Be the change by Jason Valendy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Everyone is trilingual. Yes, even you. Part 2
Expanding on Peterson's thought in this book, when we are born we quickly are thrown into learning language.
The first language we learn is that of intimacy. It is that language that we hear parents speaking to their children, or what loves speak to one another over candlelight. It is what we hear in the book the Song of Solomon in the Bible. And according to Peterson, it is the language of prayer.
There are fewer ways to quickly quiet a room than to simply say, "let us pray." Even the non-religious people in the room become quiet. We become quiet because, at some level, everyone recognizes that what is about to be said will be said in another language. Prayers are spoken in the language of relationship and everyone respects the intimacy of this language. Which might explain why we all become quiet.
We also could all become quiet because we know that in a prayer we are all about to hear a language that is both familiar and foreign. It is like a dream or déjà vu. We listen to a language that we once used so often but, for many of us, it has been a while since we accessed it. It is like riding a bike after years of driving, it takes a moment but in short time it all comes back to us.
As we value more and more the languages of information and motivation, we find ourselves seeking out those who still are fluent in our common native tongue. You see a baby and cannot help but listen to her babble in the hopes you will be able to hear what she has to say. You find a poet who speaks with a rhythm that moves your soul. You find a teacher that uses the same words you use everyday but yet says them differently.
We are desperate for those who know and use our native language of intimacy and relationships, and the most common way to hear it is through a collective prayer.
There are so few who speak this tongue fluently and there are so many of us who feel out of practice.
Which is why when we hear, "let us pray", we all become silent - hoping once again to hear the language of our home.
Everyone is trilingual. Yes, even you. Part 1
In his book, The Contemplative Pastor, Eugene Peterson breaks language into three categories which he labels Language I, II, and III.
Peterson's definition of each category:
"Language I is the language of intimacy and relationship."
"Language II is the language of information."
"Language III is the language of motivation."
Peterson goes on to say that our current culture is dominated by language II and III. We know the power of information and the power of using language to "get things done." Language I is something that is generally reserved for those moments when you are cooing a baby or whispering sweet nothings into a lover's ear. Language II and III get us money and power and prestige. Language I seem to only result in mementos and memories.
Finally Peterson reminds the reader that Language I is the language of prayer.
After reflecting on this passage in his book, a few things struck me
First of all everyone is trilingual. Everyone speaks the language of intimacy, information and motivation. In Christian spirituality it is critical to our formation that we are fluent in all three languages. One might say that spiritual formation is rooted in "Trinitarian language".
The issue might be that too many Christians are attempting to live out Christian spirituality but only using two of the three languages that are necessary for Christian spirituality.
Christians are great at getting people to learn what the Bible has to say or what we believe. Christians also are good at getting people to understand the things that we are to do as Christians - build homes, feed people, visit the sick, etc. Where we fail in our spiritual formation is that Christians are not very good at cultivating the language of intimacy.
Christianity is a faith practice that is rooted in "Trinitarian language" and when we are only using two of the three languages we are always going to remain immature.
Peterson's definition of each category:
"Language I is the language of intimacy and relationship."
"Language II is the language of information."
"Language III is the language of motivation."
Peterson goes on to say that our current culture is dominated by language II and III. We know the power of information and the power of using language to "get things done." Language I is something that is generally reserved for those moments when you are cooing a baby or whispering sweet nothings into a lover's ear. Language II and III get us money and power and prestige. Language I seem to only result in mementos and memories.
Finally Peterson reminds the reader that Language I is the language of prayer. After reflecting on this passage in his book, a few things struck me
First of all everyone is trilingual. Everyone speaks the language of intimacy, information and motivation. In Christian spirituality it is critical to our formation that we are fluent in all three languages. One might say that spiritual formation is rooted in "Trinitarian language".
The issue might be that too many Christians are attempting to live out Christian spirituality but only using two of the three languages that are necessary for Christian spirituality.
Christians are great at getting people to learn what the Bible has to say or what we believe. Christians also are good at getting people to understand the things that we are to do as Christians - build homes, feed people, visit the sick, etc. Where we fail in our spiritual formation is that Christians are not very good at cultivating the language of intimacy.
Christianity is a faith practice that is rooted in "Trinitarian language" and when we are only using two of the three languages we are always going to remain immature.
Children's Sermons - reconsidered
Children's sermons/Children's time is something that plagues many a congregations (and I am not alone in this assessment - see Bishop Willimon). We want to help our children and let them know they are important in worship, but the best we can come up with is a 'moment' in worship when we tell the children some silly story, over their head object lesson, or many times use them to get a laugh.
I am sure there are people who do this moment very well - and you are few and far between.
Teaching children in worship - if only given one moment in worship - can be a tricky thing and I have been thinking about it for a while now (this post made one reader sick).
As Estee and I consider our move to a new faith community, we have batted around the idea of having only 52 pre-set children's sermons that repeat each year. Each lesson would focus on a spiritual discipline with the purpose of helping the kids learn practices that form them in the faith.
For instance, we might have the first Sunday in January we would talk about breath prayer. The second Sunday in January would focus on icons, while the third Sunday in January would look at lighting candles, and the fourth Sunday would look at alms giving and so on and so on. The lessons would repeat again come the next January and once again the kids would hear about breath prayer, icons, candles and alms giving.
In just a few moments sent on this we have about 30 ideas.
We would look to rename it from Children's time/sermon to something else, but we don't know what yet.
What do you think?
I am sure there are people who do this moment very well - and you are few and far between.
Teaching children in worship - if only given one moment in worship - can be a tricky thing and I have been thinking about it for a while now (this post made one reader sick).
As Estee and I consider our move to a new faith community, we have batted around the idea of having only 52 pre-set children's sermons that repeat each year. Each lesson would focus on a spiritual discipline with the purpose of helping the kids learn practices that form them in the faith.
For instance, we might have the first Sunday in January we would talk about breath prayer. The second Sunday in January would focus on icons, while the third Sunday in January would look at lighting candles, and the fourth Sunday would look at alms giving and so on and so on. The lessons would repeat again come the next January and once again the kids would hear about breath prayer, icons, candles and alms giving.
In just a few moments sent on this we have about 30 ideas.
We would look to rename it from Children's time/sermon to something else, but we don't know what yet.
What do you think?