Soul and Needs

Since reading many of the depth psychologists, I have been questioning whether my “needs” are a profitable guide. James Hollis (a depth psychologist whose writings I recommend) writes that we are summoned by the question, “What does the soul want of me? Notice that this transformation has little if anything to do with the ego’s comfort or control, or the approval of others.” (p. 162, What Matters Most). There is a basic truth that we need safety and security to develop relationships (“Thank you,” Maslow). However, we can become so preoccupied with safety and security that they imprison us. We are so anxious and fearful about risking our safety and security that we fail to respond to a larger life summoned by the soul. For example, I have had folks tell me that they would love to go to the Holy Land and see the Biblical places. When asked, “Why not go?”. Their response was that they might get sick. It is true they might become ill, but their anxious and fearful self, imprisoned and kept them from following the summons of their soul and traveling to the Biblical Lands. Our ‘needs’ are important, but they may not be as significant as we make them to be. If we are not insightful, our needs can become little gods.

Trust and Anxiety

It was 1995 and my soul knew it was time to leave the Church where I had been serving as Pastor for 16 years. The relationship between myself and the Church was wonderful. The Church was growing. Nevertheless, something in me was alerting me to the reality that it was time to move on. “Move on” to what? We, my wife, and I did not know. We were anxious about this anticipated change because it was significant. A friend, who was a Catholic Priest and a Spiritual Director, said that perhaps I would need to trust God sufficiently to leave before I knew what I was going to. His words did not help our anxiety. Nevertheless, that summer, I read my letter of resignation to the Church. They were confused. What had they done? Nothing, everything was fine. Did I need more money, a larger staff, etc.? No, the reason was within me, and I could not clearly explain to them. Today, I recall Jesus’ invitation to the disciples, “Come follow me.” Jesus did not tell them where he was going, how long he would be gone, what was going to happen, etc. Jesus only said, “Come follow me.” That summer of 1995 produced a great deal of anxiety within my wife and me. That anxiety, however, has become the source of one of our most significant spiritual lessons about what it really means to trust God. The invitation is simple, complex and produces great anxiety, “Come, follow me.”

Untune the string

“Untune the strings and hark what discord follows.” (Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida). What happened in New Orleans among 10,000+ Southern Baptist and continues to happen among the 100’s of thousands of Southern Baptist is the fear of what might happen if the string of ‘women as second-class citizens in God’s Kingdom’ were to become untuned. Second class because women, i.e., Eve, is the cause of sin in the world (“Thank you” Augustine and Southern Baptists for letting us men to become free of first responsibility for sin). In Shakespeare’s play there is a betrayal as she returns to her father. There is also a betrayal of courage as he fears the consequences of going after her. Among Southern Baptists, the “fathers” of the doctrine or creed rose to speak in New Orleans, and the women betrayed themselves by returning to the ‘fathers’ beliefs and creeds. The men were intimidated by their fear of the doctrinal or creedal “fathers” and choose not to go after and redeem the women. As the depth psychologists have taught us, we are so often ruled by fear, often without having consciousness of it. How often, not only among the Southern Baptists in New Orleans, but among all of us, has fear caused us to betray our ‘better selves?’

Southern Baptists and Women

I was born and raised as a Southern Baptist in Oklahoma. I went to a Southern Baptist College in Oklahoma. I graduated from the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville. My Southern Baptist heritage was significant in my life. Today I am disappointed with my Southern Baptist family. Several years ago, I moved my endorsement from the Southern Baptist Convention to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. I am pleased to be identified today as a Cooperative Baptist rather than Southern Baptist. The Southern Baptists are preoccupied with women and ministry. If God trusted women to take the message of Jesus’ resurrection to the men who had fled from the tomb, how can anyone doubt that a women cannot be a minister of the Gospel. What God did at the tomb settled the ‘women in ministry’ issue for me.

Campaigning, Elections and Values

The political election system is underway. I choose my values and ethics prior to anyone candidate’s campaigning. My sense of values for the nation is from Matthew 25 where Jesus told us how the nations are to be judge. My thinking is that Jesus’ sense of evaluating is good enough for me. So, I ask myself does this political party or person endorse such things as: respectful care for the ‘strangers,’ i.e., the immigrant, refugee, etc. among us? What are their plans about respectfully caring for and rehabilitating those who are now incarcerated? Do they want everyone to have access to appropriate health care? I also think about our young people, who are the future of the nation; so, do they want to provide free education from pre-school through college and, even, graduate school? What are their plans for clean, healthy water and adequate food for everyone? These are the values by which I make decisions for whom to support and how I vote.

Aging Seems Inevitable

In these past several days I have received notice of several deaths. A Disciples minister who was a colleague in Seminary field education. A lady of whom I was her Pastor. An acquaintance who I knew in Seminary and with whom we shared similar views about denominations. There was also a friend with whom we shared leadership in Lexington’s Comprehensive Care. All these folks are contemporaries of mine. We worked together years ago in various endeavors. They are about the same age as I. My mortality continues to get closer. What I hope folks will say about me at my death, depends upon how I choose to spend this day. As a homework assignment in Seminary years ago, I had students write their obituaries. After the assignment, I suggested the students live into their obituaries. I think that is still pretty good advice as well as daily intentions. It seems that aging is inevitable.