the body

Thinking about God and the challenge of evolution

Thinking about God and the challenge of evolution

How do I, do we, do you, do other people, think about God (and Jesus)? I know I think differently about God from other people. We all have our own conceptual version of God. Churches, bishops, theologians, mystics, men, women, gay activists, homophobes, misogynists, etc., each have their own version of ‘God’. Some claim their version to be the unique, unquestionable, authorised, ‘true God’’. ‘He’ isn’t. It’s their version of a truth. We think we ‘know’ God, but we don’t. We know God in the same way we know ourselves and other people – partially, incompletely, and elusively.

Orgone Energy, Orgasms and Christian Suppression

Orgone Energy, Orgasms and Christian Suppression

Wilhelm Reich, the renegade disciple of Sigmund Freud, was driven to try and understand why his patients might want to escape or subdue their bodies and emotions and why, despite that, the body remains a naked source of power. An article about Reich provoked me to realise that although the Changing Attitude England campaign for equality in ministry and relationships is driven to reject biblical fundamentalist homophobic teaching, it also has to become a campaign against the abuse of LGBTIQ+ people by the Christian Church in general and the Church of England House of Bishops in particular. The House of Bishops, supported by various conservative movements and a toxic reading of the Bible, seek to maintain teachings that prohibit intimacy and sexual activity for clergy and licenced lay people, suppressing our bodies, emotions and life energies.

Life in all its fullness and meditation in the body

Life in all its fullness and meditation in the body

I have recently been writing about my contemplative practice and what happens in the twenty-five minutes or so of silent awareness each morning that is for me an encounter with presence of God. My presence is very embodied, emotionally and physically aware. Given all the claims Christianity makes about God, the potential for deep, creative change should be even more present in Christian life and prayer. But this experience people seem to find elusive. Why? Why isn’t the church very good at knowing from experience the presence of God? Why is it not very good at acknowledging our bodies as integral to spiritual life?