LIVING IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IS WHAT MATTERS MOST

I tried very hard to find an "image" or piece of art that appropriately illustrated this item...No surprise, I could not find one.

As is so often the case, I write the following for my own benefit knowing full well that it will not be the proverbial cup of tea for most on line readers who subscribe to the theory that if they want a sermon they will go to church. I confess to being my own best audience and that's why I devote so much of my time to the ongoing publishing of Wrights Lane as a self-serving stimulant. When you've got no one else, you tend to talk to yourself a lot! You also avoid a lot of arguments that way.

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Many people think that science is the cornerstone of intellectual life and most scientists would no doubt agree.

Theoretically, I suppose, it is possible that in time we will understand all the reactions in our body with the aid of computers and more sophisticated and efficacious instruments that are continually being developed. In reality though, science does not have an answer to everything. If you hit upon a phenomenon that cannot be explained, you must admit that two possibilities exist: 1) Either science will someday succeed in clarifying its mechanism and nature, or 2) the matter is beyond the reach of science.

I give a lot of credence to medical pioneer Hans Selye who once suggested that it is impossible to imagine anything that has no previously-experienced characteristics. Try to imagine a color, or mixture of colors, that you have never seen before and does not appear in the spectrum. You need boundless creative imagination to approximate the complexities of the Great Unknown.

Why, for instance, do painters and sculptures always present God of the Universe in an anthropomorphic form -- that is to say, resembling a human being. Now, hold on for a moment...We go even further in the case of the Holy Spirit, which is pictured as a dove.

In primitive religions the divinities and spirits, believed to represent and personify virtually any phenomenon or being, are likewise depicted as similar to man or animals, because it is virtually impossible to imagine a being which is not composed of previously experienced characteristics. And yet, in certain religions, God is not seen in anthropomorphic terms; in fact, some specify that He created man in his own image, not in the bodily sense of the term. 

Genesis 1:26–31 describes the origin of human beings, the most unique of all God's creations. As with other aspects of the creation account, very few details are given. The information we are given, however, is unmistakable. Man is uniquely created ''in the image'' of God, invested with authority over the earth, and commanded to reproduce. These points each establish critical aspects of the Christian worldview, and the proper attitude towards humanity. As with other portions of this chapter, debates over certain details do not override the central truth: man is the purposeful creation of the One True God, and represents something special in this universe as a result.

When it comes down to it, I have no difficulty in imagining the supreme Creator of all things as having no form at all. Even though electricity is a great force, it has no shape. It is somewhat primitive to think that the all-powerful, great God of the Universe must resemble something physical that we have already seen.

It is curious that certain black tribes depict God as similar to a white man, yet many statues of the Holy Virgin Mary represent her as a black woman. It reveals a similar limitation of our imaginative powers that throughout the ages the governing spirits have always been created in the image of man or animals, merely because it is difficult to realize that a being may exist merely by virtue of its power without having any particular shape.

In my mind, I can quite easily imagine a divinity that has no body or substance and actually corresponds to the eternal infallible laws of Nature that have created everything in the universe, laws that must be honored and could never be disobeyed. After all, aren't these the characteristics that every religion attributes to its God? 

True enough, we are made in God’s "image," but the potential value of this image cannot not be realized unless we become conformed to the image of Christ in our morality. To be living in God’s image, we who call ourselves Christian must be in a right (i.e., moral) relationship with God and with other humans, using our minds and our authority to serve God and our fellow humans. This to me is what it means to be in the image of God and conformed to the perfect image of his Son, given to we humans as a saving Grace here on earth.

Geoffrey Bromiley, an ecclesiastical historian and historical theologian, ob­served, “In Himself Christ already sums up all that humanity is to be…. He is a perfect representation of God.” The man known as Jesus is our perfect example. He is formed in us and we are conformed to his image. If we share in the humble estate of the life of Jesus the Christ, we will share in His glory in the next age -- living more fully in His image.

It does no one any good to hide or stifle any part of God’s image; God is most glorified when we embrace his image in ourselves for all that it is, and allow that image to transform and renew everyone we meet. An ideal and noble aim to be sure, but one we should keep foremost in our minds, lest we forget.

Man then, is the visible representation of the invisible God. If one wants to know what God looks like, simply look at others around you, the crowning jewel of creation and the only creature made in His image and likeness. Don't let physical outward appearances in things like eyes, ears, nose, arms and legs interfere with the image that you see...It goes much deeper than that! If you get my drift.

THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN BEING EQUAL

Everyone in the world is entitled to the same fundamental human rights. There are 30 of them, in fact. They are the universal human rights that we, as citizens of this world, have agreed we are all entitled to. They include the right to live free from torture, the right to live free from slavery, the right to own property, and the right to equality and dignity, and to live free from all forms of discrimination. ~~ Canadian Human Rights Commission

Every one of us has said it with moral suasion: "We are all created equal." In fleeting moments of righteous indignation I've said it myself.

The contention is incorporated in our Canadian constitution, but in all honesty I cannot help but believe that the usual simplistic interpretation of equality is manifestly false.

Let's face it, people are born with different colors of skin, some people are fat, others skinny; some are intelligent, others lacking in intelligence. Sadly some people are inflicted with disabilities from birth while others come into the world completely healthy. Not even identical twins are completely equal, especially when they are raised under different circumstances.

Make no mistake about it however...While we all have equal rights under the law, there are many who are not equal in the true sense of the word and there are just as many who are not treated equally in society today.

Similarly, while we are not all born equal, we are all born innocent. It is exposure to an all-new environment coupled with human influence that makes impressionable youngsters aware of differences and attitudes toward those differences in other people. Hence the introduction of prejudices from a very early age.

Again in not being born equal, we are all the same born with equal rights. Compounding the matter is the very human aforementioned fact that the eyes of society see differences in people and react on those differences. In spite of the best efforts of government and religions and our tendency to pay lip service, there has been minimal change in attitudes harbored by the public over the years, but that's another story for another day.

It also has to be acknowledged that we are not only far from being born equal but, in practice, cannot even be given the same chances for accomplishment. The blind cannot be offered the right, nor do they want the opportunity, to become airline pilots, any more than it would be worth the time and effort required to teach the feebleminded how to become theoretical physicists.

The same applies to the women's liberation movement. A woman should have the same access to careers and the same possibilities for physical and mental development as a man. However, this is true only within certain limits imposed by Nature.

Men and women are not biologically equal and there is nothing we can, or even want to, do about it; but certainly one sex should not be considered superior to the other. Of course, this means that for the same or equivalent accomplishments men and women should receive the same rewards.

