Synching on Syncing (a Synchroblog on Syncretism)

This month there is a rather quickly put together set of posts on the subject of Syncretism. This is a subject rather close to my heart primarily due to the fact that I have been falsely accused of such activity by people who have not even graced the doors of our church. Of course, the term "graced" is not one which would really apply to them I suppose.

As my consideration of the subject this SynchroBlog I would like to make a statement about a potential future arrangement near our church, and post a question.

Our potential future neighbors at church

Now it appears that next door to our church, in the same building, and sharing the same bathrooms, and having doors facing one another that the newest tenants to our building just might be a a rather large and famous school of witchcraft. This is nothing peculiar for our city of Salem, Massachusetts. The Pagan community is not a group we are either afraid of, nor antagonistic towards. We have many witches who are our friends. That is life in Salem with the loving heart of Jesus.

Now the Question

So, what would you do if your church was saddled up next to the world's largest witchcraft school? I am not sure that this is a definite, and I am not certain I have the answer to the question myself.

Perhaps some of you my Pagan friends might have some thoughts. Perhaps some of you my Christian friends might have some concerns. Perhaps some of you are just scratching your heads and saying, "wow." What's your take? WWYD? Uhm, that's What Would You Do? :-)

The other synchrobloggers so far:


• Matt Stone Master Chef: How To Cook Up A Personal Jesus
• Susan Barnes Our Uncomfortable God
• Liz Dyer Does Interfaith Dialogue Lead To Syncretism?
• Phil Wyman Synching on Synching Synchroblog on Syncretism
• How to be a Syncretist by Ellen Haroutunian
• Steve Hayes The Man in the Moss
• KW Leslie The Syncretists I Have Dealt With

Calling Musicians, Poets and Storytellers! Bardic Competition this Fall in Salem

For more information on this Eisteddfod (Bardic Competition) go to The Gathering's Blog.

Noblesse Oblige Award - and my passing on the Torch of Nobility

Beth Patterson from The Virtual Teahouse has honored me with this blog award for "nobility of spirit." Her words are some of the nicest things which have said about me either on paper, or by word. Beth - you humble me with your grace - thank you.

From Wikipedia comes this extended definition of the French term "noblesse oblige," which means literally "nobility obligates."

""Noblesse oblige" is generally used to imply that with wealth, power and prestige come responsibilities. The phrase is sometimes used derisively, in the sense of condescending or hypocritical social responsibility. In American English especially, the term has also been applied more broadly to those who are capable of simple acts to help another, usually one who is less fortunate.

In ethical discussion, it is sometimes used to summarize a moral economy wherein privilege must be balanced by duty towards those who lack such privilege or who cannot perform such duty. Finally, it has been used recently primarily to refer to public responsibilities of the rich, famous and powerful, notably to provide good examples of behaviour or to exceed minimal standards of decency."

Beth identified well the heart of this blog experiment, which is all it was in its infancy three years ago, and probably all it remains today. Having the same birthday as Martin Luther I identify in far too many ways with the reformer, turned heretic, turned renegade. Square No More was birthed out of the fires of false accusation against myself, and our wonderful little church. The early goals of the blog were to define my faith in the terms of the marginalized, fringe, and alternative elements of our culture - to make it a living faith in a sometimes dead church world, and so I took my Jesus outside the four walls of institution. Okay, that's not accurate. I actually was forced outside the four walls of religious institution, and was hoping that Jesus was coming with me on this adventure into a strange new world. It has been a wonderful mission, a dangerous mission, a sometimes lonely mission, but each time I turn around, I discover that friends are really still there, and they are cheering me on. Those who have traveled with me have sacrificed much as well, and to them I owe my life: My wife Bev, Jeff and Diane Menasco, Jeff the G-man, Steve Pate, and all The Gathering gang who have been with me through the whole story - Mike and Stef, Rennie, Joanne especially, and all our new found friends from those in the church (like Prof CZ), and those outside (John Armstrong - thanks). This award belongs to you as well!

Beth, you have no way of knowing how much I am honored that the word "Noble" in it's highest meaning as you have attached to it touches me. This is the character trait I respect most deeply.

Now I am called to pass the torch onto to three others, and I call the following people my clan of noblemen (and women.)

John Smulo - he has been silent lately. Maybe this will call him back out. John you are the most gracious blogger I know, and in person you are even more gracious. To you I give the title Noble Blogger, and give you the Noblesse Oblige award. See JJ the Smu at Smulo Space - always thought provoking, occasionally gently provoking, and oh so gently too.

Noblesse Oblige number two goes to the prolific, and definitely provoking Jason Pitzl-Waters from Wild Hunt Blog. Now here I go again. A Christian pastor honoring a Pagan. I will probably get in trouble for it - again. I simply have to give this award to a blogger, who despite his significant differences with me on matters of theology, and religion has been gracious in the times he has mentioned me, and always beneficially critical of we Christians. (Yes, Christians it is true. People can be critical of us for our good, and they can be non-Christians who do so.) Thanks Jason. You are cool. I'd love to have you come hang out with us in Salem sometime.

