I do a fair amount of work that most folks would consider non-spiritual. Much of that is done in the business world and some in the world of athletics. Although I am not sure I can separate my spiritual self from my non-spiritual self. I figure most of us are who we are. We are not split between various selves. But I do think we show different parts of our self, depending on our context. I consider this to be pretty normal.
Part of my focus in my “non-spiritual” work is on culture. However, culture is a good example of the kind of thing that also has currency in the spiritual world. For example, churches and mosques have their own culture. Two Jewish synagogues are both Jewish, but they might feel very different, depending on the folks who attend and who lead the group. It is well-known that Irish Catholics are not the same gang as Italians. This is not strange so much as it is normal.
Cultures are how groups of people think, feel and act. We bring our personalities to our cultures. Asian Christians will be different than European Christians, even though they may believe doctrinally the very same thing. My usual counsel to the groups with which I work is to learn and appreciate the cultural variety, rather than worry about it or necessarily try to change it. Diversity can be a wonderful thing. Learn to value it.
Edgar Schein has done much of the pioneering work in showing the role of culture in organizations. Reading his work allows us to understand how things are why they are in our groups. He offers insights that help us not only to understand, but to build on to make our cultures even better. For example, he offers three things cultures normally provide people in a group.
These three things are stability, consistency, and meaning. Stability is a bit like the glue of the culture. Stability wards of the chaos that can come with change. If change is too rapid, it can destabilize an organization and imperil its future. However, stability is not the same thing as status quo or statis. Stability can deal with change, particularly if it is gradual and, in some ways, planned. If we think about churches, healthy churches can continue to absorb new people---new members---and bring them into the culture. But new people always make the place new.
Consistency speaks for itself. Consistency brings a kind of dependability. It is a culture we can count on. That does not mean there are never surprises. We know life is always vulnerable to what might happen. And yet, a consistent culture knows how it will deal with change, disruption and potential threat. It inevitably seeks a kind of equilibrium where people can understand themselves and to thrive.
Finally, meaning is so important. Everyone knows that meaninglessness is a lousy life. I hate to think about eighty years of living with no point! It has been one of my central tenets that religion is one of the key ways human beings make meaning in life. Of course, it is not the only way, but it has been the way for me. I appreciate it.
In thinking about this, it occurred to me that the kingdom which Jesus proclaimed also has cultural implications. As I discern it, the kingdom culture Jesus sought to establish had at least three characteristics: love, justice and peace. The first and probably most important thing about these three characteristics is they are action words. Love, justice and peace are not just ideas. They are not only things Jesus was for. He wanted action.
He wanted disciples who would figure out how to be loving in all situations. He expected them to work to bring justice in this world. Think about how many times he addressed the poor, the widows, and the like. He railed against the rich, the selfish and the pompous ones. Finally, he wanted folks who worked for peace. Indeed, peace and joy are the two ways he most often described the kingdom. Peace is not simply an issue of war. It is always an issue where there is a war with words, where there is conflict and where the power folks are at odds with those who are powerless.
The kingdom is a communal concept. It is not a personal, I-am-saved and I-will-be-ok perspective. Jesus was a kingdom builder and he created a culture that enabled this process. In the process, the culture asked for commitment, loyalty and perseverance. With these came also the aspects of culture we earlier discussed: stability, consistency and meaning. Without all this, I don’t think we can understand how the early community survived the threats and dangers they endured.
In the twenty-first century things are very different. Most of us fact little threat to our faith. We are in virtually no danger. Instead of commitment, we can be half-hearted. There is nothing to persevere. Therefore, our spiritual communal culture can be nondescript. But if we want to be at work on building the kingdom, we will need a kingdom culture. Now we know what that demands…working for love, justice and peace.
Those of us who have read theology or, perhaps, those who are people of faith and are old enough might well recognize this title as a reminder of the late Jewish philosopher and theologian, Martin Buber. I remember reading Buber’s book, I and Thou , when I was in college in the 1960s. It was already a famous book by then. I am not sure I fully understood it, but that would not be the last time I read it. It has been a while since I looked at the book. Buber came up in a conversation with a friend who asked if I had seen the recent article by David Brooks? I had not seen it, but when I was told about it, I knew I would quickly locate and read that piece. I very much like what Brooks decides to write about and what he contributes to societal conversation. I wish more people read him and took him seriously. Brooks’ article focused on the 2016 contentious election. He provocatively suggests, “Read Buber, Not the Polls!” I think Brooks puts
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