Chapter 1: The Landscape of Personal Faith

In today’s world, the nature of personal faith is evolving. Although the rigid atheism championed by figures like Dawkins seems to be losing its grip, the God that many people are willing to believe in is often perceived as an abstract concept. Enlightenment Deism has distanced God to a realm that feels beyond both personal understanding and scientific inquiry. The rise of individualism has made it challenging to engage with a collective morality rooted in community values. Consequently, discussions about meditation are becoming more prevalent than those about traditional prayer.

The age-old practice of prayer reflects a deep-seated urge to connect with nature or reality in a relational way. Critics may argue this tendency is merely a projection or anthropomorphism imposed on a universe that is fundamentally indifferent. However, one could argue that indifference itself is a form of projection. Our ancestral animists viewed the world as filled with consciousness, vibrant and alive. As British anthropologist Tim Ingold notes:

“...could be described as a condition of being alive to the world, characterised by a heightened sensitivity and responsiveness, in perception and action, to an environment that is always in flux, never the same from one moment to the next. Animacy, then, is not a property of persons imaginatively projected onto the things with which they perceive themselves to be surrounded. Rather it is the dynamic, transformative potential of the entire field of relations within which beings of all kinds, more or less person-like or thing-like, continually and reciprocally bring one another into existence. The animacy of the lifeworld, in short, is not the result of an infusion of spirit into substance, or of agency into materiality, but it rather ontologically prior to their differentiation.” (Ingold, 2006)

Thus, the universe appears far from indifferent. However, the scientific approach tends to objectify reality, limiting its capacity to grasp such dynamic conceptions of existence. The distinction between a relational, reciprocal existence and mere factual knowledge lies in the way we choose to perceive and engage with the world around us.

This understanding of animism can exist within a broader framework of naturalism or even a naturalistic panpsychism. Yet, traditional religious perspectives introduce additional ideas about reality, emphasizing that it is not only relational and reciprocal but also deeply personal, drawing us in through experience and revelation.

Chapter 2: The Challenge of Revelation

The first video titled "The Call of the Divine Beloved - An Introduction by Dr. Steven Phelps" explores the profound relationship between divine connection and human experience, inviting viewers to reflect on the nature of faith.

As we delve deeper, we encounter the complexities of revelation. Observing new interpretations of reality may fit within a naturalistic paradigm, yet the question of revelation strikes at the heart of familiar religious experiences, often marred by debates between proponents of intelligent design and scientific inquiry.

All major theistic traditions include the idea of revelation, often encapsulated in scripture. This ranges from strict beliefs that scripture is directly dictated to a more nuanced understanding that recognizes the symbolic and metaphorical nature of sacred texts. The poet Shelley, for instance, perceives poetry as a divine participation, emphasizing receptivity rather than mere will. He articulates this in "A Defence of Poetry," stating, “Man is an instrument over which a series of external and internal impressions are driven, like the alternations of an ever-changing wind over an Æolian lyre, which move it by their motion to ever-changing melody.”

This notion extends the animistic view of reality into our personal identity, acknowledging that our engagement with reality can foster a creative receptivity that transcends conscious thought. Shelley again posits that poetry ascends “to bring light and fire from those eternal regions where the owl-winged faculty of calculation dare not ever soar.”

Consequently, our interactions with literature and scripture require a different kind of focus. As religions formalize revelations, we often shift their meanings into the analytical realm, seeking comparisons with rational perspectives. This reduces profound language to mere descriptions, stripping it of the symbolic richness that a true religious context provides.

The challenges we face stem from both believers and non-believers alike, as evidenced by the trivialization of sacred texts by those who approach them with a theme park mentality. Recognizing that the appropriate response to revelation encompasses ritual, remembrance, artistic expression, and creativity is often stifled by a literal interpretation that diminishes personal engagement. For instance, New Testament authors prioritize the symbolic essence of the Old Testament rather than its literal history. In 1 Peter 3, Noah’s ark is referenced: “to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water.”

Peter further explains, “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand — with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”

The floodwaters of Noah connect us to the celestial realm. We observe that scripture maintains a symbolic coherence, suggesting that meaning transcends literal interpretations. While some aspects of Christian history, such as the resurrection, may hold both literal and symbolic significance, no Christian asserts that salvation is merely a belief in historical events akin to choosing one scientific theory over another.

This understanding requires us to step back from the rigid analytical frameworks that dominate our world. Liberating ourselves from the compulsion to literalize and objectify knowledge allows for a more receptive approach to creative perception and religious tradition. Embracing this strangeness may lead us closer to intuitive insights and realizations, revealing a familiarity that feels profoundly foreign.

The second video, "The Call of the Divine Beloved - Session 1/10 by Steven Phelps," continues to delve into the themes of connection and revelation, offering deeper insights into the evolving understanding of faith in a contemporary context.

Thank you for taking the time to read this reflection. I've created a Patreon for those interested in supporting my writing or exploring further topics such as:

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