I recently read a blog by the Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern about her vision for her congregation in Palo Alto. Some of her ideas were relevant to my goal of building bridges between many different philosophies of life. She wants her church to be a place:
“where we confront every dogma–the ones we receive and the ones we promote. …
where we accept and celebrate the gorgeous variety of humanity, and dissolve all categories. …
where we seize on every nugget of wisdom, however unlikely the place we find it, and hold it up and share it so that everyone can have every bit of insight human experience can offer. …
where we allow no differences of theological language, spiritual practice, chosen metaphor, or life story to prevent us from walking together.
where we move again and again from false either/ors to encompassing, empowering both/ands. …
where we claim the heritage of all wise thinkers, all brave heretics, all unflagging activists, all teachers and disciples, all artists, all speakers of wise words, all lovers of humanity, all carers for the small and delicate. …
where we stay in the circle and know we will not give up even when we don’t know how to make this crazy quilt of community hang together. …
where we ask the hard questions
. . . and listen to the answers
. . . and listen even when the only answers seem to be silence and mystery.”
Thanks, Amy, for these bridge-building ideals. For the full text of her essay see:
http://sermonsinstones.com/2011/12/04/my-vision-for-our-congregation/
Roger
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