A Basis for Inter-Religious Theological Discourse in an Integral Frame

January 25, 2010

We live in dangerous times – one of those rare moments in history when humanity will need to evolve or die. Given that, I am convinced that a pathetically weak amalgamation of religions, based on the lowest common denominator – some sort of vague “spirituality” that requires no submission, and holding no one accountable for development – is not going to cut it. No, the future, if we are to have one, will be found in the deep, integrally engaged – as of yet uncharted – waters of each tradition.

Lest my colleagues think I have left the Presbyterian reservation, I offer a passage from the Confession of 1967, (one of the formal statements of faith which are normative for our theological discourse). C67 distinguishes between the Christian religion – its faith constructs, traditions, governance, etc. – and the “reconciling word of the Gospel.” Thus not having fully apprehended the creative truth at the heart of our faith, we also affirm that “repeatedly, God has used the insight of non-Christians to challenge the church to renewal,” (C67 9.41-42). Apparently God is revealing God’s self through other religious traditions.

I have found this to be true. I attended the Integral Spiritual Experience at Assilomar – 500 people from 33 countries. I worshipped and received insight in the Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and Christian traditions. This had the profound effect of deepening my decidedly Christian faith.

Just as that experience called me to renewal, might I be so bold as to suggest that Christian insights might challenge “non-Christians” to renewal within their own faith tradition? Might Christian insights call others to delve into the as yet uncharted waters of their tradition? It is in that spirit that I will offer these reflections.

Secondly, I offer them to Christians who are disillusioned with a mythic formulation of their tradition, left dry by the albeit necessary modernist deconstruction of myth, and who feel adrift in a post-modern frame. I want to begin a conversation that will develop an intelligible faith.

One caveat: I am a preacher, not an academic theologian.

In the process of facilitating the conversation between text and congregation which constitutes our work, preachers often “translate” the more careful, though somewhat impenetrable, discourse of the academy. To my great dismay, I haven’t yet found Christian academic theologians who are working in an integral frame.

It is clear to me that any distinctively Christian contribution will need to reinterpret the doctrine of the Trinity. No other doctrine so defines our faith. Of course that doctrine was formulated in a mythic frame. Desirous of transcending and including the myth, I’m interested in exploring the truth towards which the doctrine points. (Yeah, I like a challenge.) Recognizing that some integral work has been done on the Trinity, my next post seeks to continue that exploration. How does the doctrine of the Trinity interact with the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd face of God being discussed in the Integral Spiritual community?

Grace and peace,

Sam Alexander

Feel free to pass this along. If you would like to dropped from this list, feel free to drop me an e-mail: sam@gracecomesfirst.net. Questions and comments welcome as well. These reflections will also be posted on my blog: www.gracecomesfirst.net