Flourishing or Chaos: Where Do We Find Ourselves?

Our call in this life is an amiable one. We are called to flourish. The Greeks knew this. For many years, I taught parts of classical Greek philosophy and Catholic theology as a basis of ethics in the media, a course I thoroughly enjoyed teaching. In a nutshell, there are some concepts I can share to help us understand and spiritually address the conundrum our country finds itself in right now. I hope to lead you to decide where you are or where you should be to exercise your citizen duties and be happy.

Flourishing is a beautiful concept. Aristotle defined it as “the way we are to be as human beings.” When you read further, he says, “it (flourishing) implies the cultivation of virtue,” a hallmark of his philosophy. He develops the term ‘eudaimonia,’ meaning, simply, well-being. We need to assume well-being for ourselves and for others. Plato used the term, ‘arete’ to demonstrate that virtue and happiness are linked. His quote gives me great pause: “A lack of temperance in a leader is a set-up for rampant corruption and lack of co-operation…those who lack self-restraint will not achieve a flourishing life because their excesses and lack of self-regulation will lead to a life full of vice and chaos.”

In his earthly ministry Jesus was all about helping others to flourish. He spent virtually all his time healing, forgiving, encouraging, dispelling the control of evil in souls, and, yes, challenging those in upper echelons of society to share wealth, extract fair taxes, give to the poor. His every waking moment was for the good of others in order to show God’s love.

I try hard not to be seriously political in this blog, but I will admit that I am flummoxed by the decision of our Supreme Court this past week. Add this to the ‘non-debate’ we all witnessed, and I found myself very sad groping for answers and finding only more confusion. (Somewhere in his writings, John Milton once opined that confusion is the sure proof of demonic activity.) When we are confused, the choice between right and wrong is blurred until panic sets in and we opt for a choice that may not be the best one. I am sad for my country. What can I do?

I have taken to prayer—especially contemplative prayer—for guidance and hope. Then I remembered a theological classic I had read when it was first published in 1978: Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann. In 2001, Brueggemann revised the book which is a masterpiece and still selling briskly. Brueggemann’s theory is that we are all called to be prophets in our individual faiths (he is Protestant). “Prophets speak truth to power,” says Brueggemann, pointing out how Moses confronted the Egyptians for enslavement of Israelites and how Jeremiah rebuked the Kings of Judah for neglect of God’s law. “Prophets call their people to create alternative communities to the dominant culture,” which Brueggemann describes in modern America as the culture of death.

The culture of death has many tentacles. It is a culture in which a faith is ignored or put to death, non-existent. We might be guilty of this saying, “Why practice my faith? The clergy leaves a lot to be desired and the church refuses to address the very issues Jesus addressed!” It is a culture in which groups of people are kept in margins as if they do not exist. It is a culture in which democracy dies. “Why vote? Elections are rigged. All politicians are untruthful.” We manipulate these tentacles slowly, almost unnoticeably, because we are swept into the culture by false promises, beliefs and misinformation. So, we support anyone who comes along and feeds into our malaise or selfishness. We enable a culture of death to grow. That culture becomes one of ‘royal consciousness.’

Brueggemann’s theory of the royal consciousness is any institution, church or government, that directs from top down, from the comfort of what worked in the past and is no longer viable, that holds tradition as sacred to the point of excluding others who do not fit, and is secure by fiat and not the free will of its membership. The person at the top, be it bishop, president or tyrant, is not accountable to the persons below even if elections are meant to control the power wielded. The Church, says Brueggemann, is woefully mired in royal consciousness. We serve these masters be they in government or church, overlook their excesses, promote their agendas, and march with them to the death of their institutions.

The prophet, says Brueggemann, must lead this people—like the kingdoms of the Hebrew scriptures were led—to an alternative community without royal consciousness, a community Jesus tried to create. Many of us feel helpless because leaders in royal consciousness are elevated beyond our power and some, like the justices, have tenure for life. Yet, they control many facets of our lives and our liberties.

Reflection

How can I confront the royal consciousness so influential in my life?

Pray. This is not a Pollyanna suggestion. Make prayer the basis of all action. Ask for guidance, openness and courage.

Speak out. Be informed and speak to justice with kindness in any group. Refrain from yelling and name-calling; you will not be heard.

Become informed. Read as much credible information as possible. Be careful of the social media you choose for news. Ask a good friend who is open-minded to suggest sources for you.

Join a group. If you are concerned about religious directions in a parish or faith in general, find out where a group exists that can inform you and engage you in any effort to confront the royal consciousness.

Love your country. Love it enough to march, protest, volunteer at voting centers.

Most of all, help yourself, your family, and complete strangers to flourish as human beings serving God. It is a joyful endeavor!