Two Popes, Three Opinions

Two Popes, Three Opinions

by | Feb 1, 2020

There’s a classic Jewish aphorism: “two Jews, three opinions.”  It sounds like the punch line to a joke, but it’s merely an observation about Jewish willingness to see all sides of an argument and to debate them with aplomb. Rabbi Wolpe references Yeats: “Out of the quarrel with others we make rhetoric; out of the quarrel with ourselves we make poetry” as he lovingly notes the Jewish penchant for argument as holy discernment.

One wonders with the two Popes—the active Pope Francis and the retired Pope Benedict—if  what is being produced in their quarrel is rhetoric or poetry.

While both Popes are, of course, Catholic, they come from very different streams of Catholicism.  That difference was made clear in the recent Netflix movie The Two Popes. The flick followed the unusual transition of power between the conservative Benedict and the liberal Francis.  It juxtaposed the European cardinal—a man of the Vatican’s inner court, and the South American Jesuit—a man of the people. Along the way it showed the two popes coming to terms with each other’s worldviews through mutual confession and bearing of one another’s burdens.

I have been hungry for models of leadership which transcend dismissive politics (I define dismissive politics as anything that labels the opposite point of view with words such as “hoax,” “witch hunt” or “fake”). This movie satisfied my hunger.

I found The Two Popes to be particularly appealing because it zeroes in on the story of an unlikely leadership transition between two very different personalities.  In 2005 Pope Benedict had campaigned for and welcomed the papacy, while Cardinal Bergoglio had shied away from it.  Benedict was elected but eight years in, he has burned out under the pressures, including the burgeoning crisis of priestly pedophilia.  He is ready to leave.  At the same time, Bergoglio is ready to retire. In order to have his retirement received, though, he must travel to Rome to meet with Benedict.

Yet Benedict holds him off, parries with him for days, and refuses to accept his retirement.  As the two men become increasingly transparent one another, first tentatively, then unequivocally, ­­­­­something unlikely happens.  The two men come to trust one another, to understand one another.  Maybe even befriend one another. When Bergoglio is elected pope, the other beams.  “I must back away.  Your time has come.”

Sources report that this type of interaction may not in fact have occurred.  Yet it speaks to the kind of leadership that many of us long for—transparent, transformative, responsive to the needs of the people, and responsive to the soul within.

At the same time as this movie has come out, a verifiable interaction between the two popes has occurred.  While Pope Francis is exploring ordaining married men in remote areas of the Amazon, a new book lauding celibacy for priests bears Pope Benedict’s name as co-author. At first glance, this seems to be in direct contrast with the unexpected quality of leadership Benedict demonstrates in the movie. In the movie he promises not to undermine Francis.  In real life, through this book, he seems to be.  But a closer look at the facts reveals something else.  Since the book’s release, Benedict has protested that he did not authorize his name to be used as a co-author.  He has ordered his name be taken off it.

In the meantime, the rest of the world has glimpsed the kind of debate that allows for new opinions and new vistas to arise. While Catholics wonder if two popes and at least two opinions are good for the unity of the church, there may be an upside. A diversity of opinions may actually get people talking, exchanging perspectives, and searching for deeper truths.  As United Methodists, who have been confronted with either/or schism know, that kind of exploration has to be good for the church.

If you would like to learn how to embody a new model of leadership for your church, please contact us or visit www.cultureofrenewal.com to learn how to dream and lead like Jesus.

Three Ways to Be Light in the Darkness

Three Ways to Be Light in the Darkness

by | Jan 21, 2020

It’s easy to get depressed these days. Between the pandemic, meanspirited win/lose politics, the dismissal of fact-based debate, racial and social issues, public shootings, brutal treatment of migrants and asylum seekers, extreme weather events, and destabilized foreign relations, the darkness around us seems to be deepening. Fear is its constant companion.

The darker things get, the more afraid you may become to speak out, to venture truth, to stand for justice or mercy. Yet it is exactly at this time that your light matters the most.

But how do you shine when all the evidence around you says to give up or to dim your flame? Or worse, when the evidence seems to be that your light makes no difference?

I want to share with you three ways to be light in the darkness—to increase the brightness in a time of widespread doom and gloom, without also increasing the darkness.

Consider the nature of light. Jesus and other wisdom teachers tell us that light is the manifestation of love, wisdom, and truth. The sciences tell us that light waves carry information, thus intelligence. Both Biblical authors and modern-day ecologists tell us that light is the basis of all life.

