Hello again, everyone. This is my second post. I posted a little about my path in my introduction.
I find myself in an interesting theological position. My heart is panentheist and has been for I don't know how long. I was not raised by my parents within a particular religious tradition, just bits and pieces my mom told me, not all of it Christian.
When I was 20 I was baptized Episcopalian, a church with quite a few eclectics, not just me. This has been good for me because the liturgical year keeps me in line with the seasons, there are rites of passage, and a great deal of flexibility in spiritual matters. It gave me some structure, some friends, traditions, continuity, that sort of benefit. However, I never stopped being a panentheist. I have sense come across Episcopalian theologians who are panentheists. Since becoming Episcopalian, I have considered myself a Trinitarian Panentheist specifically and a have a theology based on this.
Throughout my life, I have had spiritual experiences, and they have never been easy to classify into a single religion at any time, though they seemed to confirm my spirituality at any moment on the path. Some of this involved beings that defy any description I have read, and part of the insight I've had is that everywhere we go, everything is thriving with an interconnected web of life. In some sense I have become an animist as well as panentheist and I have had encounters that I have only ever found in works on shamanism or in some cases neo-paganism. Out of these experiences, rites have evolved that have allowed me to return to these sacred spaces and sometimes bring others with me -- I design them to be poetic, artistic, cathartic, and beautiful. The pentagram is an important symbol to me, but I interpret it in my own unique sense. Creating and enacting the rituals involves prayer and effort, and this I offer up as a kind of devotion that reaches the God in all as well as the "angels" I honor.
All of this has happened naturally without me consciously constructing all of this at once. My views have naturally evolved over time, so I don't feel a conflict, but I do have some observations and questions. For one, I have a spiritual worldview, but I don't create my whole path from scratch like some creative individuals do. I find the Episcopal path very good for me, but I do have experiences and views I brought with me into this faith, so I have a personal side to my views and devotions that is eclectic and more self-expressive.
I have researched online a lot for others in a similar situation and came across ChristoPaganism, but I don't quite fit with that.
Are there any others in a similar situation? Would this be an example of syncretism?
Also with eclectics, is there a balance between personal creativity and prayer and older traditions? Is there a balance between being guided by older traditions -- Christian, Buddhist, etc. -- but be innovative? I suppose the Quakers would say to trust the God within. I lean toward this view, but I know sometimes it's hard with the ego chattering away!
Also did older societies ever have people who created a large part of their religious practice from creativity, like solitary eclectics? I know different cultures exchanged ideas and practices, but were there people who consciously adapted different practices and formed their own? Or people who created personal and new rituals? I would imagine not everyone is cut out for it!
I suppose I have a communal side to my spirituality with my parish and church friends, but I have a solitary practice in private that enriches and expresses other aspects of my spirituality -- both perspectives are a whole to me. I am able to consider that there may be many different perspectives that are windows into God, and my path is one small window. How's that for eclectic?
I am hoping by sharing this I might get some idea if there are others in a similar place on the map to me (ChristoPagan is closest but still seems very different when I read about how they see and practice that path) or whether I'm on my own with this kind of thing!
I find myself in an interesting theological position. My heart is panentheist and has been for I don't know how long. I was not raised by my parents within a particular religious tradition, just bits and pieces my mom told me, not all of it Christian.
When I was 20 I was baptized Episcopalian, a church with quite a few eclectics, not just me. This has been good for me because the liturgical year keeps me in line with the seasons, there are rites of passage, and a great deal of flexibility in spiritual matters. It gave me some structure, some friends, traditions, continuity, that sort of benefit. However, I never stopped being a panentheist. I have sense come across Episcopalian theologians who are panentheists. Since becoming Episcopalian, I have considered myself a Trinitarian Panentheist specifically and a have a theology based on this.
Throughout my life, I have had spiritual experiences, and they have never been easy to classify into a single religion at any time, though they seemed to confirm my spirituality at any moment on the path. Some of this involved beings that defy any description I have read, and part of the insight I've had is that everywhere we go, everything is thriving with an interconnected web of life. In some sense I have become an animist as well as panentheist and I have had encounters that I have only ever found in works on shamanism or in some cases neo-paganism. Out of these experiences, rites have evolved that have allowed me to return to these sacred spaces and sometimes bring others with me -- I design them to be poetic, artistic, cathartic, and beautiful. The pentagram is an important symbol to me, but I interpret it in my own unique sense. Creating and enacting the rituals involves prayer and effort, and this I offer up as a kind of devotion that reaches the God in all as well as the "angels" I honor.
All of this has happened naturally without me consciously constructing all of this at once. My views have naturally evolved over time, so I don't feel a conflict, but I do have some observations and questions. For one, I have a spiritual worldview, but I don't create my whole path from scratch like some creative individuals do. I find the Episcopal path very good for me, but I do have experiences and views I brought with me into this faith, so I have a personal side to my views and devotions that is eclectic and more self-expressive.
I have researched online a lot for others in a similar situation and came across ChristoPaganism, but I don't quite fit with that.
Are there any others in a similar situation? Would this be an example of syncretism?
Also with eclectics, is there a balance between personal creativity and prayer and older traditions? Is there a balance between being guided by older traditions -- Christian, Buddhist, etc. -- but be innovative? I suppose the Quakers would say to trust the God within. I lean toward this view, but I know sometimes it's hard with the ego chattering away!
Also did older societies ever have people who created a large part of their religious practice from creativity, like solitary eclectics? I know different cultures exchanged ideas and practices, but were there people who consciously adapted different practices and formed their own? Or people who created personal and new rituals? I would imagine not everyone is cut out for it!
I suppose I have a communal side to my spirituality with my parish and church friends, but I have a solitary practice in private that enriches and expresses other aspects of my spirituality -- both perspectives are a whole to me. I am able to consider that there may be many different perspectives that are windows into God, and my path is one small window. How's that for eclectic?
I am hoping by sharing this I might get some idea if there are others in a similar place on the map to me (ChristoPagan is closest but still seems very different when I read about how they see and practice that path) or whether I'm on my own with this kind of thing!
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