A Response!

On Nov. 25, my Georgian colleague wrote the following e-mail, and subsequently agreed I can post it with my reply:

Thank you for staying in touch. I would like to work and play
with you, as well. However, what I would like and what I can
realistically do are sometimes very far apart! I have several
"projects" on my plate right now, and have been trying to monitor
myself so that I don't take on any more until I get a few of them
completed. I just don't have any more time in any given day -
actually I could use a few extra hours every day if you know of
someone who could spare theirs!

I am enjoying reading your blog - learning how you think;
attempting to get my thinking inside of yours to understand the
point you are making. I really enjoy the way you think, but I
confess that I have to take time to absorb, interpret, engage -
and time is short for me right now. (Back to the previous paragraph!)

As a Christian theologian, I do think the conversation about World
Peace through Inclusion can be approached through a religious
context. (Of course, as a theologian, I think every topic can be
approached in some way through a religious context.) But,
further, I think a case could be made for the consideration that
world peace (or maybe more specifically, conflict) is currently
centered in a religious context, so that if we could engage
religion with inclusion, we would widen the audience and the
process. (Check out Acts of Faith by Eboo Patel, and the peace
conversation he is engaging through the Interfaith Youth Corps.)

I spoke with our associate pastor, Chris Henry, about bringing
your Tour to our congregation here in Atlanta. We have not had a
chance to follow up. The Christian community is entering the time
of Advent, which has lost much of it's reflective, introspective
practice in recent history. We now spend much time in the
Christian church at this time of the year busying ourselves with
celebrating the birth of Jesus, versus recognizing the impact of
being "incarnate" beings.

Your blog about being normate, and your exploration of physical
and etheral self touches on the Christian understanding of
"incarnation" - which is what Christmas is really about -
recognizing the experience of "God" becoming "human." That the
"spiritual" self is embodied in a physical "self" is the
touchstone of Christianity - in my estimation. So, you see, you
do have much to say to a Christian audience - maybe you didn't
realize that?

I responded:
Thank you so much for getting right back to me, for reading the blog, and for reflecting on what I say and responding to me!

Yes, I do realize the Christian context and connection, even the significance of "my" message considering how often the message of "love" has been watered down to "be good and help out the less fortunate". I was born an Anglican and deeply influenced when I was four by a theologian and and priest who came to town for six months. Ordinarily I have little opportunity to give the thoughts a religious contextualization, but in many ways this is also part of my "mission".

Warmly; Judith