Rediscovering Ritual: A Open Question
As I was sorting through some books donated to our used book project, The Dusty Cover, I came across “From Beginning to End: The Rituals Of Our Lives” by Robert Fulghum. Flipping through the book, I came across some basic ideas he puts forth about rituals:
The propositions
- To be human is to be religious
- To be religious is to be mindful
- To be mindful is to pay attention
- To pay attention is to sanctify existence
- Rituals are one way in which attention is paid.
- Rituals arise from the stages and ages of life.
- Rituals transform the ordinary into the holy.
- Rituals may be public, private, or secret.
- Rituals may be spontaneous or arranged.
- Rituals are in constant evolution and reformation.
- Rituals create sacred time.
- Sacred time is the dwelling place of the Eternal.
- Haste and ambition are the adversaries of sacred time.
Is this so?
What do you think about these “propositions”? What role does ritual play in your life, whether they be public (weddings), private (birthdays) or secret (puberty/menapause)? Have we lost something of ritual in our life here in Western Christianity outside of the sacraments? How can we embrace them once again?
Posted by in 01:38:10
Intentionality, slowing down to listen to Spirit, and being willing to do everyday life with a sense of the holy.
One year ago some friends and I hosted an experiential worship experience for advent. We had done one months before for lent and literally hundreds of people showed up and were deeply moved. We expected even more for advent, but were surprised when nearly nobody showed. What was the difference? “Chrismastime” is the time of mass consumption within our culture, and our church community was as deeply wrapped up in it as everybody else.
Somewhere, sometime, somehow, we’ll have to embrace our distinct otherness and become the church that is other in a much deeper sense than we currently are. That is where we discover the sacred in the everyday and find our rituals that make us who we are.
At least, that’s my opinion on the subject.
Hey Matt,
Thanks for sharing these great thoughts and your experiences. They are excellent.
Peace,
Jamie
Jamie
I wrote my doctoral thesis on recovering ritual as a means of spiritual formation in the context of young evangelicals so ritual is always on my brain. In the evangelical world, very few students are exposed to the depth of Christian history and practice and time and time again I have seen the spiritual lives of students enhanced and deepened by exposure to Christian rituals and classical spiritual disciplines.
I heartily agree with the statements from Fulghum’s book and would like to add that that I believe the greatest value of ritual is that is creates, sustains, and shapes community. At the heart of ritual is storytelling, and at the heart of storytelling is identification one with another. Ritual may change and form us on a personal level but we are never isolated from the communities that have developed, maintained, or practice that same ritual. We become part of that larger community as we participate in ritual and we develop a deeper connection with the community in which the ritual is enacted.
Kara,
Fantastic thoughts! I would very much love to read your doctoral thesis some time. I have to agree with your assessment about ritual, storytelling and community. One of my favourite things that happens when community develops is the emergence of shared “mythology”. Ritual has expression formally and non-formally/informally. Great thoughts, thanks!
Peace,
Jamie