...with all your mind

[Kristonia]

Hi,

I'd like to get your opinions on something I've been thinking about lately. I'll try to be very succinct so please forgive me if some of the following lacks nuance. I'll try to finesse my thoughts as a discussion unfolds.

In Matthew 22:37, Jesus tells us to love God with the whole of our minds. We know our brains are divided into two hemispheres-- the left side controls logic, science and precision while the right side controls emotion, creativity and spontenaity.

A notable radio personality jokes that he takes on his opponents with half his brain tied behind his back. It occured to me that many Christians do the same thing. I've been thinking how the major streams of Christianity are dominated by "one sided thinking".

As a former Catholic, I think that the Catholic and Orthodox traditions are dominated by right-brained theology. They have wonderfully creative and beautiful forms of worship. They utilize art magnificently and they have retained an enviable awe of God in their worship. However, as with most right-brained thinkers, they are less than precise (at least from a Protestant perspective) in their use of the bible as their ultimate spiritual authority.

As a born-again Evangelical, I think the Protestant traditions are (or have been in some cases) dominated by left-brained thinking. They have an awesome diligence in correctly interpreting and applying scripture as their spiritual authority. Sola scriptura! They study scripture like a science. However, as with most left-brained thinkers, they embrace utility over beauty. How many new church buildings are ugly, utilitarian warehouses of worship? How many Protestants worship in santuary/gymnasiums (we called ours the sanctinasium)? The common thought is that money should not be "wasted" on artistic beauty when it could be better spent on evangelizing. It reminds me of the woman who annointed Jesus' feet with costly perfume. The disciples complained that the perfume should have been sold and the money used for better purposes. But Jesus said she had done a beautiful thing.

I think Christians ought to follow Jesus' command to love God with all of our heart and ALL of our mind. We ought to make an effort to see how we have been lacking and bring balance to our worship. I crave accurate scriptural understanding clothed in meaningful, creative and beautiful expressions of worship. The Christian traditions can learn from each other-- not by duplicating each others weaknesses but by adopting each other's strengths.

 

[NewToLife]

As a former Catholic, I think that the Catholic and Orthodox traditions are dominated by right-brained theology. They have wonderfully creative and beautiful forms of worship. They utilize art magnificently and they have retained an enviable awe of God in their worship. However, as with most right-brained thinkers, they are less than precise (at least from a Protestant perspective) in their use of the bible as their ultimate spiritual authority.

Neither Catholic nor Orthodox use the Bible as their chief earthly authority, in the case of Orthodoxy we use the Traditions of the Church ( of which the Bible is a part but not the whole ) as our authority. Orthodoxy is quite precise in its use of Tradition however.

 

[Kristonia]

I was trying to be non-offensive in my wording. I still maintain that the Catholic and Orthodox traditions appear to be "right-brained" in their approaches.

A right-brained artist can be very precise in his creative works but he his still right-brained. His focus is in the detail of his art, not the science of artistic application. Likewise Catholic and Orthodox precision is in creative traditions, not in exegesis of Holy Scripture.

 

[larryicr]

One could divide the brain another way - conscience and subconscience. If you wanted to use your whole brain you would have to train your conscience mind to stop supressing your subconscience. A little like Carl Jung and his psychology about getting rid of the gap between the conscience and subconscience.

As a disclaimer, I am not advocating this position, just posting it as another way of dividing the brain/mind.

 

[Kristonia]

Good observation. However, are there any non-cultic Christian traditions that favor a subconscious form of worship over a conscious form? I wonder how a subconscious form of worship would work. On second thought, I don't want to know!

 

[larryicr]

It's not the idea of only using the subconscience, but bridging the gap between conscience and subconscience. The idea is that these 2 aspects of the brain can work together if we know how to let them.

I think some people in my church worship subconsciously. But maybe they just didn't get enough sleep.

 

[Motus]

I think some people in my church worship subconsciously. But maybe they just didn't get enough sleep.

Job 33:15-16
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
KJV

Subconscious worship is good!

 

[Rev. Smith]

...I think that the Catholic and Orthodox traditions are dominated by right-brained theology. They have wonderfully creative and beautiful forms of worship. They utilize art magnificently and they have retained an enviable awe of God in their worship. However, as with most right-brained thinkers, they are less than precise (at least from a Protestant perspective) in their use of the bible as their ultimate spiritual authority.

...the Protestant traditions are (or have been in some cases) dominated by left-brained thinking. They have an awesome diligence in correctly interpreting and applying scripture as their spiritual authority. Sola scriptura! They study scripture like a science. However, as with most left-brained thinkers, they embrace utility over beauty.

