RS1: Realspiritik: Realism in Spirituality
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Welcome to the Realspiritik site, where Jesus and I will be continuing our discussion of the nitty gritty realities of life in a spiritual universe.
This is the fifth in a collection of linked essays I’ve been writing, with Jesus’ ongoing encouragement and help, since 2006. The most recent four collections are the blogs I’ve written (or am still writing) under the name of Fireweed. The first, written mostly in 2006 and 2007, is a hard-copy book that hasn’t been released yet. Maybe one day . . .
Jesus first coined the term Realspiritik back in 2007, when I was scrounging around for a title for the final section of the first book. So this neologism started out as the title of a book section, and then became the title of an essay in Concinnate Christianity (“Realspiritik”). Now it’s evolved into the title of this blog. It means, boiled down to its essence, “realism in spirituality.” Not capital-R political Realism of the kind espoused by Thomas Hobbes, or Christian Realism of the kind promoted by Reinhold Niebuhr, but small-R realism.
The kind of everyday practical spiritual reality that Jesus himself once tried to teach.
It’s a very simple model for understanding how we, as human beings and children of God, can live healthy, holistic, loving human lives. It’s a simple model because it insists that science and faith be full partners in our daily lives. Not science and religion: science and faith.
Most days religion and faith have little in common, so I’m not advocating that you try to salvage all your cherished religious doctrines while you juggle the science. I’m advocating that you try choosing faith instead of religion. Faith in God instead of obedience to church leaders.
Faith in God, as Jesus and I will try to show, means opening your heart to the many languages of God — including the language of science. Of course, opening your heart means also means opening your eyes — and, indeed, all your senses — to the mystery and wonder of God’s Creation. So it’s anything but blind faith.
Hey, as an approach to living, it can’t be that much worse than what you’ve already got.
If you have any specific questions you’d like us to address, please contact me at realspiritik@gmail.com . As well, posted comments are always welcome.
“Beloved God, please help me find the ways in which my mind can learn from my heart, and my heart can learn from my mind so my body can find some peace!” (from Jesus, August 2011)
Amen to that.
