Christian doctrine, spirituality, and practical matters of ethics, morality, and lifestyle—all these raise many questions for Christiansand non-Christians alike. Often God’s questions seem to take overfrom our questions, replacing them with a yearning for truth andunderstanding.

Brother Ramon prayerfully and honestly attempts to answer a wholerange of questions. His responses are compassionate, insightful, andreasoned, often shedding new light and urging us to look beyond thesurface of problems.

My Questions, God’s Questions is the result of feedback received fromquestionnaires Brother Ramon sent out over a period of eighteenmonths. The questions come from Anglicans, Baptists, Brethren,Catholics, Methodists, Orthodox, Pentecostals, Presbyterians,Quakers, Salvation Army members, and non-Christians. The ques-tions are profound and basic, yet simple and to the point. They aredivided into four categories: Questions of Belief, Questions ofSpirituality, Questions of Practice, and Questions from Nonbelievers.

The answers that Brother Ramon provides may not be the expectedanswers, but they become the basis for further thought and prayer.Ramon encourages us to look deeper than the questions we ask, toexamine the issues at the heart of our concern, and to allow the questions we have been avoiding to be exposed by the love of God.

Brother Ramon, SSF, is an Anglican Franciscan friar who has worked asa pastor, priest, and university chaplain, and for the last eight years hasbeen living as a hermit. Part of his ministry is counseling people throughletters.

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41

Going Green

Q I find it sad that the Church has little to say about green issues, and someChristians even think of it as worldly to get involved in such questions.Shouldn’t the Christian Church be at the forefront of such questions? (Steve)

R Well, it depends where you are coming from, Steve. Some groups ofChristians, as you say, veer away from issues that involve an ecologicalperspective, animal rights, or food quality fed to humans or animals.Some of them are concerned, they say, with the more important “sal-vation of the soul” and see such issues as belonging to dubious NewAge groups. And yet these same people will support Trident and thepossession (and use) of a nuclear deterrent!

But things are changing, and even these groups are being shamedinto awareness by the concerned non-Christians whose consciences arestirred by the cruelty to veal calves in their pens, battery hens in theircages, poisonous chemical fertilizers and a long list of ecological abus-es and pollution.

It also has to be said that other parts of the church are well intothese issues, not only in their own communities but as members of thegreen movement generally.

Last week I had a visit from Susan, our local Green candidate, andthough she is not a committed Christian, she affirmed that there was aclear interdependence between issues of spirituality and ecology. It wasmarvellous to share gospel issues with green issues, for they both haveto do with the wholeness of our humanity—and that is salvation in amore profound sense. Jesus was concerned with the salvation (the basicword means health) of the whole person, and his compassion for thelonely, oppressed and sick was part of his ministry of forgiveness andreconciliation. It was all of a piece.

Susan brought with her a zealous member of Christian Ecology Link(CEL), and they were both enthusiastic about my green hermitagelifestyle! CEL’s magazine is Green Christians (address at the back of thisbook), and it is a forum for events and issues in the wider green

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movement. It represents all Christian traditions, and the brief Basis ofFaith runs:

We affirm our belief in God as creator of all things and in Jesus Christ asLord, looking to the Holy Spirit for guidance through the Scriptures, andseeking to hear him in the challenges of the present time.

This is not a green ghetto for Christians, for influence and sharing isencouraged, and Christians should be alert to these issues, whatevertheir political affiliation.

Of course, there is a price to pay for such responsibility. Abolishingbattery systems for poultry, opposing long-distance transport of cattlefor slaughter, the promotion of organic farming and setting right themassive abuses in these and other areas are costly. I constantly notethat many Christians (especially clergy) are first to acquire expensivestate-of-the-art computers, communication, and media technology.There needs to be an immense shift in our priorities, or the world willlaugh us to scorn.

I am also encouraged that our bishop of Worcester is well aware ofgreen issues, and his new book Grace and Mortgage3 is allied to theseconcerns. Things are not as black as the question implies, but muchgreener!