Others out there in the world have noted the same dichotomy. Many Lutherin, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches are moveing closer to a blended way, a kind of Western Orthodoxy. My own Church teaches the primacy of scripture for doctrine, and are very Bible centered. While we reject the fundimentalist view, and believe that Man must bring Reason and understanding to the Bible, the Bible is our core - and no tradition that lacks scriptural support may stand. However, we remain orthodox in our retention of the Liturgy and sacraments - these traditions connect us to the two thousand years of Christian worship, enfolding us into the People of God that St. Peter taught us to be.

Sola sciptura is only as good as the translation, pure tradition risks straying from principals of the Good News itself, but tradition and reason in service to scripture allows man to hold both a true faith and salvation, and to honor the Glory of God.

 

[Inside Edge]

The Christian traditions can learn from each other-- not by duplicating each others weaknesses but by adopting each other's strengths.

I couldn't agree with you more. Division, I feel, is one of the biggest problems for the faith today. There will always be differences, sects and denominations - but I really believe we're wounding and maming the faith when we can't at least accept those differences.

However, I feel your contrast of the catholic-evenagelical '"styles" is a bit generalized. I've found that the high church types (Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, etc) are more contemplative, and as you say, that is reflected in their artwork and style of worship. However, I've found these denominations to also be more academic on the philosophical side of things, but no less intellectually engaged in scripture than evangelicals.

On the Evangelical side, I agree that there's far more focus on the Bible alone, and worship environments are truly more utilitarian. Where they spend more time focusing on scripture, there is much less academic/intellectual stress on philosophy or higher theology; instead, more energy and focus is put into reconciliation with or argument against scientific facts and observation. Where that "emotional" element is missing in their buildings etc, I find evangelical congregations to have far more upbeat singing, motivational sermons, and church social events.

But all of this doesn't change the fact that each tradition can and should be learning from each other more, and separating from each other much less. The Italians have a saying - "Leaving is like dying a little" (Andare è come morire poco, if I remember correctly). Whenever one church, denomination, or individual draws lines between another (in protest, disgust, judgement), our "One Body" dies a little [more].

 

[Johnnz]

Kristonia,

You have raised a good issue.

Much Evangelical tradition has had a Platonic dualism attached to it, as has the Catholic church, from whence it came. That dualism has bought many unhealthy perspectives on many subjects with it. What is means to be trully 'spiritual' and a 'fully devoted Christian' is often presented within this framework.

Evangelicals have not had a good tradition of apllying biblical principles to many areas of life. Work, liesure, ecomomics and the arts have little place in Sunday teaching. Fundamentalists, part of the evangelical/pentecostal community have been particularly narrowly focused on what is taught.

Chuch buildings are another matter for me, personally. The church got on pretty well without them for three centuries. In a needy world we must look at what we devote our resources to, especially as insitutionalised Christianity is losing support significantly in most western countries.

John
NZ

 

[NewToLife]

I was trying to be non-offensive in my wording. I still maintain that the Catholic and Orthodox traditions appear to be "right-brained" in their approaches.

A right-brained artist can be very precise in his creative works but he his still right-brained. His focus is in the detail of his art, not the science of artistic application. Likewise Catholic and Orthodox precision is in creative traditions, not in exegesis of Holy Scripture.

I did understand your point, and I certainly wasnt offended by it... However I do not believe that your point is based on a very accurate understanding of the Catholic or Orthodox churches, both of which have strong intellectual presences.

I would also point out that Orthodoxy at least is not creative at all. That you use that description points to a deep misunderstanding of the Orthodox churches. Even within iconography the artist ( or more accurately the writer ) is expected to work within firmly established patterns/rules.

 

[Kristonia]

You're correct in that I don't have a great understanding of the Orthodox Church. Don't they sing or chant their entire masses? I'd consider that to be a right-brained approach.

I don't want to deflect this conversation away from the original topic which uses a very broad brush to depict two styles of unbalanced worship. I would like to hear more about the traditions that are moving to a more balanced approach or of those that have maintained it for a long time.

In my original post I didn't mention the Anglican tradition which has tried to keep a balance. I tried to attend an Episcopal Church for a while but as a former Catholic, I didn't like the Catholic Mass pattern that it maintained. I can't give an accurate breakdown of how much of the Mass is traditional Mass structure and how much is biblical teaching, but it seems like the teaching is the smaller portion. I was also uncomfortable with that denomination's drift away from historic Christianity.

I am encouraged by the WORD & TABLE movement. It seems to strike the balance I'm looking for.