Absence / Presence
We talk a lot about God this and God that, but actually - much of what we feel, much of the time, has to do with the *absence* of God. It can seem that we have very few lights, and our decision of faith (made anew each day!) is what keeps us going.
I think this would be a good, honest theme for a service. What I would envisage is a service which begins with an exploration of the idea of God's absence - or at least the absence of any *signs*. Then the service can seek to bring to birth in the congregation some ideas about how God *does* in fact show himself to be present in our lives. Then it can end, somewhat epiphanically, with a song which tentatively and brokenly celebrates God's presence.
I have some ideas as to how this could pan out and the materials we could use.
Firstly, for near the beginning of the service, I've just written a poem based around the passage in the NT: "Teacher, show us a sign" / "A wicked generation asks for a sign!". Jesus won't grant them the assurances they are seeking. The faithful are, in Kierkegaard's phrase, treading 700 fathoms of water.Anyway, so there can be some artistic explorations of absence; and Anna (K) mentioned that she is conversant with some Henri Nouwen writing on this topic.
Then gradually we can encourage people - through interactive elements, and perhaps some personal stories from the service team - to the recognition that contrary to appearances, God IS present.
I thought the service should end with a live song. In fact, I have a song in mind, which I've mentioned to some of you in person. I've avoided the song here - as I can't remember what the rules are on nicking other people's work and messing around with them for one's own purposes! However, it's PERFECT for a qualified celebration / affirmation at the end of a service like this. It's tentatively joyful. It would need some arranging from Jez, but I'm sure he'd be on board with the choice. As the version we know is a love song, we'd need to adapt the lyrics somewhat. But that's fine.I think this service idea has the merit of honesty, as most churches (esp. charismatic) are happy chocolate and talk about the "relationship with Jesus" the whole time. Am I really the only one who isn't experiencing things in that way? No, I'm sure I'm not. This service would give us the opportunity to challenge people to greater honesty with their fellow Christians, and also enable us to put plenty of ourselves in.It's relatively introspective, but then "Frozen" was outward-looking - so that's fine I'd say. What think you all about said idea?
Tim Summers
posted by Richard Wheeler at 2:40 PM
9 Comments:
Ah Tim, you poor suffering soul you.
I only experience the absence of God in certain charismatic services. Apart from that, I'm in a position of continuous ongoing ecstasy.
So perhaps you all need me to pray for you Now! In the name of JAAAEEEYSSSUUUUUUSSSSSS....(zap!!!)
There again, perhaps others might occasionally experience the odd twinge of God's absence, so more seriously, I think we need to square the circle in this: it must be OK to feel God's presence and OK to feel God's absence. After all, we are never entirely absent from God, and sometimes God hides his presence in the usual things in order to coax us into seeking the Lord. Seeking is probably an interesting spin-off, rather than sitting sucking our thumbs and calling God all the names under the Sun.
I'll see you tonight Tim. Somebody will hold you down, and I'll lay forcible hands upon your head. You'll be blessed. Believe me!
8:03 AM
Paul, you were as good as your word, and last night's blessing will stay in my memory a long time. I particularly liked the part where you pushed me down the stairs of the Highbury Vaults as a sign of God's power. Your touch was as light as a feather.
As for your other comments, I agere with all you say. As a general comment, I'd say that it's important to ensure that this service (should we use such a theme) does not become merely introspective but adduces something of positive purpose. This, after all, is why Frozen worked so well.
12:33 AM
A title for such a service focusing on presence and absence could be 'Through a glass darkly' (1 Corinthians 13: 12 - KJV)
This could relate to the following ideas.
(1) A short 'non-biblical' story as per the 'Frozen' service, relating to 'through a glass darkly' eg. Alice through the Looking Glass.
(2) Our own experiences of the absence, presence, or concealed presence of God, maybe read through different narratives reflecting on either the same event or on different events.
(3) Reflections on absence and presence in the biblical tradition. 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani'. Other Key bible passages could be parts of Job eg. Job 23: 1-9 and Job 23: 16-17. (See also, eg., Psalm 10:1.) Action - perhaps this service affords the opportunity for some drama, maybe based on Job?
(4) Our understanding of God, as seen 'through a glass darkly'. Can this lead us into conceptual idolatry? How do we respond to varied and sometimes seemingly contradictory images of God - depicting God as warrior and peacemaker, an unchanging God and a God who can be redirected, a God of both power and vulnerability? What images do we have? Can we hold onto a paradox of competing claims? What about revelation by concealment? Isaiah developing a motif about the intentional hidden-ness of the divine presence. Action: a meditation, similiar to Simon Wintle's little service meditation on darkness surrounding God (see Psalm 97:2) and with reference to meister eckhart (see, eg., 'Selected German Sermons', sermon 25, with reference to 'complete darkness and unknowing' leading to 'potential receptivity'.)
(5) How do we perceive God in the world around us? Do we perceive presence or absence, or presence through absence? Action could be a 'prayer walk'. Walking around the church silently, with various images on the wall ranging from photos of relatively well known places in Bristol, to newspaper cuttings, and other pictures. Do you feel or think about God's presence or absence in these places or events? There could be an opportunity to pray or reflect at each point.
