The title of this inspirational piece might be alarming to Christian fundamentalists and other dogmatic folk. If so, I will simply say that I am on the side of my friend and Franciscan friar, Dan Horan. Dan now writes a regular piece for a national Catholic publication. Of course, when a new piece appears, I read it. I like hearing what my friend has to say, the resources from which he draws and to appreciate what he is telling his Catholic audience, but others of us as well. His latest piece appeared with this title: “The church is suffering from Holy Spirit atheism.” Dan is audacious, if nothing else!
He begins the essay by turning to the famous twentieth century Jesuit, Karl Rahner. Rahner was a key figure at Vatican II in the late 1950s and early 60s. In 1967 he wrote an important book which he called, The Trinity. Horan jumps right into that book and Rahner’s thought. He quotes Rahner, who says, “Christians are, in their practical life, almost mere 'monotheists.’” Horan wants to join Rahner in saying the Trinity is important. And it is too often neglected. Talking about Rahner and the Trinity, Dan Horan says, “On the contrary, he recognized its extreme importance to Christian orthodoxy. Instead, he was observing that for the most Christians — including Christian leaders and even many professional theologians — little heed is paid to one of the most distinctive and important aspects of our confession of faith. And what was true 50 years ago remains true today: apart from marking ourselves with the sign of our faith and praying the doxology, which both affirm the triune God, little recognizable thought or attention is typically given to the Trinity.”
Of course, I read this as a Quaker, but a Quaker who did my graduate studies in the history and theology of the early Christian community. My dissertation focused on an important bishop and theologian who lived in the fourth century---the century that put the finishing touches on the doctrine of Trinity as it appears in its creedal formulation known as the Nicene Creed. So I know that most Quakers in the world probably believe some version of the Trinity, but don’t know much about its history and development.
That is ok with me. Catholics don’t need to know fourth century Christian theological development to be faithful women and men either. What Horan wants to call attention to is what I want to see in my own Quaker tradition. In my words it is to see and appreciate the Spirit of God as a living, present reality---rather than merely a doctrinal piece from long ago. Without a sense of the living, present reality of the Spirit, I think Christians probably don’t have a sense that God is alive and at work in our world today. That is the key point.
I am confident this is what Dan Horan is after with his phrase, Holy Spirit atheism. He comments, “By this I do not mean that most Christians outright reject the divinity of the spirit. Rather, I have a sense that many Christians think and act as if the Holy Spirit did not exist and therefore this phenomenon is largely implicit.” Horan moves then to link the Spirit with the Church, or community, as I might say. I want to follow him in this move, because I think it is important.
Dan does a good job of showing what is at stake. “If, as we profess, the church was birthed at Pentecost with the sending of the Spirit, then the ongoing presence and action of the Holy Spirit should be the founding principle of how we think of the church. But the actions of many church leaders and ordinary Christians alike suggests instead an attitude of ‘it's all up to me.’” The Church and community should be the places, above all else, where we see the activity of the Spirit actively present and the people most alive.
I am not talking solely about Pentecostal fervor, although some of that might not be a bad thing. I understand Horan’s concern is the atheism of the Holy Spirit leaves Church leadership in charge of making decisions, etc. Of course, that is a huge problem right now for that tradition. Quakers and other non-Catholics should have to worry a little less about that. But I also understand the perils all leaders feel if the Spirit is, in fact, in charge!
Christian centuries routinely narrate stories of groups who felt like they were “Spirit-led,” and they were too often led into excess. That is a risk, to be sure. But it is a risk we should be willing to take. If we refuse this risk, then we may opt to live in a world (and a Church) which effectively says the Spirit does not exist.
I can do nothing better to end my piece by quoting the end of Dan Horan’s piece. “We would do well to remember that it is not simply up to us and should instead adore and glorify the Holy Spirit by recognizing God's continued presence and action in the world, even if that action is not exactly what you may personally want or desire. Let us begin again to believe in the Holy Spirit, who has indeed spoken through the prophets and continues to do so today.”
Let us begin indeed!
He begins the essay by turning to the famous twentieth century Jesuit, Karl Rahner. Rahner was a key figure at Vatican II in the late 1950s and early 60s. In 1967 he wrote an important book which he called, The Trinity. Horan jumps right into that book and Rahner’s thought. He quotes Rahner, who says, “Christians are, in their practical life, almost mere 'monotheists.’” Horan wants to join Rahner in saying the Trinity is important. And it is too often neglected. Talking about Rahner and the Trinity, Dan Horan says, “On the contrary, he recognized its extreme importance to Christian orthodoxy. Instead, he was observing that for the most Christians — including Christian leaders and even many professional theologians — little heed is paid to one of the most distinctive and important aspects of our confession of faith. And what was true 50 years ago remains true today: apart from marking ourselves with the sign of our faith and praying the doxology, which both affirm the triune God, little recognizable thought or attention is typically given to the Trinity.”
Of course, I read this as a Quaker, but a Quaker who did my graduate studies in the history and theology of the early Christian community. My dissertation focused on an important bishop and theologian who lived in the fourth century---the century that put the finishing touches on the doctrine of Trinity as it appears in its creedal formulation known as the Nicene Creed. So I know that most Quakers in the world probably believe some version of the Trinity, but don’t know much about its history and development.
That is ok with me. Catholics don’t need to know fourth century Christian theological development to be faithful women and men either. What Horan wants to call attention to is what I want to see in my own Quaker tradition. In my words it is to see and appreciate the Spirit of God as a living, present reality---rather than merely a doctrinal piece from long ago. Without a sense of the living, present reality of the Spirit, I think Christians probably don’t have a sense that God is alive and at work in our world today. That is the key point.
I am confident this is what Dan Horan is after with his phrase, Holy Spirit atheism. He comments, “By this I do not mean that most Christians outright reject the divinity of the spirit. Rather, I have a sense that many Christians think and act as if the Holy Spirit did not exist and therefore this phenomenon is largely implicit.” Horan moves then to link the Spirit with the Church, or community, as I might say. I want to follow him in this move, because I think it is important.
Dan does a good job of showing what is at stake. “If, as we profess, the church was birthed at Pentecost with the sending of the Spirit, then the ongoing presence and action of the Holy Spirit should be the founding principle of how we think of the church. But the actions of many church leaders and ordinary Christians alike suggests instead an attitude of ‘it's all up to me.’” The Church and community should be the places, above all else, where we see the activity of the Spirit actively present and the people most alive.
I am not talking solely about Pentecostal fervor, although some of that might not be a bad thing. I understand Horan’s concern is the atheism of the Holy Spirit leaves Church leadership in charge of making decisions, etc. Of course, that is a huge problem right now for that tradition. Quakers and other non-Catholics should have to worry a little less about that. But I also understand the perils all leaders feel if the Spirit is, in fact, in charge!
Christian centuries routinely narrate stories of groups who felt like they were “Spirit-led,” and they were too often led into excess. That is a risk, to be sure. But it is a risk we should be willing to take. If we refuse this risk, then we may opt to live in a world (and a Church) which effectively says the Spirit does not exist.
I can do nothing better to end my piece by quoting the end of Dan Horan’s piece. “We would do well to remember that it is not simply up to us and should instead adore and glorify the Holy Spirit by recognizing God's continued presence and action in the world, even if that action is not exactly what you may personally want or desire. Let us begin again to believe in the Holy Spirit, who has indeed spoken through the prophets and continues to do so today.”
Let us begin indeed!
Comments
Post a Comment