For the same reasons, one cannot say that all races are "equal." Each race has good and bad characteristics and like the two sexes, they should have the same equal rights, but only in proportion to what they really want and can do.

If we accepted egalitarian principles unconditionally, we would open the door to injustice because it would be left up to society -- often through rigid laws -- to establish who can do what. Not being equally constituted, however, each individual must be appraised of his/her own merits. Some people are willing to take the risks inherent in being independent. However, the more independent you are, the more you have to acquire the force of self-regulation and self-discipline. If you look around, you can readily see that in modern society not everyone has or even desires to use these qualities.

REMEMBERING AN OLD FRIEND FROM CHILDHOOD DAYS

It happens a lot when you get to the point where you are well into the eighth decade of your life.

I received news today of the passing of another kid from my youth.

Irene was a classmate all through school, Grade 1 to 12. We had good childhood rapport and many things in common -- spoiled brats, neither of us having any brothers or sisters. We lived a block apart and our dads were coincident barbers in our home town of Dresden. We were not brilliant students by any stretch of the imagination, Irene getting the edge over me however. We often worked on homework assignments together. More often than not it was me borrowing Irene's notebook to catch up with study projects on which I had procrastinated.

We were wrong-handers (lefties), Irene writing more backhanded than me. (Funny the things that stand out in your mind.)

Irene, 1938-2020

During our final years in high school we formed a Teen Club with me as president and Irene as secretary-treasurer, the goal being to organize Saturday night dances on the squeaky second floor of an old downtown hall. Two years later Irene had married a local school teacher and I had vacated the town to seek fame and (mis)fortune in the professional baseball world.

It may be the nostalgist in me, but I maintained an undisclosed affinity for all the kids that I grew up with and thought of them often over the ensuing years. Mainly though my mother I was able to keep up with most of them via updates on careers, marriages and inevitable children. Always, however, I remembered them as they were when teenagers in their lighthearted, carefree innocence.

The last time I saw Irene was at one of my book signing events in Dresden about 10 years ago. She had changed a lot in the 50+ years since I had last seen her and for a moment I did not recognize her. After a hug, the memories came flooding back. We had both lost life partners and were now grandparents, life having unfolded for us as it customarily does...

...Life that we can never have back, except in the annals of our minds. Too bad! I would have a lot of things to say to my old friends, if only I could.

Irene, while born in the nearby community of Florence, remained a dearly loved life-long resident of Dresden. She had been ill for some time but I am told that she went to her heavenly rest still living in her family home on Hughes Street, still just a block away from where I used to live.

As I write this post, I am missing someone who I only saw once briefly in the past 65 years. How is that possible?

REALITY IN THE WISDOM PARADOX

I've said this before on Wrights Lane, but the more I read and the more I hear, the more I realize I don’t know much about anything. Or at least I don’t know many things with any degree of certainty. Although I think I'm getting there and sometimes surprise myself with the certainty of the things that come out of my mouth in a reactionary form of self expression.

Perhaps that comes with age and lots of experience.

But the point I want to make is that the less we know, the more certain we are. For young people the world is black and white. There’s a definitive answer for everything. Certitude is a given. Over-confidence oozes from every pore. “Maybes”, “Possiblys” and “It depends” are reserved for non-commital wimps.

To the most uninformed, the world is binary:
Yes / No
Love / Hate
Agree / Disagree
For / Against

“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge...”— Charles Darwin

The Internet...has taken us further away from that illumination, or wisdom, that is essential to living a life that matters.

To the greener minds of the world, answers to anything you want to know are somewhere, you just have to find the right search engine or the right person who can offer the definitive answer. Depending on the question they’re trying to answer, the process can leave them pretty frustrated…

The cure lies in what I call “the wisdom paradox."

I was first exposed to the wisdom paradox some time ago when I was privy to a personal story that went something like this:

"At age 35, when I went back to school to add another major to my undergraduate degree, my sports psychology instructor said to me one day that she very much appreciated having a mature student in her class. A bit taken aback, I asked her why. She said [I’m paraphrasing here] 'I appreciate the fact that you know there isn’t a definitive answer to every question. You know that it depends, along with whatever information qualifies it, is a reasonable answer. To students right out of high school, that's not good enough. For them there has to be a definitive answer to everything'.”

"That comment has stuck with me for years now. At the time, I hadn’t yet come to appreciate how my mind had changed from opinionated teenager to wondering—or is it wandering—adult," she added with a touch of humor at her own expense.

The more you learn, the more you are open to what you don't know.

The wisdom paradox tells us that the more we’re exposed to thoughts, points of view, new situations, cultures, ideas, and facts, the more we appreciate just how ignorant we are and that the ways to see the world are virtually infinite.

But don’t worry. There is a payoff to that infectious feeling of cluelessness. There’s power hidden in it. That power rests in the lack of assumptions:

• We stop assuming there’s an easy answer.
• We ask more questions.
• We listen more intently to fully appreciate and understand a point of view. 
• We realize that anyone and everyone can be a teacher.
• We tend to dismiss comparisons among individuals as irrelevant or at least of little use.
• We’re comfortable exploring a fuzzy topic, knowing full well we might never get to the bottom of it.

“Learning is a result of listening, which in turn leads to even better listening and attentiveness to the other person. In other words, to learn from the child, we must have empathy, and empathy grows as we learn.”— Alice Miller

Finally, we’re more empathetic because empathy is difficult—if not impossible—when we assume others think and see the world like we do. And, most assuredly, they do not

And so, I continue to bask in my incompetence, in my recognized deficiencies, in my ineptitude, knowing full well that, with every book I read, speech I hear, conversation I engage in, exposure to my own lack of knowledge grows and in proportion to it, my curiosity. With curiosity comes knowledge which begets conviction when applied diligently and in the right way.

I’ve learned to appreciate this level of awareness because it means that, just as a good thriller can, the curiosity that results will always make me want to turn the page.

And with it, ideally, something new that I hadn't known before.

When I talk or write convincingly with reasoned passion, rest assured it was born out of initial ignorance and it has been processed through the wisdom paradox mill at least a time or two.

CAN WE APPLY GOD'S ECONOMY IN THE FACE OF THE CURRENT GLOBAL PANDEMIC?

IN THE BEGINNING(*)...God provided everything his people needed to live. He even listened to their complaints. Everyone had enough (to survive). Nobody hoarded. In fact, if you tried to hoard, it would rot. God’s people lived one day at time and God provided what they needed. 

What would our world be like if we simplified and satisfied ourselves with having just what we need for today instead of this enslaving lifestyle of hoarding resources? God provides enough, abundantly enough for everybody. But when people start hoarding wealth something rotten breaks into the system – poverty, disease, famine.

