I’ve held back from recent exchanges, but I have drafted these thoughts, wondering if they would help or hinder the exchanges. Among us are so many bright, ardent and single-minded contributors sharing their own undoubted skills, that it seems hard to turn our minds and skills to the collaborative discernment of the cosmic or universal paradigm that must now be put to humanity at large to contribute to evolving global needs and awareness.

Please judge whether any of what follows is helpful in the present flow.

There is a sense in which all regional, national and cultural interpretations of faith in life’s stewarding of planet earth, has mostly failed to evolve with expanding history or with the vital need to harmonise with science. { I imagine you can point to noble exceptions of course }

The human need to grow in cosmic/ universal/ planetary consciousness requires the most mature and contemporary insights of all great faith traditions, deep probing research etc. to listen to and discuss each other’s contribution with mutual respect. We must all help each other cross the ageing boundaries around our nurturing denominations, tribes and personal comfort zones to define and act upon a universal context for our practical acts of witness.

There’s little time to hark back on the history of each denomination’s contributions. We must interpret for common sharing lessons learnt about the new challenges upon our actions and open communications. Rodney Shakespeare’s pithy summary “……….. the new paradigm involves many big issues and the overall message has to be Paradigm First, then Policy.” 

Below is the core challenge to our pastoral sensitivities and prophetic probings of firm but tentative convictions about urgent tasks immediately ahead,

CCMJ is not now an extant body, but its humble probings and encouragement continue under one of a number of collective nouns{!}  seeking to evolve in better and extending association. Please sustain your participation in constructive dialogue and your own evolving actions. Be frank and open in your response.

Yours, Peter