ReflectionLet’s look at our lifestyle. Is it based upon gospel values, or are wemotivated by society's concern with acquisition, economic growth, andconsumerism? What changes need to be made? Will we make them?

42

Christians, Buddhists, and Atheists Together

Q Should not all like-minded people who strive for peace, justice, and com-passion in the world link together, whether they are Christians, Buddhists, or

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atheistic humanists? Is not the real divide between those who will support anyinjustice for the sake of materialism and economic growth, and those whoseek to live more simply so that a more equal sharing can take place? I real-ize that these are corporate as well as personal questions. (Russell)

R It is not even as simple as that, Russell. There are religious, as wellas atheistic materialists, who are so fixed in their ideological mind-setthat they will persecute, maim, and kill for the protection and spreadof their ideology.

It is true that many millions of people were persecuted and massa-cred by the totalitarian regimes of Hitler and Stalin. But the religioushistory of the world is filled with hatred and bloodshed, and this appliesespecially to the three monotheistic religions.

This is a terrible backdrop to your question—the horrific picture ofa fallen world in which the inhumanity of people towards each other isfurther exacerbated by our treatment of the animal world and of anincreasingly threatened planet.

But there is another side to it, and this is where your question isrelevant. Every sad story of contemporary conflict and bloodshed,earthquake or famine, is followed by compassionate financial and inter-national team aid, and in our world there are many agencies of help forthe alleviation of all kinds of suffering.

I believe that having the kind of militant and violent religion I’vereferred to is worse than having no religion. But in all the great worldfaiths there are men and women of peace and good will who seek onlythe common good of all races and peoples. Also, there are humanistswho may be atheists or agnostics, but who are people of good will, andtheir objection to religion is often based on the problems we havereferred to above. All such people of good will should (and do) bandtogether in all kinds of agencies and efforts to bring peace, justice, andaid to our beleaguered world. And yes, there is a very real dividebetween those who will support any injustice for the sake of ideology,materialism and economic profit, and those who desire peace, justice,and equality. It is refreshing to read Hans Küng’s Global Responsibility:In Search of a New World Ethic.4 He looks not only for freedom, butfor justice; not only equality, but also plurality; not only brotherhoodbut also sisterhood; not only coexistence, but peace; not only productivi-

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ty, but solidarity with the environment; not only toleration, but ecu-menism.

One of the reasons I have given my life to the Franciscan vocationis because of the universalism of St. Francis. He lived and actedtowards all people, animals, and creation in a brother-sister relation-ship, on the basis of a common humanity and creaturehood.

I have outlined this position in my book Franciscan Spirituality,5 butof course it is not from Francis that this compassion originates, butfrom the Jesus of the gospels, whose love, light, and healing should bechanneled into the world through his church.

But Christians cannot wait for a dynamic renewal of the wholechurch, though they should strive for just that. They must continue towork for such renewal, and at the same time throw in their energieswith any pacific group of people who are willing to be the instrumentsof good and light in our world.

ReflectionAm I part of the problem or part of the solution? Is my existence as anindividual and as a relating person an instrument for greater light ordarkness in the world? Without becoming depressed with evil, orobsessed with piety, does my lifestyle manifest a simple and warmhumanity towards myself and others in the way of Jesus and St. Francis?These questions, if shared with others, will lead to the right channel-ing of my contribution to the greater good, and this will reflect theethics of the kingdom of God.

