Part I

Synopsis: This is a method of teaching but more, also, a method of building community. It can be used anywhere with any group, and also one with diverse beliefs. We have eleven years of practice with it in our Spiritual Growth Network of Kentucky.  The theology is that of the Mystical Body of Christ, which tells us that we each are a story of God, each with diverse gifts to offer, and much to learn from one another. 
  First I will tell you about it, then I will do it, and you can copy me. Note: this format is suitable to use with those from any wisdom tradition, that is, mixed groups of every kind. Those who do not like explanations can skip to part 2, the practicum. 
 
Introduction. 
  One of our problems today is that our theology has become so focussed on words, that it has largely betrayed the power of the Word (in its original Aramaic, dabbar, meaning creative energy), as Matthew Fox noted.  In our attempts to reach a rational understanding of mystery, we have often lost sight of the story which sustains and nourishes theological discourse. We have neglected the story as story with the result that over centuries we have turned stories into ideological statements, giving literal meaning to something that was never meant to be taken literally.  We have forgotten that story is the most dynamic and versatile tool available to us humans for the discovery of meaning and mystery.

  Norman O. Brown once claimed that meaning is not in things but in between. It's not in the events, nor in objects, nor even in proven discoveries that ultimate truth lies, but in the process of searching, seeking, experimenting, and discovering.  

  Over time, teachings taken from stories, parables and lives have assumed the ideological proportions of dogma and Right Teaching. Then stories that invited wonder and awe and insight, initially offering hope, new life and liberation became millstones, burdens that no longer inspire but instead stifle and stultify.  All the major religions today, --and theology in general -- suffer from narrative starvation and privation. Even when the original myths are still narrated, they are so couched in rationalistic, legalistic or devotional framings that inhibit and even prevent the story from being dynamically retold in today's context. 

  The entire bible, as well as the sacred texts of other wisdom traditions, is primarily a collection of stories, and "love letters," and not primarily a record of facts and events. 

  In a faith context, what brings meaning and integration to experience are not facts; they are secondary,  always secondary. "It is the story (and not the facts) that grips the imagination, impregnates the heart, and animates the spirit from within, empowering." 

  Jesus did not preach in any formal sense, nor did he theologize, nor attempt to establish anything like what we have today as church. Jesus told stories, the best remembered of these being parables, some 39. These have an archetypal, primordial significance: They are not just ordinary stories. In fact, there is no such thing as an "ordinary" story, because none of us are ordinary. The parables belong to a vein of prophetic discourse aiming to disturb and challenge the hearers, and to motivate them to move into a very different way of envisioning the world and themselves. 

  Bausch (1984) delineates the marks of the New Testament parables. They uncover:
• our competitiveness and envy, and invite us to brotherhood and sisterhood instead.
• our wrong centering and invite us to a right centering.
• our need to hoard and exclude and invite us to share and include.
• our assumptions and challenge us to turn them around.
• our timidity and invite us to risk all for the sake of God's Reign.
• our self-centered despair and distrust and invite us to hope. 

  The parable entraps us into thinking deeply about life and coming to a decision that can be life-transforming.  Consider 2 Samuel 12, when Nathan trapped David into condemning himself. 

  What is the role of Church in all of this?  Jesus showed little concern for church and no concern whatever for its organization, as "church" is mentioned only once in the four Gospels, in a single text whose historicity is arguable.  Church is meant, we suggest,  to be the community that continues the stories, both the servant and the herald of the exciting news of the New Reign of God in the world today. The main function of church is to create and nourish disciples who are empowered to renew the world. We do that by gathering the people and telling the stories that proclaim the Good News, and by telling OUR stories as witness to the Spirit today, since revelation is never complete. All else is secondary. That includes ritual, tradition, orthodoxy, and canon law. 

  Many Christian churches today have betrayed the reason for their existence. The major crisis facing the churches is not the drop in numbers, failure to organize, insufficient programs, shortage of ordained clergy, or lack of financial support. The major problem is that they have lost touch with the Reign of God agenda, that is, they no longer tell the stories in a way that speaks to the modern heart and mind, in a way that can create disciples. Many churches, I suggest, have lost their souls. Many have become social clubs and enclaves. They have forgotten that the Spirit calls each one from within, usually by a story or by a sharing of some personal experience, often a crisis. The institutional churches instead often try to fit people into ideologies, rituals, programs, traditions, or literal interpretations with no understanding that context influences everything. Most churches today seem inward looking, concerned with what is deemed necessary for their survival, and more particularly for the survival of the current power structures. 

