2022/08/22

13 도봉구 함석헌기념관 건립 반대사건 - 서울퀘이커모임의 대표를 맡고 있는 김요한씨를 만났다.

"씨알들 아옹다옹하는 도봉구, 함석헌과 잘 어울려" - 오마이뉴스

"씨알들 아옹다옹하는 도봉구, 함석헌과 잘 어울려"
[인터뷰] 서울퀘이커모임 대표 김요한 서기
2013.11.26 
김성수(wadans)

공감13 댓글1

정부는 그동안 박정희 기념관에는 208억 원, 전두환을 기념하는 일해공원에는 68억 원의 혈세를 지원했다. 그러나 평생을 독립 운동과 민주화 운동에 일생을 바친 함석헌(1901~1989) 기념관 건립은 지금 좌초 위기에 있다. 이미 서울시에서 도봉구에 배정한 15억 원 조차 새누리당이 예산 문제와 함석헌의 '이념'을 문제 삼아 반대하고 있어 반납해야 할 형편에 직면해 있다.

함석헌은 '한국의 간디'라고 알려져 있던 20세기 한국을 대표하는 한국의 사상가이자 인권운동가였지만 그 삶을 퀘이커교도로 마감했다. 퀘이커교는 17세기 중반 영국 랭커셔 지방에서 조지 폭스(1624-1691)에 의해 창설된 기독교의 한 종파다. 퀘이커교엔 목사나 신부가 없고 평신도 중심으로 모임집(Meeting House)에서 주일마다 침묵 예배를 드린다.

퀘이커교는 세계교회연합회회원이지만 기독교 교리에 얽매이지 않는다. 내세구원보다는 사회개혁과 세계평화에 관심이 많고 과학과 종교간 대화를 많이 시도한다. 1947년 노벨평화상을 받은 바 있고 퀘이커 과학자가 많다. 영국에서는 병원시설개선운동, 여성참정권운동, 교도소시설개선운동에 앞장섰고, 미국에서는 노예제도폐지운동, 반전반핵운동, 종교간 대화에 앞장섰다. 1950년대에는 한국전쟁 피난민을 도왔고 1970-80년대는 한국 민주화운동과 인권운동을 지지했다.


한국에는 1950년 대 후반 소개된 퀘이커교에 함석헌은 50년대 후반부터 심취했고 그때부터 퀘이커교도로서 그 삶을 살았다. 서울퀘이커 모임은 지난 24일 "도봉구의회 새누리당 신창용 구의원은 그동안 도봉구 주민들의 숙원사업인 평화주의자 '함석헌 선생' 기념관 건립 사업에 제동을 걸고 있다"며 성명서를 발표했다. 서울퀘이커모임의 대표를 맡고 있는 김요한씨를 만났다.

다음은 함석헌기념관 건립 반대사건과 관련하여 지난 25일 김요한 서기와 주고받은 일문일답이다.

"국립현충원에 안장된 독립운동가를 일개 구의원이"



▲ 김요한 서기(좌측)
ⓒ 김성수


- 함석헌 기념관 건립을 이념 문제로 반대하는 신창용 구의원의 발언과 행동이 왜, 어떤 문제가 된다고 보는가?
"도봉구 주민들의 숙원사업인 함석헌 선생이 마지막 생애를 보낸 쌍문동 옛집을 기념관으로 꾸미는 계획이 무산될 위기에 처해있다는 소식을 접하고 안타까워하고 있었다. 그 이유를 언론을 통해 알고 퀘이커서울모임 친우들은 분노를 느끼게 되었다. 더욱이 도봉구의회 재무건설위원장 신창용 의원(새누리당)이 기념관 건립 반대를 위해 내세우는 이유가 함석헌 선생의 이념에 대한 곡해에서 비롯된 악의적 비판에 있음을 알고는 이를 바로잡아야 한다는 친우들의 뜻이 있었다. 함석헌 선생의 어느 글에 신 의원이 말하는 "국체를 부인하고, 북한괴뢰와 대한민국을 동일시했다"고 기록되어 있단 말인가? 만약 신 의원이 의도적으로 요즘 득세하는 '종북 몰이'에 편승해 함석헌 기념관 건립을 반대한다면 이는 그 자신이 역사와 실정법 앞에 크나큰 죄를 지은 것이다."

- 서울퀘이커모임은 지난 24일 성명서를 통해 "신창용 의원이 함석헌기념관 건립 반대주장을 즉시 철회하고 공개사과 할 것을 요구한다" 고 밝혔다. 만약 신창용 의원이 서울 퀘이커모임의 그런 제안을 수용하지 못하면 어떻게 할 것인가?
"우리 퀘이커 서울모임은 이념문제로 함석헌 기념관 건립을 반대한 신창용 구의원에 대해 곧 의원직 제명을 추진할 것이다. 그 후 함석헌기념사업회, 씨알재단, 함선생 유가족, 광복회 등과 더불어 고인(함석헌)에 대한 명예훼손으로 신창용 의원을 고소할 것이다. 아울러 내년 지자체 선거에 여러 단체들과 연합해 신창용 의원 낙선 운동을 전면적으로 전개할 것이다. 도대체 국가에서 인정하고 국립현충원에 안장된 독립운동가를 일개 구의원이 이념을 문제 삼아 기념관 건립을 반대하는 것이 말이 되는가?"

- 요즘 '정교분리'라는 말이 유행인데 도봉구 의회의 결정(정치적인 일)에 퀘이커(종교)가 관여하는 것이 아닌가?

"퀘이커는 정치적인 일과 비정치적인 일을 별로 구분하지 않는다. 우리사회 거의 모든 일, 즉 세금 문제, 복지, 교육, 국정원과 국방부 등의 대선 관여 등은 모두 우리 국민들의 삶과 동떨어진 '정치적인 일' 이 아니다. 그런 모든 일은 우리 시민들의 일상사와 깊이 관여되어있다. 이번 도봉구 의회 결정도 좌우이념을 떠나 상식적으로 일반인들에게 이해와 설득이 전혀 안 되는 억지다. 어떻게 이미 서울시에서 함석헌 건립 예산으로 15억 원이 배정되었는데도 불구하고 국가에서 인정한 독립운동가를 이념이 문제라고 반대하는 것은 전혀 설득력이 없는 신창용 구의원의 만행일 뿐이다."

- 함석헌은 도봉구 차원 보다는 국가차원에서 기념해야 할 인물이기에 "더 두고 보자, 진보정권으로 바뀌면 그 때 국가적 차원에서 기념관 건립을 천천히 추진하자"는 의견도 있다, 어떻게 생각하나?
"그런 생각에는 동의하지 못한다. 함석헌과 정치 단위적인 차원의 문제와는 아무 상관이 없다. 오히려 '살림살이'가 있고, 씨알들이 아옹다옹하는 도봉구 마을 한복판에 기념관이 자리를 잡는 것이 함석헌에게 더 잘 어울리는 것 같다. 성경에 '나사렛에서 무슨 선한 것이 날 수 있느냐?'라는 구절이 있듯이 조그만 동네 도봉구 쌍문동이 함석헌 기념관 하나로 인해 분명 세계적인 명성을 얻을 수 있다고 본다. 부디 도봉구의회 새누리당 의원들이 이번 기회에 전향적인 사고로 함석헌의 가치를 알고, 주민들과 힘을 모아 함석헌 기념관 건립에 힘을 보태기를 바란다."

- 함석헌은 퀘이커 교도였다, 퀘이커가 무엇이고 함석헌과 퀘이커와는 관계는?
"퀘이커는 '하나님 섭리는 모든 사람에게 미친다'라는 보편주의를 바탕으로 진리를 추구하는 기독교 소수 종파다. 목사도 교리도 없이 그저 몇몇이 모여 침묵예배를 한다. 그리고 한 달에 한 번 정도 '내면의 빛', '선한 양심'의 소리에 따라 친우의 뜻을 모아 함께 행동하는데, 그것은 주로 평화, 평등, 간소함, 정직, 공동체를 지향한다. 우리는 이런 믿음 생활을 '집단적 신비주의'라 한다. 지금도 퀘이커 친우들 중에는 "'함석헌의 삶'에서 '예수의 삶'을 보았다"라고 하는 분들이 여럿 있다. 함석헌은 한국 퀘이커 초기 회원이었고, 생애 마지막까지 퀘이커로 사셨지만 이 사실을 아는 사람은 그리 많지 않는 것 같다. 함 선생도 그렇게 했듯이 퀘이커들은 자신들의 종교적 정체성을 일부러 드러내놓지는 않기 때문이다."

- 왜 퀘이커주의가 함석헌 삶과 사상에 중요한 요소가 되었다고 생각하나?
"함석헌이 사회정의를 추구하기 위해 직접 우리나라 현실 문제에 참가하게 된 경위의 배후에는 퀘이커주의가 있다. 초기 퀘이커 지도자였던 조지 폭스(1624~1691)는 인간 평등의 중요성을 역설했다. 폭스는 사회약자를 돌보는 것이 참된 종교라고 전했다. 함석헌이 '항시 추구하는 사람'이었음에도 불구하고 그 삶을 퀘이커교도로 마감한 것도 사회약자를 돌보는 것이 중요하다는 퀘이커주의 영향을 받았기 때문이라고 생각한다.


종교친우회 (퀘이커) 서울모임 성명서

도봉구의회 새누리당 신창용 구의원은 그 동안 도봉구 주민들의 숙원사업인 평화주의자 '함석헌 선생' 기념관 건립 사업에 제동을 걸고 있다. 신창용 구의원은 함석헌기념관 건립반대이유로 함석헌 선생의 이념문제를 들었다. 특히 신창용 의원은 함석헌 선생이
1958년 <사상계> 잡지에 6·25전쟁에 대해 비판하면서 "국체를 부인하고, 북한괴뢰와 대한민국을 동일시했다"고 지적했고 그것이 반대 이유라고 밝혔다. 그 외에도 신창용 의원은 "예산낭비"라서 함석헌기념관 건립을 반대한다고 입장을 밝혔다.

함석헌 선생은 평화를 무엇보다도 중요시 하는 우리 퀘이커 서울모임 회원이었으며 한국인 최초로 노벨평화상 후보에 두 번 이나 오른 분이다. 그는 해방 직후 신의주학생의거의 주역이었으며 북한공산정권의 박해를 받아 월남한 '반공주의자'였다. 그런 함석헌 선생에 대해 '이념문제' 와 '국체부인' 등 이유로 기념관건립을 반대하는 신창용 구의원의 망언에 대해 우리 퀘이커 서울모임은 분노한다. 함석헌 선생은 우리 현대사의 어려운 고비마다 비폭력과 평화주의로 모범을 보여준 민족의 스승이었다. 그래서 세계평화에 관심을 갖는 서구인들 사이에서도 '한국의 평화주의자로서' 함석헌 선생을 기억하고 있다.

함석헌 선생은 현 새누리당의 뿌리인 노태우 정권하에서 '88서울올림픽평화대회 위원장'을 지냈다. 더욱이 지금 신창용 의원이 몸담고 있는 새누리당 이명박 전 대통령조차 박근혜 대통령 취임식 직후 함석헌 선생의 시를 가장 애송시라며 공개 낭독했다. 게다가 현재 함석헌 선생 유해는 국립현충원에 안치돼 있다. 우리 정부가 독립운동과 민주화운동에 기여한 함석헌 선생의 공로를 공식 인정했기 때문이다.
이념문제로 함석헌기념관 건립을 반대하는 신창용 구의원은 먼저 노태우나 이명박 전 대통령의 이념을 문제 삼아야 한다. 또 "국체를 부인한" 함석헌을 국립묘지에 안장한 대한민국 정부 이념에 문제를 제기해야 한다.

우리 퀘이커 서울모임은 이번 함석헌 기념관 건립 계획이 차질 없이 진행되길 기대한다. 그래서 우리 젊은이들에게 우리 현대사를 올바르게 알 수 있는 기회를 만들어 줌으로써, 우리 현대사에도 세계에서 존경할만한 스승이 있음을 알고 자긍심을 갖게 해주기를 바란다. 이런 면에서 이번 신창용 의원의 "함석헌기념관 반대"는 결코 용납될 수 없는 일이다. 이에 우리 퀘이커 서울모임은 신창용 의원이 함석헌기념관 건립 반대주장을 즉시 철회하고 공개사과 할 것을 요구한다. 만약 이러한 우리요구를 신창용 의원이 묵살 할 경우, 우리 퀘이커 서울모임은 이념문제로 함석헌기념관 건립을 반대한 신창용 구의원에 대해 의원직 제명을 추진할 것이며 고인(함석헌)에 대한 명예훼손으로 고소할 것임을 엄숙히 선포한다.

2013년 11월 24일
종교친우회 (퀘이커) 서울모임



한편, 기자는 지난 22일 신창용 구의원과 한 통화에서 이 문제에 대한 입장을 물었다. 이에 신창용 의원은 "도봉구청장이 함석헌 기념관 건립 추진 과정에서 절차를 제대로 지키지 않았기 때문에 반대한다"고 건립 반대 이유를 밝혔다. 그러면서 함석헌 선생에 대한 입장은 밝히고 싶지 않다고 덧붙였다. 신 의원은 또한 <경향신문> 등 다른 언론에 자신의 입장이 잘못 보도된 것이라고 주장했다. 이후 기자는 신 의원에게 추가 질문을 하기 위해 26일 다시 전화를 했지만 신 의원은 응답하지 않았다.


태그:#함석헌, #신창용, #김성수, #퀘이커, #김요한
추천13 댓글1 스크랩 페이스북

2022/08/21

Thomas Kelly: Some New Insights

Thomas Kelly: Some New Insights
Quaker Religious Thought
Volume 85 Article 2
1-1-1995

Thomas Kelly: Some New Insights
T Canby Jones 
---
Hermann Lotze thomas kelly
===
THOMAS KELLY: SOME NEW
INSIGHTS
 T. CANBY JONES
O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee;
my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is,
To see thy power and thy glory, as I have seen thee
in the sanctuary.
Because thy lovingkindness is better than life,
my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up
my hands in thy name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips,
When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate
on thee in the night watches.
Because thou hast been my help, therefore, in the shadow
of thy wings will I rejoice. (Psalm 63:1-7 KJV)


