The common sense of our times points to the necessity
for men to come to terms not only with the accumulation of all
of the knowledge of our time not only all the social revolutions
of our time, bu it points to the necessity to come to terms with
the whole style of life as we now experience it around the globe.
In every culture, individual style, corporate relationships and
the symbolic dimension of being is called into question. In any
major city of the world, we are confronted by a hundred different
styles, yet there are few symbols of humanness that illuminate
the mystery, depth and greatness of our lives, that reveal to
us who we are, how we are essentially related to one another,
and bring us to attend to our particular role in history.
The key symbol of all huamnness is style, and style
is of signal importance for the man of faith. Style is a form
that one gives to life - it's like a piece of dough that you mold,
season, form; it is like creating the face of God, like makikng
visible the love of God for all of creation. Style is like a montage,
for it is concerned with all relationships in life. It is your
gift of life to life, an art form, a way of celebrating your life
- all of it, the pain, the struggle, the joy, the death, the heritage,
the mystery, the history of mankind. Style is love. Style is a
particular way of life for the man of faith, for it proclaikms
his view of history, it designates his relations to his neighbor
and it signifies who he ahas decided to be, his understanding
of the Word in Jesus Christ, in the context of his time.
Every man embodies a style, whether he be self-conscious
about it or not, that defines his life. The spirit of the times
demands that the man of faith decided his styhle self-consciously
and intentionally, and that he do so on behalf of all men. In
our time, to decide to live on behalf of all is to decide to be
the solitary man, the dead man, who also dares to be the first.
In our time, it is to dare to order your time and space in terms
of the demand of hisotyr; it is to dare to decide and appropriate
the style of the new universal religious. Today, when the religious
is of necessity secular, this means that in his everyday life,
in his business, in the family and in his recreation, he stands
as one who is the new style. Today, when the style is of necessity
corporate, this means that he covenants with others to forge the
new life style, in the knowledge that he is held accountable in
that relation to them and to the Lord of history.
A style creator loves the ancient style carried in
the church, for the sake of all. It seeks to recover the power,
the vitality of the spirit forms so that everyone can live his
life fully in all dimensions. In order to be the embodiment of
a religious way of life in post civilization, the guru must:
GROUNDING
The new religious captures the scientific age of
miracle for humanity by applying the scientific method and cybernetics
to self-conscious control of the mind in knowing all of the mapped
universe, and thus yielding the freedom to go beyond. The universe
of the past and future is known in the present by rational structured
contemplation. All of mankind is experienced through the re-tribalizing
media.
Each movement of creative activity is a spirit war
of pure decision against the mockery of a world seeking absolute
values by attacking every manifestation of authentic style.
The decision to be the new being, or to die a new
death, not captive to past deaths, is enabled by structured prayer
which holds up the frailty of ancient virtue to the search light
of the unversal necessary deed.
NEW SOCIAL VEHICLE
The New Social Vehicle is the form life takes when
all people are honored and all people are cared for. The New Social
Vehicle gives to people symbols of love for life, of respect for
every fat lady.
DISCIPLINE
Discipline is only for the sake of the mission, that
which allows the last man in the outbush huddled before the last
dying ember of life to create the face of GOD, which established
his pre-existent primal right to knead and mold the essential
bare bread of the universe, and to give to the last of the future
to feed on, to live therefore, and to finally die.
Thus it is that without discipline no person every
would have accomplished anyting and that his death would have
been for naught. Discipline holds people to the task that they
have chosen, and it is in seeking that, that discipline is THE
way.
Corporateness is the utter, absolute, practical element that holds self to the task, the only validity will be found in the mission of rebuilding the church and the earth.
It must of necessity
include intentional constructs,
be entirely functional, and
manifest itself in missional poverty, paradoxical
obedience, and loyal singleness.
That discipline that will be the one objective reality
before which every form that is viable can act out its dreams
of the joyousness of death.
DISCPLINE is the style, that says - easy, is always preceded by not, if what follows is significant.
NEW UNIVERSAL RELIGIOUS
EPILOGUE
The style of the new universal secular religious
is comprehensive, easily recognized by others because it is for
all others. It is consciously affected by the stylers, yet springs
forth effortlessly from the self. No part of the body is withheld
from involvement; nevertheless, the universal religious laways
knows who is essential to the situation, and closes itself to
the extraneous.
The new secular religious lives in grace. The corporate
body holds itself ready to have access to itself, others, and
to its ground of being. It therefore is life illuminated by its
own mystery, depth and greatness. It is the inexplicable insight,
intuitive knowledge of what is really going on within the hearts
of men and within the stream of history.
Thus, does the new corporate religious embody the
Spirit of the times, push deep into the possibilities for creating
a new civilization, and decide the direction that history will
take.
Thus, does the new corporate religious be the sign
of God's love in the world, secure the promise for the future
of men, and be an invitation for others to "Come, taste and
see that the Lord is good."