  So far astray are most churches that any group that meets in order to tell the stories, even to tell their own stories,  in a setting where personal faith is valued, is likely to be more engaged spiritually, more encouraged, more accepted, more deeply moved, more vulnerable, with more incentive to personal change than in an hour of preaching or Eucharistic celebration.  For example, there is often more spirituality in a 12 step AA meeting than occurs in most religious services. 

  Without vulnerability, personal change is unlikely. "Church" or the realization of the Reign of God already amongst us, happens whenever there is this kind of vulnerable sharing, this kind of listening to the uniqueness of Another's journey. He told us so, and gave us examples. Whenever we respond to each other in a caring way, "ministry" happens, inadvertent ministry, and the priestliness of us all is affirmed, and the Story of this mystery we call Emmanuel is implicitly recognized and welcomed. And we are continuing the stories...Note here that hospitality to the Stranger is one of the most common threads of all Wisdom traditions. 

  In order for people to authenticate their journey, they need a sacred and safe space in which to tell their stories, and to ask all sorts of questions concerning their journeys. We introduce you today to a method or technique that allows each to do this, at their own pace, with respect for the individual and in a manner that helps create community among the participants. Story, or parable, as Jesus used it, allows each person to respond from within. It is also a way of hiding the truth from those who are not ready for it. 

Now I will tell you a story....  Give you some questions about it, and ask you to share in small groups. This is best done in three steps, and you can use one at a time for three meetings if you choose. Practicum follows. You will learn this process, and can lead it elsewhere when you are ready. Zen saying: "when the student is ready the teacher will appear."

FOUR HOLY PERSONS: A PARABLE

  Note: the story teller can tell this in three parts. In each part, the story is first told. It is then followed by questions to be used for   
1. journaling (10-15 min), 
2. small group discussion (10-15 min),  
3. large group discussion. 
This can take up to 1-1.5 hours. This method has five major effects:
• it allows each person to affirm and authenticate their own journey with others--summoning each to be spirit led;
• encourages hearing and valuing of others’ uniqueness;
• deepens our vulnerability to one another, that is we risk being moved by another's story;
• we learn to value story for story's sake;
• it serves to create local community.
NB. We use and prefer a meditative or centering silence at the beginning and end. Also I tell the story with drumming.

 Story, part 1

  Four holy persons came out of the desert: three men and a woman. The first holy man said: "I have found the Book of Holy Wisdom that has the answer to everything. We will follow it in everything we do." He soon had many disciples, and they distinguished themselves by following the Sacred Book to the very letter. The Book was their guide to everything that they did, a codebook of rules for life. The disciples distinguished themselves by their love of this book and their ability to quote it for any occasion. The Book was revered and honored by many.

 The second holy man said, "I have found wondrous strange feelings of Great Devotion with God in our rituals. All our talk and songs will help promote and produce these exquisite feelings."  Many became his disciples, and they distinguished themselves and were well known by their enthusiastic feelings of Holy Devotion and their magnificent and solemn rituals of worship. No one could sing and praise God the way they did. Their members were most likely to be transported into feelings of ecstasy.

  The third holy man said, "I have found the Way to God is by being a voluntary celibate which is a necessary witness to an unholy world." He required his immediate disciples to imitate him, although ordinary folk were not required to do so.  He too had many followers, and they distinguished themselves by the fact that all the officials were voluntary eunuchs, had many ranks and titles, wore special clothes, and offered great certainty of their Traditions and Creeds to those who followed.  These holy men were greatly admired. This group also had a large following. They were distinguished by their certainty of their creeds, sense of uniqueness, and the great history of their Traditions.

  The fourth holy person, a woman, said, "We will find this mystery we call God by serving others wherever and whenever we can, with all the riff-raff of the world, especially the poor and suffering, even if we break some of the rules of the Ancients and don't always have special feelings.  Furthermore we will make no distinctions among ourselves or others. She said anyone can do this at any time, without being in any way special, and that all people everywhere could find this Great Mystery of Divine Hospitality in welcoming the Stranger, the Outsiders.   Sacred Books, Holy Devotion, or Following Distinguished Persons and Holy Creeds were useful but not essential. Many came to observe but few imitated her. There was nothing noteworthy in belonging to this group except their kindness and service of others. They distinguished themselves only by their compassion for the needy.

  Story teller may stop here and list one or two of these questions for small group discussion. Select which of these below that you prefer. Preferably only 2 or 3, but this story is rich for exploration and can be returned to if desired.

