I love this... thank you for the post. I also live with the tension between faith and doubt. One book that helps me with paradox, ambiguity and uncertainty is Esther de Waal's book Living With Contradiction.
I think that the tension between faith and doubt is critical to both. I prefer a humble faith to certainty, I fear certainty. It seems human beings can be at their worst when they are certain, it seems to grant an arrogant superiority to their view. If nihilism would be the extreme of doubt, it would carry me to despair. When I drift with these kinds of words, I have to acknowledge semantics and how personal the words become to each person.
Another fabulous dive. And made me go back to another wonder-filled essay I read a few weeks ago by Renée Eli titled Wordless Well of Hope. She examines hope/faith from a non-human / cosmic perspective and I found it fascinating and freeing, staring: “Hope effectuates what blooms not because hope dwells in the human will but because it does not. We tap into hope.” I highly recommend reading it, she goes into this idea in great depth!
Thank you for this reflection. As someone who lost their faith, then regained it a decade later (albeit in a very different form), I appreciate the nuanced discussion. I love the Hafiz quote “…it lights the whole sky.” May we also be people who light the whole sky for others.
Inspiring and poignant post. Brings me back to Sharon Saltzburg's Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience. That's what it comes down to for me - the visceral experience.
Raised Catholic by doubting Jesuit educated scientists, we were taught to question everything the priests and scriptures taught and, by extension, question God. This heady upbringing had it's upsides - no problem missing mass. Downsides became glaring as our afluent nuclear family began it's nuclear meltdown - there was nothing to believe in.
My family's lack of faith may have eventually been a gift. In the void, as an adult, I had no choice but to explore, to decide to cultivate faith as a healing force within - a belief that we are worthy and we are love.
Of course, in the aftermath recent events - cat4 hurricane, heartbreak, and outlandish election - my faith is being tested. And this is when I need it most.
Love that - from the verigo of cutting loose from any faith to "faith as a healing force within." In the face of terrible loss, it's understandable that faith is tested. The rational mind is outmatched and the heart is torn. I picture St. Francis in the humble act of praying, and the very act of it has a calming effect.
I appreciate how you've linked this together Julie. Everything from the quotes to the call for attention and intention of where we put our heart. I especially love the cause and effect of faith, those words gave my soul a little nudge and, in that nudge, a cry for notice.
You have set the table with a feast and invited us inside. What a spread. What a gift. Thank you, Julie.
Thanks for dining, David! There’s always plenty to go around. 🕊️🤍
Yes. This. Thank you, Julie!
I love this... thank you for the post. I also live with the tension between faith and doubt. One book that helps me with paradox, ambiguity and uncertainty is Esther de Waal's book Living With Contradiction.
Thanks for that recommendation, Cathy. I’m not familiar with it. Thanks for being here. 🕊 🤍
I think that the tension between faith and doubt is critical to both. I prefer a humble faith to certainty, I fear certainty. It seems human beings can be at their worst when they are certain, it seems to grant an arrogant superiority to their view. If nihilism would be the extreme of doubt, it would carry me to despair. When I drift with these kinds of words, I have to acknowledge semantics and how personal the words become to each person.
Well said, Leslie. Indeed, certainty can be toxic. It shuts down nuance and closes off possibility.
I think you’re so right about that tension, Leslie. And about certainty. Certainty is the source of so much trouble.
Thank you for the book recommendation. It looks like a good book for me to read.
It just won the Booker Prize! Ooops - I read this out of context, thought you were referring to "Orbital." 😂
I will check out Orbital, as well!
Another fabulous dive. And made me go back to another wonder-filled essay I read a few weeks ago by Renée Eli titled Wordless Well of Hope. She examines hope/faith from a non-human / cosmic perspective and I found it fascinating and freeing, staring: “Hope effectuates what blooms not because hope dwells in the human will but because it does not. We tap into hope.” I highly recommend reading it, she goes into this idea in great depth!
Oh that sounds fabulous! Thanks for this, Kimberly. I collect thoughts on hope. It fascinates me. 🥰🤍
We tap into hope. Brilliant. Thanks, Kimberly. I’m going to need to jump back over to that essay too.
Thank you for this reflection. As someone who lost their faith, then regained it a decade later (albeit in a very different form), I appreciate the nuanced discussion. I love the Hafiz quote “…it lights the whole sky.” May we also be people who light the whole sky for others.
What a lovely thought. Words to live by. ☀️
Julie! What a wealth of discussion you’ve inspired.
Thanks for joining along, Holly. 🤍
Inspiring and poignant post. Brings me back to Sharon Saltzburg's Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience. That's what it comes down to for me - the visceral experience.
Raised Catholic by doubting Jesuit educated scientists, we were taught to question everything the priests and scriptures taught and, by extension, question God. This heady upbringing had it's upsides - no problem missing mass. Downsides became glaring as our afluent nuclear family began it's nuclear meltdown - there was nothing to believe in.
My family's lack of faith may have eventually been a gift. In the void, as an adult, I had no choice but to explore, to decide to cultivate faith as a healing force within - a belief that we are worthy and we are love.
Of course, in the aftermath recent events - cat4 hurricane, heartbreak, and outlandish election - my faith is being tested. And this is when I need it most.
Love that - from the verigo of cutting loose from any faith to "faith as a healing force within." In the face of terrible loss, it's understandable that faith is tested. The rational mind is outmatched and the heart is torn. I picture St. Francis in the humble act of praying, and the very act of it has a calming effect.
I appreciate how you've linked this together Julie. Everything from the quotes to the call for attention and intention of where we put our heart. I especially love the cause and effect of faith, those words gave my soul a little nudge and, in that nudge, a cry for notice.
Lovely, Donna! I appreciate your engagement with these thoughts. 🕊️🤍