I VIVIDLY REMEMBER HEARING THESE WORDS burst forth from the lips of
Thomas R. Kelly, both in meetings for worship and in the student
group that met in his home. In two recent gatherings we have sought
to recapture and understand more fully that thirst for God’s presence
which consumed Thomas Kelly both in his life and in his writings.
The first gathering was entitled “Renewing the Spirit of Community: Centennial Colloquium on the Life and Work of Thomas Kelly.”
This colloquium was held June 4-6, 1993, at the Thomas R. Kelly
Religious Center of Wilmington College, Wilmington, Ohio, on the
one-hundredth anniversary of Kelly’s birth. Ron Rembert, associate
6 • T. CANBY JONES
professor of religion and philosophy at Wilmington College, planned,
hosted, and found funding for this centennial event. Funding was
provided by the Ohio Humanities Council.
This issue of Quaker Religious Thought contains the four major
papers delivered at that gathering. E. Glenn Hinson, professor of spirituality, worship, and church history at Baptist Theological Seminary,
Richmond, Virginia, opened with the keynote address on “The Impact of Thomas Kelly on American Religious Life.” The following day
Elaine Prevallet, Roman Catholic sister of Loretto and director of Knobs
Haven Retreat Center, Nerinx, Kentucky, presented a paper on “A
Testament of Devotion: A Personal Response.” She was followed by
Howard R. Macy, professor of religion and biblical studies at George
Fox College, Newberg, Oregon, with a paper entitled “Thomas Kelly:
At Home in the Blessed Community.” The final paper included in this
issue is a study of Kelly’s religious background and development by his
son, Richard Macy Kelly, director of the AIDS program for the Baltimore (MD) City Health Department and author of Thomas Kelly, A
Biography. His paper is called “New Lights and Inner Light.” Thomas Kelly’s daughter, Lois Kelly Stabler, was also present and delighted
us with reminiscences of her father and her mother, Lael Macy Kelly.
The second gathering in which we gained new insights into Thomas Kelly and his message occurred at Quaker Hill Conference Center, Richmond, Indiana, April 15-16, 1994. It was a workshop called
to take a fresh look at Kelly’s life and commitment as revealed through
his sermons. Manuscripts of hese sermons, written between 1919 and
1934, were found by Ron Rembert in the Haverford College Quaker
Collection. The title of the workshop was “Love Held Him There,” a
phrase from the most striking of Kelly’s sermons. The sermon was
built around the quotation from Catherine of Siena, “For nails could
not have held the God-man to the Cross, had not love held him there.”
In what follows I will discuss things learned about Thomas Kelly’s
life, character, and thought, both from the 1993 Colloquium and the
1994 Workshop. I should mention that Josh Brown, pastor of West
Richmond (Indiana) Friends Meeting, with my help, is preparing a
series of twenty-five Kelly sermons for publication in the near future.
We turn now to consideration of the new insights about Thomas Kelly
gained from the two gatherings, with special emphasis upon those papers that appear in this issue of Quaker Religious Thought.
SOME NEW INSIGHTS • 7
Glenn Hinson stresses that after thirty years of teaching seminary
courses on spirituality and Christian devotion Kelly’s A Testament of
Devotion ranks among the best of the Christian classics. In fact, it has
done more to change lives among his students than any other. He
thinks that Kelly speaks to our condition so effectively because of his
simple and yet profound approach to a life of unreserved commitment
to the immediate presence of God in our midst. In spite of the “turmoil and fitfulness of our time-torn lives,” Kelly affirms, “God can be
found!” Elaine Prevallet agrees with Hinson, that Thomas Kelly reaches
our hearts because he speaks as an “authentic.” Not a person ready to
share “knowledge about religious phenomena and experience,” Kelly
communicates direct acquaintance with and the immediate experience
of practicing God’s presence. Howard Macy joins Prevallet and Hinson
in stressing the centrality of experiencing and living in “the Beloved,
or Blessed, Community” to the realization in us of “God-enthralled
lives.” Kelly expresses it: “We know that these souls are with us,
lifting their lives and ours continuously to God....It is as if…we were
within them and they were within us. Their strength, given to them
by God, becomes our strength, and our joy, given to us by God, becomes their joy. In confidence and love we live together in Him.”1
Prevallet highlights the integration of inward and the outward as a
very important characteristic of Kelly’s life and message. She stresses
the creative interplay between the depths of our lives, in which we live
in constant communion with God, and the external involvement with
human needs, which we find so exhausting. She emphasizes with Kelly
that it is at “the deep level of prayer and divine attendance…that the
real business of life is determined.” The implication is clear. Social
concerns, no matter how altruistic, will not “move mountains” unless
they originate in a life of continual prayer. Prevallet is also thankful for
Kelly’s wisdom in saying, “We cannot die on every cross, nor are we
expected to.” God shapes specific tasks, fitted to our capacities and
talents, for us to carry out. The rest we leave to others.
Howard Macy drives home Kelly’s Quaker use of the Scriptures.
Hungrily we read the Scriptures “to find new friends for the soul,”
Kelly says. We hunger to live in the same life and power in which the
prophets and apostles lived. They, through the medium of Scripture,
become our spiritual guides and mentors. Macy expresses it in an
unforgettable sentence. “So we read the Bible, then, to be joined to
part of the Blessed Community and feel our way back to the Source,
8 • T. CANBY JONES
so that the same ‘Living Spring’ may bubble up within us.” We find
the same kind of fellowship with the saints through the ages since
Scripture.
From Richard M. Kelly’s “New Lights and Inner Light” we learn
much of the religious background of Thomas R. Kelly and his forebears. Contrary to the conviction of Thomas Kelly’s mother, Madora
Kersey Kelly, that the Kelly ancestors were Scotch-Irish Quakers, Richard Kelly demonstrates that the Kelly family of the Schooley community near Londonderry, Ohio, were “New Light Presbyterians” or
“Christians” later known as “Disciples” or “Church of Christ.” They
were converted to Quakerism by the preaching of Quaker evangelists
in 1868. Richard Kelly thinks that the mainline Protestant element of
his father’s faith derives from that Presbyterian background and is a
major reason for the appeal of Kelly’s message to a wide spectrum of
people. A second important element of his father’s faith—and its appeal—was the evangelical holiness Quakerism in which he was reared.
A third element in that wide appeal was his deep acquaintance with the
mystical and inward prayer life of the Christian tradition, first introduced to Thomas Kelly by Rufus M. Jones at Haverford College.
A fourth element in Thomas Kelly’s wide appeal Richard Kelly traces
to his father’s two trips to Germany. Tom and Lael Kelly were sent
first to Berlin by the American Friends Service Committee, to found a
Friends Center there as a follow-up to a Quaker child-feeding in Germany during the years following the First World War. This writer believes that the German experience added a cosmic dimension to Thomas Kelly’s experience of Christ, and opened him to cosmic truths in
the world’s great religions and philosophies. In his second visit, to
Nazi Germany, in the summer of 1938, Thomas Kelly was so overwhelmed by the oppression and suffering of the German Jews, Quakers, and other Christians with whom he met that he felt “ploughed
into the furrows of the world’s sufferings.” He also learned from their
heroic courage what it means “to rise radiant in the sacrament of pain.”
From Lois Kelly Stabler, Thomas Kelly’s daughter, as well as from
his son Richard, we learned many foibles of Kelly’s character, some
positive and some negative. For example, his condescension toward
the restrictive evangelicalism, provincialism, and low scholarly standards of the midwestern United States where he had been reared, was
very pronounced. Also, as his son insists, Thomas Kelly was an intellectual elitist at that time. Richard Kelly also reports that his mother,
Lael Kelly, with some amusement worried whether there would be
SOME NEW INSIGHTS • 9
“enough Ph.D.’s” in their Brightwater, Maine, vacation community
to satisfy her husband! On a more positive note, as Douglas Steere
makes clear in his biographical memoir prefacing A Testament of Devotion, throughout all of Thomas Kelly’s adult life, with the exception
of the last three years, Kelly had a driving ambition to become a recognized philosopher in the academic world. On the really positive side,
laughter and joy in living were outstanding characteristics of Kelly.
This included the freedom to laugh at himself. This same happy atmosphere prevailed in the Kelly home and family. Lael Kelly, a person of
great warmth and strength in her own right, contributed much to that
happy atmosphere.
Lois Stabler pointed out the two best things that happened to her
father. The first was his marriage to her mother, Lael Macy Kelly. The
second “best” thing to happen was his blanking out at his Ph.D. oral
exam at Harvard in 1937. This scholarly disaster suddenly and gloriously freed Thomas Kelly to become the totally spiritual person he had
in the depths of his being longed to become. Thereafter new spiritual
power and authenticity flowed from his words and reached new depths
in the hearts of eager audiences.




---

At my suggestion following the Colloquium, Ron Rembert made a study of both Kelly doctoral theses. 

The first one, at Hartford Seminary in 1924, was entitled 
“The Place of Value-Judgments in the Philosophy of Hermann Lotze.” 

The second one, at Harvard in 1937, was entitled 
“Explanation and Reality in the Philosophy of Emile Meyerson.” 

At the Quaker Hill Workshop in 1994 Ron Rembert
reported that the Harvard thesis on Meyerson was exceedingly technical and did not reflect the fresh cosmic vision and concern we associate with Kelly. 

By contrast the 1924 thesis on Lotze does so, he said.
Rembert selected for emphasis the most striking quotation he found
from the Lotze thesis. 

“It is a fundamental thought in Lotze’s mind
that reconciliations are more nearly the truth about reality than conflicts. He is deeply convinced at the start that a harmonious relation
does exist, and so seeks to vindicate his faith.” 

We spent considerable
time at the workshop thinking out the implications of this statement.2
An important facet of Thomas Kelly’s concern which deserves further study, and which we did not focus on in our 1993 colloquium or
our 1994 workshop, is Kelly’s deep interest in East Asian and South
Asian philosophy and religion. 

He took advantage of his time of teaching in Hawaii to steep himself in Chinese and Indian philosophy and as
a result developed a course in each of these fields to teach at Haverford
College. 

Several of Thomas Kelly’s sermons before the trip to Hawaii
also reflect this concern.

To Thomas Kelly the cosmic Light of Christ, which so fully suffused his life and thought, knows no cultural limits. Beyond its Middle
Eastern origins and West European cultural expressions this Light is
found shining in some form in the lives of all persons in all cultures.

Perhaps the most important outcome of both gatherings, the
Colloquium and the Workshop, in the opinion of this writer, was the
characterization of Thomas Kelly as an “evangelical mystic.” 

This writer
has never heard of anyone so characterized before. In his paper, Richard Kelly clearly demonstrates that his father never lost the evangelical
fervor of his youth, even though it came to be expressed in more cosmic terms. In our Quaker Hill Workshop we became convinced that
the sermons of Thomas Kelly (1919-34), which we were studying,
never lost that call to complete commitment to God we associate with
A Testament of Devotion. The fact that his most moving sermon is
based on a text from a medieval saint and mystic, Catherine, only confirms this judgment. Furthermore, Glenn Hinson sees Thomas Kelly
as having recaptured mainstream Quaker spirituality, and he considers
that present day Quakers neglect him at their peril.

Is “evangelical mystics” what Thomas Kelly is challenging all of us
to become? Savor the following essays and decide for yourself.

14 설교 - 펜들힐에서의 만남 조성희 자매

설교 - 펜들힐에서의 만남

설교에배소서
펜들힐에서의 만남 조성희 자매 

 2015.10.16  | 메뉴 건너뛰기쓰기

성경본문엡5:8-9
설교자조성희 자매참고
http://www.saegilchurch.or.kr/284937

펜들힐에서의 만남(에베소서 5장 8-9절)

2014년 2월 2일 주일예배

조성희 자매(새길교회 교우)


공동체에게 감사 인사

지난 10여 년간 제게 풍성한 사랑을 베풀어 주신 새길 자매, 형제들에게 감사의 인사를드립니다. 또 이 자리에 참석하지 못했지만 제게 인격을 가르쳐 주시고 삶에 모범을 보여주신 스승 이정모 선생님, 감상적인 제 신앙에 논리를 가르쳐 주신 길희성 선생님, 나이를 뛰어넘어 좋은 친구가 되어 준 지복임 선생님, 신앙의 자극을 주었던 배정은, 이창엽 친구들에게도 감사의 마음을 전합니다. 마지막으로 제가 새길에 있는 동안 항상 앞에서 세 번째 자리를 지켜주셨던 박민병, 송요엽 선생님과 언제나 옆에 있을 줄 알았던 임동건, 박옥진 선생님, 그리고 최근 우리를 떠난 오랜 형제, 자매들과도 보고 싶다는 마음을 전합니다.

나는 왜 길을 떠났나?

작년 1월 말에 저는 지난 22년간 어린이 관련 교육회사에서 교육 프로그램 기획 및 교재 개발자로 살아 왔던 월급쟁이의 생활을 정리하고, 남은 제 인생을 좀 더 의미 있는 시간에 집중할 것을 생각하며 3년간 저 자신을 위한 시간을 갖기로 했습니다. 앞으로 남은 시간은 생각과 삶을 일치시키고, 어려운 사람의 편에 서서 인간의 자유와 해방을 위해 살아가고 싶다는 생각을 하고 있습니다.

저에게 주는 선물과도 같은 이 시간에 제가 생각한 목표는 영어 공부와 퀘이커리즘을 경험하고 공부하는 일이었습니다. 물론 그 과정에서 좋은 친구들을 많이 사귀고 싶은 생각이 있지요. 영어 공부는 미국의 강한 영향 속에 살고 있는 우리 사회에서 나이가 들어도 계속 일할 수 있는 기회를 가지려는 것과 한국의 좁은 땅과 문화적 제약을 뛰어 넘어 국제적인 시야를 갖고 자유롭게 살고 싶은 욕구에서 도전하는 것입니다. 퀘이커리즘 공부는 ‘인생과 우주 그 자체’의 의미를 알고 싶었고 제게 중요한 부분이 된 새길 공동체를 좀더 넓고 깊게 발전시키고, 남은 인생에 영향을 줄 새로운 사람들을 만나고 싶은 소망에서 출발했습니다. 작년에 저는, 15일간 인도 여행을 하고, 5개월간 필리핀에서 영어 공부를 했고, 9월 중순부터 12월 중순까지 미국 펜들힐에서 학생으로 머물며 영적 여행을 하고 돌아왔습니다. 또 얼마 있다가 다음 행선지를 향해 길을 나서게 될 것입니다.

펜들힐을 가기 전에 들른 인도와 필리핀의 경험은 동양인으로서의 뿌리를 자각한 기회였고, 우리가 너무 쉽게 잃어버린 과거를 보고 온 시간이었습니다. 이것은 앞으로 서양사회에서 영어와 퀘이커리즘을 배울 때에도 저 자신을 잃지 않고 동서를 연결하려는 태도를 갖게 할 귀한 경험이 될 것입니다.


펜들힐이란 어떤 곳인가?

펜들힐은 미국 펜실바니아 주, 필라델피아 근처에 있는 퀘이커 수도원이자 평신도의 내적 성장을 위한 학교입니다.

퀘이커는 1647년 영국에서 시작한 기독교 신앙 운동의 하나로 개신교에서는 가장 진보적인 종파라고 할 수 있습니다. 목사가 없이 평신도 한 명 한 명이 목사 역할을 하며, 예배에서 모든 형식과 계획을 없애고, 고요함 속에서 성령의 임하심을 믿으며, 자신에게 찾아온 하느님의 가르침을 공동체와 나누는 것이 특징이지요. 예배는 공동체가 고요함 속에서 내 안에 있는 하느님의 씨앗, 하느님이 우리를 창조하실 때 불어 넣어 주셨던 하느님 닮은 형상을 일깨우고 하느님의 음성을 듣는 시간입니다. 그래서 예배에는 설교나 찬송이 없습니다. 그냥 고요함 속에서 각 사람에게 찾아온 하느님을 만나고, 그 만남을 공동체와 나누라는 부르심을 받은 자가 일어서서 증언하는 감화(vocal ministry)가 있을 뿐입니다. 감화는 짤막한 단락이나 시가 될 수도 있고, 때로는 찬송으로 표현되기도 합니다.

저는 이 퀘이커 예배에서 하느님을 경외하며 드리는 예배가 어떤 것인지를 체험했습니다. 무수히 많은 상념들을 떨쳐내고 고요함 속에서 하느님과 만나는 기다림의 시간을 갖는 것, 고요함 속에 들어가는 행위는 바로 자기를 비우고 내 안에 하느님이 들어 오실 공간을 마련하는 것임을 알게 되었습니다. 쉽게 되지 않지만, 자꾸 연습하고 하느님을 만나려는 소망을 가지면 문이 열리지요.

펜들힐은 미국에 있는 퀘이커 평신도 사제 교육을 위해 1930년에 세워졌는데 지난 83년동안 퀘이커만이 아니라 다양한 교파에서 찾아 온 학생들이 1학기 3개월 과정에 참여하거나 가을, 겨울, 봄학기로 이어지는 1년 과정에 참여하면서 내적 성장을 이루고 돌아간 곳입니다. 또 금요일부터 일요일까지 있는 주말 프로그램에 참여하거나 아무런 프로그램도 참여하지 않고 그곳에 머물면서 조용히 휴식을 취하고 돌아가기도 합니다.

과정을 모두 마친 제가 펜들힐에 대해 느낀 것은 ‘펜들힐은 어머니다.’ 입니다. 저는 펜들힐 공동체를 통해 ‘어머니 하느님’을 경험했습니다. 그곳은 매우 여유롭고 풍족했으며, 모든 것이 수용되는 분위기 속에서 자기를 사랑하고 존중하는 법을 배우게 합니다.

펜들힐에서는 모두가 부드럽게 말합니다. 그리고 이렇게 말합니다. ‘당신이 원하면, 그것을 하십시오.’

아마 펜들힐에서의 자유와 충만함(mindfulness)의 경험을 통해 ‘진정한 인간다움’ 곧 ‘하느님의 자녀됨’을 느끼게 하고, 그것을 모델로 펜들힐을 나설 때, 바깥 세상의 그렇지 않음에 변화를 줄 힘을 길러 주기 위함이 아닐까 합니다.

우리나라에서는 함석헌 선생님이 62년, 67년에 펜들힐 학생으로 머물면서 ‘펜들힐의 명상’이란 유명한 글을 쓰셨고, 한명숙 전 국무총리와 박성준 교수도 이곳에 계셨고, 정지석 목사님은 이곳에서 2000년 머물면서 우리나라 평화학 박사 1호 논문을 준비했고, 큰딸 세온을 낳았습니다. 또 2010년에는 국경선 평화학교의 비전을 보시기도 했지요.

저는 작년 가을 이곳에서 김경재 선생님을 가까이서 뵈며 많은 것을 배웠고, 펜들힐에 온 성공회 신부님과 30년 만에 만난 대학 동창과 학생으로 있으면서 서로를 깊이 드러내는 시간을 가졌습니다.


나는 펜들힐을 어떻게 알았나?

여기서 잠깐 펜들힐을 가기까지의 인연에 대해 말씀 드리겠습니다. 퀘이커들은 이를 커넥션(connection)이라 말하며 매우 중요하게 여기는데, 저도 돌이켜 보니, 모든 것이 하느님의 예배하심으로 이루어져 있으며 각각의 인연의 사슬로 엮여 있음을 신비롭게 느끼게 됩니다. 제가 펜들힐을 알게 된 것은 2010년 정지석 목사님이 새길 공동체를 떠나 펜들힐에 가셨을 때입니다. 퀘이커에 대해 잘 알지도 못했을 때인데, 전옥희 선생님을 만나 펜들힐에서의 경험을 듣고, 홈페이지를 둘러보면서 저도 가고 싶다는 소망을 갖게 되었지요.