The first award goes to someone who does not blog - my wife, Bev. She is the noblest person I know. She admits her mistakes quick as lightening. She works as hard as anyone living. She puts up with a dreamer like me, and helps to support a terrible churchplanting-missional habit. I wish she had a blog to put this award on.

How Many People Are Writing Books?

Just wondering to myself today, "How many people do I know who are writing books, and I don't realize it?"

Are you writing a book? Thinking of writing a book? Piecing materials together to write a book? Have some really good ideas for a book?

I am figuring that I am one of a million, and that there are a million people out there trying to write a book and hope to get it published just like me. Since I have over four hundred friends on Facebook and Twitter, and a pile of blog buddies I figure I should know a few people who are writing books. Maybe only about one in every 300 on facebook, but probably one out of every 3 on blogger.

What about you?

Jesus as the Archetype Shaman (Part 3): Ascent into the Heavens

In my last post on this topic I briefly outlined the topic of humanity's yearning for a utopian spiritual experience. This "nostalgia for paradise," (a term coming from Mircea Eliade's landmark book on Shamanism, more recently used as a book title by Orthodox writer Dr. Alexander Kalomiros) reaches out to the histories, experiences, and myths of religions across the vast landscape of human experience. In religious revival after religious revival, in culture after culture, and in spiritual ecstatic experience after spiritual ecstatic experience humanity continues through the centuries to exhibit a deep yearning.

Among the stories which spark the hope for paradise, and gather people together in communities of faith, which exhibit this search for something better an oft repeated theme is a hero's ascent into the heavens.

The ultimate expression of heroic ascent into the heavens is found in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. The repetition of this theme both prior, and following 1st century AD highlights the importance of a spiritually superior human having the capacity to access heaven either physically or spiritually and thereby guarantee a path toward paradise, or a potential from bring paradise down to humanity. Though ascension themes do not always entail bringing paradise down - as in the case of often turbulent Greek, Roman, and Nordic Pagan dieties, seeking a blessing or discovering a paradise still often remains a part of the search in the heavens.

The stories of Mohammed relate his ascension on a winged horse in the year 621. This ascension dream was filled with words from Allah declaring the truth and integrity of the messenger Mohammed. The winged horse ascension was used as a verification of Mohammed's position as a restorer of true, and unadulterated religion.

The story of Zoroaster/Zarathustra may include his ascension into the heavens to receive the law, and an ascension in the great flame.

The more recently developed mythology of the Ascended Masters includes a list of ascensions by numerous historical personages whose ascensions were marks of holiness, and supposed evidence of the restoration of true spirituality they brought during their time on earth.

There is debate about the place of ascension in the stories of the Siberian Shamans. Ronald Hutton suggests that Eliade placed a Christianized interpretation of the Siberian Shaman's ascents. Yet, the spiritual movement upward upon the world tree, or the ascent of the Cosmic Mountain (descent elements of these symbols will be addressed later) to communicate with a great god, or any number of spirits still speaks to the idea of ascent upwards and outside the realm of this visible world into the "heavens" for lack of a better word.

In this particular symbolic element of Shamanic journey Christ's story is of unique dramatic power. Beyond the ascent of the tribal Shaman, Christ goes on to be seated at the Throne in Heaven. His ascension follows the brutal death, and victorious resurrection story as Jesus shows Himself to be the conqueror over the greatest physical enemy of humanity - death. The ascent takes place in before the eyes of his followers, and He promises a return with paradise in his wake.

Duck Daddy Adventures

If you haven't seen the new series of stories about raising 6 little Indian Runner Ducks, you might want to check it out at my other blog. Funny stories, and cute baby duck pics.

Jesus as the Archetype Shaman (Part 2): A Nostalgia for Paradise

This is part of May's SynchroBlog on the Kingdom of God. See the bottom for links to other posts.

As noted in my distantly past, last (and first) post on this topic, I believe that Jesus answers the haunting nostalgia for paradise, which follows the stories and myths of many shamanic cultures. This is not only a facet of the shamanic myths and their cultures, but also the leaning of Christianity as it hails back to the garden of Eden, and more often to the early and ancient church.

Yet shamanic culture and Christianity are not the only religious cultures to follow this primal call for paradise. Neo-Paganism began in a similar revivalist vein hoping to restore ancient, magical, and simple practices of Paganism. These primeval ties which Neo-Paganism has to supposed ancient Paganism have often proven to be as illusive as Christianity's hope of restoring the early church. Yet, this urge for a pristine and paradisaical system of religious practice remains a basic ideal for the cultus and theology of many religious systems. Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, and other religious groups which began with a revivalist or reconstructionist call draw human hearts with promises of better days.

