Conversion and conversions will be themes of this blog for the next couple of weeks. This series on Chrysalis is about Alan Jamieson’s book Chrysalis: The Hidden Transformation in the Journey of Faith. Today’s comes from Scott Gay.
Alan Jamieson’s “Chrysalis” is a gentle map of faith’s spiritual journey. It’s a book that can help Christians in the midst of transitions,and provide deeper, broader relationships within the church. The last chapter of the book encourages us to create inclusive Christian communities for people. People who have a tacit acceptance of answers with people full of questions and critiques. Do you know many of the latter are misunderstood or misconstrued and leave? Do you know “Ironically, the institutional church is often an obstacle to spiritual growth…”(pg 32)?
An underlying implication of the book is that those who go on to embracing the mysteries of the faith, of paradox, support each individuals exploring, and they support others in the will and leading of God. More importantly to me is the next to last chapter of the book. Here Jamieson postulates the need for faith waystations. Not a place where people stay, but one to share, be refreshed, and be beckoned on. It reminds me of the “Jesus Creed” blog.
Much of the home (house) church movement is also of this genre. Here the faithful meet not because of persecution as the outsiders suppose. Here the diversity and richness of the Christian faith is shared. Who can put into words the mystical experience many have
encountered in “waystations”?
My analogy of the waystation comes from the three festivals commanded to attend in the Old Testament. We have explored the spiritual meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover). Each Christian knows Jesus as Savior. We have explored the spiritual
meaning of the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). Each Christian knows the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is also the Festival of Booths (Ingathering). It has not been spiritually explored like the other two. These are as booths in the desert. We are being encouraged to prepare these booths. These are the waystations of Jamieson’s “Chrysalis”. Especially needed in the radically different world we find ourselves becoming. To build a waystation is a glorious catholic preparation.