당시 저는 새로 옮긴 회사에서 저를 뽑은 대표이사가 그만 두면서 회사 안에 입지가 불안정해졌고, 오랜 직장생활로 극심한 피로를 느끼던 중, 사직서를 내고 집에서 쉬고 있었을 때입니다. 하지만, 그때까지 제대로 놀아 본 적이 없어서 ‘무엇을 하며 쉬어야 할지’ 방법을 몰랐고, 돈도 없었습니다.

그런 제게 펜들힐은 ‘언젠가는 갈 곳’ 이란 소망이 되었고 회사를 그만 둔 실업자에게 ‘펜들힐을 가기 위한 준비’ 로 집중할 것이 되었지요.

그때 미국 유학 중이던 정경일 형제에게 메일을 보내 ‘펜들힐에 가고 싶은데 어떻게 영어 공부를 하면 좋겠냐’고 물었습니다. 정경일 형제는 펜들힐에 가는 것을 기쁘게 격려해 주면서, 영어 공부를 위해 미국 공영 라디오 방송 프로그램인 On being.org 사이트를 소개해 주면서 그곳에서 영어 음성과 텍스트 파일을 다운 받아 영어를 듣고 공부할 것을 알려 주었습니다.

이 사이트는 신앙, 종교, 윤리 등의 문제를 현대 뇌과학에서부터 고대 영적 전통에 이르기까지 폭넓은 분야의 전문가들과 만나 대담하는 프로그램이었습니다. 이 사이트에서 자료를 다운 받아 듣고 읽으면서 저는 그때까지 제가 가졌던 좁은 시야의 생각의 틀을 깨고 과학과 종교, 삶을 분리해서 보았던 것을 연결하는 시도를 하였습니다.

또 이 기간에 저는 함석헌과 그 제자들을 알게 되었습니다. 새길 넥스트를 월 1회 맡고 있었는데, 이전에는 시간이 없어서 읽지 못했던 전기문이나 자서전을 읽고 학생들에게 소개했지요. 사진 저널리스트 유진 스미스, 유진 스미스가 찍은 슈바이처, 그리고 간디 자서전을 읽으려고 책을 펼쳤는데, 번역자가 함석헌 인 것을 보고, 제가 모두 외국 사람의 삶에만 관심을 가지고 있음을 깨달았습니다. 그리고 간디보다 함석헌을 먼저 알아야 한다고 생각하고 ‘함석헌 평전’ 을 읽게 되었습니다.

거기서 저는 함석헌이야말로 우리 현대사를 살아온 분으로 우리 시대의 참 스승이고, 우리가 꼭 알아야 할 분임을 깨달았습니다.그 이후 함석헌이 직접 쓴 책을 읽으면서, 그 글의 쉽고 힘 있음, 사상의 종횡무진에 감탄했고 역사가이자 기독교인이신 선생님에게서 한국인으로서의 주체성과 그 사상의 뿌리 같은 것을 느꼈지요.

그리고 함석헌 기념사업회에서 실시한 함석헌의 저서 ‘뜻으로 본 한국 역사’ 강의를 그의 제자들에게 들었습니다. 총 3개월 12회에 걸쳐 들으면서 대학을 졸업한 이후 눈을 감고 있었던 역사의식을 다시 일깨우게 되었습니다.이 강좌에서 저는 ‘함석헌 연구’로 영국에서 학사, 석사, 박사 논문을 쓰고 그것을 토대로 ‘함석헌 평전’을 쓴 저자 김성수 박사를 만나게 되었고, 그에게서 ‘자신이 믿는 것을 삶속에서 실천하며 사는 퀘이커의 삶’을 보았습니다. 그리고 언젠가는 저도 ‘퀘이커리즘을 공부하고 싶다’는 소망을 갖게 되었지요.

또 함석헌에 관한 자료를 찾던 중, 정지석의 박사논문이 ‘퀘이커 평화 증언; 함석헌의 평화 사상과 한국 통일 신학’ 이라는 것을 발견하고 정지석 목사님을 새로 알게 되었습니다. 새길에 계시는 동안 그 진면목을 알지 못했던 것이지요.

2010년 11월, ‘뜻으로 본 한국 역사’ 강의가 끝날 무렵, 저는 다시 취직을 할 수 있었습니다. 그리고 2년을 눈썹 휘날리게 바쁘게 일하면서 저의 영적 여행을 할 수 있는 여비와 마음의 준비를 하게 되었습니다.

김성수, 정지석, 정경일 이 세 분은 제가 펜들힐 지원서를 낼 때 필요한 세 명의 추천인이 되어 주었고, 보잘 것 없는 삶을 살아 왔다고 생각한 저에게 펜들힐로 갈 수 있는 길을 무료로 열어준 분들입니다. 아마 남은 인생은 제가 받은 친절을 다시 다른 분들에게 되로 갚는 시간으로 살아야 하지 않을까 싶습니다.


나는 펜들힐에서 무엇을 배웠나?

2년 동안 펜들힐에 가는 꿈을 마음 속에 지니면서 살았습니다. 왜 그렇게 가고 싶었을까요? 제 마음 속에 펜들힐은 저의 ‘영적인 고향’ 과도 같았습니다. 그곳에 가면 제 인생 후반부에 영향을 미칠 특별한 만남이 있을 것 같고 새힘을 얻을 것 같은 설렘이 있었습니다. 하지만 펜들힐에서의 제 여정은 제가 기대했던 것과는 전혀 다르게 진행되었고, 순간순간 매우 고통스러웠습니다. 과정을 모두 마치고 나서야 하느님이 왜 제게 그런 고통을 주셨는지 깨닫게 되었고, 그것의 깊음에 신비로움을 느끼고 있습니다.


장애인으로 살아 보기

펜들힐 생활을 하면서 가장 어려웠던 문제는 영어를 못해서 오는 답답함과 외로움이었습니다. 펜들힐 지원서에 제 영어 실력을 ‘잘함 good’ 이라고 표시했는데, 나중에 제 실력이 ‘거의 잘 못함 poor’ 이라는 것을 알았습니다.

펜들힐에 와서 첫날 식탁에 앉아 간단한 인사를 하고, 사람들이 나누는 사소한 대화를 전혀 알아 듣지 못한 순간부터 저는 얼어 붙기 시작해서 침묵 예배 중에 나오는 감화, 간단한 공고 사항, 수업 시간에 지시와 의견 나눔 등을 거의 알아 듣지 못하면서 의기소침해졌고 매순간 영어 때문에 어려움을 느꼈습니다.

현실 영어는 제가 그 동안 들었던 아나운서의 또박또박한 발음이나 교실에서 학생들에게 쉽게 말하는 영어 선생님 영어가 아니라, 다양한 톤과 억양, 빠른 속도, 이해할 수 없는 슬랭 등이 혼합되어 잘 알아듣기가 어려웠습니다. 게다가 제 상대방들은 미국에서만 주로 살았던 사람들이고 저와 같은 외국인을 많이 상대해 보지 않아 대화의 속도 맞추기가 어려웠습니다.

아무런 힘도 들이지 않고 말하기를 즐기는 미국 사람과 영국 사람들 틈에서 저는 듣지도 말하지도 못하는 장애인으로 살았고 읽기와 쓰기가 능숙하지 못한 무학의 위치에서 지냈습니다. 얼마나 답답하고 얼마나 힘들었을지 상상이 가시는지요? 아침에 눈을 뜬 순간부터 잠들기 직전까지 온통 영어에 대한 스트레스를 받으며 지냈습니다. 왜냐하면 인생 그 자체에 대해 의미를 나누며 그것을 소통하는 가운데 친구를 사귀겠다는 욕구가 있었는데, 사소한 대화에서부터 모든 소통의 도구가 ‘언어’, 바로 ‘영어’ 가 중심이 되어 친구를 사귀는 길이 막혔다고 생각했기 때문이지요.

이 경험을 통해 저는 세상의 질서가 어떻게 편성되었는지를 비로소 볼 수 있게 되었고, 누가 내게 친구가 되어 주는가를 생각하게 되었습니다.

이것은 제 인생에서 매우 중요한 경험이었는데, 이것을 통해 저는 우리나라에 있는 외국인 노동자가 겪는 이중고에 대해 이해하게 되었고, 미국에서 소수민족으로 사는 한국인들이나 이민자들이 겪는 어려움과 소외감을 알게 되었습니다. 그리고 ‘머리가 좋지 않다’고 흔히 말하는 기준이 철저하게 ‘언어적인 것에 유창한 가 아닌 가’로서만 평가한다는 교육심리학자들의 비판의 의미도 알게 되었고, 영어가 권력이 되었다는 의미도 알게 되었습니다.

하지만, 이 경험은 제게 새로운 문을 열어 주기도 했습니다. 이것은 상대를 이해하고 관계 맺는 방식이 언어 이외에 더욱 원초적이고 선험적인 비언어적인 것으로 시작할 수 있다는 것과 그것을 통해 소통의 참 의미를 알게 된 것입니다.

펜들힐 나무들과의 교감

무엇보다 펜들힐의 공간에서 혼자 있는 시간을 많이 가지면서 자연과 깊은 대화를 하게되었습니다. 특히 항상 말없이 옆에 있어주고 자신의 변화를 보여 주는 펜들힐의 나무들을 유심히 관찰하면서 나무들의 가지 뻗침의 다양함, 잎사귀의 다채로움, 같은 듯하면서 다른 색을 가진 그들의 다양함을 인식하고 나무의 이름들을 알고 싶다고 생각했지요.

어느 날 저녁 식사를 마치고 뒤뜰에서 나무를 바라보던 중, 펜들힐의 정원을 관리(Ground Manager)하면서 28년을 살아 온 로이드를 만났습니다.


“로이드, 펜들힐에 있는 나무 이름을 알고 싶어요. 어떻게 하면 될까요?”

“그래요? 내가 그린 펜들힐 나무들의 위치와 이름이 적힌 지도가 있어요.

내일 아침에 내가 그 지도를 에리(에리는 제 영어 이름입니다)의 우편함에 넣어 줄게요.

어떤 나무들이 궁금해요? 지금 나와 같이 가서 그 나무를 봐요.“

하고 말하는 것이었습니다. 그리고 제가 매일 오가며 보았던 미술실 앞에 있는 나무 쪽으로 같이 가서 그 나무 이름이 애플크랩(apple crab)이라는 것을 알려 주었고, 그 옆에 있는 키 큰 버드나무가 로이드의 아들이 태어났을 때 심은 나무라고 말해 주었습니다. 그리고 브린튼 하우스 가는 길 왼편에 있는 특이하게 생긴 버드나무가 있는데, 그 나무를 발견하면 자기에게 말해 달라고 했습니다.

다음 날 아침, 침묵 예배가 끝난 후 제 우편함에서 로이드가 놓고 간 펜들힐 나무들의 위치와 이름이 적힌 지도와 나무 그림 사전과 로이드 명함 뒤에 적힌 메모를 보았습니다.

‘에리, 여기 지도에요. 그리고 참고할 만한 책을 놓고 갑니다. 마음껏 보고, 나중에 돌려주세요. 로이드’

그날 저는 너무 행복했습니다. 제 작은 질문에 귀를 기울여 주고, 한 두 마디의 대답으로 끝나지 않고, 저와 함께 나무가 있는 쪽으로 걸어가서, 그것의 이름을 알려 주고, 또 제게 필요한 것이 무엇인지 알아서 그것을 챙겨 주는 친절함에 감격했습니다.


비언어적인 소통의 도구, ‘진심’으로 다가가기

로이드의 친절함 덕분에 나무에 관심을 가지고 관찰하면서 사진을 찍거나 사진으로 표현할 수 없는 제 느낌을 그림으로 표현하기 시작했습니다. 그리고 그림을 그리면서 ‘자세히 보는 연습’을 하게 되었지요. 또 제 주변에 있는 사람들의 움직임이나 표정을 관찰하면서 그 사람들이 진정으로 원하는 것이 무엇인지를 알게 되었습니다. 그리고 그들이 모두 저와 같은 구도자, 자신의 참 모습을 찾기 위해 길을 떠난 사람들임을 알게 되었습니다. 제가 먼저 긴장을 풀고 마음의 문을 열자 소통이 가능해졌습니다. 그들은 저의 영어 못함을 아무렇지 않게 받아들이고 기다려 주었고, 제가 자신들을 그릴 때 모르는 척 그대로 내버려 두었고, 때로는 모델이 되어 주기도 했습니다.


퀘이커 신앙과 실천에 대한 공부

펜들힐에 간 주된 목적이 퀘이커리즘을 경험하고 공부가 더 필요하다면 나중에 영국의 우드브룩으로 가서 정식으로 퀘이커 석사 과정을 밟겠다는 생각이었습니다. 저는 여기서 Doug Gwyn의 ‘An introduction Quaker Faith and Practice’ 라는 정규수업과 Ben & Deborah의 ‘Inquirer’s weekend’ 라는 주말 워크샵 참여, 펜들힐의 학생 교육 담당자인 Bridget과 함께 하는 ‘A continuing conversation on Quakerism’ 을 들으면서 퀘이커리즘을 많이 알려고 했습니다.

선생님들의 정성스럽고 친절함, 그들의 검소한 생활 태도 등을 통해 퀘이커들이 자신들을 드러내는 여섯 가지 생활신조 SPICES인 검소함 Simplicity, 평화주의 Peace, 온전함 Integrity, 공동체 의식 Community, 평등주의 Equality, 자연에 대한 청지기로서의 자세 Stewardship 등의 의미를 알게 되었습니다.

3개월간 10주간 수업을 들으면서 저는 퀘이커리즘에 관한 큰 그림을 갖게 되었습니다. 무엇보다 퀘이커리즘을 말할 때 ‘신앙과 실천’을 함께 말함으로써 믿음과 삶을 분리하지 않고 다루고 있었는데, 그것은 내 안에 있는 하느님을 발견하고, 우리 모두에게 똑같이 있는 하느님의 씨앗을 가진 우리 자매 형제들이 그 존엄성을 파괴당할 때 그대로 있지 않는 절대자의 음성을 외면하지 못하는 퀘이커 공동체의 예배에서 비롯됨을 알게 되었습니다.


참 나의 발견

지난 3개월 동안 저는 참된 나의 존재를 알게 되었고, 그것을 보는 방법을 배웠습니다. 모든 교육과정은 영적인 성숙을 위해 치밀하게 잘 짜여있습니다. 수업을 준비하는 시간과 교실에서 서로의 생각을 나누는 과정에서, 영적 선배(Spiritual nurturer)와의 정기적인 대화를 통해서, 한국 친구들과 허심탄회하게 대화하면서 또 매일의 노동과 공동체 전체가 하는 수요 노동 등 여러 가지를 통해 이루어졌습니다. 참된 나의 존재를 발견하는 과정이 때로는 고통스럽기도 했습니다.

무엇보다 매일 아침, 저녁으로 공동체와 함께하는 침묵의 시간은 제 안에 감추어 두었던 무의식의 세계를 끌어 올리고 참 나를 자각하게 하는 시간이었습니다. 저는 이 시간이 참된 나를 발견하게 하는 자리이며 저의 좋은 씨앗을 싹 틔우기 위한 연습의 시간이었다고 생각합니다.


또 ‘인종, 계급, 성 차별 등에 관한 용감한 대화’ 라는 수업을 들으면서 미국 사회에 존재하는 다양한 억압의 문제를 개인적, 제도적, 문화적인 차원으로 이해하면서, 그것과 무관하지 않는 내 안의 억압을 자각하게 되었습니다.

미국 사회의 억압의 틀을 공부하면서 저는 한국 사회 안에 있는 자기 존재의 부정에 대해 인식하게 되었고, 자신의 뿌리를 잃은 채 유령처럼 살아온 우리나라의 아픈 현실을 자각했습니다. 친구의 모습을 통해 나를 이해하게 된 것과 같은 이치이지요.

그리고 저는 계속 제게 질문을 던졌습니다. 나는 누구인가? 나를 구성하고 있는 것은 무엇인가? 무엇이 참 나인가? 나의 뿌리는 무엇인가? 하고요. 그러면서 저는 저의 기억을 구성하고 있었던 여러 가지 것들을 끄집어 올리면서 그것들의 의미를 되새김하는 시간을 가졌습니다. 그러다가 찬란하게 아름다웠지만, 억압으로 점철되었던 제 젊은 날의 모습을 회상하게 되었습니다. 그 기억의 실마리를 제공하며 끊임없이 제 앞에서 그때를 연결시켰던 제 대학 동창을 펜들힐에서 30년이 다 되어 만나 다시 친구가 되면서 젊은 날의 나의 약점들을 끌어안을 수 있었습니다.


앞으로 하고 싶은 일

저 개인적인 삶이나, 우리 사회에 내재한 억압의 사슬 등을 자꾸 들여다보고 싶어집니다. 또 나를 구성하고 있는 것들에 관심을 갖고 싶습니다. 한국에 돌아오면, 스쳐 지나갔던 것들을 좀더 눈 여겨 보고 한국의 색, 한국의 무늬, 한국의 음악, 한국의 춤, 한국 음식 등을 주의 깊게 알아보려고 합니다.

