A great site to check out: Provoke Radio... Where Faith and Social Justice Meet
In the spirit of the urge towards charitable discernment that Tony offered in the comments to my last post, I'd like to post this link to a Provoke Radio interview of Fr. Rolheiser OMI by Father Tom Reese SJ."Read against your temperament."
The topic: Considering the Other Side
Today, more than ever, the conflict between liberals and conservatives is apparent in both politics and religion. And while those at the 2 extremes may never consider each other’s point of view, those in between might actually be willing to do just that. But how? What’s the best way to go about understanding an issue from all points of view? What’s so wrong with trying? Who might benefit from such an exercise and how? And if we can’t do it in a secular democracy…what hope does that leave for the rest of the world? In a climate where polarization seems to be encouraged - in politics, in the church and in society - we thought this would be a good topic to explore. Listen in as our guest, Fr. Ron Rolheiser, President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio and author of the weekly column "In Exile" explains the benefits of 'reading against your temperament', why Truth is more important than ideology and why everyone should have at least one really good friend with whom you share nothing in common! And, of course, what faith has to do with any of it. Fr. Rolheiser is interviewed by Fr. Tom Reese, SJ, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgertown University.
Also, check out this radio interview of Fr. Rolheiser on Radio One Tapestry
These are trying times for Catholics, especially for those in Europe and North America. While Catholicism is a growing, vibrant force in Third World nations, it’s under challenge in the West. The shrinking number of priests and nuns, and a growing culture gap between many of the faithful and the Church leadership are cause for worry. So, who do you turn to if you’re a Catholic and you’re looking for a little hope? For increasing numbers of Catholics – for millions of them in fact – encouraging words are coming from a man from Cactus Lake, Saskatchewan. Father Ron Rolheiser is a widely-read columnist in Catholic newspapers, an author and a popular leader of spiritual retreats. Above all, he reassures people it’s all right to be a good Catholic. Father Rolheiser joins Mary Hynes for a wide-ranging conversation about celibacy, popular culture, depression and the need for community.
11 comments:
Tom Teese and Ron Rolheiser - two I really like. Thanks for the link :-)
Hi Crys,
:-) Mine played on the itunes software, so hopefully you'll be able to play it on your Mac. See the link on the main page for how to listen.
Check out the Realplayer interview on Radio One too. It's very good.
Jeff:
A million thanks for these links and, indeed, for introducing me to Ron Rolheiser. He speaks to my painful estrangement from both right and left. He conveys hope for this 'cognitive minority of one'. Perhaps there really is community 'between' the usual suspects, the culture warriors.
It is similarly hopeful, in my estimation, that *neither* winner in Iowa on Thursday fits comfortably within the binary. Both seem to me to inhabit the 'moral diaspora' remarked upon by Rolheiser.
I've been reading Ron Rolheiser in the Western Catholic Reporter for 25 years.
He has formed my view of catholicism, and indeed, the view of many in Canada.
May God grant him many more years, and much more influence. :-)
Jeff,
I clicked on the interview link and it downloaded into my iTunes, but it was a song - what did I do wrong? And how do you make that kind of download type of link? You have iTunes on a PC?
Hi Mike,
I had a feeling you'd appreciate these. I agree, regarding the candidates. It's good to see candidates, especially in the case of Obama, get rewarded somewhat for taking the high road.
Hi Meg!
Great to see you again. :-) As you can see, I'm a big fan of Rolheiser's. He's a real credit to Canada. When Henri Nouwen met an untimely death, it was a real loss. Thank God Ron Rolheiser has been able to pick up that mantle, in his own unique way.
Crystal,
Are you sure? Did you listen to the whole thing? It starts with a music intro, for about a full 30 seconds or so. When I opened it up, it went right to itunes.
Oh - I missed the very first words while putting on my earphones and only heard the song, then didn't keep listeing long enough. Thanks, Jeff.
Happy New Year, Jeff.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get the link to work on my laptop. Will have to try from another computer. From reading your excerpts and the comments here, he sounds quite interesting.
