become a separation in human kind..
arrogance and ignorance is what I see..
7 different churches or more in even the smallest of towns show the division too...it has become an ego fest.. do as I say not as I do. I'm right and you are wrong.
The "church" has been currupted.. it started with the religous wars and oppression and silencing of "the female" .. another boys club gone mad, like government and industry.
Woman was not created to serve man, she was created as a counter balance to the male ego and vice versa.. all that imbalance has turned into toxic relationships.. less and less marriages .. un- natural is what it is.
Spiritual awakening is impossible in such an environment...
It's been going on for centuries and people cannot even discern the truth from the lies.
Indoctrination.. the child raping priests are a sign that we were not meant to live alone when it is forced upon us.. now it has become a save haven for pedophiles.. all hush hush of course for years.. shutteling the perpetrators from church to church instead of honesty and change.
Friday the 13th, another example.
Dishonesty for too long.
A friend of mine, big catholic just left the church because she had to leave a very abusive marriage, found a good man recently and tried to marry Mr. Right, she was told she is now "soiled" or something crazy like that. She was not allowed to take communion unless she takes "classes" with her perpetrator husband that beat her for years...
Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.
None of this Gods Will.
Love and light 🙌
Let's add sanctimonious to that list ... or does that go under arrogant..?...
Hopefully Mr. Right's first name is not Always.
That is none of my concern .. now is it?
I rest my case.. lol