43

Changing Denominations

Q Among my Christian friends I have a number who have changeddenominations. I am a little confused about it because there are RomanCatholics who have become Anglicans, Anglicans who have become RomanCatholics, Baptists who have become Anglicans (and vice versa), and evena Pentecostal who has become Orthodox! Can it be true that they were guid-

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ed by God, by truth, or by temperament? Ought we not to try and stay wherewe are in these ecumenical days? (Michael)

R Well, I’d better be frank, Michael, and confess that I am one of yourculprits—from Baptist to Anglican in 1970—but then you know that!I think of myself as an ecumenical Christian, and I would say first thatI was guided by the Spirit; secondly, that I treasured certain truths with-in the Anglican tradition; and thirdly, that there were strong temper-amental factors involved in the change. But these do not whollyexplain the move—it was all part of the pilgrimage in which I followedthe leading of the Holy Spirit, and I retain a warm love and fellowshipfor my Baptist brothers and sisters.

Having said those things, I would add that there have been somewho have passed me going in the opposite direction—and they alsowere guided. I left some truths behind when I moved (for example,baptism by immersion), and I acknowledge that there are devotedChristians who have different temperamental needs from mine in litur-gy and worship.

But I also believe that some people change denominations unneces-sarily and for all kinds of negative reasons, finding themselves either stilldissatisfied or with a convert mentality that becomes rigid and exclu-sivist.

If I had been Orthodox or Roman Catholic, I would not have moved—though I would have been unhappy about some aspects of these sis-ter churches and would have worked for positive change. But then Ifeel like that about the Anglican Church. Denominations have theirbenefits, as well as expressing the sad sin of division and disunity. Thereis only one church, which is the body of Christ, and all those who con-fess faith and love in the worship of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,are part of it, to whatever denomination they belong. They may be defi-cient or irregular in various doctrinal or sacramental ways, but then noone communion has all the truth.

You ask if we ought not to try to stay where we are in these ecumeni-cal days. Well, generally I would say yes, but there are particular cir-cumstances where this may not be possible or advisable. What weought not to do is to cultivate or promote a convert mentality or getinvolved in “sheep-stealing.” I have Roman Catholic and Pentecostal

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friends who are equally devoted to Christ, and Anglican colleagueswhose doctrine and practice do not match up to those of some of myMethodist friends! It is an amazing mixture, and there are good andbad Christians among charismatic, Catholics, Calvinists, and monas-tics.

I think the best we can do in these days is to work together for aclearer experience and expression of the unity of the Church of Godand live in openness, love, and peace with our fellow Christians. Godcalls us to proclaim and live the love and peace of Christ in our darkworld, and if we do not do that, then sensible and wise non-Christianswill have reason to deride us for our petty schismatic divisions andattitudes.

ReflectionWe should each play our part in the many groups of ecumenical Chris-tians, praying, learning, working, and singing together for the praise ofGod and the good of all. Perhaps we could begin by sitting in Quakersilence, and attending a Roman Catholic Mass?

44

An Ecumenical Christian

Q You often speak of yourself as “an ecumenical Christian.” Can you betruly ecumenical and yet be faithful and loyal to your own communion anddenomination? (Julia)

R My straight answer is in the affirmative, Julia. This follows on fromthe last question about denominations (chapter 43), but there are someblessings and warnings to be noted. First, the word “ecumenical” is notpopular in some quarters—it indicates to them compromise, reduction-ism in theology, a vague sentimentalism in respect of doctrinal truth,and a lack of prophetic certainty.

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My use of the word indicates none of these things, though I thinkthe word “compromise” is not such a nasty word—a bit more compro-mise in Northern Ireland would have saved lives and communities.

The word “ecumenical” literally means living together in one house-hold, and that is the household of Christian faith. I don't have to agreewith all the beliefs and behavior of my family in order to own them asrelatives or to love them. Sometimes I love them in spite of themselves!I have a certain basic love and loyalty towards the AnglicanCommunion throughout the world, yet I still view it as the best of a badlot among denominations! It is the Communion in which I find Catholic,Evangelical, and ecumenical faith and practice to be alive and com-municable. A high cost is paid for its comprehensiveness and breadth,but it enables me to affirm a strong Evangelical faith in the context ofCatholic liturgy, church order, and devotion, with intellectual andsocial concern that challenges and stretches me in all directions.

