I recently heard Father Richard Rohr reference Ken Wilber and the concept of transcend and include. Many Christians grow disillusioned with religion, move toward something new, and reject the faith of their youth. Richard encouraged us to find the value in what we learned in the first stage of life. Include those traditions while we transcend toward the second stage.
This resonates with me. I grew up in the charismatic movement, but over the years I’ve moved away from that focus on emotionalism and supernatural gifts. I question the idea that speaking in tongues is mandatory, or even something to be sought. I look at the elevation of prophets and prophecies with much skepticism. I’m uneasy with the focus on uncontrollable physical reactions, such as being slain in the spirit and shaking during worship. I don’t see faith as a contractual agreement with God whereby He is subject to our needs. I don’t believe the Bible is inerrant or that it has one authoritative meaning.
However, I still include much of what I grew up with into my current life and practices. For example, I try to combine body, mind, and spirit during my worship times. I lift my hands and I move. For me, this is an outward manifestation of the wonder that I feel. It allows me to holistically experience and express my connection with God. I also view speaking in tongues as a type of meditative practice, although I meditate in different ways now. I see faith as a continual journey of growth, and I pray for good things and for healing, with as much conviction as I can muster. I read the Bible as a diverse collection of writings about God, and I hold on to my respect for the Truth it contains.
I think this is where many of us miss out as we transform our beliefs through the years. We utterly discard where we came from, rejecting it with an anger and a contempt that isn’t healthy. In our drive to be more progressive we exclude our past and fail to incorporate it into our future. I want to grow and transcend beyond the faith of my youth, but at the same time respect and include the things it taught me as part of my continued journey.