제 어머니와 스승님이 살아오신 삶을 좀 더 자세히 들어 보려고 합니다. 마치 제가 펜들힐에서 저의 영적 자서전(Spiritual Autobiography)을 썼던 것처럼 저의 어머니와 스승님의 이야기를 듣고 글로 써 보면 어떨까 생각합니다.



내 이름은 성희

마지막으로 제 이름 이야기를 하겠습니다. 펜들힐에서 저는 처음에 제 한국이름 조성희 대신에 ‘에리 조 Ehri Cho‘ 라고 저를 소개했습니다. 에리 Ehri 는 제 영어 이름인데, 영어를 처음 배울 때 외국인들이 쉽게 기억하고 부르게 하려고 오래 전부터 사용한 이름입니다. 사실 제 한국 이름의 ‘성희’가 별 의미가 없어서 그런 것도 있었고요. 그런데 어느 날, 그들이 한국에 와서 저를 찾을 때 아무도 모르면 어떻게 하나 하는 생각과 아버지가 이름을 지어 주실 때 ‘성희’ 의 소리가 예뻐서 지어 주신 것인데 왜 그것을 몰랐나 하는 것을 깨달았지요. 그래서 제가 제 이름에 의미를 부여하게 되었습니다.

성희 成(이룰 성) 姬(여자 희) 에서 誠(정성 성) 喜(기쁠 희)’ 의 의미가 담긴 이름으로요. 영어로 하면 ‘Integrity with joy’, 기쁨 속에서 온전한 삶을 추구한다는 의미가 담겨있지요. 그래서 제 이름을 생각하면서 퀘이커의 삶 ‘네가 믿는 바를 삶으로 보여 주라 Let your life speak’ 를 따르며 살려고 합니다.


감사합니다.



평신도 열린공동체 새길교회 http://saegilchurch.or.kr
사단법인 새길기독사회문화원, 도서출판 새길

토마스 켈리 영원한 현재

영원한 현재


내 삶의 주도자는 내가 아니라 하나님이시다.


영원한 현재를 살았던 퀘이커 전통의 신비가 토마스 R. 켈리의 명 저서!

여기 지금 현존하시는 하나님의 시간은 영원한 현존의 순간이다.



추천사


토마스 켈리는, 주님, 당신의 뜻이 저의 뜻이 되기를 바랍니다.라는 기도야말로 온당한 기도라고 말하고 있다. 아마 우리가 할 수 있는 가장 순전한 기도는 단순히 아버지, 하늘의 눈을 통해서 땅의 것을 보게 해주십시오.라는 기도일 것이다. 켈리는 다시 이렇게 쓰고 있다.

전적으로 순종하고 전적으로 복종하고 전적으로 듣는 삶이야말로 놀랄 만큼 온전한 삶이다.
그러한 삶의 기쁨은 광채를 발하고 그로 인한 평화는 심오하며, 그것에서 나온 겸손은 깊이가 있으며, 그 힘은 세계를 뒤흔들고, 그 사랑은 모든 것을 덮어 주며, 그 단순함이란 어린 아이의 믿음과도 같은 것이다.

-고든 맥도널드



토마스 켈리는 이 책을 통하여 지극히 평범한 장소와 예상하지 못했던 사건 안에서 거룩하신 하나님을 볼 수 있는 능력을 선물로 우리에게 주고 있다.
나는 워싱턴 공항에서 처음으로 『헌신의 약속』을 읽기 시작한 이후, 종종 그 책을 다시 읽곤 한다. 그 책의 책장을 넘길 때마다, 나는 어떤 “위대한 영혼의 현존” 안에 내가 있다는 것을 깨닫는다.

-리처드 포스터

src=http://www.eunsungpub.co.kr/talent/pdata/kr/save/image/shop_body/book_preview.jpg

우리의 내면 깊은 곳에는 우리가 돌아갈 수 있는 영혼의 성소, 거룩한 장소, 신적 중심, 말하는 음성이 있다. 영원이 우리 마음 안에 있으면서, 그것이 우리들의 진부한 삶을 공격하고, 놀라운 운명에 대한 암시로 우리를 따뜻하게 해주며, 영원 자체를 상기시켜 준다.

이러한 설득에 굴복하는 것, 몸과 마음으로 기꺼이 내면의 빛에게 온전히 헌신하는 것이 참된 삶의 시작이다. 그것은 하나의 역동적인 중심, 우리의 내면에서 탄생을 추진하는 창조적인 생명이다.
내면의 빛은 하나님의 얼굴을 조명해 주며 사람들의 얼굴에 새로운 영광과 새로운 그림자를 던져준다. 그것은 우리가 억제하지만 않으면 싹을 내고 성장할 씨앗이다. 그것은 영혼의 쉐키나(Shekinah), 우리 가운데 계신 하나님의 현존이다.



여기에 「주무시는 그리스도」, 우리가 세상적인 형태로 옷 입는 영혼이 되어야 할 분이 계시다. 그분은 우리 모두의 내면에 계신다. 독자들은 이미 이 내면의 생명과 빛을 알고 있다. 우리의 인식은 내면에 있는 이 빛에 의해서 주어진다. 오늘날과 같은 인문주의 시대에 사는 우리들은 모든 것을 주도하는 것은 인간이요, 반응하는 측이 하나님이라고 가정한다.
그러나 우리 안에 살아계신 그리스도는 주도하시는 분이시요, 우리는 응답하는 자들이다. 연인이요, 고발자요 빛과 어두움을 드러내시는 하나님이 우리 안에서 강요하신다. “내가 문 밖에 서서 두드린다.” 외면적으로 우리가 주도하는 것처럼 보이는 것은 실제로는 우리 안에서 이루어지는 하나님의 은밀한 임재와 작용에 대한 반응이며 증명서이다.



우리의 내면에 계신 분은 우리를 은밀하게 설득하여 그분에게 있는 놀라운 내적 생명을 향하게 하며, 그럼으로써 우리가 항상 내면의 빛의 광채를 통해서 세상을 보며, 이 내면의 중심으로부터 자발적으로 이웃에게 응답하게 하신다. 이 표면적인 말보다 훨씬 더 훌륭한 스승이신 그분께 순종하면, 이 말이 표현하는 것보다 더 훌륭한 스승을 찾게 될 것이다.



내면의 빛, 내면의 그리스도는 특별히 소규모의 종교 집단의 것으로서 단순한 신념으로 받아들여지거나 거부되는 교리가 아니다. 그것은 지존자의 은밀한 곳에 거하려는 모든 기독교인들과 기독교인 집단들이 “참조해야 할 살아있는 중심”이시다. 그분은 생각의 종착점이 아니라 활동의 중심이요 근원이시다. 그분은 논쟁의 문제가 아니라, 헌신의 헌장이시다. 종교에서 우선적인 것은 이론이나 교의가 아니라 실천이며, 기독교적인 실천은 표면적인 행위 안에서 고갈되지 않는다. 그것은 뿌리가 아니라 열매이다.
실천하는 기독교인은 우선적으로 내면의 성소를 향한 영혼의 영원한 회귀를 실천하는 사람, 세상에 그 빛을 가져다주고 다시 판단하는 사람, 소란스럽고 변덕스러운 세상에 빛을 가져와 그것을 재창조하는 사람이다.



어떻게 해야 그 생명과 능력을 붙잡고, 쉬지 않고 기도하며 살 것인가? 밤낮으로 존재 전체를 기울여 영혼의 깊은 곳에서 부르시는 분을 향해 기도하고 예배하며 복종하는 일을 조용히, 그리고 끈질기게 실천해야 한다. 내면의 태도를 결정하는 정신적인 습관들이 확립되어야 한다. 여러 주, 여러 달, 여러 해 동안 실천과 실수, 실패와 회복을 거듭하면서 내적으로 은밀하게 하나님을 향하는 태도가 확고해져 간다. 로렌스 수사가 발견했듯이, 그것은 단순한 기술이지만 오랜 세월이 흘러야 확고함을 얻을 수 있다. 



지금 이 글을 읽는 동안, 의자에 앉아 있는 동안에 완전히 포기하고 기쁨으로 고요히 내면에 계시는 그분께 당신의 온전한 자아를 바치라. 비록 희미하더라도 고요히 찬송하면서 겸손히 빛을 향하라. 감각과 의미의 표면 세계와 접촉을 유지하라. 방심 상태에서는 훈련이 안 된다. 친구들과 함께 걷고 말하고 일하고 웃으라. 그러나 그 배후에는 단순한 기도와 내적 예배를 멈추지 말라. 하루 종일 그렇게 생활하라. 내면의 기도가 잠들기 전에 행하는 마지막 행동이 되게 하고, 잠에서 깨어나서 행하는 첫 번째 행동이 되게 하라. 그렇게 행하면, 언젠가는 로렌스 수사가 기록한바, “성령의 바람을 소유한 사람은 잠잘 때에도 앞으로 나아간다.”는 사실을 발견할 것이다.



다른 지인들은 멀어진다. 그들과의 관계가 늘 피상적이었음을 우리는 알고 있다. 여러 해 동안 함께 일하며 행복한 관계를 유지했을 수도 있지만, 중심의 깊은 침묵 가운데서 그들과 함께한 적이 없고 또 영원의 빛이 밝게 비취는 곳에서 함께할 수 없음을 지금은 알고 있다. 그들 역시 하나님께 온전히 사로잡히고 빛에 집중하기 전까지는, 우리와 의례적인 인사로 짧은 대화를 주고받을 수 있을 뿐이다. 비전이 희미한 그들에 대해 동정심이 생길 수도 있지만, ‘중심’ 속에서 함께 살아가도록 묶어주는 사랑의 관계는 소수를 위해 마련된 것이다. 이 감격적인 친교를 통해 기존의 우애 관계는 과감하고도 활기차게 해체되거나 천상의 뜨거운 열기에 의해 변화된다.



우리는 냉철한 신학과 뜨거운 가슴을 동시에 지닌 사람들을 만난다. 그리고 시들과 성인들에 관한 이야기를 다시 읽는 가운데 친교 범위는 더욱 확대된다. 경건한 의식에 얽매이는 것이 아니라, 영혼의 벗을 더 많이 찾으려는 뜨거운 갈망으로 성경을 읽는다. 성경에 수록된 역사적 교훈을 훑고 지나가면서, 그 ‘중심’과 ‘생명’과 ‘능력’ 가운데 살았던 성경 기자들을 만난다. 또한 경건한 문학서를 통해 조명을 받는다.
거룩한 친교의 최종적인 근거들은 하나님 안에 있다. 하나님 안에 잠긴 인생들은 사랑 안에 잠기고, 그분 안에서 서로를 알며, 또한 사랑 안에서 서로를 안다. 하나님은 매개체, 모체, 핵심, 용매시다.



하나님의 사랑은 모든 이들에게 강권적으로 임한다
모든 영혼은 최종적인 기반을 지니고 있고, 그 최종적인 기반은 단 하나인 거룩한 기초이며 모두가 공유하는 것이다. 친교 중에 있는 사람들은 그분을 통해 서로 연결된다. 이는 마치 모든 산들이 같은 땅으로 낮춰져서 연결되는 것과 같다. 그들은 그분을 통해 서로를 이해한다. 하나님은 만유 안에서 역동적으로 움직이시며, 그분의 뜻에 순응하는 자들을 연합시키시고, 또한 그들을 그분의 영광과 기쁨으로 가득 채우신다.


하나님을 통해 맺는, 모두에 대한 각자의 관계는 실제적이고 객관적이며 실존적이다. 하나님의 사랑은 그것을 갈망하는 모든 이들에게 강권적으로 임한다. 그리고 자신의 심령을 두드리는 그 사랑에 순복하는 사람은 그것에 사로잡히고 변화된다.




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현재는 너무나 순간적이어서 잡아두거나 거기에 머물 수 없다. 정말 찰나적이다. 그러나 거기에 하나님이 머무신다. 살아계시는 하나님은 현재에 현존하시는 분이시기 때문이다. 하나님을 보았노라, 체험했노라, 알았노라 하는 순간 이미 그것은 과거로 물러나 버렸다. 저자 토마스 R. 켈리는 퀘이커 전통의 현대 신비주의가이며 심층 심리가이다. 그는 “여기 지금” 즉, 하나님 현존의 순간의 중요성을 이 책에서 강조하고 있다. 세상적인 시간은 순간적이며 찰나적이지만, 하나님의 현존 안에 머물 때 찰나적인 시간은 영원(ETERNITY)으로 확장된다. 이승에서 천국을 체험하는 순간의 연속이다.



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토마스 켈리(Thomas Kelly)

1893년 남서부 오하이오의 한 농가에서 태어난 토머스 켈리는 퀘이커교도의 부모 밑에서 신실하게 자라났다. 퀘이커 전도자이면서 교육자이고,강연자,작가,학자였던 그는 월밍턴 대학에서 자연과학을 공부하다가, 해버퍼드 대학에서 루퍼스 존스에 매료되어 철학과 진리 탐구에 몰두하게 되었다. 하버드 등에서 학생들에게 철학을 가르치면서는 학문적인 성취와 동양선교에 열정을 품었고, 일본과 극동 선교사를 꿈꾸면서 YMCA와 독일인 전쟁포로들을 위해 자원봉사로 일하기도 했다. 하나님을 향한 신앙의 삶을 살기 위해 끊임없는 탐구와 깊은 묵상을 멈추지 않았던 그는 풍성한 삶과 순종의 원리를 은혜롭게 묘사한 이 책을 완성하게 되엇다. 책을 통해 그가 경험한 영혼의 회복,하나님과 맺은 내적 친교와 연합의 기쁨을 만끽할 수 있을 것이다.




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추천의 글 / 9

1. 내면의 빛 / 15

2. 거룩한 순종 / 43

3. 복된 공동체 / 77

4. 영원한 현재와 사회적 관심 / 93

5. 삶의 단순화 / 121


역자

후기 / 139
==

[영원한 현재] 도서를 읽고
평점:55555   페이스북 트위터
작성자 : 우*진 (yusu*** , 일반회원) | 조회: 10 | 날짜: 2018-02-10 23:06:44
그 어느 때보다 각박함, 삭막함, 경쟁이 삶의 골수깊이 박혀버린 시대.

세상의 많은 사람들은 IT를 비롯한 4차산업을 동경하며, 보다 편리하고 나아진 삶을 향유코자 안간힘을 쓰고 있다.

하지만, 그들의 영혼과 마음은 늘 피곤하고, 아파하며, 심지어 어느 특정한 상황 속에선 극심히 격한 알레르기 반응을 보인다.

소위 종교를 창시한 사람들, 철학 사상가들이 이러한 문제를 놓고 해결코자 평생 치열히 고된 싸움을 했지만, 결국 온전히 해결치 못하고 죽음을 맞이했다.



그러나 오직 한 분.

하나님의 독생자되신 주 예수님께서, 아무런 죄도 없으셨음에도 평생 죄인으로 살다 영원히 죽을 수 밖에 없는 모든 인류를 위해 십자가에 단 한 번 못박히심으로, 보혈을 통해 모든 죄를 사해주셨다. 그리고 사흘 만에 다시 부활하시고 40일 동안 머무신 후, 하늘로 올라가시사 하나님 아버지 보좌 우편에 좌정하시며, 반드시 마지막 때에 재림을 하신다.



주 예수님을 왕으로 고백하며, 세상과 당당히 영적전쟁에서 승리하는 삶을 누리며 확장시키는 사람들.

바로 주님의 자녀들이자, 거룩한 백성들이자, 크리스천이라 알려진 존재들이다.



그런데 시간이 한참 흐른 현 시점.

복음에 합당한 삶은커녕, 주 예수님의 향기조차 전혀 드러내지 못하는 농후함 속에서 세상 사람들의 손가락질, 조롱, 지탄을 받는 1급 대명사가 된 지가 이미 오래이다.



바로 그런 점에서, 이 책은 복음에 합당한 삶을 살아가는 데 있어서 다시 주님의 깊고도 신비한 현존하심으로 돌아가야 하는지를 간결히, 그러나 명확하고 구체적으로 우리들에게 가르쳐준다.

특히, 삶에서 온전하고 거룩한 순종의 열매 맺는 가운데 '하나님의 자녀로서 갖는 단순함'이 큰 기쁨이자 강한 것들 중에 가장 강한 것이란 점이 내게 큰 감동이자 도전으로 와닿았다.



지금 이 순간에도 세상은 체계적이고 복잡하게 살아가야 한다는 그릇되고 거짓된 신념을 모든 사람들에게 삶의 모든 루트 속에서 세뇌작업을 아끼지 않는다.

하지만, 하나님 아버지를 만나며 깊이 교제하는 삶은 그렇게 복잡하지가 않다.

진리는 단순하지만, 그 효력은 강력하며 영구하다는 이야기를 성장하면서 많은 분들에게 들었던 기억이 지금도 잊혀지질 않는다.