I'd like to read/hear more. I quibble with a couple of his comments - "And while those at the 2 extremes may never consider each other’s point of view, those in between might actually be willing to do just that." I'm not sure if he's really this linear in his overall discussion. But one of the biggest problems, I think, is believing there's a straight line between Left and Right, or Liberal and Conservative, with "extremes" at each end and a center area "in the middle" where "moderate" people live. I don't think life's that simple or people are that clear-cut. We're each made up of different influences, many of them conflicting. At least I am. There's simply no place for me on a straight line. We need better models for discussing these issues - a 3-D globe model or the web model - something that better reflects individuals and communities.
I sometimes think of a football game - but there are five teams on the field at the same time, and we each play for 2 or 3 of them. If that's not a totally bizarre analogy.
And the concept of "the Other side" feeds into the dualistic and simplistic division as well.
But again, I realize I'm only getting a tiny taste of his thinking. I certainly agree with his overall theme here - Truth is more important than ideology! And I find it both stimulating, educational and humanizing (?) to have friends with various political backgrounds.
The Provoke Radio podcast is one of my favorites, and I remember listening to the one you mention. It's good to get all sorts of views... but I still can't stomach Fox News ;) Can't or won't? Something to reflect on, I suppose.
I do know that I don't like polarization and extremism. It shuts us off from so many good things - like understanding the common humanity in every person, compassion, solidarity and all that sort of stuff.
"...one of the biggest problems, I think, is believing there's a straight line between Left and Right, or Liberal and Conservative, with 'extremes' at each end and a center area 'in the middle' where 'moderate' people live. I don't think life's that simple or people are that clear-cut. We're each made up of different influences, many of them conflicting. At least I am. There's simply no place for me on a straight line. We need better models for discussing these issues - a 3-D globe model or the web model - something that better reflects individuals and communities."
Quick note to endorse William's observations. 'Real life' is infinely more complicated and there is no linear left to right spectrum.
The problem, as I see it, is that the very human allergy to cognitive dissonance and desire for a sense of predictability cause us to impose this spectrum even when we know there isn't one. To pick up on William's apt analogy, we don't know how to talk in 3-D and we're too guarded, too fearful of being misunderstood, to try to challenge the dominant discourse of right/center/left.
Happy New Year William, Mike, Steve...
William, long time, no see. I wish you'd had a chance to see my Lonnie Johnson Youtube post before the video got pulled. I think you would have liked it.
I hope you had a chance to hear that Rolheiser piece. It automatically came up on itunes software on my machine... Despite the impression that might have been given in the blurb, I think that he would have agreed with both you and Mike, and he would probably like the football game analogy too, cuz it sounds a little bit like Canadian football, as far as I can tell... :-)
I think he'd be firm is asserting that in avoiding extremes, the answer is not put yourself into the "mushy middle" - a bland, median, lukewarm stance that neither affirms nor condems anything. It's more a matter of recognizing that it is rare for either extreme to have a monopoly on the truth, and that both sides have strengths and weaknesses that should be recognized and appreciated by the other side.
In a religious context, I have to say that I feel for priests nowadays, due to the difficulties that they face. I find that it's hard enough to run a religiously-oriented blog without violating fiercely-held norms held by one side or another, and offending people. I can't imagine what it must be like to run a parish. As Mike suggests, the pressure to cave and conform to one side or another in order to avoid dissonance and isolation is intense.
Steve,
FOX! Now I'll turn partisan... I know what you mean... It drives me nuts, especially the bubble-headed chatter that passes for news on FOX & Friends. I have a cousin who's a schoolteacher and a very good one. He drives me crazy, however, when he goes on a rant about how people don't take the time to get informed about current events, watching stuff like WWF instead of what they should be watching, which is ... O'REILLY! Now, I can't much see the difference between WWF and O'Reilly myself, except muscles. I have to remind him that as a schoolteacher, he's supposed to be among the first to see the danger of fascistic tendencies when he sees them. Of course, I tell him he should listen to NPR, and he writes me off as an elitist Commie-symp.
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