MEDITATIONS AND MUSINGS
  • Home/Blog
  • Chapels
  • Devotions
  • Prayers
  • Meditations
  • Labyrinths
  • Papers
  • About me
  • Contact
  • Home/Blog
  • Chapels
  • Devotions
  • Prayers
  • Meditations
  • Labyrinths
  • Papers
  • About me
  • Contact

Meditations and Musings 

Welcome to the meditations and musings of a chaplain in a Lutheran School

Is the labyrinth a pagan thing?

18/11/2019

1 Comment

 

A question that is asked by some Christians of a certain theological bent is can a follower of Christ use a pagan thing like a labyrinth? For me, this question betrays certain theological assumptions and a particular worldview, but it is nonetheless a valid, worthwhile and essential question to ask if you have a labyrinth in your campsite, school, aged care facility or church.  

My response as someone who has led hundreds of people through the labyrinth and attended labyrinth conferences with Pagans, Wiccans and Christians alike would be; no, the labyrinth in and of itself is not a pagan thing. What makes an object pagan, Christian or Callithumpian is how it is used, what content is used with it, and for what purpose? For me as a college pastor in a Lutheran school I am enthusiastic about students and staff experiencing the labyrinth because it is an opportunity for them, especially people who have little connection with traditional forms of church, to experience a spiritual practice which can be focused on Christ, scripture, prayer and contemplation. These deeply Christian practices are part and parcel of labyrinth walks I lead.  
​   
Yes, the labyrinth is a unique thing used by people of differing and sometimes pagan spiritualities. Yes, the labyrinth has been used by many cultures for different purposes throughout the history of the world such as fertility rituals and to ward off evil. And yes, the labyrinth has been used by Christians from the time of the early church to the medieval cathedrals of western Europe and to the many and varied places they are now built.

It is not the place alone that determines the spirituality of the labyrinth but the purpose of walking it and the content used to enable that person to walk it meaningfully and receive something from it. A Christian organisation that uses a labyrinth to encourage faith in Christ, prayer, meditation in the scriptures is using the labyrinth in a God honouring way that is not pagan or idolatrous.

When faced with this question of the appropriateness of the labyrinth for Christians, it is crucial to be mindful of Paul’s advice to Timothy in the New Testament Church. In the first five verses of First Timothy chapter four Paul reminds us of this theological reality; nothing in all of God’s good creation is intrinsically evil in and of itself. In these verses Paul writes that some Christians will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons through the hypocrisy of liars who forbid certain practices which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. He then goes on to say that everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected…for it is sanctified, made holy, by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:1-5).

The labyrinth does not have any power over people. It does not have any evil, malicious intent. Nearly all people who use the labyrinth whatever their spiritual background would say that the labyrinth is for healing people and bringing blessing to their lives. What is important for the faithful Christian though is that the labyrinth is used with scripture and prayer to encourage its walker to centre on Jesus Christ. 
Picture
1 Comment

Beautiful Blessings

7/11/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Blessings in Lutheran schools are often used at the end of chapel services. This comes from the historic liturgy where Lutherans have traditionally used two biblical blessings to conclude worship services. The Aaronic blessing from the brother of Moses in Numbers 6:24-26; "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favour and give you his peace." And the Apostolic blessing of Paul from 2 Corinthians 13:14; "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." These are beautiful blessings to use. 

Another blessing used in my school is when a teacher is in front of a class and they greet students. The blessing that the teacher says is; "Good morning Year 3 and God bless you". The students respond; "Good morning Mrs Saegenschnitter and God bless you". This is indeed a blessed way to start a lesson.

Yet another blessing I have discovered recently which I use with staff and it would be appropriate with senior students is below. It is sometimes attributed online as a Benedictine or Franciscan blessing but it is neither. It was originally written by a Benedictine nun, Sister Ruth Fox for a graduating class of the Catholic college where she was chaplain. She called it a "Non-traditional Blessing" and added a prayer at the end of it. For more information about it's origins;  www.thesacredbraid.com/2016/07/22/a-non-traditional-blessing/

May God bless you with discontent with easy answers, half-truths, superficial relationships, so that you will live from deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, abuse, and exploitation of people, so that you will work for justice, equality, and  peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and to change their pain to joy.
May God bless you with the foolishness to think you can make a difference in this world, so that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.

1 Comment

    About this site

    "Meditations & Musings" is my humble attempt to share what I have found useful in ministry in an Australian Lutheran School setting. It contains chapels, devotions and other resources I have written, used and adapted in my K-12 school context. If you would like to also share your ideas, resources or start a conversation about mission and ministry in your church- school location, feel free to contact me.
    Blessings
    ​Tim Jarick​

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Blessings
    Book Reviews
    Chapels
    Christmas
    Church School Relations
    Church-School Relations
    Easter
    Formation
    Freedom Of A Christian
    Growing Deep
    Labyrinths
    Lent
    Making Labyrinths
    Meditation
    Mindfulness
    Parents
    Positive Psychology
    Reformation
    Sexuality
    Silence
    Staff Devotions
    Student Devotions

    Links I Like:
    https://thomasbrennen.com/
    http://www.aplaceformission.org/about/
    http://lutheranmission.blogspot.com.au/ 
    https://www.alws.org.au/
    http://www.lcamission.org.au/
    https://www.lutheran.edu.au/
    http://leq.lutheran.edu.au/
    http://www.lyq.org.au/
    https://1517.org/​
    my currently-reading shelf:
    Tim's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (currently-reading shelf)

    Tim's bookshelf: currently-reading

    Of Good Comfort
    Of Good Comfort
    by Stephen Pietsch
    tagged: currently-reading

    goodreads.com

    Tim’s quotes


    Goodreads Quotes
Proudly powered by Weebly