A World of difference

A world of difference 

For 144 days people around the world have been captivated by photos taken by a man living in a small metal box.
 
The man was Commander Chris Hadfield, and the metal box was the International Space Station (ISS), in orbit 250 miles above the surface of the earth.
 
Between 21 December 2012 and the beginning of this week, when he began his return to earth, Chris took photos of the incredible sights he saw. He beamed them back to earth via Twitter, and soon became a hit on the social media site, gaining hundreds of thousands of followers. 
 
The irony was that for all the millions of dollars spent to send him to space, his fame was built on the photos he took not gazing into the furthest reaches of the galaxy, but looking back to earth. 
 
And what a sight he had to look back at. Commander Hadfield's pictures were truly stunning. It is impossible to look at them without marvelling at the beauty and complexity of this little blue-green ball of carbon spinning in space. We saw snow-capped mountains and the wind's patterns in the desert sand; every imaginable shade of blue in the oceans and crazy streaks of red in the Australian outback; ranks of cloudsqueuing patiently over Hull and the moon rising above the “only planet we have ever called home”. 
 
When we as Christians see such images, we are quickly moved to praise the God who designed and made it all with such care, such precision and such ease. We cry out with the psalmist: "What is man that you are mindful of him?" Or to put it in more inclusive language: “What are humans that you are mindful of us?”
 
Science fiction writer Douglas Adams once imagined a “Total Perspective Vortex” in which a person would be given a momentary glimpse of the size and complexity of the universe and him- or herself in relation to it: "An invisible dot on an invisible dot, infinitely small." The experience, he surmised, would fry your brain. We have an aching need to feel that we have significance, that in some way we matter to somebody, somewhere. The idea that we can't even be seen from the ISS is humbling, and can be crushingly so.
 
The good news, though, for us and our friends, is that the God who made it all is also the God who sees us. You're not an invisible dot on an invisible dot, you're a precious child, known and beloved. And that makes a world of difference.

Jennie Pollock is a freelance writer and editor who lives in central London. 

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The Life of Pi and Spiritual Bricolage

'The Life of Pi' is an amazing film, directed by Ang  Lee and based on the novel written by Yann Martel. It is beautifully filmed (I saw it in 3D which enhances the artistry and charm of this odyssey).
Pi recounts his incredible life story to a Canadian writer, so we see large episodes of his childhood where he grew up in a french colonized part of India - he had a fascination for animals as his father managed a zoo. His father was a 'secular-rationalist' whereas Pi had an innate sensitivity to the 'spiritual' and a fervent quest for God.

Pi  was brought up a Hindu but his search for God allowed him to discover Christ and Allah. He could find God in all three religions. His father mocked him for his naivety.
Throughout the film we discover that God is very present in the world and working in our lives - through both joyful and painful experiences.

The life of Pi clearly illustrates the modern trend of 'spiritual bricolage'. That is to say a 'do it yourself' spirituality. Taking certain parts of religious tradition and adapting them to our own life.
Many Christians are horrified by this 'Spiritual bricolage.' I think they feel threatened. Fearing that people will go astray from the pure truth. How will we disciple (control/indoctrinate) them? Yes I can hear all those defenders of pure doctrine getting angry with our so called postmodern society.
There is obviously a danger in the practice of spiritual bricolage. When we look at different traditions, whether they be Christian or not, we need to ask pertinent questions. Which parts are good? Which parts should we choose? As a follower of Jesus, would I be guilty of syncretism? Not necessary.

The early first century church was made up of Jews,  and Greek and Roman pagans. The church had to grapple with questions of circoncision, whether they should eat certain meat etc. In short, the early church had to select what was good from each of the different religious/cultural backgrounds and what was unacceptable. 'Much of the Christian New Testament is an argument about whether spiritual practices from other religions or cultural practices relate to the message of Jesus'. (Diana Butler Bass, Christianity after Religion). For example in Roman culture they practiced exposing unwanted children, this practice clearly goes against the teaching of Jesus - we should welcome the little children. Also early Churches were a Christianized blend of ancient Jewish Synagogues and Roman basilicas, Easter borrowed Passover and pagan rites of Spring, Christian theologians worked with Hebrew scripture and Greek philosophy.

'Although Christianity itself is a blended faith - a combination of first-century spiritual experiences of Jesus, rabbinic Judaism, greek philosophy, Gnosticism and Roman paganism - Christian tradition has a typically urged thoughtfulness (not caution exactly, but thoughtfulness) when mixing practices.' (Diana Butler Bass) We need spiritual discernment in this process of choosing our spiritual practices, asking ourselves important questions: 'Does this practice relate to the teachings of Jesus? Does it bring me closer to God? Does it enable me to love and serve my neighbour? Does it awake me to God and others? What kind of person will I become if I seriously devote myself to learning particular practices?

So back to the film...
I personally found it inspiring. I came away with a sense of awe and wonder. Yes God is very present in my life. I can almost hear Him breathe.

CREATION IS SPLENDID !

John Calvin, sixteenth-century theologian and reformer, wrote, “The creation is quite like a spacious and splendid house, provided and filled with the most exquisite and the most abundant furnishings. Everything in it tells us of God.”

Idols and wonder

"Concepts create idols; only wonder understands everything."

Gregory of Nyssa

"Les concepts créent les idoles de Dieu. L'émerveillement seul pressent

quelque chose ou plutôt quelqu'un."

St. Grégoire de Nysse