Given, then, that you are stewards of this love, wisdom and truth; this information and intelligence; this life-giving energy, what kind of action can you take to increase the light and diminish the darkness?

First, befriend the love that resides deep in your soul. You know who you are.  You know what you believe in, what you stand for. Take comfort in this inner knowing.  Visit this place within often so that you do not lose your way in larger spheres of chaos.  As you become a frequent visitor to inner vaults of peace and wisdom, you will radiate soul-energy into the world.  As you shine this light into the world, you replenish the world’s depleted storehouses.

My dad is able to buoy the spirits of my mom, who lives with the debilitating disease of ALS, because he taps deeply into this reservoir, and shares it freely with her. She does likewise. Even though she cannot speak or move, their home is a place of surprising joy.

Second, speak truth and wisdom out loud.  Let it pierce the deceit and vagueness within which evil thrives.  Truth is a brightly glowing torch. It carries a very high spiritual vibration.  When you speak, your words reverberate far beyond your knowing, offering hope, instilling strength. Take care, though, that you do not also increase the darkness by coupling your words with blame, judgement, or contempt.

Jesus reminds us to judge not lest we ourselves be judged. What does he mean? The simple meaning is that others may counter your truth and your judgment with their own.  At a more subtle level, the energies your speech carry not only penetrate those around you, but they ripple back into your own life.  Take care the energies with which you speak.

Third, lift up the values and ethics over politics. Political expediency is about getting and maintaining power over others at all costs.  It’s about winners and losers. In the game of politics, the ends justify the means. Not so with ethics. Here the means matter greatly for it is in the wise use of power that social capital is accrued. How people are treated, how the earth is stewarded, how the vulnerable are shielded from harm matters every bit as much as any final result.

One pastor friend lamented the win/lose nature of the impeachment proceedings, and the hard divides it reveals.  “It’s the same in our churches when it comes to human sexuality. We are saying the same thing as the Senate and the Congress.  ‘If your facts and perspective don’t agree with mine, then I can simply dismiss you.’ How can we ever be united like this?  Who is going to lead us?”

You will. Not by focusing on politics, but by shifting the conversation to ethics. Ethics, grounded in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, do not take up residence in any political party. Instead, they are anchored in the life of the Spirit.  They are the unmistakable good that the heart knows, and the Gospel bears witness to.

Several months ago, I attended a retreat hosted by the HeartMath Institute. This scientific research organization studies the connection between the emotional and physical properties of the heart.  They found that radiating emotions like compassion, care, forgiveness and gratitude have a positive impact on surrounding people. Beyond that, these particular emotions raise the electromagnetic vibration of the planet as a whole. This higher vibration, in turn, creates a growing reservoir of well-being which positively impacts the entire creation.  The higher the vibration, the more the light it radiates.

As you prepare to lead your congregations and chart paths for the future, be good stewards of the light you bear. Abide in the deep love, wisdom and truth of your soul. Communicate information and intelligence. Intentionally lift up ethical values that increase light and life. Do not give in to fear.

Learn more about how to lead from bigger perspectives and more daring dreams.

Debate as Sacrament

Debate as Sacrament

by | Sep 14, 2019

At one church I visited recently, a long-time member confided that the church was going to have to split because the two pastors had differing views on human sexuality and the Bible.

Why can’t our differences live side by side?  They do in the Bible.

There are two creation stories, two exodus stories, two accountings of how many animals piled into the ark.  Kings and Chronicles have alternate views of history.  The four gospels themselves   tell differing stories to differing audiences.

Why is it that we in the church see difference, debate, and conflict as unholy?

Difference and debate are woven into the biblical story. Abraham dickers with God.  Jacob contends with the Angel throughout a long night. God and Moses have an equally challenging relationship with each other. Jesus is in constant debate with his followers, his community and his opponents.

As uncomfortable as conflict is, it’s in these encounters that sacred truths are revealed, and holy moments are elevated. It’s time to reclaim debate as sacramental.

When it comes to sacraments, debate is messier than spilled grape juice, scattered breadcrumbs, and overflowing baptismal waters.  But not messier than the events that gave rise to these symbols.

Conflict is a natural part of human community. Conflict doesn’t need to split your church.  As long as you know how to talk to each other.  But even more importantly how to listen.  That requires self-regulation, a key element of emotional intelligence.

When in the midst of conflict, remember the word CALM:

C:  Calm down.  Breathe.  Pause.

A:  Assess your automatic thoughts.

L:  Listen to what was actually said instead of how you interpreted it.  Listen with your heart and your head.

