A mystical perspective differs from a religious one although they both focus on God. Each religion seeks to establish an exclusive way to approach God using a restrictive set of rules and guidelines—either implied or overtly expressed. Religion is advantageous and important for social order and it can provide security and comfort, but for the most part it is a closed system. In the God search, religion is a good starting point but there is little room for growth or exploration because the rules are already established and innovation is seen as a threat.
Mysticism on the other hand is a deeper search for meaning—seeking the ‘why’ of the phenomenon of human existence. It begins by assuming the presence of a Supreme Being but doesn’t make absolute claims about the nature of that Being because there is a realization that it is mystery beyond the human capacity to grasp; yet the seeking can bring a bit more light of understanding.
In my book the artist is a contemporary mystic, as was Teilhard, striving to help people ‘see’ more deeply into life’s mystery. The Stations by B. Sabonis-Chafee is available on Amazon books. This is its description.
The Stations is a deep and probing story of the doubt-faith conflict of artist John Stanley Thomas’s search for meaning in our contemporary secular world. It is both timely and universal. In this story—as in the world at large—there are growing concerns about ‘moral bankruptcy’ with calls for a refocus upon universal values rather than those that are religion-specific. The setting is Roman Catholic, but it is neither pro nor anti-Church—it is the spiritual struggle of an artist who plunges inward to discover the dimensions of his vision and then stay true to it in the face of institutional opposition.
The following is a five-point outline of the story:
-- A fortune is left in the hands of the Church for an artistic expression of the Stations of the Cross.
-- The initial protagonist, Archbishop Kaslandis, is deeply spiritual. He engages in a seven-year search for the ‘right’ artist. About a year after the artist is commissioned the Archbishop dies; his successor is an efficient bureaucrat.
-- Once the sculpting begins the artist experiences a ‘dark night’; a creative block which, after months, gives way to a new vision to imbue the stations with contemporary socially relevant meaning which shocks the ultra-conservative clergy who see heresy and blasphemy.
-- As he is threatened with the commission’s withdrawal, he seeks the wise counsel of a psychologist-nun, Mother Abara, with whom he has deep discussions.
-- Following the death of Mother Abara, perhaps out of loneliness, he becomes entangled in a miss-matched fiery relationship.
-- He loses the commission but continues to work on the stations as we watch his life unfold over a 20-year period. There is employment as a Community College art teacher, relationships, and the aloneness this struggle requires. Woven throughout, the reader witnesses the artist’s creative process as he gives expression to each of the fourteen stations.
I would be most interested in any comments from readers of The Stations. I can be reached by email: bsabonis@me.com
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