  Why were the first three more successful in gaining followers than the fourth?  Which human needs were the first three appealing to?  Why did the third holy man have a large following? Which of the four mystified themselves and their authority? Which of the groups was more likely to have pride and righteousness?  Which of the groups gave their members the most feeling of specialness?  Which of the groups was more likely to look down upon and disparage those who did not belong to it, the outsiders?  Which of the four in your opinion was truly from Godde as you understand this Mystery?  Which might be the hardest to follow?  Which offered the most protection against uncertainty, fear and guilt?  Following which holy person requires more vulnerability from oneself? Which of the holy persons, in your opinion, is the closest to the mission Jesus announced in Luke 4:18; and which is the closest to His life? What are several reasons why the fourth holy person might be the most difficult for some to follow?   Which group was the most inclusively catholic? In which community were the outsiders and marginal more likely to be welcomed?  In which community is the "hole in our heart" that all of us experience more likely to be filled with the risky caring for others, living on the edge‚ rather than the sense that we have "arrived" simply by belonging?  Which path would others say you are now following by your life?  Which would a TV camera following your life show that you prefer? We can say that each of the four holy persons above represent a valuable, respected Wisdom tradition which has led some people into holiness.  Go back through the door of your imagination.

  After small group discussion, story teller may proceed to part 2

Story part 2

  Later you learned of a fifth holy person who was also known to be very wise. She was an old crone, but known to read hearts and see into souls. Seekers and Searches came to her to learn what was to be the next step on their journey.  She seldom failed to give a wise and helpful answer.  It was not known if it was her ancient age, her woundedness, loss and grief in her own life, her history of listening carefully and well, or a special giftedness, but there was an aura to her that seemed to command respect and awe. It was not easy to find her.

  Story teller may stop here for part 2 and further questions for journaling and / or small group.

  Would you have reason to seek out her wise response to some current issue on your own journey?  Would you want to‚ sit at her feet‚ to learn the secrets of her wisdom and her great powers of discernment?  Is it possibly, that some part of you would like to be like her, that is, someone wise who could offer mentoring and guidance to others? Could this possibly become another path to be followed? Is it a separate wisdom path to be a spiritual mentor accepting all others in an inclusive kind of spirituality,  another path of wisdom. Could you aspire to be a mentor to others on their journey as she is and does?

  Storyteller may stop here for part 2

Take a long walk just reviewing the five paths in your mind. Write your own commentary or meditation upon this. Share both the parable and your commentary with at least one other person, your discussion partner, mentor or a significant other.

 Story, part 3

  Suddenly, an Angel of God appeared to all four Wisdom teachers, and said: "Your world is finished. Your Wisdom traditions, while good and holy in themselves are no longer sufficient. In fact, they have become divisive of the Human Family.  Each Way is a metaphor for God, but instead of understanding the metaphor as a referent to Mystery, as a Way, you have fallen in love with your Metaphor, your way, and judged others. The Metaphor has become the Absolute.  The Creator of the Universe is making a new world, and this new world must have a new way of Wisdom which celebrates the solidarity of the human family."

  "Come with me into this spaceship as we leave for another universe.  If you can agree among yourselves what this new way will be, I am the Angel of Mercy, and you shall live and all prosper.  If you cannot agree among yourselves, I am the Angel of Death, and we are headed into the awe filled Divine Presence."

  "Now I know this is a hard task. So I will give you two tips about the new Way you shall discover together or die. Number one, there are four different activities, and Number two, determining all four is too much for your current state of Wisdom, so I shall tell you the first, which you should already know.  Are you ready?  The first is: ‘Gather the People.'  Now what are the other three?   You must agree."

  The four Holy Persons did not talk to each other at once. As they circled the earth several times preceding their long trip to another world, they saw the continents of the world passing beneath them. They, each in turn, came to the realization that their own Way was indeed insular in origin and practice, and did in fact, create boundaries between people. Then they began to talk.

  Journaling and small group discussion: what are the other three activities you as leader of your community would implement to carry on an inclusive spiritual tradition that could reach across all faith boundaries?
 

 Part II
 

  Note: The storyteller, faith community facilitator, will not, cannot experience the power of this process until she / he actually does it, as it invites the Spirit of Relational Creativity into each life, each story. It is the process, not the words that invites Spirit. Doing it will alone make it your own. Once you learn the power of it, you will do it or some aspect of your own adaptation in many places. Also, You now have the power to help others authenticate their spiritual journeys and to create community, no matter where you go, without faculties, vestments or vessels.  Welcome to the Global village of searchers to be found everywhere.

  In the Spiritual Growth Network of Kentucky, we now have eleven years experience in this process.  Note that this process uses the power of the story to create community but it is actually the power of each story, shared, accepted, valued and affirmed that is the empowering. Thus this process is a true affirmation of the power inherent in the Mystical Body of Christ, per se, in itself, across all boundaries. The storyteller is only the facilitator, as was Jesus in his parables. We find a Centering silence as a setting for this process awesome in itself.   (www.lexpages.com/SGN.Namaste.)