M:  Make a new response.

For more leadership tips, click here.

Remember, conflict and debate is natural – remain CALM in the face of conflict.

An AA Christmas

by | Dec 23, 2018

This Christmas, my husband I will celebrate the holiday surrounded by a variety of family and friends. Most of these folks have an unusualNew Year And Christmas Background. Christmas Candy Cane Gingerbr characteristic in common: they are recovering addicts and alcoholics. Their length of sobriety ranges from 10 days to 30 years. We have found real community with this circle of folks who are members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Transparency and honesty, joy and laughter, friendship and service are their hallmarks.
As I consider our upcoming holiday celebrations, I want to bring to light three ways that AA recovery reflects and enhances the Christmas story.
BEFORE AND AFTER During Advent, we Christians are encouraged to open our hearts anew to Jesus. At Christmas, we rejoice that the birth of Jesus somehow births new life in us. While there may not be dramatic differences year to year, many of us can name what life was like before Jesus was part of our story and how things shifted when—in the words of Eugene Peterson—Jesus “moved into the neighborhood” of our lives. We can even name how this ongoing relationship has positively impacted us and the people around us.
In AA, recovering alcoholics and addicts have a story too: what it used to be like in active addiction, what happened that they chose to get clean and sober, and what life is like now in recovery. Share on X This story continuously evolves as people recover from the devastating physical, emotional and spiritual effects of active addiction. Once people open themselves to a new life, dramatic before and after stories are the name of the game. They are inspiring and faith-building.
GOD AS YOU UNDERSTAND GOD From the time Jesus was conceived and born, no one knew exactly what to make of him. The Magnificat records how Mary supposes a political and societal revolution. Joseph dreams that this surprise baby will save people from sin. The shepherds get an angelic message that a savior has been born. Simeon perceives that Jesus is a messianic figure; he foresees division, pain and suffering. Anna beholds the child and prophesies that the city of Jerusalem will be redeemed.
No one gets the same message. While we have strung these stories together into an overarching narrative, the elements of the story remind us that Jesus is more about possibility than dogma. All we really know is that Jesus is going to make a difference in the world.
In AA, recovery from addiction requires God. But AA’s understand that God is different for each person. In fact, there’s an insistence in the rooms of recovery that no one can define God for anyone else. No limits, definitions or dogma allowed. While this seems unnatural for the Christian, it’s strangely freeing for people in recovery. Here faith is not about orthodoxy or right belief. It’s about orthopraxy or right practice. The proof is in the pudding. Has your life transformed? Are you happy, joyous and free? Are you serving others? If so, nobody cares exactly how or what your Higher Power may be. Only that the fruits of this Power are evident in your life.
UNLIKELY CAST OF CHARACTERS The Christmas narratives place a diverse group of people together: families from the priestly line, shepherds and people of the field, Simeon a devout old man, Anna a prophetess who never leaves the Temple, a rather poor young woman, her older husband, and a surprise baby of divine origin. Let’s not forget angels and heavenly hosts. Later on, foreign dignitaries make an appearance. Oh yeah, and one crazed ruler. It’s a wild story. Who but God could have brought together this unlikely cast of characters?
Similarly, our addict and alcoholic friends form an unlikely assemblage. They include convicted felons, once-respected academics and clergy, school and healthcare administrators, construction workers, carpenters, painters, bikers, oilfield workers, psychologists, former menaces to society, and garden variety down-on-their-luck-just-lost-everything people who are scraping by. These are folks who would not ordinarily know each other, let alone mix. Who but God would but able to put together this unlikely cast of characters?
Wherever you may be this Christmas, and whoever you are with, I invite you to relive your own before and after story, to lay claim to God as you understand God, and above all to appreciate whatever crazy cast of characters you are with. It’ll be a sign that Jesus has been born among us.

Do You Need a 12 Step Program to Follow Jesus?