    Gathering manna from Heaven.

Yes, this simpler lifestyle that’s required of us in God’s economy led to some complaining by God’s people but God listened and responded. They complained that God had brought them out into the wilderness to kill them with thirst and hunger; and, “if only the LORD had killed us in Egypt were we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill”. But, memory is flawed. Nostalgia is flawed. 

Ever thought of what a fleshpot is. It sounds like they ate a hearty stew everyday, but rethink that. A fleshpot was a stew of food wastes provided by your taskmasters. It had meat – entrails, rats, animals that died of disease. We wonder what goes into a hotdog. Fleshpots were way grosser than that. They were like cooking up the food wastes you find in a dumpster.

In God’s economy in the wilderness, He provided bread, manna, and quail; abundantly enough for the day and hoarding was not allowed nor needed. Imagine if we could simplify our lifestyle and let ourselves by satisfied with the daily bread God provides. I don’t know. That might be unimaginable. Some might take offense and say it sounds too much like socialism or communism. 

 

But seriously, what do we have now? We have rampant obesity and are largely unhealthy and have to take drugs to counteract what are essentially dietary issues. We humans throw away 25-40% of the food we produce while almost 800 million people, 10% of the global population, mostly women and children won’t get enough to eat today. Upwards of 6 million children a year globally die due to malnutrition. That’s the end result of our Pharaonic pursuit of wealth and power.

In Pharaoh’s economy everybody had a job producing the stuff that made Pharaoh look wealthy and powerful and there was no rest from their labours. In the wilderness under God’s economy, the people were united in their purpose of getting to where God wanted them to be even if it did seem like purposeless wandering and He made sure there was a day of rest. In fact, the first labour law in history was God’s provision for the Sabbath; every seventh day was a day of rest. The Sabbath laws even grew in scope once they got into the Promised Land to include the land itself. Every seventh year a field was to be left to rest. 

Today due to technology, internet and smartphones, work is everywhere our smartphone is. There’s no time off. We used to have an economy where people worked five days, Saturday was chore day, and Sunday was rest day. But, our debt-encrusted pursuit of wealth has done away with that weekly routine…and it is killing the planet we live on. 

We can talk about reducing Greenhouse gases to stop global warming and save the planet, but until we are willing to put aside our own individual pursuits of more wealth and simplify and resolve to live on the abundance of the “enough” that God daily provides and find a way to make God’s economy the way our global economy works, we are not going to solve the global climate issues we’ve created. 

If we want to curb a global pandemic, then we each need to make the simple lifestyle changes of wearing a mask and keeping physical distance. If we want to curb the coming global climate crisis, then we each must make the lifestyle choice of living according to God’s economy rather than Pharaoh’s.

~~ (*)An extract from an on line sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Randy Benson of the Central Grey Bruce Presbyterian Co-Op Ministry

A LOOK AT OUR CHURCHES FOLLOWING COVID PANDEMIC

Just imagine...Just imagine for a minute what life would be like if COVID, or (Heaven help us) the threat of a follow up virus of equal intensity, never completely went away.

What if social distancing would become the norm for the foreseeable future?

For instance, how would such a situation impact the future of our in-person congregational churches of worship? What would be the need of un-used church sanctuaries with their associated cost of upkeep? Would congregants tend to slip away from their former church families and become more insular in practicing their religions? What would be the role of already low-paid ministers and priests who rely on a portion of Sunday collection plate offerings for their mere subsistence, not to mention ministry and mission initiatives? Certainly, a lot of things to think about for the church-goer of today and respective worship leaders and administrators.

Indeed, a lot of things for which we do not yet have ready answers. Realistically, many things may never be the same, but there are some positives emerging in the interim that may be indicative of the short, even long-term, future of our churches. A survey by the Pew Research Center in April found more than 90% of regular churchgoers saying their churches had closed their doors to combat the spread of the coronavirus, with the vast majority saying that worship services had moved entirely online. Social hours and church suppers are a thing of the past, at least for now. Likewise group and committee meetings so crucial to the operation of a church.

The changes are not all negative, however. Many pastors have intensified efforts to stay in touch with members of their congregations and maintain their church communities.

"This crisis has actually caused us to do a better job of picking up the phone and checking on our members," says a senior pastor of one church we talked to. "It's made me refocus on connecting individually with people. We also have members of session checking on every elderly person in the congregation every couple of weeks to see what they need and how we can serve them. So there are some connections that are probably stronger now than they were before."

Another devoted church member who has been extremely active in church outreach programs says that under the shutdown she has been able to do even more. "I can do it all from home. There's no running to meetings. There's no strain on my kids. There's no strain on my husband. I'm not always rushing somewhere."

"It's almost like God is sending everyone to their room for a time out," she adds. "With all the business taken away, I can just be still and really focus on my relationship with God."

In some cases, however, the coronavirus shutdowns have weakened church connections. The pew survey and a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that one-third or more of those who had previously attended church regularly were not bothering to watch online services that have become so popular and to date the only way of bringing church to the people. For those whose church affiliation was already tenuous, the disconnect may be permanent.

Clearly, the way churchgoers are reacting to the pandemic depends in good part on their past experience. For some the required adjustment will be easier than for others.

One of the most disturbing changes for Christians has been the suspension of congregational singing and church choirs. Health experts say the coronavirus is easily spread through singing, but music is an essential part of the worship experience for many churchgoers, especially in the Protestant tradition.

For me the old familiar gospel hymns are a major part of my church experience. Similarly, the simple things like social interaction in the familiar, but hushed atmosphere of God's house, a refuge from the stresses of everyday life. For an old-timer like me, a re-connect with the sites, sounds and smells of the church of my youth. 

The sense of growing separation from one's church community under pandemic conditions may be most acute for those who have depended on that community for support. Support, solace and a spiritual bond are some of the things that matter in a worship experience. For some people, those are also the things they now realize their church was not providing. Under the coronavirus shutdowns, such distinctions have become all the clearer.

Some ideas for ongoing ministry

COVID-19 has definitely required congregations to adapt their ministry methods, extend grace, and to streamline budgets. Most churches have sustained in the face of such changes, but what will it be like as our congregations hopefully begin to physically meet again? One geographically representative panel of ministry leaders brought to my attention, came together to discuss this topic, and came up with a refined summary of ideas worth considering for ongoing ministry in the forthcoming post-pandemic context. It is worth serious scrutiny.

