I often end my prayers "in the name of all that is holy." What I mean by that is that the expression of my prayer is in service to and hopefully in alignment to the most sacred that we know. Prayer itself, I believe, is human expression, whether silent or spoken, of our deepest most authentic longings, gratitudes, fears and joys.
Of course many Christians end their prayers, "in Jesus name, Amen." Which is just fine for a Christian setting. But what about when a Christian minister is praying in public, for a diverse crowd of humanists, atheistics, agnostics, Muslems, and Jews and Christians and others too numerous to mention? I don't know what those ministers are thinking when they speak in their own language solely. Do they know that what they are saying leaves many out? If the purpose of public prayer is to express as much as possible what the whole group is longing for, and what they are feeling deeply about; if the purpose is to have a moment when all are together spiritually in the hopes and aspirations, then why use language which leaves some people, many people, feeling left out? Why use language that is exclusive and at best requires translation?
If prayer is a deeply and commonly human experience of expression of our longings and feelings, hopes and aspirations, then it does not require dogmatic language to be so. So when inaugural prayers are strickly Christian I don't think it serves us well. As a Unitarian Universalist I am called to go deep enough to the bedrock of common humanity. I would hope that those chosen to do public prayers could learn how to do that too, or else say "no thank you." In a sense it is what is required of all hospital chaplains...they must be able to pray with everyone, without their particular dogma, but rather first exploring what religious heritage comforts the patient. Unitarian Universalist chaplains in hospitals pray in Jesus name for Christian patients, in the name of all that is holy for spiritual humanists. Offering prayers for others, you see, is not about us, but about those for whom we are leading prayer.
Enough said.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Peg,
I am a fellow UU, recently back from an inspiring pilgrimage with several other members of All Souls church here in Wash DC. Shana Lyngood taught us a chant, "when I breathe in, I breathe in Peace...when I breathe out, I breathe out love." I am writing a poem andI want to give attribution as well as the full chant which I cannot remember! Can you help me with this?
thank you, (Shana is on vacation/study leave or I'd ask her)
Judy Leaver
We just learned this same "When I breathe in, I breathe in peace, when I breathe out, I breathe out love" chant as a way to lead into meditation.
It was during a workshop at First Unitarian in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was also surfing the web looking for all the words -- and hoping for the tune. But Judy's question gave me what I needed.
Jesus is why I breathe. How could I lie or live a lie that would deny this Eternal Truth? He is the Prince of Peace. I believe that praying in the name of Jesus is great, but it is more needful to live in the name of Jesus. I am not saying that people of other religions/beliefs are necessarily wrong, but I do think that they are uninformed about the Truth.
Dear Mikey -- I hope for more understanding between people with different religious beliefs, as religion is also used as a tool of exclusion and oppression. I am pleased that you have found a truth that works for you and inspires your life. No religious liberal will ever try to take your precious faith away from you (despite the counter-productive theme in right-wing American politics that christians are oppressed).
I do want to dispel the idea that the mere exposure to Jesus's story will lead someone to your Truth. Were this so, there wouldn't be so many sects of Christianity, let alone so many other religions and so many well educated agnostics. Go in peace.
I left out an important point. You expressed genuine discomfort at leaving Jesus out of this prayer. "How could I lie?". This is PRECISELY the emotion that agnostics feel when forced to speak the name of a representation of the divine to which we do not subscribe. It is a hunger NOT to lie when expressing our ultimate concerns that drives agnostics to tolerant groups like the Unitarians. This is something that I think you will understand -- just in reverse.
Post a Comment