by | Jun 27, 2018

I spend a lot of time, intentionally, with the spiritual but not religious folks in my community.  I’m always amazed at the refreshing honesty and humor in our conversations.  There’s a real willingness to laugh at former misfortunes, to give credit to a higher power, to talk of miracles and to be of service to others.  I’ve often wondered how to bring those qualities to the congregations I once served or now coach.  Turns out there’s a 12 step program for that!  It’s outlined in an intriguing new book, Recovering from Church and Discovering Jesus:  A 12 Step Program.  It made me wonder:  Do you need a 12 Step program to follow Jesus?
Retired pastors and authors Gerri Harvill and Stan Norman wondered the same thing.  They shared their thoughts and ideas with me.  Check it out; you’ll be inspired by the conversation.
Gerri and Stan, you have written a book about spirituality apart from the institutional church and organized religion.  Isn’t that an oxymoron for a Christian?
Well Rebekah, as pastors of a church we became aware that our own spirituality was gradually being taken away from us by the demands of the institution. We were told to pay attention to our spiritual health and then allowed no time or energy to do so. There was always one more report to fill out, one more person to visit, one more meeting to attend. We were stuck in upholding the institution at the expense of our spirituality.
I can relate.  I’ve been there too!  How did you respond?
We were very frustrated with the unwillingness of the institution, and of many in the congregation of the church where we served, to try anything new or change from getting together with friends for worship on Sunday, to following Jesus as a way of life. Since we had reached retirement age, we decided to step away from the institution and pursue spirituality with a few like-minded individuals. We gathered as a small community for 8 months before we realized that we were addicted to the rules and rituals of the church ourselves. Our friends in the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) communities seemed to have a better, more authentic, handle on spirituality than we did as professional clergy.
What do you mean by that? Give me an example.
A few months into our gatherings we realized that we were becoming another church. We had only moved from the sanctuary to our living rooms and from Sunday morning to Saturday night. Our gathering time was scripted, we had liturgy and music and we were doing most of the talking. We had envisioned a community of equals gathering to help each other follow Jesus on a daily basis. But as leaders, we realized that we were still caught up in the rules and rituals of organized religion. We realized we were addicted.
What’s wrong with being addicted to the institutional church and organized religion?
The rules, rituals, and traditions of the church itself become our “golden calf.” Church and religion become the idol that replaces God in our lives.  It was a humbling experience to realize that we had become the very thing we had preached against for years.
So, is your book anti-church?
No!  But Rebekah, our book does call for the institution of the church to change and become more like the movement that Jesus intended his church to be. The institution needs to die to some things so that God can resurrect it to new life.
How did you make the connection between substance addiction and spirituality?
Well Rebekah, we were exposed to the 12 step programs of AA and NA through groups that met at the church where we served. Our reading and research lead us to writers and teachers like Richard Rohr, Frederick Buechner, Gerald May, and you yourself who had already recognized the intrinsic value of the 12 step programs for spiritual formation and growth.
What can 12 step groups teach the church about spiritual formation and growth?

Spiritual formation has to take place in community.  It’s hard work; we shy away from it because we are scared and lazy. The authentic sharing and caring that takes place in AA and NA meetings is largely missing from the institutional church, replaced by judgment and hypocrisy.
 
I came away from my conversation with Gerry Harvill and Stan Norman energized and inspired by the bold steps they’d taken in reinventing the idea of church using the 12 step process. In my 2015 article “15 Things AA Can Teach the Church”, I share their concerns about outdated rules and rituals impeding the process of spiritual awakening.  I think Stan and Gerri are on to something; read their book and join them in discovering new ways to follow Jesus.
If you are looking for a way to connect up with the larger dreams of Jesus, contact me at re*****@***************er.com to join my free one-hour webinar, Dream Like Jesus® on July 27 at 1:30pm Mountain Time.

Adventures with the Spiritual But Not Religious

by | Aug 1, 2017

“Can I still call myself an atheist, and believe in God?” I looked up from the salad bar at the 20-something young woman posing the question, my fork hovering over the red and green peppers. “Tell me more,” I said, momentarily confused.

“Well, I now believe in a kind of power, but not what you believe in.” She knew I was an ordained minister. “Say more,” I urged her. I wanted to hear what kind of a God she thought I believed in.   “Well, I think God is in everything.” Me too, I thought. “That sounds like maybe you’re talking about panentheism,” I offered. “Pantheism?,” she said. “No, panentheism,” I gently corrected. “There’s a name for it?” she asked, surprised. “Yup,” I said, relieved I had something to offer this young woman. Never mind that I also believe God is in everything; what I was most intrigued by was her desire to identify as God-believing atheist.

My daily life takes me deep into the heart of SBNR (spiritual but not religious) terrain—from the gym, to encounters with 12-step folks, to seatmates on airplanes, to United Methodist churches. Atheists who believe in God are not the only unusual faith configurations I encounter. In my ongoing adventures with the spiritual but not religious, I’ve gleaned a few things I’d like to share with you, including three insights and action steps for the church.
The spiritual but not religious defy easy understanding. While the evidence I offer here is anecdotal, and names have been changed, these stories represent people I have met along the way.

