Lonergan: at end of 1600s a great revolution:
constant attacks by Enlightenment
and Anglicans analyzing
existence
balancing scripture, tradition, reason
shifted Catholic method-in-theology
from questions to certainties
theological inquiry to dogmatic theology.
Outer spiritual authority says
“You are special”
Inner spiritual authority says
“Everyone is special”
another revolutionary shift
from elitism to egalitarianism.
Too much outer authority
creates Authoritarian Institutions
which create religion’s greatest enemy:
indifference:
loss of divine will-to-be-alive
loss of heart
loss of passion
atrophying into loveless/hateless
existence.
Upon meeting, Buddhists
bow and silently acknowledge
each other as a Buddha-to-be
since all carry within
seeds of awakening.
In Confucianism, filial piety
must be practiced from
the Emperor/Empoweror
Son of Heaven
down thru princes, scholars to peasants
or disaster ensues.
Brueggemann: Christian imagination
numbed, satiated, co-opted, paralyzed by fear
cannot do any serious work.
But depth psychology and existential analysis
separate anxiety, a group phenomenon
from fear, an individual phenomenon.
So, do not fear
to follow Jesus
because of what others might think.
In fact, others don’t think
of you……………….at all.
Shed fear and become
one of the twin heroes of mythology
two basic sides of human nature:
the mild and acquiescent
the wild and rebellious
the Introvert who powerfully reflects
the Extrovert who greatly accomplishes
but either way
be humble
not self-deprecating nor self-condemning
and either way
be contemplative
the secret of which is:
life in the Eternal Now
not-Emptiness
full-of-Godness.
Bonaventure: Incarnation is
the Center of Creation:
everything preceding and following
descent of the Logos
finds its meaning in Christ.
The Universal Christ is
the Eternal Now and Love Supreme
Love: Alpha and Omega of Life
Alpha: Big Bang to God-consciousness
showing Itself explicitly in Jesus the Christ
Omega: Love drawing the universe
forward thru Christ
toward
ever-greater-Unity-in-Love.
The universe’s salvation is
corporate/universal salvation
beyond any individual.
Wake up, wake up together!
Intelligent Christian Spirituality 