God, words and us: The pearl of great price
David Boulton, in the second of a series, considers the book 'God, words and us'
Every once in a while a book comes out which proves to be a marker in the continuing development of Quaker faith and practice. I believe God, words and us will prove to be just such a milestone.
In the autumn of 2014 Meeting for Sufferings set up the Book of Discipline Revision Preparation Group (RPG) to prepare the ground for a possible revision of Quaker faith & practice. Some Friends had voiced concern that the growth of nontheist views within the Society might lead to pressure to banish the word God altogether. Was there sufficient unity of vision to discern what revision might be needed for a new articulation of twenty-first century Quakerism?
The RPG set up what they called a ‘think-tank’ to work on the problem. Twenty-five Friends representing a broad range of opinion and experience (I was one) were asked to tackle the question: ‘Is it possible to reframe the differing perspectives of British Quakers, which have been characterised by the shorthand “theism/nontheism”, so as to be less polarised?’
God, words and us, a ninety-eight-page paperback skilfully edited by Helen Rowlands and circulated to all Meetings, is a record of the think-tank’s proceedings and an invitation to Meetings and individual Friends to join in exploring ‘the ways we speak about our deepest religious and spiritual experience’.
Working together
It begins with some supplementary questions that go straight to the heart of the matter: ‘What does the word “God” imply for each of us? When one person interprets their experience as being of God, and another interprets theirs as being the natural consequence of being human, are they in fact describing the same kind of experience but using different language about it? Or are our fundamental experiences different?’ Again, ‘How helpful is it to identify and label different positions? Are we not all simply “Friends” or “Quakers”, working together, doing our best to witness to values of love, justice and peace in the world? Does it matter if some of us do this because it seems the right or best way to live, while others do it as an expressed witness to the nature of God or in response to the teachings of Jesus? What would happen if we stopped labelling ourselves and others?’
The main body of the book is a selection of the various contributions made by members of the think-tank, first in an extended exchange of emails and finally in an intensive face-to-face weekend at Woodbrooke in February 2016. Each contributor first tells her or his personal story, then once they have come to know each other better they move on to a courteous exploration of what are sometimes radically different understandings. Participants are encouraged to bring their feelings as well as their intellects into the conversation. Specific emotions are acknowledged: anxiety about hurting and being hurt; anger (‘how dare you “dis” my friends?’); love and caring; closets and the fear of them (‘can I be myself, or do I need to hide?’); feeling squashed or diminished, rejected or corrected. And, inescapably, the use of power and authority in a Society that seeks to make both invisible!
Diversity of belief and language
Among the insights agreed was the recognition that ‘diversity of belief and language among Friends is real and should be acknowledged’ as ‘a gift in/to the Quaker community’. But to express our plurality as an embattled contest between ‘theists’ and ‘nontheists’ is simplistic and unhelpful. We must be free to label ourselves (nontheist, universalist, Christocentric, whatever) but should be wary of labelling others. Many Friends who would never call themselves nontheists would not label themselves as theists and would prefer not to be so labelled by others. We need better models of diversity than that of a spectrum where the two ends never meet: models which recognise ‘a kaleidoscope of experiences and expressions, of presence, of absence, connections, separation, within, outwith, beyond…’
A number of models which we might develop to express this ‘marvellous collection of shifting shapes and colours’ were offered by sub-groups or individuals in the think-tank and are further explored in the book. My favourite (I wish I had thought of it!) was a model of Quakerism as a solar system:
In the middle is the sun, the source of energy, created by the interaction between the reflective/mystical and the active/social sides of Quakerism. This energy is radiated out to the planets, which could be labelled “Christocentric”, “universalist”, “nontheist”, “disciple of Jesus”, “female God”, etc. Some people may be on moons around a planet, or even on a spaceship travelling from one to another. But the sun shines on us all.
A collective responsibility
Another model, proposed by Rachel Muers, featured a baggage train and its outliers:
We’re a caravan moving through the desert. You can see where the “main body” is. That’s also where you’ll find most of the supplies (and, of course, the baggage). That’s where you’ll probably advise new/inexperienced travellers to stay initially until they’ve figured out what’s going on. But then you’ve got groups and individuals somewhat at a distance from the main body, while recognisably part of the same group movement. They might, depending on perspective, be making faster progress than everyone else; exploring new directions; scouting for new resources; escaping the baggage train for their own benefit; insisting on their own pace; hanging back to check that the main party didn’t forget anything that might be useful later; looking after the needs of other travellers; and so on. We all need access to supplies and fellowship, so there’s a collective responsibility to make sure nobody gets lost.
‘Creation spirituality’
Then there was a four-dimensional model drawing on Matthew Fox’s ‘creation spirituality’ and modern concepts of ‘spiral dynamics’:
Via positiva (the positive way): expressing connection, poetical metaphor, images.
Via negativa (the negative way): letting go of every assertion, image, association, in order to cleanse experience of idolatrous tendencies.
Via creativa (the creative way): engaging in activities and processes that bring about new perspectives and insights.
Via transformativa (the way of transformation): surrender to the processes that bring about surprising and unexpected new experiences, relationship and insights.
The think-tank working party which offered this model commented: ‘Theism and nontheism could be understood as manifestations of via positiva and via negativa. Though apparently mutually exclusive, they need not be understood as antithetical, but could be seen as complementary and necessary for a wider, more holistic expression of that which cannot be fully grasped, understood or expressed in a one-dimensional model… This approach does not rely on toleration of different perspectives, but on affirmation and celebration of different states of consciousness, and encourages their dynamic interaction. (My italics). The model allows us to include and transcend, without diminishing the value and truth that such a perspective brings. It frees us and empowers us to live with greater generosity of spirit, which does not require conformity to create community.’
A Society at ease with difference
What the think-tank offers, and what God, words and us amplifies, is a vision of a Society at ease with its differences, sitting loose to ancient doctrine and dogma, affirming in different ways, and in old and new language, its commitment to ‘try what love will do’ in mending our broken world.
At a time when toxic forms of religion – authoritarian, hierarchical, profoundly divisive and repressive – are tearing our fragile humanity to pieces, we dare to offer a faith and practice which rejoices in its inclusivity, replaces commandments with advices and answers with queries, humbly recognising that we are all part of one humanity which Alexander Pope wryly described as ‘the glory, jest and riddle of the world!’ Isn’t this the pearl of great price?
God, words and us includes a ‘sample group session plan’ for Meetings considering running their own study sessions. It includes welcome and opening-up activities, exploring the language of ‘theism’ and ‘nontheism’, and exercises in reframing the question away from polarised thinking.
God, words and us: Quakers in conversation about religious difference edited by Helen Rowlands is published by Quaker Books at £8. ISBN: 9781999726928.
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