Beyond all words and names.. (Y-not question the Sunday Readings)

by CathyT , Adelaide, South Australia, Monday, June 04, 2012, 01:06 (350 days ago) @ Sue

Thank you Sue for your response, and thank you especially for your tact in suggesting that maybe I hadn't really expressed what I meant to in my comment about "only having words and names" with which we can connect to God.

Of course you are absolutely right. I hadn't really thought through what I might be implying in my comment; I suppose I was thinking in terms of what we need to develop a long-term relationship with God, though maybe even there, names are not necessary for everyone. And yes, you are undeniably right that most of us have experienced moments when we feel deeply connected with a sublime "something" that goes much too deep for words or names, and which at least some of us would see as an encounter with the Divine.

I also take your point about the need to avoid the baggage that comes with the traditional theological language about God. Even now, when I hear or read the word "God", sometimes I'll get an image in my head of the "old man with a long white beard sitting on a cloud", presumably because it became so entrenched in my mind as a child, and maybe because it's really hard to know what to replace it with! In fact, for this and other reasons, I base my faith on a relationship with Jesus, as he is quite literally (in my view) God with a human face. And since my family has always been so central to my life, I use the family as a basic metaphor or symbol for God and for my faith in general. This, I find, is definitely a counterbalance to any tendency to become too bogged down in the baggage of traditional theology. Family is all about growth and change, yet within the firm, reassuring context of ongoing relationships (or, ideally that's how it should work), so this leads me to an experience of God, and a relationship with God, that is not likely to remain unchanging and stuck in the past. Also, despite being a woman, I'm not bothered by the traditional male imagery for God, because when you are in a relationship with someone, the significant thing, the thing which enables you to identify with that person, is the relationship itself, not any similarity which that person may have with you yourself. Hope that all makes sense!

Of course I'm not suggesting that everyone should approach the Mystery of God in this way, or that my way is better than anyone else's, or anything like that. It works for me, and I think that's about the best that most of us can hope for.

Cathy Taggart

I splash in my poetry puddle
and try to keep God amused. - James Broughton