MISSION DRIVEN AGILITY: Going forward, churches must determine what ministry methods work best in their context. However, those church members and leaders who are aligned with their church’s mission more than their church’s traditions will experience the necessary grace, freedom, and unity for exploring and embracing new methods that work in their context. 

LOCAL OUTREACH: As communities have grown closer, congregations will need to place higher ministry and budgetary priority on relational outreach within their local context. This will likely result in many church leaders and mission teams reviewing and re-prioritizing their supported ministry partnerships.

CHURCH COMMUNICATION: High congregational communication expectations will remain the norm. Therefore, churches will need to emphasize communication quality, consistency, church data management, online presence, and the development of their church “brand” recognition.

CHURCH FELLOWSHIP: COVID-19 has revealed that the one thing that cannot be virtually replaced is physical human interaction. Sermons can be delivered via video but congregational fellowship cannot. Going forward, churches will need to facilitate, celebrate, and allow for more congregational involvement and interaction during their congregational gatherings. And that in itself will be a major challenge.

CHURCH FINANCES: Research is showing that urban churches are experiencing 15% to 25% decline in giving and rural churches are experiencing a 25% to 35% decline in giving. Budgets have been streamlined for sustainability and will likely remain streamlined going forward. Volunteer efforts and lower-cost contractual services will likely be sought to fill necessary operational gaps. Three areas of budget increase will likely be to ensure a quality audio/video recording capacity, increased communication capacity, and to ensure the sanitization of  church facilities such as washrooms and kitchens.

ONLINE GIVING: Online giving options will become a necessity especially as use of cash is fading out for sanitary reasons. All churches will need to equip attendees and members for online giving options such as ACH transfers, online bill pay, automatic bank withdrawals and debit/credit cards. Furthermore, churches need to make budgetary provision for the fees associated with online giving. 

COUNSELING: This pandemic has overwhelmed many families, individuals, and marriages. Ministry services in larger city churches such as grief counseling, divorce care, and local Biblical counseling services or solid counseling recommendations will be important for both congregation and community in the wake of the pandemic.

VIRTUAL MEETINGS: It has become clear that online meeting venues work, can be more time efficient, and are sustainable for certain types of church meetings. Be prepared to continue using online video platforms for various meetings as well as for certain trainings and transfer of ministry content.

FOSTERING & ADOPTING CHURCHES: Some congregations have greatly struggled through the pandemic and need a church(es) to come along side of them for revitalization or to restart. Fostering or adopting such a church in your area can become a momentum building kingdom effort with eternal ramifications. 

INCREASED WORSHIP SERVICE OPTIONS: It is not certain when social distance restrictions will fully disappear. Until then, churches need to prepare their gatherings for social distance realities. Though some churches are philosophically opposed to this concept, in order to legally accommodate congregational size, there may be a need to offer multiple worship services and not on weekends only. Be prepared to maintain six-feet between family units and be sure to evaluate community expectations as well as congregational convictions, norms and needs in light of these ongoing restrictions.

DELEGATION & DISCIPLESHIP: Many churches have been confronted with an unrealistic over-dependence on pastoral and church staff. Delegation, equipping, and releasing people to use their skills and passions will be increasingly necessary, especially in the area of congregational care. Not the least of these areas should be the intentional equipping of parents to serve as the primary disciplers and spiritual leaders of their own children and teenagers. Another tall but advisable order for some churches falling under this category.

Sad to speculate, but there will be churches who make the necessary transition...and some that will not.

FINAL FROM THE PEN OF KEN WRIGHT: HATE MUST GO

I cannot think of a better way to conclude this three-part feature honoring the memory of my father A. Kenneth Wright (1899-1952) than by publishing one of his columns written for the Chatham Daily News, April 12, 1948, on the subject "Hate Must Go". In truth, the content of this piece would easily stand up in today's world.

Ken often went to bat for people who had previously written letters of concern to the newspaper. In this particular case a woman from Dresden had taken the newspaper to task for publishing an editorial that ill-advisedly took liberties with the people of Germany with memories of WW2 still fresh in minds of everyone. I have reproduced a well-preserved copy of the protest letter in the body of the text that follows. 

I'll let Ken take it from here.

This seems to be a confusing time when the minds of people flit from one emotion to another. Many times people's emotions are in direct conflict with others.

Ken Wright

Likewise, editorials, letters to the editor and spoken opinions all seem to reflect contradictory emotions. 

History too is given to the same trend. Once the menace was Napoleon. Before that there were other races under the leadership of their respective Ceasar and Hanniabis. In modern times we had the Japanese Emperor, the Kaiser, Hitler and his Italian friend Benito Mussolini.

In the first world war, Italy was looked upon as a friend and ally. In the recent conflict Italy was the enemy.

When Napoleon menaced the world, Blucher with his stout Germans, came in that eventual morning of Waterloo and joined with the British who had held against the French all night. When Blucher and his Germans arrived that morning, Wellington's spontaneous and historic words have echoed down through the centuries -- "The day is won gentlemen, let the whole line advance." Thus Napoleon went into oblivion and Blucher and his Germans were looked upon in high favor, to say the least.

Now we have Joe Stalin. We keep fingers crossed.

It would seem in the light of the good and evil in all races that it is not the "people" that peace-loving Christians abhor but those leaders who rouse emotions of hate in the hearts of men.

This, I believe is what our correspondent from Dresden meant in her brief remarks regarding an editorial that appeared in the Daily News.

The newspaper takes it for granted that everyone understands that as a race, any given nation has good and evil among its people, just as we ourselves have. It is those who gain office and misguide their people that the world condemns.

Our letter writer from Dresden is right when she intimates that as long as hate is the ruling emotion in the hearts of people there can be no peace.

We realize this fact and obviously the United States also realizes this, otherwise they would not pour such huge sums of money into stricken Europe, including Germany.

Ironically, the ugly head of the viper Hale has reared itself even in the United States...White against Black.

However, it is not expected that this will be allowed to unseat the Statue of Liberty. The spirit of Lincoln still exists in the USA and all men must and will be accorded the same freedoms very soon. This must come. It has been too long delayed since Lincoln's Geddysburg address.

It is this "choosing up of sides" business into nations with national ego, with ambitious programs of aggression, that has always gotten the world into trouble.

As we approach Good Friday, we should be reminded that only the Christian way will lead to peace, in our own hearts and in our own nation, and with those over whom we have been given victory by unavoidable force of arms.

