Catholica Commentary by Fr Peter Dresser: God is Big .... Real BIG! (Epilogue)

"God is Big ..... Real BIG!" by Fr Peter Dresser (Epilogue)

Fr Peter Dresser today provides an Epilogue to the series of commentaries we have serialised from his book over the last six months. As he argues: "This book has been an attempt to find some convergence between science and our Christian theology. Because science and theology use different data, such a marriage might sit uncomfortably with many. On the other hand, many will find such an attempt a rewarding endeavour. In any case neither science nor theology ought do any great violence to each other. If anything, one should nourish and enhance the other."

Epilogue...

Choose the way of Pooh!

At the beginning of this book I suggested that we choose the way of Pooh, to listen to the voice within us, the voice of wisdom and simplicity and the voice that reasons beyond Cleverness and knows beyond Knowledge. It was an invitation to wander through the Forest in search of meaning and relevance and truth. Above all it was an invitation to find our God in this Forest and to walk in partnership with Him.

We searched and discovered the enormity of the cosmos and thus the enormity of God whose Spirit fills this vastness, whose presence pervades everything that is. We found that we are intimately connected with this God and interconnected with each other and everything that is or has been. As a result we suggested a spirituality based on this understanding, a spirituality suitable for our contemporary world. And we also suggested that our Christian religion and practices, properly understood, should be able to nurture, nourish and enrich this spirituality.

We are also aware of the dynamic presence of this God in all the order and chaos of our lives. It is a freeing, liberating and healing Spirit, very much the God of Jesus. And this dynamic presence of God that pervades the cosmos also dwells within each of us and should empower and strengthen us. We, too, should be liberating and healing agents in our world; and I am reminded of the inaugural speech given by Nelson Mandela which in part reads:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant?" Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

As we walk in partnership with our God through the Forest, a manifest moral dimension makes its presence felt. It is a call to action. It is a morality that has been expressed in the lives and teachings of all Avatars and a morality espoused by the Christian avatar, Jesus. It is not a morality that would seek to restrict and codify behaviour. It is more a morality that requires us to bring into effect the freeing and healing Spirit of our God, the Spirit of the Universal Soul of the Universe. It is a morality that gives expression to the beautiful prophecy of Isaiah and a morality given full substantiation in the words and actions of Jesus:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because he has anointed me
To bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim
Release to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To let the oppressed go free,
To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. [Luke 4:18-19]

This book has been an attempt to find some convergence between science and our Christian theology. Because science and theology use different data, such a marriage might sit uncomfortably with many. On the other hand, many will find such an attempt a rewarding endeavour. In any case neither science nor theology ought do any great violence to each other. If anything, one should nourish and enhance the other.

George Bernard Shaw I now rest my deliberations. I acknowledge the insights of many contemporary scientists including Paul Davies who argue that if there is a future for God in the third millennium, it can only be by our taking account of the scientific world view, not by fleeing from it. At the same time I am prepared to accept, as did my great inspirational mentor, Morris West, that Christian theology contains many dark mysteries. Admitting this, however, we must never make our God too small by confining him in doctrines and dogma. In this regard I am reminded of the words of George Bernard Shaw: Never forget that if you leave your law to judges and your religion to bishops, you will presently find yourself without either law or religion. Similar sentiments could be expressed regarding the Learned and Clever theologians. If we leave God to the scrutiny of theologians we may well find ourselves without a meaningful God!

Above all else, it is important that we let God be God and that each of us walks in partnership with this God as we wander through the Forest together. Some will hear a different voice than others; some will hear different music. And we come to respect that if a man or woman does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he/she hears a different drummer. Let them step to the music they hear, however measured or far away. We cannot limit or restrict God because God is big. Real big!

Let me leave you with some verses from the Wisdom of Solomon:

For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists, nor did they recognise the artisan while paying heed to his works; but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water, or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.

If through delight in the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods, let them know how much better than these is their Lord, for the author of beauty created them. And if people were amazed at their power and working, let them perceive from them how much more powerful is the one who formed them. For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator.

Yet these people are little to be blamed, for perhaps they go astray while seeking God and desiring to find him. For while they live among his works, they keep searching, and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful.

