Becoming Aware of GodBecoming Aware of God

Fr. Charles AllenFr. Charles Allen

Lover Beloved

L

o

v

e

Augustine’s Trinity

In and through our everyday interactions….

….we become simultaneously aware of ourselves and our surroundings.

Self Surroundings, “World”

In and through our interactions with ourselves and our surroundings, we become aware of an immeasurable “interactivity” from which, through which and in which we and they exist.

Self SurroundingsImmeasurable

Interactivity

This interactivity is immeasurable because we cannot literally step back from it to “observe” it or “measure” it. Observations and measurements are themselves already aspects of this interactivity. They can be directed to other aspects of interactivity, but not to this interactivity in which they themselves already participate.

Self SurroundingsImmeasurable

Interactivity

We can’t actually draw a picture of this interactivity either, though a picture like this one may prompt you to be more aware of it.

This immeasurable interactivity is (arguably) the principle focus of many cultural pursuits…

Immeasurable Interactivity

…of many religions,

Buddhism

Christianity

Hinduism

Taoism

JudaismIslam

Confucianism

Primal Religions

Immeasurable Interactivity

…of many philosophers,

Heraclitus

Plato

Plotinus

Hegel

Marx

Whitehead

Peirce

James

Dewey

Heidegger

Merleau-Ponty

Deleuze

Immeasurable Interactivity

…of many theologians,

Augustine

Maximus Confessor

Nicholas of Cusa

Gregory of Nyssa

Friedrich Schleiermacher

Rudolf Bultmann

Paul Tillich

William Temple

John Cobb

Carter Heyward

Rosmary Radford Ruether

Karen Baker -Fletcher

Immeasurable Interactivity

…each of which approach it with different questions and interests.

Immeasurable Interactivity

Because of its uniqueness, its pervasiveness, its intimacy and its ultimacy, we cannot describe this interactivity as we do everyday objects. (Like these)

We can only speak of this interactivity analogically through terms borrowed from other contexts. Terms are used analogically (some would say metaphorically or symbolically) when we know that they really apply but can’t say exactly how.

Here are more familiar examples of speaking analogically:

The river The river flowsflows. (literal). (literal)Time Time flowsflows. (analogical). (analogical)The balloon is The balloon is expandingexpanding. (literal). (literal)My awareness is My awareness is expandingexpanding. (analogical). (analogical)I would like to dig a I would like to dig a deeperdeeper well. (literal) well. (literal)I would like to live a I would like to live a deeperdeeper life. (analogical) life. (analogical)We are now We are now inin the cave and are about to go the cave and are about to go throughthrough it. (literal) it. (literal)InIn and and throughthrough our everyday interactions we become simultaneously aware… our everyday interactions we become simultaneously aware…(analogical)(analogical)Note how all the analogical language comes into play when we start talking Note how all the analogical language comes into play when we start talking about things we cannot literally step back from and point to.about things we cannot literally step back from and point to.You can’t literally step back from time, your awareness, your life, or your You can’t literally step back from time, your awareness, your life, or your interactions; but they’re all just as real as rivers, balloons, pools and caves.interactions; but they’re all just as real as rivers, balloons, pools and caves.It is an official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that we cannot speak of It is an official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that we cannot speak of God in any other way than through such fundamental analogies, where, God in any other way than through such fundamental analogies, where, “there “there cannot be a likeness so great that the unlikeness is not greater”cannot be a likeness so great that the unlikeness is not greater” (Fourth (Fourth Lateran Council, Canon 2, 1215CE). Lateran Council, Canon 2, 1215CE).

But this interactivity is as inescapable a feature of every experience as we and our surroundings are; we do not need to “prove” that it exists any more than we need to prove that we or our surroundings exist; we just need to notice it.

Immeasurable Interactivity

Self Surroundings

Lover Beloved

L

o

v

e

Augustine’s Trinity

To believe in God is, at the very least, to believe that personal analogies are at least as good as any other to use in speaking of this immeasurable interactivity; it is not to say that other analogies may not be just as good for different purposes.