~~ Ken Wright

NO. 2 IN THE NEWSPAPER WRITINGS OF KEN WRIGHT

BACKGROUND FOR MY DAD'S "VOICE OF THE PEOPLE" COLUMN ON THE ROCK OF MANY NAMES: The Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, and often referred to in England as The Coronation Stone, is an oblong block of red sandstone that was used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland, and later also when the monarchs of Scotland became monarchs of England as well as in the coronations of the monarchs of Great Britain and latterly of the United Kingdom following the treaties of union. Historically, the artifact was kept at the now-ruined Scone Abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland. It is also known as Jacob's Pillow Stone and the Tanist Stone, and in Scottish Gaelic, Its size is 66 cm (26 in) by 42.5 cm (16.7 in) by 26.7 cm (10.5 in) and its weight is approximately 152 kg (335 lb). A roughly incised cross is on one surface and an iron ring at each end aiding in transport. The Stone of Scone was last used in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

On Christmas Day 1950, a group of four Scottish students removed the stone from Westminster Abbey in London for return to Scotland. During the removal process, the stone broke into two pieces. A major search for the stone was ordered by the British Government, but proved unsuccessful. The custodians of the "stolen" stone inadvertently left it on the altar of Arbroath Abbey on 11 April 1951, in the safekeeping of the Church of Scotland. Once London police were informed of its whereabouts, the stone was returned to Westminster four months after it had been removed.

In what would prove to be one of his last newspaper submissions, Ken Wright expressed lead-off joy over the return of the stone to West Minister Abby, but dismay over the fact that it had been removed in the first place. Here is his take on the incident, bearing in mind that Canada still belonged to the United Kingdom at the time (70 years ago).

Sometimes I wonder what has become of the rock of solidarity that once was the foundation of all English speaking people, particularly the Scotch and English.

Once it was considered expedient, wise and comforting for these two neighboring countries to be one. As a matter of fact, we once thought that the Scottish were more English than the English were themselves. We said that England owned it, the Scotch ran it, and the Irish ruled it.

The British flag brought orderly government to a troubled Canada, a troubled India, a troubled Egypt, a troubled Africa and an oppressed Israel. These nations prospered and international strife came to an end within their borders. They grew, prospered and became strong.

Next came the inevitable urge for separation -- divorcement from the Empire of England. Anti-British forces worked untiringly for years to bring this about.

Each nation in turn was given its separation -- Ireland, India, Egypt and Israel. Now there is a Scottish nationalistic movement and even some talk of Canada severing connections and having a new flag and national anthem.

Perhaps this is progress. Perhaps it is destiny. Perhaps it is the will of our Heavenly Father. What you will...The English bow to the will of the majority and grant separation but in the granting, the great rock of solidarity is made smaller and weaker.

There is saving grace, however, in the rock of our faith and the body of individuals who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. We must have that kind of Christian unity and trust among English speaking nations. 

We are too few to afford cunning trickery one with the other as peoples fighting for survival against terrible odds in the face of mounting unrest between nations.

We must return the Rock of Ages to its proper place in our hearts, council chambers and houses of legislature to once again gain unity that everyone can trust.

As we move into the next decade we do well to keep the words of Jesus foremost in our minds and hearts: "Without me ye can do nothing."

Signed "Cordially yours"

NOTE FROM DICK: My father passed away in his 53rd year, less than two years after writing this piece which of course is now history. He never got to see the Canada he loved become a nation unto itself some 30 years later. He also escaped the drawn out civil unrest in Ireland after the Irish Free State broke its remaining ties with Britain and became a Republic. It's just as well! Consolation, however, may be in the fact that Scotland has remained part of the United Kingdom.

Most will remember that The Canada Act 1982 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in response to the request from the Parliament of Canada to take over authority for amending its own constitution. After unpromising negotiations with the provincial governments, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau proclaimed that the federal Parliament would unilaterally patriate the constitution. After numerous references by the provinces, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in the Patriation Reference that provincial consent was not legally necessary, but to do so without substantial consent would be contrary to a longstanding constitutional convention. Trudeau succeeded in convincing nine provinces out of ten to consent to patriation by agreeing to the addition of a Notwithstanding Clause to limit the application of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a result of discussions during a First Ministers' conference and other minor changes in November 1981.

KEN WRIGHT PAVED THE WAY IN SPREADING "THE WORD"

I urge all friends and readers of Wrights Lane to seriously read the words of my father Ken Wright as they were published in the Chatham Daily News 71 years ago. Ken, a barber by trade and an active youth leader, was a frequent contributor to the Daily News, his work many times simply by-lined "Columnite".  I plan to reproduce extracts from some of his journalistic efforts in upcoming days because of their relevance to life today as we are experiencing it.

In the introduction to this particular column Ken talked about appreciation for the opportunity for he and others who "visit one another in our own homes through the medium of this Voice of the People," adding "I am sure from each and all we have been able to glean much that helps a little as we go about our daily routines." Sadly, yet appropriately coincidental, in the wake of the demise of community newspapers, today we have the innovation of on line communications and social media to fill the void and I carry on with the father and son tradition.  Here's what Ken had to say on this particular occasion:

Ken Wright (1899-1952)

I would like to quote from John 6:35 where "Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life."

This as you recall, tells about the children of Israel being fed from five loaves and two small fishes. Those fed included five thousand men, women and children; the lesson showing how God takes care of His people.

This same lesson is shown in Exodus 16:1-30. In this case the Israelites were fed manna in their desert, far from any source of food except for the hand of God.

Many remark "That sounds all well and good but that kind of thing just doesn't happen any more." One of our human faults is that we tend to forget too soon.

We do well to remember the experience of World War 1 American flying ace Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker and his air crew mates who crash landed in the mid-Pacific. All they were able to save was two life rafts.

After days afloat in the ocean with no food or water they became desperate. They decided to try prayer and promptly a sea gull landed on Capt. Eddie's shoulder. They subsequently cleaned and ate the wayward bird and used the intestines as fish bait.

They in turn caught fish -- and then the rain came enabling the men to catch fresh water in receptacles and rags from which they later squeezed out more water when the heavenly rain ceased to fall.

In direct answer to their prayers, rescue eventually came.

“I can say frankly that all of us were so anxious to get away from the [B-17] before she sank we didn’t pay much attention to our rations. We had no water when we went off and we had no food.” —Eddie Rickenbacker

It is apparent even today that God does look after his people. Nevertheless, we should not become complacent. To have that sense of spiritual well-being that all mankind hungers and thirsts for, one must embrace faith through Christianity in a serious personal way.

Food for the body to sustain life does not suffice. I strongly believe that to satiate the instinctive human longing for spiritual well being one must turn to Jesus who says "I am the bread of life."

After the depression of the 1930s, we entered this last war (WW2) with an abundance of wheat on hand. By the end of the war in 1945 we were scratching the bottom of the barrel, but God saw us through to victory.

