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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume 4
Fall 2005
Ethical Christianity: A Reformation of the Protestant Church - Page 8
By Jeffrey C. Moon
Posture, breathing, and silencing the mind are the three key elements of Zazen or Zen sitting practice. First, one assumes a bodily position conducive to prolonged stillness, preferably taking a lotus position, but most important, keeping one's back as straight as possible while maintaining the natural curve in the lower back. Second, one regulates the breathing, paying attention with each in-breath and out-breath. Third, one silences the mind by not dwelling on any particular thought or sensation, but by being fully present as one sits, paying attention to every breath. (Habito 111)
Like any skill, meditation becomes more effective with repeated practice. Masters of this Eastern art have great willpower, which increases their control of harmful mental habits (Habito 70). As Paul told the first church founded in Rome, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God, what is holy and perfect" (Romans 12.2). Not only is m editation acceptable in an Ethical Christianity but recommended as well. If church services included fifteen minutes of meditation - as a contemporary church ritual - the profound effects of meditation could benefit Christians. These benefits include a tranquil yet invigorating experience of unity with God, who is "the source of being" - in the words of theologian and biblical scholar Paul Tillich (88).
So what does all this mean for the Protestant churches of today? In a 2001 survey reported by the journal Christianity Today , "Churches that uphold high standards of personal morality were the most alive and had the most support and growth" (Carnes 19). This massive survey involved approximately 80% of the 300,000 American Christian congregations. An example that expresses this is in the "changing emphasis of African-American church leaders from the civil-rights movement to civic engagement in rebuilding communities and personal lives" (Carnes 19). Churches need to concentrate on teaching ethics and biblical wisdom because this is what many Christians want. "Civic engagement in rebuilding communities and personal lives" is exemplary ethical action and fulfills the biblical ethic in Proverbs, "He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy" (14.21). So, to church leaders seeking to make their congregations grow, I say teach Jesus' ethics, Solomon's Proverbs, and Zazen meditation, and cause a surge in your church's vitality.
Works Cited
Armstrong, Karen. A History of God . Oxford , England : Oxford University Press, 1999.
Barton, Stephen. "Mercy and not Sacrifice?" Studies in Christian Ethics .Vol.15, Apr. 2002.
Borg, Marcus. The Heart of Christianity . San Francisco : HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.
Carnes, Tony. "New Study Reveals Which Churches Grow." Christianity Today . Carol Stream , Illinois . 23 Apr. 2001.
Gotama, Siddhartha. The Dhammapada . Trans. Ananda Maitreya. Berkeley , CA : Parallax Press, 1995.
Geraldine, Sealey. "Keeping the Faith." ABC News Online . 10 Jan. 2004.
Habito, Rueben. Living Zen, Loving God. Wisdom Publications: 2004.
Harris, Stephen. The New Testament: A Student's Introduction . Los Angeles , CA : McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2002.
The Bible . New International Version. Grand Rapids , MI : Zondervan, 1978.