SBNR are not shut off to God nor is God shut off to them.

“I was meditating when I was transported back in time and saw Jesus, palms cupped, with a flame rising out of them,” Josh explained. “I feel like I witnessed one of the miracles of Jesus.   I know he exists. It’s not a question with me. But, church? No, I don’t really go.” “Tell me more,” I said. “We didn’t grow up with much of a faith,” this intelligent 40-ish man observed. “My Dad was Catholic and my Mom Jewish, but we really didn’t practice anything.”

INSIGHT: Jesus steps outside church walls. Just because they are not in Sunday services, doesn’t mean that God is not in touch with the SBNR, and vice versa. In fact, Josh’s story reminded me of my own, told in The Jew Named Jesus. The only difference is I was in the Orthodox Jewish community at the time Jesus appeared to me in a vision. I could have easily opted to stay in the Orthodox world, or to surrender all religious affiliation, but a churched friend gave me a third option. She invited me into her world. Not to Sunday School class, mind you, but to the seminary she was attending. The meaty challenge of seminary was perfect for me. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but It gave me a chance to learn more about Jesus without having to commit yet to a faith community.

ACTION: Connect and Invite. As people share their stories with you, invite them to learn more about Jesus, with you. They may not want to come to worship. Instead, they may want to attend a Bible Study, or a spiritual retreat, or, who knows, even seminary.  Maybe they simply want to sit and talk with you about their experiences. Treat this as a sacred encounter. Don’t judge them or their experiences; instead look for commonalities. Be prepared to say, “Tell me more,” and then to listen. Feel free to share your own experiences with them. Above all, be prepared to learn from them more about what God is doing.

The SBNR are church members and leaders…if they haven’t left yet.

“I decided not to be a General Conference delegate this year,” Suri confided, matter of factly. “I’ve gone every other year. But I’m not sure I still believe in this stuff. I’m not mad. It’s not anything like that. It’s just that I’m more of a universalist. God is love; that’s it. I don’t believe in the duality of heaven and hell. If I don’t come back to Annual Conference next year, you’ll know why. I’ve just moved on.”

INSIGHT: Church on the move. As Phyllis Tickle famously observed, every 500 years the church feels compelled to have a huge rummage sale. We “move on” in our practice, our beliefs, and/or our organization. I think the church is actually moving on from the duality of heaven and hell into a kind of “God is love” unity.  Rob Bell’s book, “Love Wins” is a sign of that.

I wonder how many of our church members and leaders lean toward universalism? Personally, I don’t believe in hell as a literal place. Remember, I’m a panentheist (not a pantheist): I believe that God is in everything, including in each person. Hell, as near as I can figure, is a life lived apart from love, but I don’t see it as a place that God sends us to, condemns us to, or abandons us to.

ACTION: Get clear and get honest. Conduct an audit of your actual beliefs—whether at the level of congregation, small group, friends, or even just yourself. Take an honest look at what you do and don’t believe, and whether your church’s worship, ministries, and classes, are reflective of these beliefs. Invite your SBNR friends. It could make for very stimulating dialogue and build bridges of understanding.

The SBNR are looking for alternatives, and finding them.

“I’m the acquisitions editor for an evangelical Christian publishing company,” Shanda, an accomplished woman in her 50s, told me, “but I almost never go to church anymore.” She hesitated. “My theology has opened up quite a bit.” Another pause. She lowered her voice, “It’s boring. Especially compared to the personal development groups I am part of.”

INSIGHT: Don’t bore folks. SBNR folks are not anti-group, anti-growth or anti-God. They are anti-boredom. There are too many other options out there to waste time on experiences that don’t deliver. If church isn’t conducted in a way that connects, engages, inspires, provokes, challenges, or causes spiritual growth—then folks will look elsewhere. Don’t give them any excuses! Notice, I didn’t say church needs to entertain, babysit or amuse. It doesn’t. Yes, people want high quality experiences that engage them. Challenge and engage people with a love that risks everything and promises a real difference in the world! That’s never boring.

ACTION: Stand for something. Many churches are in survival mode. They have given up on standing for something. Instead, they’re trying to not lose people. Paradoxically, that loses people. Find a kingdom-oriented passion and stand for it. Preach it, pray it, and live it. Risk the church for it. After all, that’s what Jesus did.

Here’s the bottom line, church: SBNR folks have something vital to teach the church. If we listen, we might just gain clues to our own re-birth.
This article first appeared on June 21, 2016.