It is not only when we have conflict between nations or serious crop failures that we should be concerned. If we get away from God and scoff at his commandments we are very apt to see unfortunate history repeating itself.

It is of vital importance how we as a nation carefully choose our course to insure that we are on God's side.

No one needs to tell the people of Canada what is right and what is wrong. We have entered the year 1949 well read and with our eyes wide open deliberately for or against the word of God and the teaching of Jesus Christ.

--30--

~~ from the mind, heart and fountain pen of Ken Wright, God bless is soul.

WINGLESS ANGELS AS GOD INTENDED THEM

It is often difficult to separate truth from fiction as it pertains to mythology and an attempt to humanize it in artistic imagery over the centuries.

For many of us, the word “angel” conjures up an image of a perfect divine creature who offers us spiritual guidance. An angel is the essence of selflessness and generosity. We even praise someone who has done something nice by saying “You are such an angel”. However, if we open the Bible, we find quite a different picture of what it means to be an angel.

Angels are found hundreds of times throughout the Bible, yet there is a great deal of confusion surrounding them. The angelic image of beautiful creatures with wings and a halo of light, is the creation of Renaissance artists and is completely different from the Bible’s image of an angel.

In original Hebrew the root of the word meaning angel is another word meaning "going back and forth." The implication is that this is hard work; giving rise to another Hebrew word meaning “physical labor”. An angel therefor is a messenger or intermediary who tirelessly goes back and forth between heaven and earth delivering information. And, come to find out, they do so without the benefit of wings.

Now, if you really want to talk about wings mentioned in the Bible, let's talk about the "wings of a dove"...but that's another story.

ABOUT RESCUING A WORLD ON THE BRINK

"In Dante’s fourteenth-century epic poem The Divine Comedy, the entrance to Hell famously carries the inscription: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” The phrase has become watered down over time, almost trite. But facing a future that promises to be hell for countless people, our task in the twenty-first century is to rediscover the power of the uniquely human ability to hope—an ability to envision and strive towards a positive future that’s an alternative to whatever challenging or even unbearable present we’re living in."

Maybe you feel it too: a creeping sense that the world is going haywire. A darkness spreading across the horizon of our aspirations for our families, our communities, our world. An emerging dismay that possibilities for a good future, for ourselves and our kids, are ebbing away. 

"If so, your feelings are not without base," agrees Thomas Homer-Dixon in his recently-published book Commanding Hope. "They do reflect a real shift in the state of our world. Accumulating scientific evidence and data show that key trend lines gauging humanity’s well-being—economic, social, political, and environmental—have indeed turned sharply downwards," adds the Canadian professor and author who uses complexity science to examine threats to global security, environmental stress and government actions.

Just 20 years ago a feeling of exuberance still animated many societies. After the Soviet Union collapsed and before the war on terror, political, business, and intellectual leaders in the West declared that a fusion of capitalism, liberal democracy, and modern science would create a future of near-boundless possibility for all humanity. Now, humanity is at a perilous juncture. Problems like climate change, economic and social inequality, and the risk of nuclear war have become critical.

In 2020, COVID-19 has stopped the world at large in its tracks. International scientific agencies are issuing report after report declaring that a global environmental catastrophe is imminent, now probably far earlier than 2045, and maybe even as soon as a decade from now. Meanwhile, reason and scientific fact often seem impotent before entrenched vested interests, worsening social polarization, and rising political authoritarianism.

As our prospects seem to diminish by the day, some of us retreat inwards to focus on things close to us in time and space, such as our friends and family, in person and on social media. Others try denial, maybe by claiming that the evidence for problems such as climate change and even pandemics is invented by people who benefit from scaring us. Or, we become fatalistic, declaring we can’t do anything about the problems because we’ve gotten used to a way of living or because the problems are the fault of the rich, or the poor, or immigrants, minorities, or “them over there”—anybody but us. 

Some of us rally to authoritarian leaders who tell a simple story about what’s wrong and declare they can make things better with bold, harsh action.

Anxiety about the future, detachment, self-deception, and feelings of resentment and helplessness—this is a perilous psychological state—the starting line of a fast track to the end of hope. As Homer-Dixon suggests, it also makes the future we fear far more likely to happen, because the best way to ensure we’ll fail to solve our problems is to believe we can’t.

We all know—whether explicitly or unconsciously—that to escape this trap we need to come up with promising ideas to address the critical problems humanity faces. But to do so, we need to understand what’s causing the problems in the first place. As any medical doctor would say, good prescription depends on good diagnosis.

Boy, does somebody out there with superior intelligence ever have their work cut out for them! And the sooner the better.

I'll expand on these thoughts when guys like Thomas Homer-Dixon have it figured out for us, which he promises to do in his new book.

We can only sit back helplessly(?) and hope.

MARY MAGDALENE "APOSTLE TO THE APOSTLES"

Painting The Penitent Magdalene (c. 1598) by Domenico Tintoretto

Most of those included in my humble accumulation of Wrights Lane and Facebook friends are Christians, to varying degrees of adherence and involvement. For that reason from to time time I like to share tidbits of information that I come across in my studies, simply for general edification. The following is an example of a recent revelation.

Mary Magdalene is perhaps the most misunderstood person in the Bible. Many people are taught that she was a prostitute that Jesus took pity upon. Others confuse her with Mary of Bethany who anointed Jesus with costly ointment. But the New Testament tells a very different story.

Mary Magdalene was in fact a central member of Jesus’ inner circle of followers. Her real name was not Mary, but the Hebrew “Miriam,” one of the most common female names in first century Jewish society. Magdalene was not her family name, however, but the place where she lived -- Magdala, a fishing village on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee. The name means “tower” (migdal) in Hebrew, a reference to a prominent monument in the town.

The idea that Mary was a prostitute forgiven by Jesus is pure legend, developed centuries after Christ. In fact, Mary was likely a respected member of the Jewish upper class. The fishing industry had made Magdala rich, and Mary probably belonged to this aristocracy. The Bible says she was one of several wealthy women who used her wealth to “provide for [Jesus’s ministry] out of their own resources” (Luke 8:3).

 
Why did this noblewoman become a follower of Jesus? Perhaps because Jesus saved her life by casting “seven demons” out of her (Luke 8:2). Mary became so important that Jesus appeared to her first after his resurrection (John 20). She is mentioned by name 12 times in the Gospels, more than most of the disciples!

If she was indeed an "apostle to the apostles", the evidence for her role has successfully been suppressed—at least until now. As a result of the recent work of a number of scholars, Mary Magdalene’s apostolic role in early Christianity is getting a new hearing.

