new church life: march/april 2017
traveled to an exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum.
Gauguin had come to Tahiti expecting a tropical paradise, but he had
brought his demons with him. His dissolute lifestyle had taken a terrible toll
on him. He was ill and deeply in debt, and he was planning to kill himself after
the painting was completed. He did try, but the attempt was unsuccessful, and
it may have been during his recovery that he painted the title of the picture (in
French) on a yellow patch in the upper left corner.
It’s an intriguing title, very philosophical, and in fact theological. The three
questions are from a Catholic catechism Gauguin had learned as a schoolboy
in France. He rejected the faith as an adult, but he remembered the questions
and was pondering the deep subject of what it means to be human when he
painted “Where Do We Come From? . . . “
This reminds me of the New Church doctrine of “remains,” and the
importance of “memory-knowledge” as the basis for thought. Rote learning by
itself is not enough, obviously, but knowing is a prerequisite for understanding.
And I wonder if some form of catechism would not be useful in the New
Church. I saw one once, years ago in an old pamphlet, but I don’t know how
much it was ever used.
Falsities based upon natural appearances and worldly reasoning continually
challenge the truths of faith in a young person’s mind. The teachings of the
New Church provide a strong defense – but only if they are known. Then, even
if people had little understanding of the New Church answer to one of life’s
important questions, at least they would know there is an answer. That would
be a good start. It would give them something to think about, and learn more
about if they wanted to. Once knowledge is implanted in the mind, greater
understanding and belief can follow, even years later.
(WEO)
a new church catechism
The gist of each doctrine of the New Church could be learned through a series
of short questions and answers. Lodged in the memory, these answers would
be helpful in knowing how to respond to various important questions when
they arise. They would provide an immediate, simple response, which would
lend strength to someone facing a temptation. Further study and thought
could follow. Think of the five smooth stones with which David armed himself
when he went out to meet Goliath.
As an example of what a New Church Catechism might look like, consider
how we might respond to the questions in Gauguin’s painting (along with
some related questions).
Q: Where do we come from? A: We come from God, who created us in
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