Replies

I do not mean to belabor the point but the whole pancompassion term has been rolling around my head since you shared it:
pan (Greek)= all, every, whole, all inclusive
com = with
passion

all inclusive– with— passion: pancompassion

Embodied Practices
like singing with others.
like taking soup to a friend who is sick
like gardening, cultivating a relationship with soil, etc.

What evokes pancompassion?

Do you think the pancompassionate response can be limited to one’s compassionate thoughts (in one’s head)? Or does pancompassion have to be embodied, enacted as an action in relation to others or the world? Does pancompassionate practice take you out of your head and engage you actively in relationship with the world? Not separate…..

So, thank you Elizabeth!!

Yes, thank you Jared for your generous response and additional resources.

Elizabeth,
Thank you for your pancompassionate response. You generous response toward others and your suffering with the pain of others, like in Memphis, etc., seems like a pancompassionate wisdom practice to me.

I was once at a Sea of Faith conference in England with a large number of post-theistic Christian folks who loved sing Church of England songs in a group. They all had beautiful voices and connected in community in ways that were beyond conversation but emerged in song.

Jace,
Thanks for your compassionate and generous comments.

When I thought about the sense of community and openness from our previous courses, I felt compelled to take this one to see how the cohort dialogue deepens.

Charles, I love “creative acceptance” and how it bypasses mere resignation. I would love to hear more and ways you see people cultivate creative acceptance as a practice. The term makes me think that you are offering creativity to Stoic philosophy.

Hello Elizabeth, Great to have you in class. Also, I agree with Sheri, you pan-compassionist is a lovely term. I hope you will share how one practices being one. Maybe the practice includes being a dedicated choir member? I’m imagining something like a pan-compassionist path…or song…..
With appreciation. Sing well, Rolla

Hello Bill, Great to have you in the class.

Hello Weidong, Glad to have you in another course and appreciate the gift your Chinese cultural perspective.
Rolla

Hello Kyle, Thanks for the playful introduction. I loved it but probably got hooked when you mentioned you were a fly-fisherperson…..

Hello Sheri, Thanks for your supportive comment.

Sheri, Thanks for your kind and compassionate reply. I still plan to take Process in Practice: A Process Relational View of Economics with Marcus Ford for the program, but after your John Cobb and Friends presentation, I thought this course might be a great way to help me see that many religious believers do not want to oppress and kill people like me, wandering pilgrims. In fact, I was thinking this course will help deepen how religious believers don’t want to be oppressed and killed by other, different religious believers. We can create and sustain peaceful communities and find common ground,like process-relational philosophy.

I’m pretty grounded in pre-Socratic process-relational philosophy, their pantheistic perspective, and some of the debates within the contemporary religious naturalism community. I think any unhealed “religious wound,” as you describe it, is just me being keenly aware and terrified by religious authority and anyone who defines how others must live in the world. I’m reminded of what the know-it-all Church did to Bruno in 1600 for having the courage to speak his mind. Or how religious beliefs are influencing what is happening to books in libraries and women’s choice in the USA. Or how religion is guiding national policy and public space in Iran, Afghanistan, etc. It’s more that I’m traumatized by seeing how religion is a source of fear, hatred, oppression, murder, etc. I’m excited about entering safe space with diverse religious beliefs, but in the back of my head I keep my eye on the exits and hold to my desire not to be oppressed and killed by some true believer who doesn’t like wandering pilgrims.

Leslie, Thanks for your kind and compassionate comment.

Hello Charles,

As always, thanks for your thought provoking post. I’m all for a theology “concerned with the full-spectrum of our humanity, our human experience; or with existential and empirical realities in the world.”

Hello Charlene, Thanks for your kind words regarding my introduction. Much of what you say resonates with me. I look forward to the conversations with you and the other classmates.

Hello Charles,

Thank you for continuing the conversation and for being so generous with your wisdom and resources. I find the conversation makes me keenly aware to be humble and not to close off possibilities– keep myself radically open while not being afraid of skepticism either.

With appreciation and gratitude, Rolla