세상의 인식체계는 얼핏보면 체계적인 것 같고, 합리적인 것 같아서 구미에 척척 맞는 것으로 착각되기가 일쑤이지만, 접하면 접할수록 질리고 역겹고 단조로움 등의 고통을 모든 사람들의 몸과 마음에 짐지우게 하는 속성이 있다.



 반면, 깊이 말씀을 묵상하며, 고요하고 침묵 깊은 기도를 통해 주님과 친밀한 사귐을 영위하는 삶은 처음엔 너무나 단순해서 깜짝 놀라기도 하지만, 시간이 지나면 지날수록 강해지고 깊어지며, 심지어 다가올 마지막 때의 큰 환난과 맞서 싸워 이길 수 있는 영적군사로 성장 성숙케 한다.



 매순간 영원한 현재이신 주 예수님과의 깊고도 친밀한 동행을 내 모든 삶에서 영위하며 나아갈 수 있길 간절히 소망한다.



 마라나타!

==

Beyond Liberalism: Rufus Jones and Thomas Kelly in the History of Liberal Religion – Quaker Theology

Beyond Liberalism: Rufus Jones and Thomas Kelly in the History of Liberal Religion – Quaker Theology



Beyond Liberalism: Rufus Jones and Thomas Kelly in the History of Liberal Religion


Guy Aiken

It was Monday, December 19, 1938, a little over a month since the Day of Broken Glass, and three American Quakers were holding impromptu worship in Berlin. They were in the headquarters of the Gestapo, and two Gestapo officers had just left the room to discuss with their superior the Quakers’ proposal to help expedite the emigration of Germany’s Jews.

Left to wait, the three Quakers “bowed our heads and entered upon a time of deep quiet meditation and prayer – the only Quaker meeting ever held in the Gestapo,” the leader of the group, Rufus Jones, later wrote. “It proved to have been rightly ordered.” The two Gestapo soon walked back in and granted everything the Quaker delegation had asked for. Jones wanted the agreement in writing. The two officers declined. “What will be the evidence then?” “Every word that has been spoken in this room has been recorded by a mechanism and this decision will be in the record.”

Jones was now doubly glad for “the period of hush and quiet” he and his two friends had kept. The three Americans were told the Gestapo would telegraph that night to every police station in Germany “that the Quakers are given full permission to investigate the sufferings of Jews and to bring such relief as they see necessary.” Three days later the three Quakers left for America having effectively saved the lives of a few Jewish families who were able to leave Germany before the war began. 1)

The summer before this dramatic winter episode, another American Quaker had traveled to Germany, to visit with German Friends and make a report of their sufferings. Thomas Kelly went from house to house, living with Quaker families so he could get to know their hardships – in good Quaker fashion – firsthand. While he was in Germany, he gave the annual lecture at the German Yearly Meeting, in which he said that the “true ground of social endeavor” was the “experience of the Eternal breaking into time, which transforms all life into a miracle of faith and action.”(2) –

Rufus Jones and Thomas Kelly working to ease the suffering in Germany on the cusp of World War II – here was “ethical mysticism” in articulate action. As American religious historian Leigh Eric Schmidt points out in his article on the “Making of Modern ‘Mysticism’,” the Protestant mystics of the first half of the twentieth century “were adamant about the inseparability of mysticism and political activism.” Jones and Kelly were just as adamant on this point as their Protestant counterparts. Yet because they were Quakers who worshiped in expectant silence and who were steeped in the writings of Quaker mystics like George Fox, Isaac Penington, and John Woolman, they hewed to a middle way between Protestant activism and Catholic contemplation. And so, unlike Washington Gladden, Walter Rauschenbusch, and other social-gospelers, they found their thoughts turning almost entirely to mysticism and the interior life when they took up the pen.

Contemporary scholars Gary Dorrien and Leigh Eric Schmidt have written expansive surveys of liberal theology and spirituality that, because they are so wide in scope, understandably rely more on published sources than on deep archival research. This necessary limitation, however, might obscure the strong and often tortured link intense devotionalists like Jones and Kelly forged between the inner life and the outer world. To get at this nexus of ethics and mysticism, the historian I think needs to read these two Quakers’ published work alongside and in dialogue with their unpublished letters, sermons, and other ephemera. Only then might “the current desire to reconnect Christian spiritual practices and social justice” find its historical ground and most eloquent source in the lives and writings of these two dead, white, Quaker men.(3)

Dorrien and Schmidt have trained their historical sights on Jones and Kelly only recently, in the past decade. In his second installment of his three-volume survey, The Making of American Liberal Theology (2003), Dorrien devotes a short section to Rufus Jones’s Christology and mysticism. In Restless Souls (2005), Schmidt spends a good chunk of his chapter on “seekers” crediting Jones with popularizing the term and Kelly with exemplifying it. Both of these scholars’ treatments, being parts of much larger works, are necessarily limited in scope and so have holes and elisions that beg for filling and articulation. They thus open the doors of American religious historiography to these two remarkable Quakers, while also providing fodder for debate over Jones and Kelly’s significance.

Jones and Kelly, though anchored in religious liberalism, moved beyond liberalism each in his own way. American cultural historian Matthew Hedstrom has defined religious liberalism as, at its most basic, Protestants’ “theological accommodation of scientific and humanistic scholarship, and overarching focus on ethics tied to optimistic postmillennialism.”(4) (That is,their focus shifted to making a kingdom of God on earth, largely through human effort, especially social reform.) Insomuch as this agenda was negatively a rejection of anti-modernism, conservative evangelicalism, and premillenialism, Jones and Kelly were religious liberals (Jones more comfortably so than Kelly). Yet Jones’s radical pacifism put him outside the liberal mainstream, and Kelly’s own experience of self-abnegation led him to call on his audience to surrender their claim to natural rights. Before assessing Jones and Kelly’s radicalism, though, Dorrien’s and Schmidt’s analyses of their religious liberalism need a closer look.
Jones and Jesus

After graduating from college, where he had fallen in love with the writings of Emerson and Thomas Carlyle, Rufus Jones traveled to Europe and spent a year in Germany and France studying philosophy and mysticism. While walking in a French wood, Jones had a vision.


I saw stretch before me an unfolding of labor in the realm of mystical religion, almost as clearly as Francis heard himself called at St. Damiens to “repair the Church.” I remember kneeling down alone in a beautiful forest glade and dedicating myself then and there in the quiet and silence, but in the presence of an invading Life, to the work of interpreting the deeper nature of the soul and its relation to God.(5)

This mystical calling to “mystical religion” fortified Jones in his stand against any sharp dualism between God and humanity, any strict separation of sect or denomination, and any unbridgeable chasm between Christ and the individual Christian.

Jones’s conception of God was orthodox when compared with his understanding of Christ.(6) Gary Dorrien overstates the case: “[Jones] could be quoted either way on the question whether Quakerism should be Christian.” Jones did not subordinate historical Christianity to mystical Quakerism. Early in his publishing career, in 1904, he wrote that “faith” was “an actual appropriation of the Divine Life” and that it “produces a religion as first-hand as [mysticism].” Five years later he elaborated, “To insist on mystical experience as the only path to religion would invoke an ‘election’ no less inscrutable and pitiless than that of the Calvinistic system – an election settled for each person by the peculiar psychic structure of his inner self.”(7) Jones retained Christ as the paradigm of human being and cleaved to Christianity as the faith that embodied God’s historical revelation in Christ, as well as in Christians down through the centuries.

Yet Jones’s decidedly theocentric Christianity might very well have “opened the door to a religion of spirit that dispensed with [any] confession” about Christ, as Dorrien charges. And according to one of his most recent critics, Carole Spencer, his high anthropology


took Christ out of the Light, the soul itself was the Light, and the soul became divine. Thus Jones created an– inner light mysticism’ in which the soul was its own authority, an elevated humanism which severed the inward light from Christ. Consequently, liberal Quakerism developed a humanistic confidence in the soul as supreme.

While this judgment might rightly ascertain Jones’s fontal relationship to twentieth- and twenty-first-century liberal Quakerism, Spencer, unfairly to Jones, supports it with Jones’s enthusiastic quotation of the Upanishads at the end of one of his fifty-seven books: “When the sun is set, and the moon is set, and the fire is gone out, THE SOUL IS THE LIGHT OF MAN.” Jones himself never conceived of the human soul apart from God, though he proved willing and able to adjust his philosophical language to humanistic psychologies on occasion. For Jones, the soul could be the “light of man” only because “God as Spirit and man as spirit are inherently related and there is something in man which is unsundered (sic) from God.”(8) Jones at times might have attenuated this intrinsic bond between God and humanity, but he never “severed” it.

In fact, one could see Jones’s “pattern-type” theory of atonement and high anthropology as a liberal revision of “early Quaker holiness,” which, Spencer argues, “was closer to patristic concepts of deification than to Protestant Reformation soteriology.” Christ’s role in early Quaker perfection is often obscured by early Friends’ emphasis on the “light.” The “light,” George Fox’s associate James Nayler wrote, “which we witness in us, is sufficient to lead us out of darkness, bring into the fear of God, and to exercise a pure conscience before God and man in the power of Christ.” Jones, in an archaic mood, might have written this sentence himself, the phrase “power of Christ” being suggestively vague. The early Quakers’ Puritan and Baptist opponents never tired of charging the Quakers with blasphemously deifying all of fallen humanity by conflating the “light” in the conscience with the “natural” light of the conscience. “Every writer who entered into serious argument with the Quakers picked up this point,” notes the leading scholar of this early debate, Rosemary Moore.(9)

Though this critique of early Friends anticipates Spencer’s critique of Jones, the early Quaker riposte differs markedly from Jones’s anthropology. The early Quakers insisted that they clearly distinguished the conscience, which was “natural,” from “the light in the conscience,” which was “spiritual” and thus no part of human nature.(10) Natural and spiritual – human and divine – constituted a sharp dualism for early Friends. Jones, on the other hand, rejected this sharp dualism and elided the separation, and sometimes even the distinction, between human and divine. But perhaps where Jones meant elision some of his readers perceive elimination, and they cry out, not as the Puritans and Baptists once did (“blasphemy!”), but as Spencer does – “humanism”!

Jones’s optimism about human nature was not only theologically rigorous. It was also personally hard-won. Dorrien’s summary biography of Jones and his emphasis on Jones’s published work eclipse Jones’s personal tragedies like the loss of his first wife and son and his temporary bout of crippling depression, as well as his dogged pursuit of peace as head of the AFSC in a time of global conflagration.

This constricted look at Jones inadvertently lends credence to Reinhold Neibuhr’s opinion that Jones had nothing to teach modern Christians about the social meaning of their faith.(11) Jones, though relatively privileged, sacrificed his health continually as he taught a full load at Haverford, chaired the AFSC, lectured and preached all over the country, and worked for numerous ecumenical efforts, including his own Wider Quaker Fellowship, which he started when he was well into his sixties.

Jones was in his fifties when he helped found the AFSC, and he was 71 when he began his second stint as its chairman. This was no weak-kneed liberal. Two years after the horrors of WWII and just months before his death at 85, Jones wrote in his final book, “Religious faith which springs out of the vision of transcendent reality and an ultimate divine purpose not only stabilizes one’s life; it beautifies and consecrates it. It infuses a marching power.”(12) That a man of such vitality and devotion, and, at the same time, of such worldliness, could write with convinced optimism about humanity after a long life shot through with personal and global tragedy – such a man had (and has) something to teach modern Christians about the social meaning of their faith, as well as social activists about the possible religious meaning of their work.
“Seeking” with Jones and Kelly

Jones found the seed of Quakerism’s worldly mysticism in an unlikely place: among the Seekers of seventeenth-century England. Jones could work magic with his pen, and with one of his greatest sleights-of-hand he transformed the Seekers from a band of primitivists and separatists into a vanguard of wide-open spiritual adventurers. In Restless Souls Leigh Schmidt marvels at Jones’s literary legerdemain. Though “the Seekers would have made lousy seekers on Jones’s liberal religious terms,” the term “morphed in Jones’s hands into a general attitude, a searching and unsettled disposition that had relevance far beyond seventeenth-century England.”(13) Today even some evangelical churches seek to be “seeker friendly,” while those on the other end of the theological spectrum, as well as some “spiritual but not religious” folk, also embrace the “seeker” label. Yet the first notable “seeker” on Jones’s model, in Schmidt’s estimation, was Jones’s own student, Thomas Kelly.

I can find no major scholar after Glenn Hinson in 1978 who paid any attention to Kelly, though A Testament of Devotion came back into print with Harper’s in the early 1990s. No major scholar had ever presumed to historicize Kelly’s devotional work. With Restless Souls Schmidt sought to correct these oversights. “Devotional books and their admirers are always prone to minimizing cultural context,” he explains. What especially irks him is the mystics’ talk of “capital-P Presence,” which he thinks is a “theological ploy (or affirmation) designed to lift devotional books – and spirituality generally – above the limits of culture and history.” Presumably no experience or insight is entirely “above the limits of culture and history.”

This seems to be the prevailing assumption of much of the academy, so much so that religious studies giant Robert Orsi can simply state that “‘reality’ itself is a construct.” Orsi and Schmidt are “constructivists,” yet Schmidt’s subjects are themselves “essentialists.” Mystics like Jones and Kelly firmly believed that it was possible to have a pure or unmediated experience. Though the constructivist position has come to dominate scholarly studies of mysticism, Hindu scholar Richard King has recently highlighted some dissenting voices. The “essentialist” school lives on, with increasing sophistication. It is not merely a relic of religious liberalism. (14)

Yet regardless of the philosophical tenability of, say, Kelly’s Testament of Devotion, the historian’s first loyalty should be to the worldview of his or her subject. In Thank You, St. Jude (1996), for instance, Robert Orsi spends almost 200 pages sympathetically describing and analyzing the devotional lives of his subjects, Catholic women in mid-century Chicago. Only in the last chapter does he lay out his own constructivist position. Schmidt, however, does not give Kelly a similarly sympathetic hearing. Though ostensibly he brings in Kelly as the embodiment of Jones’s “seekers,” it seems he has an ulterior motive, namely, to deconstruct the essentialist position that invokes “Presence” to escape both history and biography. In Schmidt’s estimate, Kelly was “all too clearly a frail and flailing man of his time,” and his devotional work was tinctured with his life. “Repeatedly there are passages that sound differently, more sharply edged, when Kelly’s own recently relinquished aspirations are kept in mind.”(15) What is at stake in challenging Schmidt, then, is not just the historical memory of a man, but the ability of that man’s world-shaking experiences to endure the condescension of history.(16)

Kelly lost his father in 1897 when he was only four years old. While Schmidt makes nothing of this, Glenn Hinson does: “Thomas Kelly learned early the importance of responsibility and perhaps, like many others in similar circumstances, developed the drive which compelled him always to perform at the very highest level.”(17) Hinson here gives a plausible psychological explanation for Kelly’s “almost maniacal” ambition, to use Schmidt’s words, an explanation that tempers

Schmidt’s portrayal of Kelly as irrationally and selfishly driven. Recalling the years after his father’s death, Kelly wrote to his future wife, Lael Macy, in 1917,


I don’t know whether you realize that I have had very little home life, as you have had. You know how we have always been in school, or away from home, and Mother was not at home in the daytime either [she worked to support the family]. We never did have that wonderful atmosphere you have been brought up in, because we just couldn’t. You can’t imagine what a magic word HOME is.(18)

Certainly Kelly’s lack of stable home life growing up, as much as his academic acquisitiveness, later combined with the possible economic privations of the Depression to goad him on toward an ever-receding horizon of security.

Kelly acknowledged the burdens his ambition laid on his wife. After his year at Haverford under Rufus Jones, he taught at a preparatory school in New Market, Ontario, for two years, and then served the YMCA in England near the end of WWI. From there he wrote Lael of “the desire to get into a college. But that will be many years yet, and will require a great deal of money and more sacrifice on your part than I want you to make for me.”(19) Though conscious of the cost of his dream, Kelly doggedly pursued it. After a B.D. from Hartford in 1918, he taught at his alma mater, Wilmington College in Ohio, for two years. He then returned to Hartford for his Ph.D., after which he and Lael worked for the AFSC in Germany for fifteen months. After Germany, Kelly taught at Earlham for five years, during which his daughter Lois was born, then he took two years’ leave of absence to study under Alfred North Whitehead and Clarence I. Lewis at Harvard. He returned to Earlham for three years, taught a year in Hawaii, and then assumed a post at Haverford, where his son would be born and where Kelly would teach until he fell dead on his kitchen floor on January 17, 1941.

This constant movement could hardly have provided him or his family with stability. But as Kelly’s son and biographer, Richard, remembers, Kelly did not drag his wife with him; she followed him willingly. “Though she never fully shared his heights of intellectual ambition or religious vision, she faithfully supported and encouraged him throughout the years of struggle and sacrifice, and they shared a rich life of love and devotion.” When they set sail from Hawaii for the mainland in 1936, “She would have liked nothing better than to settle down in one spot to build a home for her family. But she loved her husband too much to hold him back in his restless search for satisfaction.” After Kelly’s renewal he traveled in the ministry to Germany over the summer of 1938. From there he wrote his wife “of being laid hold on by a gentle, loving, but awful Power”: “it takes away the old self-seeking, self-centered self, from which selfishness I have laid heavy burdens on you, dear one.”(20) Kelly owned his selfishness. He did not excuse or justify it. Schmidt gives no hint of this, of Kelly’s self-awareness and self-judgment.