I acknowledge that there are Christians in other communions whotreasure particular aspects of Evangelical, Catholic, or intellectualtruths more fervently in a different mix. But no one communion has amonopoly of truth. Basic Christian doctrines, worship, spirituality, andlifestyles are shared across the denominational board and are not theprerogative of one denomination.

We are able in these days to share so much in all these and otherareas so that there is a warm ecumenical sharing and a greater sense ofthe unity of the one body of Christ. Roman Catholic dissertations arebeing written on the positive value and witness of Martin Luther as areformer and Karl Barth as a theologian. Baptists are serving as ecu-menical officers in the World Council of Churches; the MethodistSacramental Fellowship shares the eucharistic hymns of CharlesWesley, and John Wesley’s universal vision and practice of sacramentalconfession; Anglicans are sharing theological training for ordinandswith Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Free Church Christians. Thecharismatic movement is as likely to be found among Roman Catholicsand Anglicans as among Pentecostals and house-church groups.Quaker writers are among the foremost teachers of spirituality, and theSalvation Army is willing to share and co-operate in united celebrationamong other Christians. URC, Brethren, Pentecostal and house-church Christians are likely to be found mingling with Catholic groups

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in retreat houses. The only communion that has not been representedin my small hermitage is the Lutheran—they are thin on the ground inthis country, so the matter will soon be remedied!

Back to the question. I look forward to the day when denominationsshall be no more and the one Church of Christ will reflect the glory ofGod in truth and love. I do not believe that this will be an ecclesiasticalunion in one huge organization—that is not the unity envisaged in theNew Testament. But I do long for a situation where there would be amutual interchange of ministries, a mutual recognition of sacramentallife, and a unity of heart in the love of Christ that rejoices in the onefaith and allows various strands and differences of interpretation andliturgy. The Anglican Communion has never seen itself in any exclu-sive sense, but only as part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolicChurch, and perhaps it will have to disappear in the expression of awider and deeper unity.

It may be that we shall not see such unity as I have just describedbefore our Lord’s second advent, but in the meantime we should berehearsing such unity. And that I try to do, remembering Paul's words:“Bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain theunity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:2-3). “Ecumenical” isthe word, and love and fervent enthusiasm are the practices, with heartand mind open to all that is joyfully human.

ReflectionEvaluate our own ecumenical attitude: is it wholesome, and reflectedin our own church and group? How can we encourage ecumenical fel-lowship with other Christians in our area? As we answer these ques-tions, we shall also share them with other Christians and expect theLord to bless such endeavor.

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Christian doctrine, spirituality, and practical matters of ethics, morality, and lifestyle—all these raise many questions for Christiansand non-Christians alike. Often God’s questions seem to take overfrom our questions, replacing them with a yearning for truth andunderstanding.

Brother Ramon prayerfully and honestly attempts to answer a wholerange of questions. His responses are compassionate, insightful, andreasoned, often shedding new light and urging us to look beyond thesurface of problems.

My Questions, God’s Questions is the result of feedback received fromquestionnaires Brother Ramon sent out over a period of eighteenmonths. The questions come from Anglicans, Baptists, Brethren,Catholics, Methodists, Orthodox, Pentecostals, Presbyterians,Quakers, Salvation Army members, and non-Christians. The ques-tions are profound and basic, yet simple and to the point. They aredivided into four categories: Questions of Belief, Questions ofSpirituality, Questions of Practice, and Questions from Nonbelievers.

The answers that Brother Ramon provides may not be the expectedanswers, but they become the basis for further thought and prayer.Ramon encourages us to look deeper than the questions we ask, toexamine the issues at the heart of our concern, and to allow the questions we have been avoiding to be exposed by the love of God.

Brother Ramon, SSF, is an Anglican Franciscan friar who has worked asa pastor, priest, and university chaplain, and for the last eight years hasbeen living as a hermit. Part of his ministry is counseling people throughletters.

Spirituality/Inspiration

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