APPLYING STOICISM TO LIFE TODAY

“The Stoics believed that we are essentially social creatures, with a ‘natural affection’ and ‘affinity’ for all people. This forms the basis of Stoic ‘philanthropy’, the rational love of our brothers and fellow citizens in the universe. A good person ‘displays love for all his fellow human beings, as well as goodness, justice, kindness and concern for his neighbour’, and for the welfare of his home city (Musonius, Lectures, 14).” – Donald Robertson

Follow up to The Fascinating Study of Stoicism

Zeno, the founder of Stoicism in ancient Greece, is said to have begun his studies in philosophy by tutoring under Crates, a cynic. One of the first things that Zeno learned, as a result, was to practice not being ashamed of things that were not shameful.

Zeno of Citium

To reinforce this lesson, Crates apparently had Zeno walk around with a pot full of lentil soup in public places. When he saw that Zeno was embarrassed and tried to keep the pot out of sight, Crates broke it by striking it with his staff. Zeno ran away, mortified. When he did, Crates called out:

“Why run away, my little Phoenician? Nothing terrible has befallen you.”

And, of course, nothing bad happened to Zeno. He only worried that other people might think ill of him. And this worrying about what other people thought was something that Zeno eventually learned to overcome.

Lentil soup's on!

It’s something that we all should learn if we are ever going to be happy and live a good life. Because if you want to achieve that goal, if you want to live a good life, then you need to be (relatively) unconcerned with other people’s opinions for two reasons. First, you will otherwise end up living the life that others think you should have, not yours. Second, you will otherwise end up playing a game — the recognition game — that you can never win.

The first point is obvious. If you are always trying to please other people, to live by what they think, then there will be nothing left of your life for the real you to enjoy.

The second point is pretty obvious too: there is always a bigger fish in the ocean. If you think that you can win the recognition game, you are wrong.

To illustrate, think of it this way. Marketers developed what is called a Q-Score to measure how popular various celebrities are. Their goal was to allow large firms to use those scores to more effectively advertise to their fan base. At one point, Former U.S. President Obama was on top of that list. Now, he’s not (because he’s just not in the news as much). Even if you win at that game, in short, you will be replaced.

What these points mean is that we all need to learn, we all need to practice, not worrying about other people’s opinions of us. And while there are actually harder Stoic actions — such as dying freely — this practice is the most difficult of the daily activities you could perform.

The 20th-century philosopher of Greek antiquity, Pierre Hadot, called these practices that help you become a better person “spiritual exercises,” because they are like medicine for your soul, rather than your body.

To put the goal memorably: to live an invulnerable life, you must practice daily vulnerability.

In less paradoxical language, to achieve Stoic happiness, where events outside your control don’t ruin your life, you have to address the sources of your shame — you have to be vulnerable.

The exercise of vulnerability understood in the way that people normally think of it then, is nothing but courage as the Stoics professed.

Here are two spiritual exercises concerning shame and vulnerability that are designed to help learn how to live a happier life. Let’s begin with the easier version of these exercises.

Social Vulnerability

We no longer have the Republic that Zeno wrote about, but apparently it was controversial in classical antiquity. He prohibited the building of temples, law courts and gymnasiums in his supposed “utopia.” Further, Diogenes tells us,

“He bids men and women wear the same dress and keep no part of the body entirely covered”

Why would Zeno want people to wear androgynous clothes that didn’t cover all parts of your body?

The Stoic lesson here seems to be that people become too conscious of what other people think about them, and they try, wrongly, to conform to social norms. These include how certain genders should act and the idea that some parts of the body are shameful.

This doesn’t mean that to practice Stoic vulnerability you should wear a sack cloth or wander around naked (though maybe Zeno would have liked nudism?).

To practice social vulnerability, the main thing you need to do is learn not to be trapped by social categories and expectations. I’ll give you some vivid common examples put forward by a philosopher specializing in the study of all things Stoic, broken down by gender (since that’s an important social category).

For men, the challenge can be put this way: Can you do “girly” things? Could you, for example, order a Cosmo as a drink? Could you go to a Yoga class?

For women, the challenge can’t be to perform masculine activities — at least not simply. The reason is that when women do masculine things, they still tend to be thought of in a positive light -- good for trying, or not so bad after all. A woman, for example, who can chug a beer in four seconds will command the respect of the bros at the local bar.

A better example, then, might be the no-makeup challenges that you see celebrities perform occasionally. When not using makeup, women aren’t explicitly crossing into masculine categories. They may be making themselves vulnerable, however.

Whatever your gender, what you are after is an “affective cognition”, a feeling. The thought goes like this: They are looking at me … and I’m not as I’m “supposed” to be.

The Stoics called this an immediate impression, not fully rational just yet. You need to stop yourself from just agreeing to these impressions, so that you can figure out if they are right for you.

The crucial part is to discern whether the evaluative portion of that feeling makes sense. Yes, they are looking at me. But that’s not a big deal. Also, yes, I’m not conforming to social norms — I’m not as I’m “supposed” to be. But why does that matter? Why is that bad?

What was so wrong about Zeno holding a pot of lentils in public? What’s so bad about a guy ordering a Cosmo? 

Finding that feeling and learning to separate out the part that says it’s a bad thing, or not normal, is the key. Your life as a whole is not about to become worse because of what “they” think. But if you give into that irrational first impression, then it just might.

To summarize Stoicism, don’t get caught up in materialism, have cheerful interactions with your colleagues to encourage them and to boost their confidence, perform work diligently and for the greater good, and recognize what’s in and out of your control — don’t let things out of your control affect your joy. When frustrating things happen, breathe, recognize your emotion and the reason for it, and let it pass. You can’t do anything about it anyway. All that you can control is your reaction, and all you can do is embody goodness and appreciate all you have, which is something I’m sure we’d all find joy in.

THE FASCINATING STUDY OF ANCIENT STOICISM

Ancient Stoics such as Roman philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca — 'The Younger' — told lessons from their time of war, exile and infectious diseases that some say are directly relevant to our lives under the coronavirus pandemic. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Have you ever used the word "stoic" to describe a person or an event? i.e. "He was very stoic in his handling of the situation." 

The word "stoic" commonly refers to someone who is indifferent to pain, pleasure, grief, or joy. The modern usage as a "person who represses feelings or endures patiently" was first cited in 1579 as a noun and in 1596 as an adjective. In contrast to the term "Epicurean", the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy's

entry on Stoicism notes, "the sense of the English adjective 'stoical' is not utterly misleading with regard to its philosophical origins."

