Fourth Pathway – Painstakingly Acquiring Faith –
Part IV
One of the ways disciples burn dross
away from their faith is seriously considering the “masters of suspicion.” Is
it surprising that ten books written by atheists become national
bestsellers? I suggest disciples consider
three of them; the late Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, Religion
professor, Anthony B. Pinn’s Writing
God’s Obituary: How a Good Methodist Became an Even Better Atheist and
scientist, Richard Dawkins’ The God
Delusion. These books are combative
and polemical in their critique of manipulation of religion to fuel terrorism,
injustice, indifference to poor people, xenophobia, classism, militarism and
myriad other geopolitical issues. Well
intentioned people of all religions regrettably either ignore these issues or
refuse to strive for intellectual coherence within their faith traditions. Some
disciples linger in a fog of irrelevancy.
Worthwhile faith can withstand the heat of historical, critical
analysis. Sigmund Freud in his
irreverent but substantial condemnation of immature and meaningless religion, The Future of an Illusion, disdains
religious adherence to an imaginary perfect parent. Instead, religious people
must differentiate themselves from their families and communities of
origin. As holistic adults, disciples
should not need an ideal protective parent who forever shields them from
danger. They find internal resources to
respond with maturity to daily living. As
questioning is a definite component of maturing in faith, considering opposite
positions is equally necessary.
Disciples can learn significantly from persons whom they sometimes label
as “opponents and enemies.” Willingness
to converse with committed persons of diverse faiths and even persons who do
not affiliate with any faith ironically strengthens faith. Disciples increasingly acquire knowledge of
their own faith traditions as they participate in these dialogues. To acquire faith sufficiently substantive to
withstand life’s turbulence, disciples willingly embrace the masters of
suspicion.
In the second image, the prophets
admonish Israel to resist the temptation to mimic Moab’s behavior; “Moab has
been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees; and has not been
emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity; therefore,
his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed” (Jeremiah 48:11) Wine
was a staple in biblical times. Its
process of fermentation offers value symbolic and spiritual lessons. Beginning with squashing grapes to pouring
juice in barrel and then pouring the liquid from that barrel into another
barrel to discard the pieces of grape skin, seeds, and other sediments that
contaminate the wine, this process demonstrates spiritual growth and personal
development. If the wine were not
removed from barrel to discard residue at the bottom, the scum invariably
spoils the wine. Rotten seeds corroded
the taste and other dirty particles created an odor as they fermented within
the wine. Periodically, winemakers had
to pour the wine as it ferments from barrel to barrel to ensure removal of
lees. This image suggests God utilizes
complex and contradictory occurrences to drain lees out of the character of
people and transform them into vessels of His love.
As a pathway for personal healing,
faith emerges in irony and mystery. To
reap the benefits of an interpersonal healing process, a disciple discards the
ambiguous and archaic models of who God is, who He reveals his purposes and the
means with which He imparts faith.
Instead, embracing these difficulties is an effective means of
discovering genuine faith. In Ephesians
3:20, Paul encourages the church, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly
abundantly more than you can ask or imagine according to His power that is at
work within us.” This verse reminds us
of our internal power. Inner reserves of resilience, perseverance and
meaningful and rational belief in God equip disciples to withstand unjust
situations. One of the most invaluable
gifts of “the dark night of the soul” is the gift of individuation. The Swiss analytical psychologist, Carl G.
Jung, contributes this spiritual, theological and psychoanalytic concept. In contrast to Freud, Jung posits that
religion offers incredible potential to resolve intrapsychic trauma and pathology
rather being its source. Individuation
entails progressing toward unconditional self-acceptance of a person’s
uniqueness. Self-acceptance in turn
yields self-determination as it relates to employment, education, marriage,
family and other personal choices.
Essentially, belief in God fits hand in glove with belief in self. However, individuation does not emerge within
a graduate school seminar or study desk in the library. It is the gift for
disciples who journey through the valley of the shadow of death.
Two recent historical examples vividly
illustrate “the dark night of the soul.” Historians concur in their
characterization of a period of Winston S. Churchill’s life as “the wilderness
years.” He was out of power in
Britain. Churchill experienced two
stages of political service. In the
former time, he demonstrated his potential, character and promise. The latter period witnessed his ascendancy to
the premiership of Great Britain in which he led the United Kingdom through the
Second World War and beat back the Axis powers’ ferocious assault. Even casual observers and readers of history
can quote a snippet from Churchill’s enduring speech to the British people in
which he assured the country that they would never surrender. Between these two epochs, Churchill was
removed from the British Parliament.
Exiled to his residence where he read, painted, smoked lengthy cigars
and enjoyed wine and spirits, Churchill utilized that time to examine himself.
In this existential wilderness, he found resilience, chutzpah and
self-determination. That time of
self-discovery prepared him for the great tasks that lay before him.
Should your emotions swing between the
pendulum of anxiety and anger as well as bleakness and paralysis, you may find
encouragement and empowerment from Churchill’s life. His exilic period allowed him to discover
resourcefulness within his character that equipped him for his destiny. The wilderness is an ideal setting for many
lessons. Its silence compels
introspection. Having to subsist within
austere conditions, a person discards unnecessary desires. Solitude affords mental space to evaluate
life’s meaning and purpose. Examination
of personal and professional relationships is necessary to unload unhealthy and
incongruent alliances.
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