MetaCatholic

I’ve dithered for a few weeks over whether to include an “About” page. Part of me thinks that people should read the posts, and agree with, disagree with, or simply ignore what I say on the merit of the argument. Equally, I know that context matters, and that that applies as much to the overall stances and situation of the writer, as to anything else. So I’ve decided to add this page.

A bit about my perspective

I believe there is an rational reality out there, but our knowledge, simulacra and models of it are always inadequate representations of and approximations to it. Reality is objective, but our grasp of it is always from a particular, incomplete and subjective perspective. Nonetheless we should work to the best of our ability to question, explore, describe and live by that rational reality. Humanity is made for God, not God for humanity.

I believe that knowing is not simply intellectual, but personal and affective. Ideas do not exist in abstract, but as part of a cultural, linguistic and personal complex which includes the human relationships within which we speak, live, argue, love and construct our understandings of the truth. The most rational knowing is inter-subjective, which can sometimes look like, but never is, fully objective: I relate to, therefore I am.

I believe that the personal nature of reality is encountered in and disclosed by Jesus the Christ: the historical figure from Nazareth, the narrated Jesus of the gospels, the experienced Jesus of the sacraments, prayer, worship, life and mission of the catholic and apostolic Church: I am related to, therefore I am.

I believe the texts of the scriptures mediate the reality of God and God’s speaking to us through the meanings intended by their writers when they wrote, through the meanings discovered by their readers past, through the meanings discovered In our present experience of attentive hearing, imaginative interpretation, and faithful loving. Our inter-subjective apprehension of and response to God’s speaking, is to be found in the interplay of all those meanings in the community that dares to converse with God in worship. I believe we are called to listen, think and love in the communion of saints.

I believe that “now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:12-13) And therefore I would leave all that thing that I can think, and choose to my love that thing that I cannot think. For why; he may well be loved, but not thought. By love may he be gotten and holden; but by thought never. (The Cloud of Unknowing, Ch 6 – late 14th century).

A bit about me

• I’m an Anglican parish priest. I have a particular academic interest in New Testament study (especially Paul) and a particular pastoral interest in creative liturgy, but I am, of working necessity, a generalist.
• I went to an evangelical seminary, but see myself standing in the catholic tradition of the church. My liberal friends think I’m conservative, and my conservative friends think I’m liberal.
• I’m a bit of a media-junkie and a computer geek at times.
  I enjoy photography, cooking, reading and cycling, but above all enjoy the company of friends.
• Among my favourite books I list The Catcher in the Rye, the Thomas Covenant series, Miss Garnet’s Angel, and most of Jane Austen. I love Harry Potter, and also read crime stories to relax. I’m particularly fond of those set in other countries, like Donna Leon’s and Barbara Nadel’s work.
• Among my favourite plays are Macbeth and King Lear, Marlowe’s Dr Faustus, and Max Frisch’s Andorra.
• For music I particularly like Mozart and Handel among the classics, and indie rock, especially Blur, the Manic Street Preachers and most recently the Killers.
• When I go to the cinema it’s mainly to watch blockbusters and get some mindless fun, but I especially enjoy watching and re-watching The Godfather series (well, 1 & 2), Blade Runner and Donnie Darko.