Yet again, not even they are to be excused; for if they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things? [Wisdom 13:1-9]

We live in a tangible, empirical world but we also live in a world of mystery which is also part of reality. I acknowledge once again the words of Albert Einstein that the most beautiful thing we can experience is the mystery. Like Pooh let us listen to the voice within, the voice of wisdom and simplicity, and the voice that reasons beyond Cleverness and knows beyond Knowledge.

“We cannot limit or restrict God because God is big. Real big!” ...Peter Dresser

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING:

Raymond Brown, The Virginal Conception and Bodily Resurrection of Jesus, (New York: Paulist Press, 1973) [More info].

Teilhard de Chardin, Le Milieu Divin (London: Collins, 1960) [More info].

Paul Davies, The Big Questions, (Australia: Penguin Books, 1996).

Charles Dodd, The Founder of Christianity (London: Fontana Books, 1973).

Denis Edwards, Human Experience of God [New York: Paulist Press, 1983 More info].

Denis Edwards, The God Of Evolution [New York: Paulist Press, 1999 More info].

Edmund Flood, The Evidence about Jesus [London: Ealing Abbey, 1975],

Matthew Fox, Original Blessing [Santa Fe: Bear and Company, 1983] More info].

Michael Gazzaniga, Nature's Mind [New York: Penguin Books, 1994].

Stephen Jay Gould, Life's Grandeur [Australia: Random Press, 1996].

Tad Guzie, The Book of Sacramental Basics [New York: Paulist Press, 1981].

Gerard Hughes, God of Surprises [London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1985].

James Lovelock, Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth [New York: Oxford University Press, 1979].

Michael Morwood, God is Near [Melbourne: Spectrum Publications, 1992 More info].

Michael Morwood, Tomorrow's Catholic [Melbourne: Spectrum Publications, 1997 More info].

Albert Nolan, Jesus before Christianity, [London: Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd.1977].

John O'Donohue, "Anam Cara" Spiritual wisdom for the Celtic World [London, Bantam Press, 1997].

Diarmuid O'Murchu, Our World in Transition [Sussex: Temple House Books, 1992 More info].

Diarmuid O'Murchu, Quantum Theology, [New York, The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1997 More info].

Chet Raymo, Sceptics and True Believers [St. Leonards NSW: Allen and Unwin, 1998].

Samantha Trenoweth (ed), The Future of God [U.S.A: Millennium Books, 1996].

Margaret Wertheim, Pythagoras' Trousers [London: Fourth Estate, 1997].

Morris West, A View from the Ridge [Australia: HarperCollins, 1996].

IMAGE CREDITS:
Clicking on the images in the body of this article will take you to the original source and further information.
Winnie the Pooh and the other characters mentioned are the creation of the author A.A. Milne, originally illustrated by E.H. Shephard, and subsequently popularised even further by Walt Disney studios. There are a large range of books, dvds and other resources available in the Catholica Spiritual Marketplace from Fishpond [LINK] related to Winnie the Pooh and A.A. Milne's characters.

Peter Dresser grew up in Orange NSW. On completing his Leaving Certificate he studied for some years at Springwood and Manly Seminaries. His life journey has led him down diverse paths and he enjoyed the experience of many and varied employments including postman, public servant and factory worker. He has appreciated his exposure to different life styles and religions and his involvement with music and sport, particularly Rugby League. He eventually turned to teaching where he found an easy rapport with and respect for young people. Peter decided to continue with his studies for Priesthood and entered St. Paul’s Seminary. He was ordained in 1990. Peter's love for his Catholic religion dates from his very early years. His involvement with Science is only a recent phenomenon. His fascination with nature has always been predominant. His continuing pastoral concern is that the Good News proclaimed by Jesus be preached and mediated meaningfully in all its richness and fullness to the contemporary world. Peter holds degrees in Arts and Theology and a Diploma in Education. He produced this document in 2004 whilst Parish Priest of Kandos in Central West NSW. He now lives privately in retirement at Kandos where he spent six memorable years.

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[Index of Commentaries by Fr Peter Dresser]

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