I dedicate this site to the process of developing faith, from the moment of first awakening of conscious faith, to the development of one's character and insight through the exercise of faith, to ultimate mystical union with God. I will discuss the nature and practice of prayer in each of these stages, and attempt to put mystical experience in perspective. Finally, I will emphasize the key role of self-emptying, and the vision or insight that is necessary to encourage that process through its many stages.
It is my firm conviction that it is possible to shed light on these matters through a more precise discussion of phenomena than has hitherto been found in the literature. It is my hope that this exercise will benefit those who have the responsibility for teaching these matters to others. I cannot fail to note here, however, that, except for some very basic facts and traditions, these matters still belong in the category of speculative theology.
As it is, this is a very personal project. I fully expect it to advance by a process of refinement. In its earliest stages, it will be very sketchy and imprecise, even conversational. Neverthless, I hope that it will, in the course of a few years, yield real insight of a nature which can be communicated to intelligent people everywhere.
I intend to illustrate these ideas with stories I have collected from the lives of people I know as well as those who are more universally noted.
"What did you go out to the desert to see
-- a reed swayed by the wind?"
Jesus, commenting on John the Baptist
- Luke 7:24
"Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a
pit?"
From Luke's "Sermon on the Plane"
- Luke 6:39
"The wind blows where it chooses
and you hear the sound of it,
but you do not know where it comes from
or where it goes.
So it is
with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Jesus, talking to Nicodemus about being reborn
- John 3:8
"You know how to interpret
the appearance of the sky,
but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."
Jesus, responding to the elders about
"signs"
- Matt 16:3b
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
From Matthew's "Sermon on the Mount"
- Matt 5:3