Jesus arrived upon the human scene declaring that the Kingdom of God had come. His work of healing, casting out devils, and preaching of a better way of living spoke to the human nostalgia for paradise.

His actions evidenced a benevolent power from an unseen Father. Accessed by faith this power promised to be available at some level to all the followers of Christ. It was a promise of a religious system founded in a paradisaical Kingdom, which would invade those who followed it with goodness.

Like the Shaman who ecstatically travels the unseen realm to seek healing for the sick, or blessing for the crops Jesus sought to bring paradise to earth in small packages of blessing and healing. These blessings answered the cry of paradise even if only for a moment.

The imagery of shamanic cultures includes a Cosmic Mountain, and a World Tree according to Mircea Eliade. Both these symbols imagine ascent to the heavens, and descent back to the earth with the hope of discovering blessing and power from above to help those on earth. This ascension imagery is seen in the words of Christ, "you shall see the heavens open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the the Son of Man."

Answering the utopian urge is one of the purposes of the Shaman, and was clearly a functional and foundational element of the messianic work of Christ. His declaration that the Kingdom of God had come was a challenge to a status quo of human mediocrity, and to the hordes of religious systems which had proven themselves to be hopelessly distopian. This nostalgia for paradise is among one of the many points which causes me to view Jesus of Nazareth as the Archetype Shaman.


For more reading on the Kingdom of God SynchroBlog see the links below:


• Susan Barnes (Christian currently attending a Baptist church) of
Abooklook on My kingdom goes
• Timothy Victor (Christian) of Tim Victor's Musings on The
reign of Godde
• Ronald van der Bergh (Dutch Reformed) of Ronalds Footnotes on
Notes on "the Kingdom of God" in the New Testament
• Nic Paton (fundamentalist, charismatic, liberationist, apophatic,
heterodox) of soundandsilence on The "Kingdom": of God?
• Beth Patterson (Non churched follower of Christ) of Virtual Tea
House on What it's like rather than what it is
• Jeff Goins (Non-denominational Christian) of Pilgrimage of the
Heart on The Kingdom of God: Now and Not Yet
• Brian Riley (YWAMer type o' dude and Jesus kinda guy) from Charis Shalom on Multiple Bloggers on the Kingdom of God
• Liz Dyer (follower of Jesus) of Grace Rules on
The Kingdom of God is at Hand
• Matt Stone (Christian) of Glocal Christianity on
The Only Christian Nation is the Kingdom of God
• Andrew Hendrikse of Fake expression of the Unknown on
The Kingdom of God is...
• Phil Wyman (Non-denominational Christian) of Square No More on
Jesus as the Archetype Shaman (Part 2): A Nostalgia for
Paradise
• Stephen Hayes (Orthodox Christian) of Khanya on
Kingdom, power and glory

Iconoclast by Gregory Berns - I relate

Just finished the book. I am not typically a library book reader. I like to own books, and keep them on dusty shelves forever, but I did check this out from the library. Good book, and I felt like someone really understood how I thought.

Worth buying. I might have to get a copy even though I've read it now.

Pastor Phil on HEX Education Radio

On Sunday night from 11pm until the Witching hour I was interviewed by my friends, and local Salem Witches Christian Day and Sandra Powers on HEX Education. The interview lasted for about an hour. If you listen to the program, I don't come on until half way through the 2 hour show. You can listen to the program here.

Pine Sunday at The Gathering

This last Sunday we celebrated Pine Sunday instead of Palm Sunday here in Salem. Weird, huh? Well, you can read more about here.

Saint Patrick was a Welshman!

That's right - it's true, and to commemorate this fact I have written a song about it. Evan Hansen helped me with the lyrics.

If you are part of the Boston Welsh gang, hopefully we will see you at McGann's Pub in Boston for the Ireland-Wales match on the 21st.



Saint Patrick was a Welshman

Young Patrick was a Welshman you took him as a slave
His coat was green but his blood ran red as the Draig Goch (Red Dragon) that we wave
He escaped and learned his letters, returned and scared your snakes
now you have a Welshman as your blessed patron saint

Your fathers were our brothers and sons in olden days
Your maidens are our sisters, so keep your hands away!
You'll cry upon your Guinness when it comes Saint Patrick's Day
'cause Patrick was a Welshman, and he still is one today

He's looking down from heaven every time we play
Yr Iaith Nefoedd (Heaven's Language - Welsh) upon his lips at the start of every game
From kickoff at the mid-field the faithful hear him pray
Dressed in red he shouts aloud for the boys who have the Brains

And now good Christian brothers, it's just a game we play
Whether Iechyd Da or Slainte (Welsh and Irish toasts for "good health") we tip our cups today
We share our saints and ales, with heads held high we say
Patrick is an Irish Saint
Patrick is an Irish Saint
Patrick is an Irish Saint
But a Welshman to this day!

