1. About this habit/disposition, as I also resonate to a great
extent w/Peirce, Neville, even Tillich but ... well ... don't
get out much, I will try to articulate my own sensibilities
(questions):
We do not reason, feel or will our way into believing that the
pasture where the Shepherd leads us is green; that comes to us
as one of reality's givens? Neither do we reason, feel or will
our belief that life's path is safe; that realization, too,
comes only as pure gift? Ignatius prayed: "Take, Lord,
receive, all my liberty, my memory, understanding, my entire
will. GIVE me only Your love and your grace" ... So, faith,
would be neither intellectual nor emotional nor volitional in
origin, but holistically (existentially or with one's entire
being) and integrally (drawing on each human faculty as would
be proper to its role) would respond (insofar as it is
performative) to our changing expectations as they are
dynamically (re)conditioned by reality's GIVENness? It has the
character of an existential-disjunctive, a living as-if ... as
if, despite reality's being awfully ambiguous for us and,
apparently, terribly ambivalent toward us, love will, somehow
and finally, orient, sanctify, empower, heal and save us?
And all can "expect" that such efficacies will also be
realized proleptically (in anticipation) to various degrees in
their lives? Further, it can be "expected" that a few will
even realize them to a remarkable degree (liberated/unitive
life)? All of reality seemingly participates in ever-
increasing degrees of autonomy, freedom increasing up an
ontological hierarchy, up a phylogenetic ladder, up a
transformative trajectory (variously conceived across
traditions)? This generates a paradoxical situation whereby,
ironically, it may precisely be that a kenotic surrender of
this very growth in freedom just might free us to embrace the
intra-objective identity of all determinate reality (Creator-
creature-creativity as One;absolute unitary being) without any
overwhelming fear of loss of the values we may have already
realized (and/or expect to realize) through the inter-
subjective intimacy we've come to enjoy (Creator-creature-
Creator Spirit as the Many; unitive love)?
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