In forming a new partnership between our LS Journeying Together group and Winchester University’s Institute for Theological Partnerships, we came across the fascinating inaugural lecture titled Wanderings in the Cosmic Garden given by Lisa Isherwood when she was appointed Professor of the Institute. This is a radical view of the impact of cosmology on our understanding of theology and of humans’ place in the world.

Here are some interesting extracts from the lecture:

“I have for some time argued that incarnational theology can never lend itself to certainty, the God who abandoned the heavens in favour of enfleshed existence gave up the assurance of good/correct and perfect outcomes and instead embraced risk as central to the divine unfolding. In grounding theology in incarnation I am declaring for the God who we are told in the Prologue of John’s Gospel, pitched his tent amongst us. A tent, not a house, a moveable dwelling, one fit for the walk, one that expands and changes shape with the winds of change, best understood perhaps as the breath of the Spirit. It was this incarnation who became God in community/God in society/God in creation. …….

This is not a walk in search of perfect origins and the comfort of utopian endings. It is one that moves us out into ever expanding life and so perhaps it is Eve who is our best companion as we walk.”

The full lecture can be downloaded here.

by Joan Ishibashi

On 16 September, seven of us from the Journeying Together group met at Waterloo station for a day trip to the University of Winchester to meet Professor Lisa Isherwood, Director of the Institute for Theological Partnerships and artist theologian Megan Clay, Ph.D. They are partners in the development of the Cosmic Walk at the University.

We walked past student housing and came upon a quiet area where a beautiful garden greeted us. The Cosmic Walk was developed by a multi-disciplinary team at the University of Winchester, including Lisa as theologian and Megan as the artist for the garden which is the focus of the walk. Lisa shared with us the theological vision she had for the Cosmic Walk.

She said academics spend time in ivory towers and classrooms reading and conversing about theological and spiritual concepts concerning the cosmos and our place in it. This garden is a way to have the conversation through other means. We leave the classroom and mindfully walk through a garden, feel the ground beneath our feet and have elements of the cosmos depicted before our eyes.

Megan gave us a tour. She developed the artwork for the garden as part of her Ph.D. dissertation. In an interview with Lisa, she said her inspiration for the garden was to depict “deep knowing and relationality, a power that is the full force of nature, tectonic plates shifting, galaxies colliding, stars exploding and new planets being created, it is what makes us know we are alive and what frightens us the most about being alive!” When you walk the garden, this is precisely what you encounter.

When we entered through the archway, we saw beautiful trees and plants. Megan created large, vibrant murals along the walk, depicting stages of the birthing of the cosmos beginning with Tohu Vabohu, the primordial chaos. Walking through the garden we encountered creatures made of bicycle parts, an asymmetrical labyrinth, carvings made of tree stumps. It is difficult to describe in words, as the garden is a narrative that calls upon different senses.

The Cosmic Walk is a work in progress. It is a godding project, reclaiming the female narrative, concern for the environment, justice for the marginalized, relationality rather than stasis. The Cosmic Walk is for everyone, not just scholars stuck in ivory towers.

We look forward to more interactions with Lisa through Theological Partnerships. The Walk was provocative; it was fun; it raised more questions than answers.

Many thanks to David Carter for connecting us with the Institute for Theological Partnerships and for planning all the details of our Winchester excursion. Spending time with Lisa and Megan made for a truly blessed day.

 

Note about Equalist Group meeting – 30 May 2014

A fruitful meeting was held on 30 May on the topic of transcendence and immanence and the ways in which these have been linked with ideas of masculine and feminine. Inputs were made by John Newton based mainly on the work of feminist theologians Sallie McFague (Models of God. Theology for an Ecological, Nuclear Age) and Rosemary Radford Ruether (Sexism and God Talk); by David Carter on Beatrice as a possible type, or embodiment, of Holy Wisdom/Sophia and her role of inspiring and guiding Dante; and by myself based on Lucy Goodison’s book Moving Heaven and Earth, showing that there is evidence of an early form of religion in Crete that wasn’t based on either patriarchy or matriarchy, and where the sun, as a religious symbol, was seen as female.

As one of many possible sources for our future work towards more integrated forms of language and liturgy within the Judeo-Christian tradition, we began to look at the work of Genia Pauli Haddon (author of Body Metaphors, Releasing God-Feminine in Us All and Uniting Sex, Self and Spirit; Let the body be your guide to New Consciousness and Deeper Spirituality in a Changing Age). Genia Pauli Haddon trained as a biologist, a Jungian therapist and a Minister in the United Church of Christ. She draws on all these sources to present a vision of the divine and of humans that includes equally both active and receptive forms of masculinity and femininity, and gives sample liturgies in which each of these aspects is focused on.

Petra Griffiths

Note: The Equalist group is now meeting as the Journeying Together group.

A report by Joan Ishibashi

One of my favourite pastimes is visiting art galleries, but I admit that I often wander through exhibit rooms scanning the works of art without much thought or contemplation. When the Equalist group of LivingSpirituality offered a visit to the National Gallery to explore the theme Gender and power relations in heaven and on earth, I was intrigued. I also saw it as an opportunity to view particular works of art with a more discerning and informed eye.

Our group gathered in the Sainsbury wing and off we went with our leader, David Carter. He gave us a brilliant tour of particular paintings, primarily but not exclusively from 14th and 15th century Italy. The theme centered on the portrayal of the assumption and coronation of Mary, and her relationship to the Trinity. With his introduction to each painting or altarpiece, we were able to pick up on the nuances of power and emotion regarding the mother of Jesus. Growing up in an American Congregationalist tradition, I had never given Mary much thought beyond the blue robed statue I sometimes saw attached to the dashboard of my Catholic neighbours’ automobiles. Feminine role expectations, power and authority took on new meaning when viewed in light of the various ways Mary has been portrayed through the ages. Some of the art was even disturbing, showing Mary and Jesus in relationship that could not in any way be described as mother and son!

Our group had a lively discussion during the tour and afterwards over tea and cakes. I was able to look at art with more understanding than would have been possible on my own and came away pondering new theological questions. Thanks to David for organizing this enjoyable evening!

Joan Ishibashi

 

Note: The Equalist group is now meeting as the Journeying Together group.