All very interesting, but how much do we really know about the history of Stoicism which amazingly pre-dates Christianity?

Truth be told, I certainly did not have an understanding of the origins of Stoicism until I invested in some pretty heavy research and (ongoing) study into the subject which I discovered to be fascinating. I don't mind admitting that I find myself buying into some of the ancient concepts and philosophy and being impressed with the advanced thinking of that time period.

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BC. It is a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to eudaimonia (happiness, or blessedness) is found in accepting the moment as it presents itself, by not allowing oneself to be controlled by the desire for pleasure or fear of pain, by using one's mind to understand the world and to do one's part in nature's plan, and by working together and treating others fairly and justly.

The Stoics are especially known for teaching that "virtue is the only good" for human beings, and that external things—such as health, wealth, and pleasure—are not good or bad in themselves (adiaphora), but have value as "material for virtue to act upon". Alongside Aristotelian ethics, the Stoic tradition forms one of the major founding approaches to virtue ethics. 

The Stoics also held that certain destructive emotions resulted from errors of judgment, and they believed people should aim to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is "in accordance with nature". Because of this, the Stoics thought the best indication of an individual's philosophy was not what a person said, but how a person behaved. To live a good life, one had to understand the rules of the natural order since they thought everything was rooted in nature.

Stoicism flourished throughout the Roman and Greek world until the 3rd century AD, and among its adherents was Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It experienced a decline after Christianity became the state religion in the 4th century AD. Since then it has seen revivals, notably in the Renaissance and in the contemporary era (modern Stoicism).

Beginning around 301 BC, Zeno taught philosophy at the Stoa Poikile ("Painted Porch"), from which his philosophy got its name. Unlike the other schools of philosophy, such as the Epicureans, Zeno chose to teach his philosophy in a public space, which was a colonnade overlooking the central gathering place of Athens, the Agora.

Zeno's ideas developed from those of the Cynics, whose founding father, Antisthenes, had been a disciple of Socrates. Zeno's most influential follower was Chrysippus, who was responsible for the molding of what is now called Stoicism. Later Roman Stoics focused on promoting a life in harmony within the universe, over which one has no direct control.

Stoicism became the foremost popular philosophy among the educated elite in the Hellenistic world and the Roman Empire, to the point where, in the words of Gilbert Murray "nearly all the successors of Alexander professed themselves Stoics."

According to the Stoics, the Universe is a material reasoning substance, known as God or Nature, which was divided into two classes: the active and the passive. The passive substance is matter, which "lies sluggish, a substance ready for any use, but sure to remain unemployed if no one sets it in motion". The active substance, which can be called Fate or Universal Reason (Logos), is an intelligent aether or primordial fire, which acts on the passive matter.

 
Stoic theology is a fatalistic and naturalistic pantheism: God is never fully transcendent but always immanent, and identified with Nature. Abrahamic religions personalize God as a world-creating entity, but Stoicism equates God with the totality of the universe; according to Stoic cosmology, which is very similar to the Hindu conception of existence, there is no absolute start to time, as it is considered infinite and cyclic. Similarly, the space and Universe have neither start nor end, rather they are cyclical. The current Universe is a phase in the present cycle, preceded by an infinite number of Universes, doomed to be destroyed and re-created again, and to be followed by another infinite number of Universes. Stoicism considers all existence as cyclic, the cosmos as eternally self-creating and self-destroying.

Stoicism just like Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, does not posit a beginning or end to the Universe. According to the Stoics, the logos was the active reason or anima mundi pervading and animating the entire Universe. It was conceived as material and is usually identified with God or Nature.

The first philosophers to explicitly describe nominalist arguments were the Stoics, especially Chrysippus.

Ancient stoics are often misunderstood because the terms they used pertained to different concepts than today. The word "stoic" has since come to mean "unemotional" or indifferent to pain because Stoic ethics taught freedom from "passion" by following "reason". The Stoics did not seek to extinguish emotions; rather, they sought to transform them by a resolute "askēsis", that enables a person to develop clear judgment and inner calm. Logic, reflection, and concentration were the methods of such self-discipline. Temperance is split into self-control, discipline and modesty.

For the Stoics, reason meant not only using logic, but also understanding the processes of nature—the logos or universal reason, inherent in all things. Living according to reason and virtue, they held, is to live in harmony with the divine order of the universe, in recognition of the common reason and essential value of all people.

The four cardinal virtues of Stoic philosophy is a classification derived from the teachings of Plato: Courage, Justice and Temperance.

Following Socrates, the Stoics held that unhappiness and evil are the results of human ignorance of the reason in nature. If someone is unkind, it is because they are unaware of their own universal reason, which leads to the conclusion of unkindness. The solution to evil and unhappiness then is the practice of Stoic philosophy: to examine one's own judgments and behavior and determine where they diverge from the universal reason of nature.

In his introduction to the 1964 Penguin Classics edition of "Meditations", the Anglican priest Maxwell Staniforth discussed the profound impact Stoicism had on Christianity. He claimed the author of the Fourth Gospel declared Christ to be the Logos, which "had long been one of the leading terms of Stoicism, chosen originally for the purpose of explaining how deity came into relation with the universe." In St. Ambrose of Milan's Duties, "The voice is the voice of a Christian bishop, but the precepts are those of Zeno."

It is known that the apostle Paul met with Stoics during his stay in Athens, reported in Acts 17:16. In his letters, the Apostle Paul reflected heavily from his knowledge of Stoic philosophy, using Stoic terms and metaphors to assist his new Gentile converts in their understanding of Christianity. 

The Fathers of the Church regarded Stoicism as a "pagan philosophy"; nonetheless, early Christian writers employed some of the central philosophical concepts of Stoicism. Examples include the terms "logos", "virtue", "Spirit", and "conscience". But the parallels go well beyond the sharing and borrowing of terminology.

Both Stoicism and Christianity assert an inner freedom in the face of the external world, a belief in human kinship with Nature or God, a sense of the innate depravity—or "persistent evil"—of humankind, and the futility and temporary nature of worldly possessions and attachments. Both encourage Ascesis with respect to the passions and inferior emotions, such as lust, and envy, so that the higher possibilities of one's humanity can be awakened and developed.

Stoic writings such as Meditations by Marcus Aurelius have been highly regarded by many Christians throughout the centuries. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Church accept the Stoic ideal of dispassion to this day.

Middle and Roman Stoics taught that sex is just within marriage, for unitive and procreative purposes only. This teaching is accepted by the Catholic Church to this day.

In my next Wrights Lane post I will talk about Stoicism as it relates to the 21st Century.