Fr. Tony’s Midweek Message
Rootedness
February 8, 2017
Here in post-modern
America, with its wide diversity of religious and non-religious traditions, it
is always a temptation to simply “shop religion” and blend one’s own mix of
spiritualities. In a landscape of
radical diversity, all religious options seem equally valid, valuable, and
true, with the exception of views that exclude or subordinate others, or claim
unique truth or authenticity. This often finds expression in a
consumer’s approach to religious belief: pick and choose those things of
religion—any religion—that appeal to you, that suit you, and moosh them all
together into your particular faith. “I’m spiritual but not religious” is
a common tag line of such boutique faith. A little bit of Christianity, of
pre-Christian earth religions, of Buddhism, of mystic Islam or Judaism,
stripped of their authoritative claims or difficult doctrines, of their
craziness, and you can arrive at a pleasant blend all your own, like some
customized pipe tobacco or drug stash.
To
those who think that this sounds perfectly reasonable, it is important to
remember wise words from the Dalai Lama. He says that if you take a
little of this faith and mix it with a little of that one, you have neither the
one nor the other and cannot be properly formed by either. You never will sink
your roots deeply enough into a single tradition to truly grow and mature
spiritually. It is only when you sink your roots deep, with an open heart
and mind, and acquire some spiritual maturity that you can “branch out” and
truly enjoy the fruits of another tradition. “If you are Christian it is
better to develop spiritually within your religion and be a genuine, good
Christian. If you are a Buddhist, be a genuine Buddhist.” (H.H. the Dalai Lama,
The Good Heart: A Buddhist Perspective on
the Teachings of Jesus, p. 46).
Many
of us are used to criticisms from the right about branching out: “HERESY!”
“HERETIC!” But there is also a
criticism from the left, and it may be more valid: cultural appropriation. This is when someone from a position of
privilege (an imperialist power, a predominant race or gender) takes objects,
practices, and ideas that are considered holy from traditions and communities
that have been on the receiving end of privilege’s power and imperialist
incursions, and strips them of their context and setting, and then pretends to
make them your own. Making a mere house
decoration in America of a holy object from India, China, or Indonesia would be
an obvious example. A less obvious, but
every much as problematic example is the use of
rituals or ritual objects and clothing from one tradition in one’s
own.
The
difference between such legitimate branching our and mere slumming is how
willing one is to take on deeply the assumptions, disciplines, and claims of
the borrowed object or practice.
Our
Lord teaches us to be open to the new and unexpected, and to search for the
treasure buried in the field of our hearts.
That’s why he uses parables and stories.
But he places this in a context of a tradition of teaching and practice
in community (church), or what Buddhists call Dharma within Sangha. It’s why he remains deeply Jewish, albeit
marginally so, to the end of his life.
This,
for me, is why I try to preach the actual texts of scripture. It is why I try to conform to tradition and
the heritage of our faith community. It
is why I prefer worship in very ancient and well-used forms. It is why the Prayer Book matters so much for
me, and why I gladly accept the term “catholic” and “apostolic” to describe my
faith. It is also why I say and hear
confession regularly, and have a spiritual director. It is also why at one point of my life I
took vows and served as a Buddhist monk for 30 days. It is why I am a vowed religious in the
Anglican tradition today.
It
is also why I welcome new things and innovative, progressive blendings, when
these are intentional, respectful and deeply borrowing, and within
community.
Grace
and Peace,
Fr.
Tony+
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