Legion, pomo and the UMC

legion
Originally uploaded by scoxjohnson.

That's pomo, as in postmodern. I'm still reading (slowly) Truth is Stranger Than it Used to Be. Today, instead of reading, which part of me wanted to do all day, I was at a meeting where we talked, and envisioned and listened to each other about what we would like for our annual conference to become. For some reason tonight, in relation to this, I thought of one of the descripters that is used by the authors of the book I mentioned earlier---that one of the characteristics of postmodernity is that many find themselves as living illustrations of the Biblical account in Mark 5---the demon-possessed man who says to Jesus that "my name is Legion"---the writers say this: "Controlled by many spirits, the man in the biblical story was tormented, homeless, and in need of healing. So, it seems to us, is the contemporary postmodern psyche." (p. 56) And so, perhaps, are many of us across the connexion perhaps, maybe especially pastors, who have many identities to which we feel loyalty, some of which feel in conflict with one another---we want to be relational, to take the time to listen to those we encounter, yet we feel pulled by the commitments we have previously made. We want to be open to learning from other faiths and the richness of pluralism, but we want to hold as true the uniqueness, and many of us would say the rightness of Christ as Savior. We want to be caring toward the older, faithful members of our congregations, yet we know that we cannot forever keep doing what we have always done. We are in need of healing, as a denomination, as a conference, and as those who seek to faithfully serve--a healing that will lead to greater integrity of ministry, and an integration of our many selves---and somehow, I know that wholeness toward which we yearn, will never be complete until we no longer see our selves dimly in a mirror, but when our selves our joined eternally with our God. Looking to Christ, the pioneer of our faith, we can grow in wholeness, though, I really believe. How do we keep centered when we feel so pulled? Means of grace, Susan, means of grace.
Sorry this is a bit stream of consciousness tonight...