Schmidt also gives no hint of Kelly’s dedication to his family. His daughter Lois remembers, “Thomas Kelly cared deeply and primarily for his home .He endeavored to give to us all possible happiness, variety of experience and real friendship. If, in those last years, any shred of worldliness remained in him, it was in his ambition for us, his longing for us to have the ‘very best.’” Now, the historian has to read the fond remembrances of a loving wife and daughter (as recorded by a loving son) with skepticism. On the other hand, notwithstanding any evidence to the contrary, the historian has also to entertain the possibility that they might simply be telling the truth as they remember it. Further research might one day settle the scale on one side or the other. Until then, the historian should allow that Kelly might have been magnanimous as well as selfish, and that his selfishness might have stemmed from an almost congenital insecurity caused by his father’s sudden death.

No reader should discount Kelly’s writings because of the man’s apparent vanity. His life until 1937 was a prelude anyone born into his circumstances might have played. But not just anyone would have learned from such a life “to live in another key than he had previously lived.” Kelly did. The major devotional scores Thomas Kelly wrote in this new key were arranged after his death by Douglas Steere as A Testament of Devotion. Here are a few “bars”:


The basic response of the soul to the Light is internal adoration and joy, thanksgiving and worship, self-surrender and listening. The secret places of the heart cease to be our noisy workshop. They become a holy sanctuary of adoration and of self-oblation, where we are kept in perfect peace, if our minds be stayed on Him who has found us in the inward springs of our life. And in brief intervals of overpowering visitation we are able to carry the sanctuary frame of mind out into the world, into its turmoil and its fitfulness, and in a hyperaesthesia of the soul, we see all mankind tinged with deeper shadows, and touched with Galilean glories.(21)
Jesus and Jefferson(22)

No further research is needed to settle whether ecumenism was one of the major strains Rufus Jones played in later life. In addition to founding the AFSC for the express purpose of uniting Quakers of all persuasions with conscientious objectors of any religious stripe, Jones preached and spoke at every kind of Quaker meeting and every kind of church and served with leaders from each of the mainline denominations on John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s “Laymen’s Commission” in the early 1930s to study Asian missions firsthand. In Japan he meditated with the monks in a Zen Buddhist monastery. “No student of the deeper problems of life,” wrote Jones in a paper on missions that brought him to Rockefeller’s attention, “can fail to see that the greatest rival of Christianity in the world today is not Mohammedanism or Buddhism or Hinduism or Confucianism but a world-wide secular way of life and interpretation of the nature of things.” The irony, according to American historian David Hollinger, is that it was precisely engagement like Jones’s with the “diversity of the modern world” that “enabled [ecumenical Protestantism’s] community of faith to serve as a commodious halfway house to post-Protestant secularism.” Jones’s ecumenical work was therefore utterly self-defeating but only if “one approaches history as a Christian survivalist.”(23) One such religious survivalist, anyway, was Jones’s student Thomas Kelly.

In A Testament of Devotion Kelly rails against secular humanism. Glenn Hinson argues that “he employs always a positive psychology, founded upon the Quaker high estimate of human nature and potential.”(24) But a close reading of Kelly suggests otherwise. Twice Kelly calls human beings “unworthy.” “We are nothing,” he says plainly. Twice Kelly bemoans the self-reliance of “this humanistic age.” And twice he decries the vanity of human aspirations. This last dyad highlights Kelly’s anthropological pessimism.


But what trinkets we have sought after in life, the pursuit of what petty trifles has wasted our years as we have ministered to the enhancement of our own little selves! And what needless anguishes we have suffered because our little selves were defeated , were not flattered, were not cozened and petted!

Positions of prominence, eminences of social recognition which we once meant to attain how puny and trifling they become! Our old ambitions and heroic dreams – what years we have wasted in feeding our own insatiable self-pride, when only His will truly matters! Our wealth and property, security now and in old age – upon what broken reeds have we leaned, when He is “the rock of our heart, and our portion forever!”(25)

Finally, and most provocatively in the age of Hitler whose Germany Kelly himself had visited in 1938, Kelly expressly disowns America’s Jeffersonian legacy of natural rights. “Our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is not absolute.” Stronger: “Totalitarian are the claims of Christ. No vestige or reservation of ‘our’ rights can remain.” Kelly’s mystical experiences had led him to repudiate the classically liberal value of autonomy. At its starkest, the contrast between Jones and Kelly is that between a “liberal who wants to set at liberty those who are bound” and a radical who, like the Apostle Paul, wants nothing more for himself or for others than to be enslaved by Christ. A close look at Kelly might go a long way toward reversing what Hollinger sees as American historiography’s neglect of “the intensity and range of the self-critique carried out by the intellectual leadership of mainstream liberal Protestantism” in the middle decades of the twentieth century. (26)

As Quakers, Jones and Kelly had only one foot in the Protestant camp. The evangelical branch of Quakerism had by 1900 adopted a more traditional Protestant church structure, complete with a “hireling” ministry. Before 1900, evangelical Quakers had proved more ecumenical than their more culturally conservative coreligionists. But, as Hollinger points out, evangelicals in general were most comfortable working with other evangelicals in “particularistic” institutions that, for instance, absolutely affirmed the lordship of Christ and the authority of the Bible. Both Jones and Kelly, however, subscribed to a more liberal and mystical Quakerism that by the middle of the twentieth century welcomed theological and even religious “diversity.” Also, it held onto the Quaker distinctives of unprogrammed worship, nondescript meetinghouses, and no paid ministry. So there was no “church” for Jones and Kelly to lose. Yet their deep devotionalism resisted the incursions of secularism. Unlike the Protestant ecumenists, they were not “more devoted to creating and maintaining communities than to facilitating a close emotional relationship with the divine,” nor were they “more frankly concerned with social welfare than with the state of the individual soul.”(27) It was precisely the individual soul’s emotional relationship with the divine – and not ecumenical institutions – that Jones and Kelly sought to buttress as the last levee protecting the core of religion, mysticism, against the rising tides of secularism.

Perhaps Jones and Kelly are more aptly called ecumenists of the spirit, who thought they had “overcome the curse of Babel” with the universal language of mysticism. Their essentialism led them to believe that all religions met in the deeps of mystical experience. They would have had no truck with the “constructivist” position, that no experience ever entirely bursts the bonds of culture and history. Yet, ironically, Kelly could sound downright illiberal. Near the end of his life he reclaimed the evangelical language of his childhood, and in his devotional writings he avowedly often preaches like an “old-time evangelist.” Though both Jones and Kelly troubled the waters of religious liberalism, each assuming a distinct sort of radicalism that the majority of their fellow liberals would have disdained, Kelly gave his own more “hell” than Jones did.

When seen in the context of religious liberalism at large rather than that of “seeker” spirituality more narrowly, Kelly’s scathing critiques of humanism look more like cultural commentary than self-laceration. So it might not be too much to say that, while Jones was one of religious liberalism’s high priests, Kelly was one of its gadfly prophets – a voice crying in the wilderness, “the last vestige of earthly security is gone.For the plagues of Egypt are upon the world, entering hovel and palace, and there is no escape for you or for me.”(28) Kelly, maybe even more than Jones, just might have some wisdom to offer our apocalyptic age.
NotesElizabeth Gray Vining, Friend of Life: The Biography of Rufus Jones (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1958), 291.
Thomas Kelly, A Testament of Devotion (New York: HarperOne, 1992 [1941]), 65.
Leigh Eric Schmidt, “The Making of Modern ‘Mysticism’,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 71 (June 2003): 293.
Matthew S. Hedstrom, “New Directions in the History of American Religious Liberalism,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 79 (1): 239
in Hal Bridges, American Mysticism: From William James to Zen (New York: Harper & Row, 1970), 27.
For a full discussion of Jone’s Christology, see Guy Aiken, “Who Took the Christ out of Quakerism? Rufus Jones and the Person and Work of Christ,” Quaker Religious Thought Quaker Religious Thought 116-117 (2011): 37-53.
Gary Dorrien, The Making of American Liberal Theology: Idealism, Realism, and Modernity, 1900-1950 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2003), 370; Rufus Jones, Social Law in the Spiritual World: Studies in Human and Divine Interrelationship (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Co., 1904), 222; Rufus Jones, Spiritual Reformers in the 16th and 17th Centuries (London: Macmillan, 1914), xxii-xxiii.
Dorrien, The Making of American Liberal Theology, 370; Carole Spencer, Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism. An Historical Analysis of the Theology of Holiness in the Quaker Tradition (Eugene, OR, and London: Wipf & Stock, with Paternoster, 2007, 2008), 204; Rufus Jones, New Studies in Mystical Religion (New York: Macmillan, 1927), 205, capitalization his, in Spencer, Holiness, 204; Rufus Jones, The Trail of Life in College (New York: Macmillan, 1929), 123.
Spencer, Holiness, 2; in Moore, The Light in Their Consciences, 102; Moore, The Light in Their Consciences, 103.
Moore, The Light in Their Consciences, 109.
Dorrien, The Making of American Liberal Theology, 451.
Rufus Jones, A Call to What is Vital (New York: MacMillan, 1948), 29.
Leigh Eric Schmidt, Restless Souls: Making of American Spirituality (San Francisco: Harper, 2005), 236.
Schmidt, Restless Souls, 252, 253; Robert Orsi, Thank You, St. Jude: Women’s Devotion to the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes (New Haven: Yale, 1996), 210; Richard King, “Mysticism and Spirituality,” in The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion, edited by John R. Hinnells (London: Routledge, 2005), 316-317.
Schmidt, Restless Souls, 253.
For a full discussion of Schmidt, Kelly, and the devotional theology of A Testament of Devotion, see Guy Aiken, “Then and the Eternal Now: Thomas Kelly In and Beyond Historical Context,” The Canadian Quaker History Journal 74 (2010): 3444.
Schmidt, Restless Souls, 239; E. Glenn Hinson, The Doubleday Devotional Classics: Vol. III, edited by E. Glenn Hinson (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1978), 167.
In Richard Macy Kelly, Thomas Kelly: A Biography (New York: Harper & Row, 1966), 22, italics his.
In Richard Kelly, Thomas Kelly, 39.
In Richard Kelly, Thomas Kelly, 32, 89; 102, italics his.
In Richard Kelly, Thomas Kelly, 115; Hinson, The Doubleday Devotional Classics, 167; Thomas Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, 4.
The reference here is to Darren Dochuk’s section title “Jefferson and Jesus” in From Bible Belt to Sunbelt: Plain Folk Religion, Grassroots Politics, and the Rise of Evangelical Conservatism (New York: W. W. Norton, 2011), 13.
in Vining, Friend of Life, 227; David A Hollinger, “After Cloven Tongues of Fire: Ecumenical Protestantism and the Modern American Encounter with Diversity,” The Journal of American History (June 2011): 46.
Hinson, The Doubleday Devotional Classics, 166.
Thomas Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, 39, 98, 24, 4, 17; 36, italics his; 20.
Thomas Kelly, The Eternal Promise: A Sequel to A Testament of Devotion (Richmond, IN: Friends United Press, 2006), 22; Thomas Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, 21; Rufus Jones, Re-Thinking Religious Liberalism (Boston: Beacon, 1935), 2; Thomas Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, 35; Hollinger, “After Cloven Tongues of Fire”: 23.
Hollinger, “After Cloven Tongues of Fire”: 22.
Hollinger, “After Cloven Tongues of Fire”: 23; Thomas Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, 95; Hollinger, “After Cloven Tongues of Fire”: 23; Thomas Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, 41-42, italics his.
Select Bibliography

Aiken, Guy. “Then and the Eternal Now: Thomas Kelly In and Beyond Historical Context.” The Canadian Quaker History Journal 74 (2010): 34-44.

_________. “Who Took the Christ out of Quakerism? Rufus Jones and the Person and Work of Christ.” Quaker Religious Thought 116-117 (2011): 37-53.

Bernet, Claus. Rufus Jones (1863-1948): Life and Bibliography of an American Scholar, Writer, and Social Activist. Frankfurt am Mein, Germany: Peter Lang, 2009.

Bridges, Hal. American Mysticism: From William James to Zen. New York: Harper & Row, 1970.

Cauthen, Wilfred Kenneth. The Impact of Religious Liberalism. New York: Harper & Row, 1962.

Dorrien, Gary. The Making of American Liberal Theology: Idealism, Realism, and Modernity, 1900-1950. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2003.

Hamm, Thomas. The Transformation of American Quakerism: Orthodox Friends, 1800-1907. Bloomington: Indiana University, 1988.

Hedstrom, Matthew S. “New Directions in the History of American Religious Liberalism.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 79 (1): 239.

Hedstrom, Matthew. “Rufus Jones and Mysticism for the Masses.” Cross Currents 54, no. 2 (2004).

Hinson, E. Glenn, ed. The Doubleday Devotional Classics: Vol. III. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1978.

Hollinger, David A. “After Cloven Tongues of Fire: Ecumenical Protestantism and the Modern American Encounter with Diversity.” The Journal of American History (June 2011): 21-48.

Jones, Mary Hoxie. Swords Into Ploughshares: An Account of the American Friends Service Committee, 1917-1937. New York: Greenwood, 1971 (1937).

Jones, Rufus M. Re-Thinking Religious Liberalism. Boston: Beacon, 1935.

King, Richard. “Mysticism and Spirituality.” In The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion, edited by John R. Hinnells. London: Routledge, 2005.

Orsi, Robert. Thank You, St. Jude: Women’s Devotion to the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes. New Haven: Yale, 1996.

Schmidt, Leigh Eric. Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality. San Francisco: Harper, 2005.

Schmidt, Leigh Eric. “The Making of Modern ‘Mysticism’.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 71 (June 2003): 273-302.

Spencer, Carole. Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism. An Historical Analysis of the Theology of Holiness in the Quaker Tradition. Eugene, OR, and London: Wipf & Stock, with Paternoster, 2007, 2008.

Vining, Elizabeth Gray. Friend of Life: The Biography of Rufus Jones. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1958.

Solar briefly overtakes coal in Australia as number one source of power nationally - ABC News

Solar briefly overtakes coal in Australia as number one source of power nationally - ABC News

Solar briefly overtakes coal in Australia as number one source of power nationally
by political reporter Tom Lowrey
Posted 18h ago18 hours ago

Most of the power came from rooftop solar panels, installed on homes and businesses, rather than from large-scale solar farms.(Supplied: SunEnergy)
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For about half an hour on Friday, the national energy market caught a glimpse of what a renewables-powered future might look like.

Key points:Solar energy beat out coal as the leading source of power across the energy market for about half an hour on Friday
Most of the power came from rooftop solar panels, rather than from large-scale solar farms
Energy experts say it is a sign of things to come as Australia transitions to renewable energy


Solar energy eclipsed coal as the lead source of power across the energy market, which includes all states and territories except Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

It was not the first time it had happened, but experts said it was the first time it had happened under relatively "normal" conditions.

It was not caused by a shortage of coal-fired power, and it happened just outside the sunniest time of the year.

Joshua Stabler, from energy consulting firm Energy Edge, said that made it particularly significant.

"This is the first time in business-as-usual that we've ever seen coal be dethroned as [the] number-one fuel source in the market," he said.

"Coal has been at times up to 80 or 90 per cent of the amount of energy coming into the market.

"Which means that this is a big event."

The milestone occurred around lunchtime on Friday, with solar making up roughly 40 per cent of the market share and coal taking up 38 per cent.

At the time, wind was the third-largest source of energy, followed by hydro and gas.

In total, renewables provided 60 per cent of the market's power.

Energy experts say it is a clear sign of things to come.
Spring is solar's time to shine

Mr Stabler said these sorts of moments — where coal takes a clear back seat in electricity production — were going to become more common, particularly around this time of year.

He said the perfect conditions were lots of sun and relatively mild temperatures.

"This is just the first of many events like this," he said.

"Each sort of spring-ish period, what we have is a lot of sun in the sky and not a lot of demand.

"What we will see is more and more events where solar becomes the number-one generator in the market over the September-October period, and in March and April."
Coal still dominates Australia's power grid during the evening peak, but experts say that is a solvable problem.(Reuters: Loren Elliott)

Most of the power was coming from rooftop solar panels, installed on top of homes and businesses, rather than from large-scale solar farms.

Coal still dominates the grid during the evening peak, when solar sources are no longer available.

But Richie Merzian, from progressive think tank the Australia Institute, said that was solvable through a transformation across the energy grid.

Why aren't Australia's biggest power providers cashing in on the energy crisis?


Record high energy prices are proving to be no picnic for the country's biggest power providers. So who is "making out like a bandit"?
Read more


"We can make more energy on our rooftops in our communities, we can plug in more large-scale renewables, but we need a grid that can accommodate that," he said.

"If we have the right settings in place, the renewables will fill that gap — and provide us with cheaper energy."

