Comment Turned Post
I wrote this as a comment on Kyle Robert's blog: http://kylearoberts.com/wordpress/?p=381 It turned into a blog-post-length piece. So I thought I would share it.
Kyle,
I read an article recently in the opinion section of the New York Times online. It was a book, perhaps the same one (I can't seem to find the article), about spirituality and welling up experiences. It was written by two philosophy professors (again, their names escape me). They mentioned sporting events and corporate worship and the welling-up experience that take place in both situations. It reminded me of Plotinus or neo-platonism - a class I took my Junior year of college.
Your post reminded me of the types of people Plato/Plotinus supposed could experience the good/the One. They are the lover, the musician, and the philosopher. Apparently the writers encouraged the reader to (and I'm combining my memory of Plotinus' and the article's language here) invite and appreciate it when some kind of grace permits a 'welling up' experience.
The way the authors portrayed it seemed sadly superficial and ale-carte, but the language that Plotinus uses for this experience seemed almost Christian. He spoke so often of a free grace that you can't earn, but can prepare for that sweeps you up into the presence of the One/the Good.
Shared experiences of letting ourselves "go" seem to promote that feeling. We can be swept up in those moments. God brings beauty from the profane. Maybe the Super Bowl is a moment when people see the beauty in the corporate enjoyment of some worldly thing. That pattern can then be followed toward worship of the truly holy.
That all sounds very heretical... I don't mean to be so, but I find the 'welling up' we all sometimes experience interesting and provocative. Of course, God is more than a feeling, but by His grace we do often feel His presence.
I hope these thoughts are helpful.
-Sam
Kyle,
I read an article recently in the opinion section of the New York Times online. It was a book, perhaps the same one (I can't seem to find the article), about spirituality and welling up experiences. It was written by two philosophy professors (again, their names escape me). They mentioned sporting events and corporate worship and the welling-up experience that take place in both situations. It reminded me of Plotinus or neo-platonism - a class I took my Junior year of college.
Your post reminded me of the types of people Plato/Plotinus supposed could experience the good/the One. They are the lover, the musician, and the philosopher. Apparently the writers encouraged the reader to (and I'm combining my memory of Plotinus' and the article's language here) invite and appreciate it when some kind of grace permits a 'welling up' experience.
The way the authors portrayed it seemed sadly superficial and ale-carte, but the language that Plotinus uses for this experience seemed almost Christian. He spoke so often of a free grace that you can't earn, but can prepare for that sweeps you up into the presence of the One/the Good.
Shared experiences of letting ourselves "go" seem to promote that feeling. We can be swept up in those moments. God brings beauty from the profane. Maybe the Super Bowl is a moment when people see the beauty in the corporate enjoyment of some worldly thing. That pattern can then be followed toward worship of the truly holy.
That all sounds very heretical... I don't mean to be so, but I find the 'welling up' we all sometimes experience interesting and provocative. Of course, God is more than a feeling, but by His grace we do often feel His presence.
I hope these thoughts are helpful.
-Sam
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