(6) Do we perceive others as 'through a glass darkly'? Reference to C S Lewis' query - how would you treat your neighbour if you imagined him or her a child of God? Also relates to the presence of God being mediated through encounters with other people, see Matthew 25: 34-46 and viewing the answer in Luke 10:27 as two sides of the same coin. Reference also a song such as 'Wonderful disguise' by Mike Scot, in relation to mother teresa's quote about people being a disguise of God.
(7) How are we challenged by the last part of Corinthians 13:12 - '...then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known'?
4:42 AM
How about a liturgy based around the response 'Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief'? (Mark 9:24 KJV.)
This would seem to fit with the idea of both 'through a glass darkly' and seeking presence.
Also, if the greek root of 'to believe' means 'to give one's heart to' then this chimes with the idea that to make this 'leap of faith' requires the giving of the heart as much as any understanding of the intellect.
6:03 AM
As Bruce Springsteen says in 'my city of ruins'
'My soul is lost my friend. Tell me how do I begin again? ...With these hands, I pray for the faith, Lord ... I pray for your love, Lord.
6:21 AM
I think this sounds like a really appropriate and authentic theme for a service. 'through a glass darkly' would make a good title and 'Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief'? (Mark 9:24 KJV.) would work as a starting point for a liturgy/meditation. I think it is also important not to try to cram too many ideas into one service, and not to try to make sure that people are feeling the 'presence' by the time they leave! Although we don't want people leaving totally depressed either!
I've been trying to think about what aspects of Foundation we could use in Services to make them more authentically about us and our relationships with God. This would be an excellent opportunity for people to share how they are really feeling in terms of God's absence/presence (e.g. perhaps sections from people's blogs could be a starting point to build on?). This would add a personal voice and authenticity to the service.
6:48 AM
Great ideas, from this strange-sounding cast of contributors (and the more familiar Ranter's Sidekick). Much for exploration here, and not really enough to do justice to in one bite!
A few initial thoughts however:
1) Through a Glass Darkly is a wonderful name for a service, and 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani' is a great motif for exploration. Well done, whoever you are! (Hmmm, I wonder...)
2) Love the Eckhart / hiddenness idea, elaborating the theme of Simon's wonderful littleservice last year.
3) Prayer walk: I'm not so hot on anything that involves people walking round the church looking at photos, newspaper cuttings etc. Such things tend to be heavy on labour to produce (at least, to produce well), and - dare I say it - can be a bit intellectually lazy. ("Now we'll do this bit where they all wander round and pray about a picture of Clifton Bridge. Then we call them back for a song, and we're done.")
I think Frozen offered a much better model of how we can do "stations", with its initial section (ghettos) that didn't break up the flow. While obviously there should be spaces for reflection, we have to pay careful attention to the rhythm of the service and, in some ways, maintain the right momentum. (Not everyone liked this about Frozen - but I was among those who did!)
4) Ranter's Sidekick makes some valuable points. Just to echo my agreement on three of them: (a) Not *too* busy; we have to distill the best stuff and use that, rather than use every idea. (b) It's important not to programme people in the hope that they will feel "presence" by the end! (c) Authenticity - yes. I like the idea of using sections of people's blogs, whether verbatim or perhaps as a starting point. It's a good organic use of what people have been expressing in their own way, within the Foundation community's sphere of discussion. This it would be both "personal" and an honest fruit of current thinking.
12:08 AM
I wondered whether we could include a 'sharing of the peace' into this service.
With this in mind, I was interested to read the following from Maybe's website:
shalom
• I did a radical theology/ethics/apologetics course last year called workshop which taught me a lot about the Jewish greeting/concept of Shalom. I am increasingly using this as a greeting, because I think it can convey something far deeper and more meaningful than any English words. Its usual English translation 'Peace' cannot in my opinion do the word justice because in many people's minds it means simply the absence of war, or at most a subjective 'sense of tranquility'. Shalom was obviously used in Hebrew Scriptures (over 100 times), and its Greek counterpart 'Irene' in the NT (exactly 100 times), and was a common greeting but with a cosmic meaning. To me a better word to translate Shalom would be 'wholeness'. This helps to convey the nature of shalom as being rooted in relationships - in relationships between humans, between God and humanity, between nature and God and humanity etc. Shalom describes for me the integratedness and inescapable spirituality of all things. The great thing about shalom is that it is both personal and cosmic. You can have a taste of individual shalom ('sense of tranquility'), but you cannot experience it in its totality until your neighbour has it, or their neighbour, for that matter anyones neighbour! To greet or farewell someone with Shalom is to wish them personal peace and prosperity, but also to quicken the fulness of the Kingdom of God for the whole of creation.
Maybe part of the service could include greeting four or five other people with the greeting 'Shalom'. This would relate to the idea that the presence of God can be mediated through encounters with other people. It could preceded with a short section talking about Shalom, for people to meditate on, before the actual act of greeting.
5:52 AM
Has the theme been decided now? Perhaps a post should be put on the blog when the topic for the next Big Service has been decided?
I like the Shalom idea too, but this seems to have a lot in it. Would it be better as a separate service devoted to this topic? I'm sure the Ranter could be roped into contribute something to this topic as she's doing a Phd on peace... It would probably have a/theistic elements though if you roped her in at the moment!
8:46 AM
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