Mr Merzian pointed to the federal government's planned $20 billion investment in the national energy grid as a promising start.

But he said for now, renewables would do more of the heavy lifting during the day.

"We're seeing renewables continue to fill in these key gaps in the middle of the day," he said.

"Renewables are at 30 per cent [of total annual generation in the NEM], but they're going to keep growing dramatically."
Posted 18h ago

Salman Rushdie - Wikipedia

Salman Rushdie - Wikipedia

Salman Rushdie

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Salman Rushdie

Rushdie in 2018
Rushdie in 2018
BornAhmed Salman Rushdie
19 June 1947 (age 75)
Bombay, British India (now Mumbai, India)
Occupation
  • Writer
  • professor
Citizenship
  • United Kingdom
  • United States (since 2016)
EducationKing's College, Cambridge (BA)
Genre
Subject
Notable works
Notable awards
Spouse
    Clarissa Luard
    (m. 1976; div. 1987)
      (m. 1988; div. 1993)
        Elizabeth West
        (m. 1997; div. 2004)
          (m. 2004; div. 2007)
          Children2
          RelativesNatalie Rushdie (daughter-in-law)
          Signature
          Rushdie signature.svg
          Website
          salmanrushdie.com

          Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie[a] CH FRSL (born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist.[2] His work often combines magical realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and Western civilizations, typically set on the Indian subcontinent.

          Rushdie's second novel, Midnight's Children (1981), won the Booker Prize in 1981 and was deemed to be "the best novel of all winners" on two occasions, marking the 25th and the 40th anniversary of the prize.

          After his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses (1988), Rushdie became the subject of several assassination attempts and death threats, including a fatwa calling for his death issued by Ruhollah Khomeini, the supreme leader of Iran. Numerous killings and bombings have been carried out by extremists who cite the book as motivation, sparking a debate about censorship and religiously motivated violence. On 12 August 2022, a man stabbed Rushdie after rushing onto the stage where the novelist was scheduled to deliver a lecture at an event in Chautauqua, New York.[3]

          In 1983, Rushdie was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was appointed a Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France in 1999.[4] Rushdie was knighted in 2007 for his services to literature.[5] In 2008, The Times ranked him thirteenth on its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.[6] Since 2000, Rushdie has lived in the United States. He was named Distinguished Writer in Residence at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University in 2015.[7] Earlier, he taught at Emory University. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2012, he published Joseph Anton: A Memoir, an account of his life in the wake of the events following The Satanic Verses.

          Biography[edit]

          Early life and family background[edit]

          Ahmed Salman Rushdie[8] was born in Bombay on 19 June 1947[9] during the British Raj, into an Indian Kashmiri Muslim family.[10][11] He is the son of Anis Ahmed Rushdie, a Cambridge-educated lawyer-turned-businessman, and Negin Bhatt, a teacher. Rushdie's father was dismissed from the Indian Civil Services (ICS) after it emerged that the birth certificate submitted by him had changes to make him appear younger than he was.[12] Rushdie has three sisters.[13] He wrote in his 2012 memoir that his father adopted the name Rushdie in honour of Averroes (Ibn Rushd).

          Rushdie grew up in Bombay and was educated at the Cathedral and John Connon School in FortSouth Bombay, before moving to England to attend the Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire, and then King's College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.[9]

          Personal life[edit]

          Rushdie has been married four times. He was married to his first wife, Clarissa Luard,[14] Literature officer of the Arts Council of England,[15] from 1976 to 1987 and fathered a son, Zafar (born 1979),[16] who is married to the London-based jazz singer Natalie Rushdie.[17] He left Clarissa Luard in the mid-1980s for the Australian writer Robyn Davidson, to whom he was introduced by their mutual friend Bruce Chatwin.[18] His second wife was the American novelist Marianne Wiggins; they were married in 1988 and divorced in 1993.[19][20] His third wife, from 1997 to 2004, was British editor and author Elizabeth West;[21][22] they have a son, Milan (born 1997).[23] In 2004, he married Padma Lakshmi, an Indian-American actress, model, and host of the American reality-television show Top Chef. The marriage ended in 2007.[24]

          In 1999, Rushdie had an operation to correct ptosis, a problem with the levator palpebrae superioris muscle that causes drooping of the upper eyelid. According to Rushdie, it made it increasingly difficult for him to open his eyes. "If I hadn't had an operation, in a couple of years from now I wouldn't have been able to open my eyes at all," he said.[25]

          Since 2000, Rushdie has lived in the United States, mostly near Union Square in Lower Manhattan, New York City.[26] He is a fan of the English football club Tottenham Hotspur.[27]

          Career[edit]

          Copywriter[edit]

          Rushdie worked as a copywriter for the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather, where he came up with "irresistibubble" for Aero and "Naughty but Nice" for cream cakes, and for the agency Ayer Barker (until 1982), for whom he wrote the line "That'll do nicely" for American Express.[28] Collaborating with musician Ronnie Bond, Rushdie wrote the words for an advertising record on behalf of the now defunct Burnley Building Society that was recorded at Good Earth Studios, London. The song was called "The Best Dreams" and was sung by George Chandler.[29] It was while at Ogilvy that Rushdie wrote Midnight's Children, before becoming a full-time writer.[30][31][32]

          Literary works[edit]

          Rushdie's first novel, Grimus (1975), a part-science fiction tale, was generally ignored by the public and literary critics. His next novel, Midnight's Children (1981), catapulted him to literary notability. This work won the 1981 Booker Prize and, in 1993 and 2008, was awarded the Best of the Bookers as the best novel to have received the prize during its first 25 and 40 years.[33] Midnight's Children follows the life of a child, born at the stroke of midnight as India gained its independence, who is endowed with special powers and a connection to other children born at the dawn of a new and tumultuous age in the history of the Indian sub-continent and the birth of the modern nation of India. The character of Saleem Sinai has been compared to Rushdie.[34] However, the author has refuted the idea of having written any of his characters as autobiographical, stating, "People assume that because certain things in the character are drawn from your own experience, it just becomes you. In that sense, I've never felt that I've written an autobiographical character."[35]

          After Midnight's Children, Rushdie wrote Shame (1983), in which he depicts the political turmoil in Pakistan, basing his characters on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and General Muhammad Zia-ul-HaqShame won France's Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (Best Foreign Book) and was a close runner-up for the Booker Prize. Both these works of postcolonial literature are characterized by a style of magic realism and the immigrant outlook that Rushdie is very conscious of as a member of the Kashmiri diaspora.[citation needed]

          Rushdie wrote a non-fiction book about Nicaragua in 1987 called The Jaguar Smile. This book has a political focus and is based on his first-hand experiences and research at the scene of Sandinista political experiments. He became interested in Nicaragua after he had been a neighbour of Madame Somoza, wife of the former Nicaraguan dictator, and his son Zafar was born around the time of the Nicaraguan revolution.[36]

          His most controversial work, The Satanic Verses, was published in 1988 (see section below). It was followed by Haroun and the Sea of Stories in 1990. Written in the shadow of a fatwa, it is about the dangers of story-telling and an allegorical defence of the power of stories over silence.[9]

          In addition to books, Rushdie has published many short stories, including those collected in East, West (1994). The Moor's Last Sigh, a family epic ranging over some 100 years of India's history was published in 1995. The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999) is a remaking of the myth of Orpheus that presents an alternative history of modern rock music.[37] The song of the same name by U2 is one of many song lyrics included in the book; hence Rushdie is credited as the lyricist.[citation needed]

          Salman Rushdie presenting his book Shalimar the Clown

          Following the novel Fury, set mainly in New York and avoiding the previous sprawling narrative style that spans generations, periods and places, Rushdie's 2005 novel Shalimar the Clown, a story about love and betrayal set in Kashmir and Los Angeles, was hailed as a return to form by a number of critics.[9]

          In his 2002 non-fiction collection Step Across This Line, he professes his admiration for the Italian writer Italo Calvino and the American writer Thomas Pynchon, among others. His early influences included Jorge Luis BorgesMikhail BulgakovLewis CarrollGünter Grass, and James Joyce. Rushdie was a personal friend of Angela Carter's and praised her highly in the foreword of her collection Burning your Boats.[citation needed]

          2008 saw the publication of The Enchantress of Florence, one of Rushdie's most challenging works that focuses on the past. It tells the story of a European's visit to Akbar's court, and his revelation that he is a lost relative of the Mughal emperor. The novel was praised in a review in The Guardian as a ″sumptuous mixture of history with fable″.[9]

          His novel Luka and the Fire of Life, a sequel to Haroun and the Sea of Stories, was published in November 2010 to critical acclaim.[9] Earlier that year, he announced that he was writing his memoirs,[38] entitled Joseph Anton: A Memoir, which was published in September 2012.

          In 2012, Salman Rushdie became one of the first major authors to embrace Booktrack (a company that synchronizes ebooks with customized soundtracks), when he published his short story "In the South" on the platform.[39]

          2015 saw the publication of Rushdie's novel Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, a shift back to his old beloved technique of magic realism. This novel is designed in the structure of a Chinese mystery box with different layers. Based on the central conflict of scholar Ibn Rushd, (from whom Rushdie's family name derives), Rushdie goes on to explore several themes of transnationalism and cosmopolitanism by depicting a war of the universe which a supernatural world of jinns also accompanies.[citation needed]

          In 2017, The Golden House, a satirical novel set in contemporary America, was published. 2019 saw the publication of Rushdie's fourteenth novel Quichotte, inspired by Miguel de Cervantes classic novel Don Quixote.[citation needed]

          Critical reception[edit]

          Rushdie has had a string of commercially successful and critically acclaimed novels. His works have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize five times, in 1981 for Midnight's Children, 1983 for Shame, 1988 for The Satanic Verses, 1995 for The Moor's Last Sigh, and in 2019 for Quichotte.[40] In 1981, he was awarded the prize.[41] His 2005 novel Shalimar the Clown received the prestigious Hutch Crossword Book Award, and, in the UK, was a finalist for the Whitbread Book Awards. It was shortlisted for the 2007 International Dublin Literary Award.[42] Rushdie's works have spawned 30 book-length studies and over 700 articles on his writing.[9]

          Academic and other activities[edit]

          Rushdie has mentored younger Indian (and ethnic-Indian) writers, influenced an entire generation of Indo-Anglian writers, and is an influential writer in postcolonial literature in general.[43] He opposed the British government's introduction of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act, something he writes about in his contribution to Free Expression Is No Offence, a collection of essays by several writers, published by Penguin in November 2005.

          Salman Rushdie having a discussion with Emory University students

          Rushdie was the President of PEN American Center from 2004 to 2006 and founder of the PEN World Voices Festival.[44] In 2007, he began a five-year term as Distinguished Writer in Residence at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he has also deposited his archives. In May 2008 he was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.[45] In 2014, he taught a seminar on British Literature and served as the 2015 keynote speaker[46][47] In September 2015, he joined the New York University Journalism Faculty as a Distinguished Writer in Residence.[48]

          Rushdie is a member of the advisory board of The Lunchbox Fund,[49] a non-profit organization that provides daily meals to students of township schools in Soweto of South Africa. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Secular Coalition for America,[50] an advocacy group representing the interests of atheistic and humanistic Americans in Washington, D.C., and a patron of Humanists UK (formerly the British Humanist Association). He is also a Laureate of the International Academy of Humanism.[51] In November 2010 he became a founding patron of Ralston College, a new liberal arts college that has adopted as its motto a Latin translation of a phrase ("free speech is life itself") from an address he gave at Columbia University in 1991 to mark the two-hundredth anniversary of the first amendment to the US Constitution.[52]

          Film and television[edit]

          Rushdie, right, with writers Catherine Lacey and Siri Hustvedt at the 2014 Brooklyn Book Festival

          Though he enjoys writing, Salman Rushdie says that he would have become an actor if his writing career had not been successful. Even from early childhood, he dreamed of appearing in Hollywood movies (which he later realized in his frequent cameo appearances).[citation needed]

          Rushdie includes fictional television and movie characters in some of his writings. He had a cameo appearance in the film Bridget Jones's Diary based on the book of the same name, which is itself full of literary in-jokes. On 12 May 2006, Rushdie was a guest host on The Charlie Rose Show, where he interviewed Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, whose 2005 film, Water, faced violent protests. He appears in the role of Helen Hunt's obstetrician-gynecologist in the film adaptation (Hunt's directorial debut) of Elinor Lipman's novel Then She Found Me. In September 2008, and again in March 2009, he appeared as a panellist on the HBO program Real Time with Bill Maher. Rushdie has said that he was approached for a cameo in Talladega Nights: "They had this idea, just one shot in which three very, very unlikely people were seen as NASCAR drivers. And I think they approached Julian SchnabelLou Reed, and me. We were all supposed to be wearing the uniforms and the helmet, walking in slow motion with the heat haze." In the end their schedules didn't allow for it.[53]

          In 2009, Rushdie signed a petition in support of film director Roman Polanski, calling for his release after Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in relation to his 1977 charge for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl.[54]

          Rushdie collaborated on the screenplay for the cinematic adaptation of his novel Midnight's Children with director Deepa Mehta. The film was also called Midnight's Children.[55][56] Seema BiswasShabana AzmiNandita Das,[57] and Irrfan Khan participated in the film.[58] Production began in September 2010;[59] the film was released in 2012.

          Rushdie announced in June 2011 that he had written the first draft of a script for a new television series for the US cable network Showtime, a project on which he will also serve as an executive producer. The new series, to be called The Next People, will be, according to Rushdie, "a sort of paranoid science-fiction series, people disappearing and being replaced by other people." The idea of a television series was suggested by his US agents, said Rushdie, who felt that television would allow him more creative control than feature film. The Next People is being made by the British film production company Working Title, the firm behind such projects as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Shaun of the Dead.[60]

          In 2017, Rushdie appeared as himself in Episode 3 of Season 9 of Curb Your Enthusiasm,[61] sharing scenes with Larry David to offer advice on how Larry should deal with the fatwa that has been ordered against him.[62][63]

          The Satanic Verses and the fatwā[edit]

          The publication of The Satanic Verses in September 1988 caused immediate controversy in the Islamic world because of what was seen by some to be an irreverent depiction of Muhammad. The title refers to a disputed Muslim tradition that is related in the book. According to this tradition, Muhammad (Mahound in the book) added verses (Ayah) to the Qur'an accepting three Arabian pagan goddesses who used to be worshipped in Mecca as divine beings. According to the legend, Muhammad later revoked the verses, saying the devil tempted him to utter these lines to appease the Meccans (hence the "Satanic" verses). However, the narrator reveals to the reader that these disputed verses were actually from the mouth of the Archangel Gabriel. The book was banned in many countries with large Muslim communities (13 in total: Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sudan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Indonesia, Singapore, Venezuela, and Pakistan).

