A Simple Faith ( from the Seasons of The Soul, Blue Book
It is a big mistake to think that faith is immutable, that it does not change over generations. The longer that mankind exists,,its faith becomes simpler and stronger. And the simpler and stronger our faith becomes, the better we live….
Tolstoy
Calendar of Wisdom
As I was taught by Matthew Fox and have heard it said from other progressive sources, it is best to understand faith as a verb, not as a noun. For far too long, faith was a static term used only to describe stolid doctrines of a particular church or tradition. This definition surrounds and captures orthodoxy, and it is a use of the word as a boundary of what is acceptable and protective of a cherished or defended outlook on life. While there is merit in holding to a sense of timeless wisdom, even the most cherished of doctrines require testing and proving from one generation to the next…
This contrasts to the dynamism of an expansive, evolutionary faith that expresses its trust in unfolding possibilities. It has an urgency attached to it that allows for changes as well as impending commitments. It is faith that is graciously uncertain because it calls for courage, trust, and a willingness to explore the margins of beliefs and to “test the spirits” to see what is valid and life affirming and conversely what is toxic and deadening to our desire to learn and grow…
If Tolstoy is right in his assertions about simplicity, and I believe he is, a simple faith nonetheless has many facets and dimensions within it. Its simplicity is defined by how free it is from the strictures of orthodoxy and its rigors of mandatory obedience.
Simplicity is an inspirational quality of soul that invites your heart to respond to it openly, bravely, and with a sense of awe and wonder. It is free from obtuse theology, and looks to the essence or”to the heart of the matter” or to the core concern of faith that is a receptive soulful dialogue between your personal understanding of truth and the whispers of the Divine.
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