Reminds me of the St. Francis of Assisi quote, "Preach the Gospel at all time, use words when necessary."
This whole idea you've framed out does leave me with an important question about how we, or anyone, transitions from "Belief" to "Formation" when it is precisely the beliefs that are causing the fear and restrictedness. In my journey, the world changed when I changed what I believed about the world, it was only then that I was able to build the connections I needed with people who were capable of being a safe, more regulated space for me and for each other.
I've been thinking a lot lately about how to make this transition easier for people. Something they don't have to walk alone like I did. How do we evangelize for loving and nervous-system-regulating beliefs so that people can be more loving and regulated?
Love that point. I read a book called "Descartes Error" about how our emotions are what actually shape our "logical" thinking. Our emotions move first, and then we create a story/reason to justify why we "think" that way (when it's actually about how we feel). So I was teasing that out into theology - that we don't think our way into our theology, we create the theology that fits what we feel (or maybe 'felt' in early childhood especially).
I'm liking this idea because it flips how I once saw things: "Just believe this and your life will get better! Peace, joy, love! Because you are now believing the right things!"
But I love your point, that it doesn't just go one way. Could we say it becomes a feedback cycle? Our emotions/system shape our thinking... then our thinking shapes our system... and around and around? That feels right to me. Because life is always all of it :) It's just not as punchy of an idea, ha!
Thinking about your comment, I'm noticing in me a desire to subjugate the "head"/rationality to our body/emotions. Maybe that's me trying to be a reformed 5 :) But we are rational people, right? We're not completely irrational. Our beliefs do shape our system.
I love your question: How do we evangelize the beliefs too?
The emotion that comes up in me (which leads to certain thoughts :) is a fear of preaching "correct" beliefs. Correct doctrines or stories or language or symbols for the Mystery / Reality / Divine.
I definitely feel that some beliefs are generally more helpful... but developmentally, culturally, contextually... I've seen wildly different beliefs produce what seem like loving, regulated people. So I'm keen to turn my attention to what is's producing in them (their nervous system / relationship with Reality) than what the actual beliefs are.
And when there is fear, bracing, defense against Reality... being able to offer different views from a different part of the theological buffet.
Maybe this is all because the idea of evangelizing with beliefs dis-regulates MY system! Haha... oh wow... yeah, that lands... :)
As i'm sitting with all this, what keeps coming up for me is this: Belief is something that doesn't fall neatly into the categories of head/heart/body, it stems from and moves through all three. I think we might have a better chance of seeing this issue clearly if we set belief aside as some distinct thing from our rationality, emotionality, or physicality/physiology. I know plenty of rational people who believe irrational things, and plenty of loving and connected people who believe hateful things. Belief is something else.
And I think it absolutely does create some kind of feedback loop in our systems. Good ol' "Seek and you will find," and we're always seeking things that support our beliefs, at least unconsciously.
I think you're right that there is a certain level of safety or regulation that must be experience in order for us to address or change our beliefs (or at least to change those beliefs with as little trauma as possible), but I don't think it happens automatically. There must be some willingness to engage, and if I'm honest, I don't know where that comes from. My best guess is that is has to come from a commitment to something bigger than your beliefs or worldview.
But this is all stuff I haven't had a lot of time to flesh out, but it's a current fascination of mine! How do we change? Why do we change? Which question is more important?
Reminds me of the St. Francis of Assisi quote, "Preach the Gospel at all time, use words when necessary."
This whole idea you've framed out does leave me with an important question about how we, or anyone, transitions from "Belief" to "Formation" when it is precisely the beliefs that are causing the fear and restrictedness. In my journey, the world changed when I changed what I believed about the world, it was only then that I was able to build the connections I needed with people who were capable of being a safe, more regulated space for me and for each other.
I've been thinking a lot lately about how to make this transition easier for people. Something they don't have to walk alone like I did. How do we evangelize for loving and nervous-system-regulating beliefs so that people can be more loving and regulated?
Love that point. I read a book called "Descartes Error" about how our emotions are what actually shape our "logical" thinking. Our emotions move first, and then we create a story/reason to justify why we "think" that way (when it's actually about how we feel). So I was teasing that out into theology - that we don't think our way into our theology, we create the theology that fits what we feel (or maybe 'felt' in early childhood especially).
I'm liking this idea because it flips how I once saw things: "Just believe this and your life will get better! Peace, joy, love! Because you are now believing the right things!"
But I love your point, that it doesn't just go one way. Could we say it becomes a feedback cycle? Our emotions/system shape our thinking... then our thinking shapes our system... and around and around? That feels right to me. Because life is always all of it :) It's just not as punchy of an idea, ha!
Thinking about your comment, I'm noticing in me a desire to subjugate the "head"/rationality to our body/emotions. Maybe that's me trying to be a reformed 5 :) But we are rational people, right? We're not completely irrational. Our beliefs do shape our system.
I love your question: How do we evangelize the beliefs too?
The emotion that comes up in me (which leads to certain thoughts :) is a fear of preaching "correct" beliefs. Correct doctrines or stories or language or symbols for the Mystery / Reality / Divine.
I definitely feel that some beliefs are generally more helpful... but developmentally, culturally, contextually... I've seen wildly different beliefs produce what seem like loving, regulated people. So I'm keen to turn my attention to what is's producing in them (their nervous system / relationship with Reality) than what the actual beliefs are.
And when there is fear, bracing, defense against Reality... being able to offer different views from a different part of the theological buffet.
Maybe this is all because the idea of evangelizing with beliefs dis-regulates MY system! Haha... oh wow... yeah, that lands... :)
God, I love a LONG comment!!!
As i'm sitting with all this, what keeps coming up for me is this: Belief is something that doesn't fall neatly into the categories of head/heart/body, it stems from and moves through all three. I think we might have a better chance of seeing this issue clearly if we set belief aside as some distinct thing from our rationality, emotionality, or physicality/physiology. I know plenty of rational people who believe irrational things, and plenty of loving and connected people who believe hateful things. Belief is something else.
And I think it absolutely does create some kind of feedback loop in our systems. Good ol' "Seek and you will find," and we're always seeking things that support our beliefs, at least unconsciously.
I think you're right that there is a certain level of safety or regulation that must be experience in order for us to address or change our beliefs (or at least to change those beliefs with as little trauma as possible), but I don't think it happens automatically. There must be some willingness to engage, and if I'm honest, I don't know where that comes from. My best guess is that is has to come from a commitment to something bigger than your beliefs or worldview.
But this is all stuff I haven't had a lot of time to flesh out, but it's a current fascination of mine! How do we change? Why do we change? Which question is more important?
So fun, Abi. I love this!
I love a punchy, edgy take that has some truth: Our theology comes from our body systems, not our head!
And I love a critique that brings in the complexity: Yeah, and our beliefs affect our bodies/emotions, too.
Thanks for "sparring" :)