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#2042 -
Images and Reflections IV: Painted Windows
Photograph by
( Painting on the side of a building in
Painted Windows
I lived in a house
with two real windows and the
other two painted on.
Those painted windows caused my
first sorrow.
I'd touch the sides of the hall
trying to reach the windows from
inside.
I spent my whole childhood wanting
to lean out and see what could be
seen
from the windows that weren't
there.
- Gloria Fuertes (of
Ventanas Pentadas
Vivía en una casa
con dos ventanas de verdad y las
otras dos pintadas
en la fachada.
Aquellas ventanas pintadas fueron
mi primer dolor.
Palpaba las paredes
intentando encontrar las ventanas
por dentro.
Toda mi infancia pasé con el
deseo
de asomarme para ver lo que se
veía
desde aquellas ventanas que no
existieron.
- Gloria Fuertes (de Madrid)
Spiritual Rebellion: Interview with
Leonardo Boff
by Henrike Müller (*)
Photo available – see below
(Dieses Feature/Interview ist auch auf
Deutsch verfügbar.) "Is it possible to live calmly and
happily when you know that two-thirds of human beings are
suffering, hungry and poor?" The
Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff, one of the founders of
liberation theology, believes that the
cry of the poor and the cry of the earth are real offences for
any theology which struggles to
bring about more justice. Boff was one of the guests at the World
Forum for Theology and Liberation
(21-25 January,
prerequisites for a theology committed to social change and about
his confidence that change is
possible.
Reflections at the World Forum for
Theology and Liberation do not concentrate on one single region
but look at the whole world. Liberation theology
however had its beginnings in the particular
situation of
The protest of Liberation theology against
suffering is not limited to a single region. Every kind
of repression, every cry of the poor, of the oppressed, of the
marginalised anywhere in the world
is an appeal to theology. Of course this presupposes that the
cries are heard. But is it possible
to live in peace and happily when you know that two-thirds of
human beings are suffering, hungry
and poor?
To be human we have to have compassion. This
solidarity is really the defining factor of
our humanity and is gradually being lost in a culture of material
values. It’s not only the cry of
the poor we must listen to but also the cry of the earth. The
earth and human beings are both
threatened. We must do something to change the situation –
there won’t be a Noah’s
some of us.
Is change possible?
To meet people‘s fundamental concerns
change is needed. The world as it is does not offer the
majority of humanity life but rather hell. I believe that change
is possible, because I cannot
accept a God who could remain indifferent to this world, but only
one who cares about the poor and
the suffering. God’s grace gives us strength to resist,
strength to liberate, opens up new ways.
Grace can be seen quite clearly in our world. The grace of the
living God is at work everywhere
that life is protected and defended.
The world has not changed for the
better, and the desire for liberation is still there - all over
the world. And yet in countries like
explain that?
Liberation theology only serves a purpose if
the issues of justice, of the fate of the poor and the
oppressed become real challenges for faith. It presupposes that
we have sensitivity to the
relevance of the issues of today’s world. If theology has no
feeling for reality then it may
perhaps be of some use for the church, for those interested in
academic courses, for ensuring a
certain intellectual discourse. But it has little to do with the
living God who acts through
history and it will contribute little to changing our world.
Can this kind of sensitivity be
reawakened?
To do that you have to look at the way the
world is going. For instance whoever sees television
images of the world’s poverty, of wars, catastrophes and
economic crises, will be able to tell that
our world has fallen into deep disorder and that we have to
protest against that. Liberation
theology and any theology committed to social change presupposes
this spiritual rebellion.
Do you think that this kind of
liberation theology committed to social change could take root
long-term even in
Liberation theology takes quite specific
oppression as its starting point. This can also be
discovered in ones own context. What’s the situation in
they have? What’s the situation for people who are poor and
socially disadvantaged? How are they
treated by the population and by social institutions? This is the
immediate challenge of any
engaged theology.
You have particularly highlighted the
protection of creation as a key issue for contextual
theology. Doesn't this mean that the options are
further reduced for those who were originally at
the centre of liberation theology’s concerns?
Both are inextricably linked together. With
the phrase "Justice, peace and the integrity of
creation" the World Council of Churches found a metaphor
that brought together the great ideals of
the world. The three dimensions cannot be separated. Without
justice life together is not possible.
Peace means having good and just relations with other people,
other cultures, with nature and with
God. And integrity of creation is the foundation. If we destroy
creation then all other projects
are impossible. For me this triple affirmation is like a short
summary of the good news of the
gospel. And even if it is in the nature of utopia to never quite
be achievable it nevertheless
shows us the way forward like a compass and motivates us to not
give up.
In a year’s time the World Council
of Churches will be holding its 9th Assembly here in
Alegre, with the theme "God, in your
grace, transform the world". What do you see as the work of
the world’s largest ecumenical fellowship as it
prepares for this?
I think it’s important that religion
awakens and nourishes people’s spirituality. The spiritual
dimension expresses the deep experience of the spirit, the
experience of being and of God in the
world. This spirituality is an innate part of every human being
and is not the monopoly of
organised religion. For me the task of religion is to open up
spaces for human spirituality. If we
can achieve that then humanity will be more compassionate, more
humane, show more in solidarity.