          In response to the protests, on 22 January 1989, Rushdie published a column in The Observer that called Muhammad "one of the great geniuses of world history," but noted that Islamic doctrine holds Muhammad to be human, and in no way perfect. He held that the novel is not "an anti-religious novel. It is, however, an attempt to write about migration, its stresses and transformations."[64]

          On 14 February 1989—Valentine's Day, and also the day of his close friend Bruce Chatwin's funeral—a fatwā ordering Rushdie's execution was proclaimed on Radio Tehran by Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme leader of Iran at the time, calling the book "blasphemous against Islam". Chapter IV of the book depicts the character of an Imam in exile who returns to incite revolt from the people of his country with no regard for their safety. According to Khomeini's son, his father never read the book.[65] A bounty was offered for Rushdie's death,[66] and he was thus forced to live under police protection for several years.[66] On 7 March 1989, the United Kingdom and Iran broke diplomatic relations over the Rushdie controversy.[67]

          When, on BBC Radio 4, he was asked for a response to the threat, Rushdie said, "Frankly, I wish I had written a more critical book," and "I'm very sad that it should have happened. It's not true that this book is a blasphemy against Islam. I doubt very much that Khomeini or anyone else in Iran has read the book or more than selected extracts out of context."[68] Later, he wrote that he was "proud, then and always", of that statement; while he did not feel his book was especially critical of Islam, "a religion whose leaders behaved in this way could probably use a little criticism."[69]

          The publication of the book and the fatwā sparked violence around the world, with bookstores firebombed.[70] Muslim communities in several nations in the West held public rallies, burning copies of the book.[71] Several people associated with translating or publishing the book were attacked, seriously injured, and even killed.[b] Many more people died in riots in some countries. Despite the danger posed by the fatwā, Rushdie made a public appearance at London's Wembley Stadium on 11 August 1993, during a concert by U2. In 2010, U2 bassist Adam Clayton recalled that "lead vocalist Bono had been calling Salman Rushdie from the stage every night on the Zoo TV tour. When we played Wembley, Salman showed up in person and the stadium erupted. You [could] tell from [drummer] Larry Mullen, Jr.'s face that we weren't expecting it. Salman was a regular visitor after that. He had a backstage pass and he used it as often as possible. For a man who was supposed to be in hiding, it was remarkably easy to see him around the place."[72]

          On 24 September 1998, as a precondition to the restoration of diplomatic relations with the UK, the Iranian government, then headed by Mohammad Khatami, gave a public commitment that it would "neither support nor hinder assassination operations on Rushdie."[73][74]

          Hardliners in Iran have continued to reaffirm the death sentence.[75] In early 2005, Khomeini's fatwā was reaffirmed by Iran's current spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message to Muslim pilgrims making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.[76] Additionally, the Revolutionary Guards declared that the death sentence on him is still valid.[77]

          Rushdie has reported that he still receives a "sort of Valentine's card" from Iran each year on 14 February letting him know the country has not forgotten the vow to kill him and has jokingly referred it as "my unfunny Valentine"[78] in a reference to the song "My Funny Valentine". He said, "It's reached the point where it's a piece of rhetoric rather than a real threat."[79] Despite the threats on Rushdie personally, he said that his family has never been threatened, and that his mother, who lived in Pakistan during the later years of her life, even received outpourings of support. Rushdie himself has been prevented from entering Pakistan, however.[80]

          A former bodyguard to Rushdie, Ron Evans, planned to publish a book recounting the behaviour of the author during the time he was in hiding. Evans claimed that Rushdie tried to profit financially from the fatwa and was suicidal, but Rushdie dismissed the book as a "bunch of lies" and took legal action against Evans, his co-author and their publisher.[81] On 26 August 2008, Rushdie received an apology at the High Court in London from all three parties.[82] A memoir of his years of hiding, Joseph Anton, was released on 18 September 2012. Joseph Anton was Rushdie's secret alias.[83]

          In February 1997, Ayatollah Hasan Sane'i, leader of the bonyad panzdah-e khordad (Fifteenth of Khordad Foundation), reported that the blood money offered by the foundation for the assassination of Rushdie would be increased from $2 million to $2.5 million.[84] Then a semi-official religious foundation in Iran increased the reward it had offered for the killing of Rushdie from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.[85]

          In November 2015, former Indian minister P. Chidambaram acknowledged that banning The Satanic Verses was wrong.[86][87] In 1998, Iran's former president Mohammad Khatami proclaimed the fatwa "finished"; but it has never been officially lifted, and in fact has been reiterated several times by Ali Khamenei and other religious officials. Yet more money was added to the bounty in February 2016.[88]

          Failed assassination attempt (1989)[edit]

          On 3 August 1989, while Mustafa Mahmoud Mazeh was priming a book bomb loaded with RDX explosive in a hotel in Paddington, Central London, the bomb exploded prematurely, destroying two floors of the hotel and killing Mazeh. A previously unknown Lebanese group, the Organization of the Mujahidin of Islam, said he died preparing an attack "on the apostate Rushdie". There is a shrine in Tehran's Behesht-e Zahra cemetery for Mustafa Mahmoud Mazeh that says he was "Martyred in London, 3 August 1989. The first martyr to die on a mission to kill Salman Rushdie." Mazeh's mother was invited to relocate to Iran, and the Islamic World Movement of Martyrs' Commemoration built his shrine in the cemetery that holds thousands of Iranian soldiers slain in the Iran–Iraq War.[73]

          Hezbollah's comments (2006)[edit]

          During the 2006 Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversyHezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared that "If there had been a Muslim to carry out Imam Khomeini's fatwā against the renegade Salman Rushdie, this rabble who insult our Prophet Mohammed in Denmark, Norway and France would not have dared to do so. I am sure there are millions of Muslims who are ready to give their lives to defend our prophet's honour and we have to be ready to do anything for that."[89]

          International Guerillas (1990)[edit]

          In 1990, soon after the publication of The Satanic Verses, a Pakistani film entitled International Gorillay (International Guerillas) was released that depicted Rushdie as a "James Bond-style villain" plotting to cause the downfall of Pakistan by opening a chain of casinos and discos in the country; he is ultimately killed at the end of the movie. The film was popular with Pakistani audiences, and it "presents Rushdie as a Rambo-like figure pursued by four Pakistani guerrillas".[90] The British Board of Film Classification refused to allow it a certificate, as "it was felt that the portrayal of Rushdie might qualify as criminal libel, causing a breach of the peace as opposed to merely tarnishing his reputation." This effectively prevented the release of the film in the UK. Two months later, however, Rushdie himself wrote to the board, saying that while he thought the film "a distorted, incompetent piece of trash", he would not sue if it were released. He later said, "If that film had been banned, it would have become the hottest video in town: everyone would have seen it". While the film was a great hit in Pakistan, it went virtually unnoticed elsewhere.[91]

          Al-Qaeda hit list (2010)[edit]

          In 2010,[92] Anwar al-Awlaki published an Al-Qaeda hit list in Inspire magazine, including Rushdie along with other figures claimed to have insulted Islam, including Ayaan Hirsi Ali, cartoonist Lars Vilks, and three Jyllands-Posten staff members: Kurt WestergaardCarsten Juste, and Flemming Rose.[93][94][95] The list was later expanded to include Stéphane "Charb" Charbonnier, who was murdered in a terror attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris, along with 11 other people. After the attack, Al-Qaeda called for more killings.[96]

          Rushdie expressed his support for Charlie Hebdo. He said, "I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity ... religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today."[97] In response to the attack, Rushdie commented on what he perceived as victim-blaming in the media, stating: "You can dislike Charlie Hebdo.... But the fact that you dislike them has nothing to do with their right to speak. The fact you dislike them certainly doesn't in any way excuse their murder."[98][99]

          Jaipur Literature Festival (2012)[edit]

          Rushdie was due to appear at the Jaipur Literature Festival in January 2012 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.[100] However, he later cancelled his event appearance, and a further tour of India at the time, citing a possible threat to his life as the primary reason.[101][102] Several days after, he indicated that state police agencies had lied, in order to keep him away, when they informed him that paid assassins were being sent to Jaipur to kill him. Police contended that they were afraid Rushdie would read from the banned The Satanic Verses, and that the threat was real, considering imminent protests by Muslim organizations.[103]

          Meanwhile, Indian authors Ruchir JoshiJeet ThayilHari Kunzru and Amitava Kumar abruptly left the festival, and Jaipur, after reading excerpts from Rushdie's banned novel at the festival. The four were urged to leave by organizers as there was a real possibility they would be arrested.[104]

          A proposed video link session between Rushdie and the Jaipur Literature Festival was also cancelled at the last minute[105] after the government pressured the festival to stop it.[103] Rushdie returned to India to address a conference in New Delhi on 16 March 2012.[106]

          Chautauqua attack (2022)[edit]

          On 12 August 2022, while about to start a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, Rushdie was attacked by a man who rushed onto the stage and stabbed him repeatedly, including in the neck and abdomen.[107] The attacker was pulled away before being taken into custody by a local trooper; Rushdie was airlifted to UPMC Hamot, a tertiary trauma center in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he underwent surgery before being put on a ventilator.[107][108] The suspect was identified as 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey.[107][109][110] Later in the day, Rushdie's agent, Andrew Wylie, confirmed that Rushdie had received stab injuries to the liver and hand, and that he might lose an eye.[111] A day later, Rushdie was taken off the ventilator and was able to speak.[112][113] Rushdie's agent says Rushdie is on the road to recovery, but recovery will take a long time as he is severely injured.[114]

          Awards, honours, and recognition[edit]

          Salman Rushdie has received many plaudits for his writings, including the European Union's Aristeion Prize for Literature, the Premio Grinzane Cavour (Italy), and the Writer of the Year Award in Germany, and many of literature's highest honours.[115]

          Awards and honours include:

          Knighthood[edit]

          Rushdie was knighted for services to literature in the Queen's Birthday Honours on 16 June 2007. He remarked: "I am thrilled and humbled to receive this great honour, and am very grateful that my work has been recognised in this way."[127] In response to his knighthood, many nations with Muslim majorities protested. Parliamentarians of several of these countries condemned the action, and Iran and Pakistan called in their British envoys to protest formally. Controversial condemnation issued by Pakistan's Religious Affairs Minister Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq was in turn rebuffed by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.[128] Several called publicly for his death. Some non-Muslims expressed disappointment at Rushdie's knighthood, claiming that the writer did not merit such an honour and there were several other writers who deserved the knighthood more than Rushdie.[129][130]

          Al-Qaeda condemned the Rushdie honour. The group's then-leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was quoted as saying in an audio recording that UK's award for Rushdie was "an insult to Islam", and it was planning "a very precise response."[131]

          Rushdie was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to literature.[132]

          Religious and political beliefs[edit]

          Religious background[edit]

          Rushdie came from a liberal Muslim family,[133] but he is now an atheist. In a 2006 interview with PBS, Rushdie called himself a "hardline atheist".[134]

          In 1989, in an interview following the fatwa, Rushdie said that he was in a sense a lapsed Muslim, though "shaped by Muslim culture more than any other", and a student of Islam.[35] In another interview the same year, he said, "My point of view is that of a secular human being. I do not believe in supernatural entities, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Hindu."[135]

          In 1990, in the "hope that it would reduce the threat of Muslims acting on the fatwa to kill him", he issued a statement claiming he had renewed his Muslim faith, had repudiated the attacks on Islam made by characters in his novel, and was committed to working for better understanding of the religion across the world. Rushdie later said that he was only "pretending".[136]

          Rushdie advocates the application of higher criticism, pioneered during the late 19th century. In a guest opinion piece printed in The Washington Post and The Times in mid-August 2005, Rushdie called for a reform in Islam.[137]

          What is needed is a move beyond tradition, nothing less than a reform movement to bring the core concepts of Islam into the modern age, a Muslim Reformation to combat not only the jihadist ideologues but also the dusty, stifling seminaries of the traditionalists, throwing open the windows to let in much-needed fresh air. ... It is high time, for starters, that Muslims were able to study the revelation of their religion as an event inside history, not supernaturally above it. ... Broad-mindedness is related to tolerance; open-mindedness is the sibling of peace.

          — Salman Rushdie, "Muslims unite! A new Reformation will bring your faith into the modern era"

          Rushdie is a critic of moral and cultural relativism. He favours calling things by their true names and constantly argues about what is wrong and what is right. In an interview with Point of Inquiry in 2006, he described his view as follows:[138]

          We need all of us, whatever our background, to constantly examine the stories inside which and with which we live. We all live in stories, so called grand narratives. Nation is a story. Family is a story. Religion is a story. Community is a story. We all live within and with these narratives. And it seems to me that a definition of any living vibrant society is that you constantly question those stories. That you constantly argue about the stories. In fact the arguing never stops. The argument itself is freedom. It's not that you come to a conclusion about it. And through that argument you change your mind sometimes.… And that's how societies grow. When you can't retell for yourself the stories of your life then you live in a prison.… Somebody else controls the story.… Now it seems to me that we have to say that a problem in contemporary Islam is the inability to re-examine the ground narrative of the religion.… The fact that in Islam it is very difficult to do this, makes it difficult to think new thoughts.

          Rushdie is an advocate of religious satire. He condemned the Charlie Hebdo shooting and defended comedic criticism of religions in a comment originally posted on English PEN where he called religions a medieval form of unreason. Rushdie called the attack a consequence of "religious totalitarianism", which according to him had caused "a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam". He said:[139]

          Religion, a medieval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms. This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today. I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. 'Respect for religion' has become a code phrase meaning 'fear of religion.' Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect.

          When asked about reading and writing as a human right, Rushdie states, "the larger stories, the grand narratives that we live in, which are things like nation, and family, and clan, and so on. Those stories are considered to be treated reverentially. They need to be part of the way in which we conduct the discourse of our lives and to prevent people from doing something very damaging to human nature."[140] Though Rushdie believes the freedoms of literature to be universal, the bulk of his fictions portrays the struggles of the marginally underrepresented. This can be seen in his portrayal of the role of women in his novel Shame. In this novel, Rushdie, "suggests that it is women who suffer most from the injustices of the Pakistani social order."[141] His support of feminism can also be seen in a 2015 interview with New York magazine's The Cut.[142]

          Political background[edit]

          Paul Auster and Rushdie greeting Israeli President Shimon Peres with Caro Llewelyn in 2008.

          UK politics[edit]

          In the 1980s, in the United Kingdom, he was a supporter of the Labour Party, and championed measures to end racial discrimination and alienation of immigrant youth and racial minorities.[citation needed]

          In 2006, Rushdie stated that he supported comments by Jack Straw, then-Leader of the House of Commons from Labour, who criticized the wearing of the niqab (a veil that covers all of the face except the eyes). Rushdie stated that his three sisters would never wear the veil. He said, "I think the battle against the veil has been a long and continuing battle against the limitation of women, so in that sense I'm completely on Straw's side."[143]

          US politics[edit]

          Rushdie and Bernie Sanders in 2004

          Rushdie supported the 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, leading the leftist Tariq Ali to label Rushdie and other "warrior writers" as "the belligerati".[144] He was supportive of the US-led campaign to remove the Taliban in Afghanistan, which began in 2001 but was a vocal critic of the 2003 war in Iraq. He has stated that while there was a "case to be made for the removal of Saddam Hussein", US unilateral military intervention was unjustifiable.[145] Marxist critic Terry Eagleton, a former admirer of Rushdie's work, attacked him, saying he "cheered on the Pentagon's criminal ventures in Iraq and Afghanistan."[146] Eagleton subsequently apologized for having misrepresented Rushdie's views.[147]

          Rushdie supported the election of Democrat Barack Obama for the American presidency and has often criticized the Republican Party. He was involved in the Occupy Movement, both as a presence at Occupy Boston and as a founding member of Occupy Writers.[148] Rushdie is a supporter of gun control, blaming a shooting at a Colorado cinema in July 2012 on the American right to keep and bear arms.[149][150] He acquired American citizenship in 2016 and voted for Hillary Clinton in that year's election.[151][152]

          Against religious extremism[edit]

          In the wake of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy in March 2006—which many considered an echo of the death threats and fatwā that followed publication of The Satanic Verses in 1989—Rushdie signed the manifesto Together Facing the New Totalitarianism, a statement warning of the dangers of religious extremism. The Manifesto was published in the left-leaning French weekly Charlie Hebdo in March 2006.[153]

          When Amnesty International suspended human rights activist Gita Sahgal for saying to the press that she thought the organization should distance itself from Moazzam Begg and his organization, Rushdie said:[154]

          Amnesty…has done its reputation incalculable damage by allying itself with Moazzam Begg and his group Cageprisoners, and holding them up as human rights advocates. It looks very much as if Amnesty's leadership is suffering from a kind of moral bankruptcy, and has lost the ability to distinguish right from wrong. It has greatly compounded its error by suspending the redoubtable Gita Sahgal for the crime of going public with her concerns. Gita Sahgal is a woman of immense integrity and distinction.… It is people like Gita Sahgal who are the true voices of the human rights movement; Amnesty and Begg have revealed, by their statements and actions, that they deserve our contempt.

          South Asian politics and Kashmir[edit]

          Rushdie has been critical of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, after Khan took personal jabs at him in a 2012 interview where Khan called Rushdie "unbalanced", saying he has the "mindset of a small man", claiming they had "never met" and he would never "want to meet him ever", despite the two being spotted together in public numerous times.[155]

          Rushdie has expressed his preference for India over Pakistan on numerous occasions in writing and on live television interviews. In one such interview in 2003, Rushdie claimed "Pakistan sucks" after being asked about why he felt more like an outsider there than in India or England. He cited India's diversity, openness, and "richness of life experience" as his preference over Pakistan's "airlessness", resulting from lack of personal freedom, widespread public corruption, and inter-ethnic tension.[156]

          In Indian politics, Rushdie has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party and its chairperson, current Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[157][158]

          In a 2006 interview about his novel Shalimar the Clown, Rushdie laments the division of Kashmir into zones of Indian and Pakistani administration as having cut his family down the middle.[159] In August 2019, he criticized the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, tweeting: "Even from seven thousand miles away it's clear that what's happening in Kashmir is an atrocity. Not much to celebrate this August 15th."[160] He has previously referred to crackdowns in Indian-administered Kashmir as pretexts for the rise of jihadism in the region:[159]

          The phrase of "crackdown" that the Indian army uses really is a euphemism of mass destruction. And rape. And brutalisation. That happens all the time. It's still happening now. ... The decision to treat all Kashmiris as if they're potential terrorists is what has unleashed this, the kind of "holocaust" against the Kashmiri people. And we know ourselves, from most recent events in Europe, how important it is to resist treating all Muslims as if they're terrorists, but the Indian army has taken the decision to do the opposite of that, to actually decide that everybody is a potential combatant to treat them in that way. And the level of brutality is quite spectacular. And, frankly, without that the jihadists would have had very little response from the Kashmiri people who were not really traditionally interested in radical Islam. So now they're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, and that's the tragedy of the place. ... And really what I was trying to do was say exactly that the attraction of the jihad in Kashmir arose out of the activities of the Indian army. ...

          Bibliography[edit]

          Novels (fiction)[edit]

          Collections[edit]

          Children's books[edit]

          Essays and nonfiction[edit]

          See also[edit]

          Notes[edit]

          References[edit]

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