The Sacred

So, where are we? Belief...

Does belief make a difference in your life? I'll bet your immediate answer is,"Of course...Yes!" But let me ask you this; Do you make a distinction between theology and your relationship with God? Can't distinguish between the two? How 'bout this -- For example, (how) does the doctrine of the Trinity impact your daily relationship with God? (Assuming you have that kind of relationship with God)

Now, to be truthful, "theology" isn't necessarily just the heady and the academic propositions of God that have little bearing on daily life -- like the doctrine of the Trinity. Theology is basically how we understand God. And as a result, it impacts what we believe about God (it also let's us in on your psychology- interesting stuff here too). If you believe God is all-loving, then you'll interact with the world and people and of course God, in a way reflective of this understanding. If, however, you believe God is a vengeful God that will very easily punish people for offenses, then guess what, this is going to impact how you see life and people and of course God.

How real is God in your life? "Very!" How does that realness play out in your life? "Well, I try and be a good person." Okay, let me ask you this... how do you experience God? In your head and heart, you know God is real! So... when have you felt the presence of God? Could you do that... Walk into a room and know whether there is the presence of God in that room or on any room? "Well, I know God is there, God is everywhere!"

Okay, fine, this is true. We sometimes fall back on our "head-faith". Now I have to say "head-faith" (that side of our beliefs we might not have personal experience of, but we have to trust that what we've been told is, in that sense true) isn't all bad. In fact, I say to people, lacking an experience of God being Loving... just fall back in the arms of God, trusting us when we say... it's true. Sometimes you have to let your head believe for your hear, until your heart comes around to this knowledge... the heart "believes" in it's own time and way.

But my critique is... we often only rely on the head, especially in many of our western Christian religious traditions -- especially Lutheranism.

But that's not what I'm asking about. Have you ever felt the power of the sacred in your life? Seen a vision, or had some sort of mystical experience? "I don't know about that." You know, most people have had some experience like that in their lives, but are too embarrassed to share a story like that, or are too afraid of what others will think of them.

Yet we starve for some connection, emotional-gut level, power experience of the sacred. I've been around people that have had things like this happen to them - visions, sacred moments, where they've been connected to something beyond, something bigger than themselves. I've had them, numerous times. Sometimes they've happened while I was "tuned in", but sometimes they've happened unannounced and unbidden.

I remember at seminary a professor told us what other professors hadn't said, but probably would not have objected to, "don't trust your feelings." Basically, stick with the head- it won't let you down. I assume he meant that feelings could be manipulated to lead you to unhealthy places theologically. I would also add, so can the intellect. There are some real intellectuals out there that are atheists.


But combine the ordering and rational mind of the intellect, with the experiential world of the heart, and you have a very powerful combination. So, assuming the experiential things of the sacred are natural... let's find ways of taking them and filtering them through the mind-faith more. I'll bet this kind of relationship would really resonate with many, many more people.

Tell me what you think. I don't know if there are many of you out there still reading this (besides Karen), but I'd love a dialog on this.

I know about life-stuff happening, and I know it gets really hard to get to the computer and blog. I'd love to be able to get to doing this more often than I do, so I'm grateful for the once-a-week times I actually can do it. But if you can manage this, I'd love to have an interaction on this.

The Sacred... how have you experienced it? And I'll tell you some of my stories.

Peace