David Brown - God and Mystery in Words: Experience through Metaphor and Drama

Althoug h ever y effor t ha s bee n mad e t o trac e an d contac t copyrigh t holder s befor e publication , th e publisher s wil l b e please d t o rectif y error s o r omission s a t th e earlies t opportunity , i f the y ar e notifie d o f any .

Excerp t fro m Nativ e Mesoamerica n Spirituality : Ancien t Myths , Dis courses , Stories , Doctrines , Hymns , Poem s fro m th e Aztec , Yucatec , Quiche-May a an d Othe r Sacre d Traditions , fro m th e Classic s o f Wes ter n Spirituality , edite d b y Migue l Le on-Portilla , Copyrigh t b y Paulis t Press , Inc. , Ne w Yor k / Mahwah , N.J . Use d wit h permission . www.paulistpress.com .

Word s fro m Th e Servan t Kin g b y Graha m Kendric k Kevi n

Mayhe w Publishin g Word s fro m Shine , Jesus , shin e b y Graha m Kendric k Kevi n Mayhe w Publishing .

Word s fro m poetr y b y Kathlee n Rain e Golgonooz a Press . Word s fro m poetr y b y Le s Murra y Carcane t Press . Word s fro m poetr y b y Friederic h Ho lderlin , trans . b y M . Ham

burge r Routledg e & Kega n Paul . Word s fro m poetr y b y Pau l Cela n i n tr . J . Felstiner , Pau l Celan :

Poet , Survivor , Je w (Ne w Haven : Yal e Universit y Press , 1995 ) , Yal e Universit y Press . Word s fro m poetr y b y Dyla n Thoma s i n D . Brow n & D . Fuller ,

Sign s o f Grace : Sacrament s i n Poetr y an d Pros e (London : Continuum , 2000 ) , - Davi d Higha m Associates .

T hi s i s th e fina l o f thre e volume s o n religiou s experienc e a s mediate d throug h cultur e an d th e arts . Th e intentio n throughou t ha s bee n t o reclai m th e wid e variet y o f context s i n whic h experi enc e o f Go d ha s bee n identifie d i n th e pas t befor e thes e wer e artificiall y narrowed , a s th e centurie s advanced . I t i s a proces s tha t ha s accelerate d i n recen t times , wit h suc h experienc e no w effec tivel y reduce d t o explicitl y religious scenario s suc h a s worshi p an d response s t o prayer . S o i n th e firs t volume , Go d an d Enchantmen t o f Place , I explore d ho w th e divin e ha s bee n foun d no t jus t i n pilgrimag e an d i n religiou s architectur e bu t als o i n th e hom e an d i n tow n planning , i n landscap e paintin g an d i n gardening. Again , i n th e second , Go d an d Grac e o f Body , i t wa s emphasize d ho w i t wa s no t jus t th e sufferin g figur e o f Chris t o n th e Cros s o r grea t religiou s composer s suc h a s Bac h tha t elicite d suc h experienc e bu t als o th e bod y a s beautifu l an d sensual , a s wel l a s secular musi c i n everythin g fro m har d roc k t o opera.

Thi s volum e pursue s a simila r strateg y bu t thi s tim e mor e speci ficall y interconnecte d wit h worship . I n par t thi s intentio n reflect s m y ow n convictio n tha t reveale d religio n build s o n natura l religio n rathe r tha n wholl y subvert s it . O f cours e correctio n i s sometime s require d bu t th e sam e ca n als o a t time s b e tru e fo r reveale d religion . Narro w self-interes t an d fanaticis m ca n occu r equall y i n both . So , jus t a s Go d an d Enchantmen t o f Plac e bega n b y identifyin g a sens e o f th e sacramenta l tha t make s al l o f th e materia l worl d potentiall y a ciphe r fo r th e divin e an d Go d an d Grac e o f Bod y note d variou s