You'll cry upon your Guinness when it comes Saint Patrick's Day
'cause Patrick is an Irish Saint, but a Welshman to this day!

The Welsh are Coming! Gymanfa Ganu - Salem, MA

Oh my Gosh!

We held our first Cymanfa Ganu in Salem, MA. Meirwyn Walters was the conductor. I acted as the emcee of the event. The Saengerfest Choir and North Shore Christian Men's Choir joined us for the event. As did Jodi Jenkins-Ainsworth, Rose Wolf, and Stella Price who performed her poetry on "Tin Baths in Wales."

We expected somewhere around 40 to at most 100 people to show up, but we had a front page article in the Salem News. A color photo on the front page had me waving a Welsh Flag in front of the church where the Cymanfa was happening, and it said "The Welsh are Coming!" At 5:30 there were over 40 people there. By 5:45 there were over 100. By 6pm when the event was to begin there were over 240 people in the room.

This was a great first Cymanfa in Salem, and a fantastic beginning to Wales Week Boston!

First Church Salem - thanks.
Meirwyn Walters - thanks.
Choirs - thanks.
Cymrodorion Society of Boston - thanks.

This was one big wow!

ST DAVID: DOING BIG THINGS IN BOSTON? (A press Release Headed to Wales)

The city of Boston in Massachusetts is typically thought of as a center of Irish American life, but next week it will become a focal point for Saint David's Day events in the United States ranging from the saintly to the strange.

The Boston Cymrodorion Society, active in the area since the heydays of Welsh-American cultural life in the late nineteenth century, is at the heart of a cluster of events at which the Boston Welsh will be celebrating Wales’ patron saint.

From the traditional (a Cymanfa Ganu in Salem) to the modern (Tom Jones is performing in Boston) the ascetic (prayers waist-deep in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean), organisations as diverse as The Gathering (a church in Salem, Massachusetts), the Welsh Assembly Government and the UK Consulate General are involved alongside the Cymrodorion in arranging events.

The Ryder Cup is even making an appearance, to draw Americans to Newport for the golfing contest in 2010.

Pastor Phil Wyman of The Gathering (himself a member of the Boston Cymrodorion, and the organiser of Dunkin' Like David) believes that Boston deserves to be better known for its Welsh events: “I hope to see Wales Week Boston grow larger each year,” he said. “There’s no reason why it shouldn’t. This is just the second year St David’s Day has received official support in Boston, and the success of our outreach has been phenomenal. There is a great interest in Wales here in America.”

Aled Llion Jones, who teaches Welsh at Boston’s Harvard University and is active with the local Welsh community, emphasises the historical strength of Welsh America: “Welsh-language culture was once strong across much of the United States, and especially here on the east coast. There were poets, novelists, periodicals, newspapers – you name it – being published in Welsh, and the Welsh were a vital force in many aspects of American cultural history, from the earliest European settlements to the Civil War and the anti-slavery movement. It is a relatively unknown story, but one with strong roots.”

Boston Cymrodorion: www.freewebs.com/cymrodorion; cymrodorion@gmail.com

St David’s Day Week in Boston features the following events:

- Cymanfa Ganu: First Church Salem, MA.
- Dunkin' Like David (Dewch i'r Dŵr fel Dewi) a Saint David's Day “polar bear plunge” at Revere Beach. Charity fundraiser.
- Boston Children's Museum: Merlin and Dragons animation
- Tom Jones sings in Boston on Saint David's Day.
- The Ryder Cup (next contested in Newport in 2010) on show.
- Welsh Whiskey Tasting
- Talks and Welsh-language classes at Harvard
- (with luck) Celebration of Welsh rugby victory over France!

Wondering About the Future, Considering the Discipline of Hospitality

So, here I am listening to The Pogues, Flogging Molly and The Dubliners on Pandora. I am meanwhile getting back to reading "Making Room" by Christine D. Pohl. (Check out the box on the left if you are interested in reading it. I bought it used on Amazon for a few bucks.) I can not help but wonder what place hospitality will need to take in the life of the church, and even our nation should the economy continue to decline.

Currently the leaders of our nation are using the money of our future to survive the problems of our present. Could there be an eventual end to this way of doing things? Will we need to survive by caring for one another in simple non-government designed means? Do you think that this ancient art of hospitality will need to find a new place in contemporary hearts?

Dunkin' Like David - Join us March 1st

This is our trial run for Dunkin' Like David, a Boston polar bear plunge on Saint david's Day - March 1st, 2009. This is part of Boston Welsh (Cymrodorion) Saint David's Day events. Saint David is 6th century Celtic Saint, and the patron saint of Wales. Come and join us on March 1st at 1pm in the afternoon for Dunkin' Like David.