To speak of God as a separate To speak of God as a separate being we might meet being we might meet somewhere or other in the somewhere or other in the world around us (i.e., in our world around us (i.e., in our surroundings), no matter how surroundings), no matter how powerful we say this being is, is powerful we say this being is, is actually to speak of something actually to speak of something far less than this immeasurable far less than this immeasurable interactivity.interactivity.This lesser being is, This lesser being is, unfortunately, the being many unfortunately, the being many religious believers affirm in religious believers affirm in blind faith (its existence could blind faith (its existence could never be shown or proved), never be shown or proved), and in whose name they act, and in whose name they act, often with atrocious conse-often with atrocious conse-quences.quences.This lesser being is also the This lesser being is also the one most atheists deny, and one most atheists deny, and rightly so.rightly so.But these affirmations and denials have little to do with the immeasurable interactivity from which, through which and in which we and our surroundings exist.

People do, however, have interactions with their surroundings, or People do, however, have interactions with their surroundings, or themselves, which deepen their participation in this immeasurable themselves, which deepen their participation in this immeasurable interactivity.interactivity.Many Christians speak of these interactions as “sacraments,” signs which Many Christians speak of these interactions as “sacraments,” signs which both represent and deepen our participation in God (the reality from which, both represent and deepen our participation in God (the reality from which, through which and in which we and our surroundings exist).through which and in which we and our surroundings exist).Such sacramental interactions can take place through visions, dreams, Such sacramental interactions can take place through visions, dreams, unusual events, reading sacred texts, participating in worship, unusual events, reading sacred texts, participating in worship, contemplation, struggles for justice and peace, sexual intimacy, etc.contemplation, struggles for justice and peace, sexual intimacy, etc.But none of these interactions, no matter how effective, should be mistaken But none of these interactions, no matter how effective, should be mistaken the immeasurable interactivity in which they and we participate.the immeasurable interactivity in which they and we participate.That mistake is what Christians, Jews and Muslims mean by “idolatry.”That mistake is what Christians, Jews and Muslims mean by “idolatry.”

“Sacrament of the Last Supper,” Salvador Dali, 1955

When I say I believe in God, I am saying I’m aware that I and you are interacting personally, When I say I believe in God, I am saying I’m aware that I and you are interacting personally, not just with each other, but, analogically, with the immeasurable interactivity from which, not just with each other, but, analogically, with the immeasurable interactivity from which, through which and in which you and I and everything else exist. through which and in which you and I and everything else exist. I’m not trying to introduce you to what Richard Dawkins calls my “invisible friend.”I’m not trying to introduce you to what Richard Dawkins calls my “invisible friend.”This is an immeasurable but constant dimension of everyday experience that anybody can This is an immeasurable but constant dimension of everyday experience that anybody can notice. It's not invisible, just too pervasive to be confined to the visible. And if I call it my notice. It's not invisible, just too pervasive to be confined to the visible. And if I call it my friend, I'm speaking analogically of my trust in this more-than-personal interactivity.friend, I'm speaking analogically of my trust in this more-than-personal interactivity.I don’t have to prove this—I simply invite you to notice it. I don’t have to prove this—I simply invite you to notice it. You can do that right now. You can do that right now. You don’t need arguments, just a bit of “consciousness raising.” You don’t need arguments, just a bit of “consciousness raising.” If you want to call it something else, do so. I might learn something from that. If you want to call it something else, do so. I might learn something from that. If you say you don’t notice it at all, I’ll be very puzzled about how you or anyone could If you say you don’t notice it at all, I’ll be very puzzled about how you or anyone could possibly say that, and I won’t know how to take your words seriously.possibly say that, and I won’t know how to take your words seriously.But I’ll keep trying, and I hope you’ll do the same.But I’ll keep trying, and I hope you’ll do the same.