Mark McCloskey
Tragedy
Once again the forces of nature, the laws of
science, the randomness of existence has taken it's
toll upon the earth and some of it's inhabitants. Once again,
suffering, death and sickness have
manifested themselves upon the innocents. There is a great
sadness out of the silence of now: a
part of me has perished. This is nothing new. This happens
everyday in our streets, our cities, our
homes. There is no rhyme or reason to it: it just happens.
While our hearts are filled with sorrow, let
us reach out in any way we can to help those who are
helpless. We are one entity, one consciousness and one earth.
There is no person or god causing
this tragedy except the power of the universe itself in complete
randomness. Now is not the time to
pray to mythic beings for salvation, now is the time to be and to
live, to help and to heal and to
realize that there is no separation between us: we are one.
No matter when or where a tragedy may
strike, let us know without any doubt, that existence
continues, that life will go on, with us or without us. Let us
come to enjoy every moment we do
have together and live that moment fully, honestly, in
compassion, love and in truth. That is all
we must do; this is our only obligation. Live this moment now and
be the best you can be in
whatever you do, as if it is your last moment and live and breath
from the depths of who you are:
the gentle silence of the loving now. There is nothing more.
May the gentleness of truth dawn upon all
minds still filled with ignorance and in the shadows of
confusion. May those suffering soon find peace and joy.
http://www.puresilence.org/written_word.htm
http://www.greatfreedom.org/bio.php
Candice O'Denver
Frequently
Asked Questions
What are the Twelve Inquiries?
The Twelve Inquiries are a liberation teaching. A liberation
teaching is written, formal and participatory instruction that
when studied, practiced and lived cultivates ultimate
realization, enlightenment or awakening.
Inquiries One through Nine are the process for changing
behavior in order to live life fully as a liberated human being.
Inquiries Ten through Twelve are direct liberation instruction.
What is the purpose of the Twelve Inquiries?
The primary purpose of the Twelve Inquiries is ultimate
realization of the natural state, which includes a way of life
that demonstrates serving, sharing and caring through the use of
one’s innate strengths, gifts and talents. Other terms for
ultimate realization are enlightenment, awakening and liberation.
In the most ultimate sense, what is called enlightenment,
awakening, or liberation is to stop imagining oneself to be
confined to a body. When one realizes that both seeking and
finding are within one, the search stops and the deepest truth of
who one is, is realized. One suddenly has profound knowledge,
insight and understanding with no image, no concept and no
thought of it. This is called the natural state and one knows it
as oneself. Rather than being confined to one’s body, one
realizes one is inclusive of everything.
What is inquiry?
It is both the act of inquiring and a close examination of a
matter in a search for truth. The Twelve Inquiries uncover the
truth that was never covered or hidden: our natural state.
Inquiry involves asking questions, investigating and discussing
insights, and deeply reflecting on the natural state.
What is the natural state?
The natural state is simply being human at the most
extraordinary and optimal level. The natural state is extreme
clarity and benevolence with its own intelligence. What this
means in practical terms is that to be enlightened is to be
extremely clear and actively engaged in a life of serving,
sharing and caring.
What is point of view?
Point of view is using the inherent clarity of the natural
state to focus attention in a manner that dims clarity. The
natural state is all that is and all we are. When the natural
state focuses attention, conscious awareness of the fullness of
the natural state can seem limited. A point of view is focusing
the power and attention of our natural state, at the exclusion of
all else, on ideas, thoughts, belief systems, assumptions, goals
and stories; feelings, emotions, intuitions; sensations;
activities, events, circumstances; people, including our own
body/mind; things. Point of view is who we have taken ourselves
to be. We get clear on the natural state by understanding the
mechanism of point of view and, as we do, extreme clarity is
revealed.
I already have a teacher. Why should I study the
Twelve Inquiries?
In Twelve Inquiries gatherings we are supported in living as
the natural state by an awakened teacher and by other
participants. We cultivate respect for a wide variety of teachers
and teachings. The Twelve Inquiries give us the freedom to
explore any of these while maintaining the Twelve Inquiries as
the fundamental infrastructure for ultimate realization of the
natural state that will always be with us no matter the other
resources we explore. In the Twelve Inquiries teaching, we learn
to truly understand who an awakened teacher is and what it is
they offer through deeply accepting who we are and what we offer.
How will I benefit from study of the Twelve Inquiries?
Extreme clarity and benevolence with its own intelligence is
the result of studying the Twelve Inquiries. Practically, this
means one is fully present and on purpose in each moment of now.
Each moment is lived with the full force of clarity that enables
one to take care of oneself, interact beneficially with others
and serve the world one lives in. One becomes aware of innate
strengths, gifts and talents and realizes how to use them with
maximum effectiveness and service.
Where can I study the Twelve Inquiries?
The Twelve Inquiries are taught in three-day and ten-day
intensives held throughout each year at Great Freedom Sanctuary,
which is located in the midst of a sculpture garden overlooking
the
Where can I get more information on the Twelve
Inquiries?
For more information: call 415.868.2544
http://www.greatfreedom.org/bio.php