Epilogue. 11/9

  My theology of Story is based, as well as on the assumptions defined earlier, also on these.
1. The appreciation of God happens at all levels of being and life, especially that the point of departure where the mind can no 
     longer  go. Heart must be summoned.
2. A new cosmic Christ is emerging for our generation, new stories, poetry, myths.
3. Our challenge is to find ways to aid Christ be born in the hearts of all people--people without generative, empowering stories and
    myths.
4. Can we as a people begin to have the wisdom to see that the Christ-event is occurring now, already, in people, one by one?
    Whether invoked or not, This mystery is already present, within, around, among and speaking to us through each other.
5. So, Christ emerges from OUR history, our INDIVIDUAL history, from our stories.
6. Each rebirth is already happening, now; we just need to recognize it and affirm it. "We have but to allow ourselves to recognize 
    that we are all the cultural and spiritual mud from which the lotus can grow." --Fr. Michael Adams.
7. All our theology, creeds and conceptual frameworks for thinking of God are biased and contextual. No one source of knowledge,
    theological, scriptural or otherwise can provide a complete description of reality.
8. All particular religious stories belong to a larger story. All texts are only approximations that require fresh interpretation in each 
    new cultural epoch.
9. The mystery of life is fundamentally open ended. Theology is not about consigning truth to dogmas, creeds, or religions, but 
     about opening up new horizons of possibilities and meanings, to be found everywhere.
10. Revelation AND creation is ongoing. Revelation cannot be subsumed in any creed, religion or cultural epoch.

  "All religions are true for their time. If we can find what the truth is and separate it from the temporal inflection, then we can be our “same old religion" into a new set of metaphors. " --Joseph Campbell. Therefore, you, each of you, and we, all of us, are the new story. Note: Numbers 7-10 are taken from Diarmuid O'Murchu, Quantum Theology, Crossroad, 1997.

  "Those who do not have power over the story that dominates their lives, power to retell it, rethink it, deconstruct it, joke about it, and change it as times change, truly are powerless, because they cannot think new thoughts.--Salman Rushdie, One Thousand Days in a Balloon," New York Times, December 12, 1991. quoted in The Story of Your Life: Becoming the Author of Your Experience,  Mandy Aftel, Simon Shuster, 1996.

  "The problem with any written text is that you cannot canonize it unless you canonize the worldview in which it was incubated, and that would be intellectual suicide, for time moves and worldviews change."  --Benard J. Lee, The Future Church of 140 B.C.E. Crossroad, NY, 1995, p. 27. "The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained." David Bohm.
  
Seeker:
the way that can be formulated and given to you is not the way.
the way that can be consciously and safely trodden is not the way.
the way that we can know with our minds is not the way.
You will find it only through your own experience, through your own story, always, listening to your heart in the presence of mystery. --anon.

  "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the Mysterious.  It is the source of all true art and science." (Albert Einstein, What I Believe, 1930) Now each of you has the power through the above process learned and practiced, to 1) create community, 2) summon to an authentic spirituality, 3) begin to think outside the box, with any group, no matter where you go, no matter the Wisdom tradition your listeners are part of; 4) thereby affirming your own story, and 5) inviting others to freshly affirm their own.   You begin again to be present to others in the great tradition of Jesus as storyteller and mentor of Wisdom.

  Welcome to the global village of searchers and storytellers to be found everywhere.

  Selected reading list:
• Leonardo Boff. Church: Charism and Power (Liberation Theology and the Institutional Church), Crossroad, 1985.
• Robert McAfee Brown. Spirituality and Liberation. Westminster, 1988. Wahlbert Buhlmann. With Eyes to See (Church and the 
  World in the Third Millennium), Orbis, Maryknoll, 1990.
• Robert K. Greenleaf.  Servant Leadership. Paulist. 1977.
• Elizabeth Johnson.  She Who Is.
• Bernard J. Lee. The Future Church of 140 B.C.E. (A hidden revolution) Crossroad, 1995.
• Diarmuid O'Murchu, Daimon,  Quantum Theology, 1997.
• Ruth Sawyer. The Way of the Storyteller.  Penguin, 1962.
• Theology by the People, edited by Samuel Amirtham and John S. Pobee. World Council of Churches, Geneva, 1986.
• Garry Wills, Certain Trumpets: the call of leaders. Simon Shuster, 1994.

  "No one person, past or present, has the ‘secret’ for becoming a leader, or even for fostering leaders. A sense of diverse opportunities is one of the best lessons that can be taken from a study of great leaders in their incommunicable historical moments....Tell me who your admired leaders are, and you have bared your soul." Garry Wills, p. 270.