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| Beyond the Biography of Jesus: The Journey of Quadratos |
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Book I  |
Book II Summer 2007 |
Study Guide for Book I |
Study Guide for Book II Summer 2007 |
The Once & Future Easter Triduum
From the Introduction to
Wedding Chamber of God's People:
The Journey of Quadratos, Book IV
Re-Discovery and Beginnings of Restoration
In the mid-1940s the Roman Church re-opened its voluminous libraries to scholars. Much of the documentation of early Christian history was there and had been sealed away for centuries. As scholars scoured the writings, many significant discoveries were made. One was the origins and ritual development of the Easter Triduum. Pope Pius XII began its restoration in the 1950s. Momentum quickened during the Second Vatican Council, and deepened through the 1970s and 80s. During this time many mainline Christian denominations began implementation of the principles of the Easter Triduum. The most prominent feature was the connection between the Easter Vigil and the celebration of Baptism.
After four decades of progress, implementation of the Triduum slowed in the Roman Church and throughout mainline traditions. By the mid-90s, work ground to a halt. Today, we are left with a great name - Triduum - with little praxis or meaning. The commonly known pattern of Holy Week continues to obscure Triduum. For these two powerful celebrations of Easter - Holy Week and Triduum - are separate spiritualities. Each has its own integrity. This book is an effort to help us see, experience and pray The Easter Triduum in her own beauty and truth.
Easter 2007
As I write it is early on the Wednesday before Easter. In an hour I will wing my way to California to lead an Easter Retreat. The schedule continues to be daunting, and yet, this is my life's work. How fortunate can one man be? But some deadlines keep lagging behind - like getting the newsletter to you, and finishing Book II. When I get back to Santa Fe in May - there will be the needed six weeks to complete the last chapter and do a final edit. I promise we will move heaven and earth to have the book available to you for your community's Fall study series. Bank on it.
A few pieces about this newsletter. It contains a link to a reflection on the Easter Triduum. If this is a word that is unfamiliar to you, the term is Latin for 'three days' and refers to days of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
Like so much in our great tradition, we need to constantly move 'beyond the biography of Jesus.' This piece on the Triduum - which eventually will form the Introduction to Book IV - is my read on the "Once and Future Triduum." As we look past the church year as sacred history, it will help us to understand how and why the ancient Triduum was formed.
Holy Week and Triduum are separate traditions in Christianity. Each is of value. But each was developed for a far different reason. If your heart is so moved, read this piece on Triduum, and perhaps reflect on its principles as we celebrate the Sacred Days this week.
Also in this newsletter is a piece about the upcoming Pilot Project: Quadratos for Spiritual Leadership. It begins this summer at Mercy Auburn Retreat - just east of Sacramento. We have an incredibly talented circle of participants who have registered - and there is space for about four more individuals. This is called a Pilot Project because it is our hope to take this around the U.S. in the next few years. Let us hear from you if you are interested in helping us host this in the Midwest or East Coast. Thank you!
Many incredible things are happening in this work. Perhaps one of the most far reaching will be the New Dimensions Radio hour. I taped it in studio in February for airing this Spring. It will be a world-wide broadcast reaching a potential market of one billion people. As one who receives this e-Newsletter, you will get an announcement of air date. You may wish to check out the website newdimensions.org Also, The Social Edge socialedge.com an e-zine from Canada will have an interview with me in their April edition. Last month they interviewed Marcus Borg and next month Elaine Pagels. This could get very interesting.
Finally - Kay and Anne have written a lovely letter. It is true. I have used all the resources I have, and have put the Blue Door Retreat at risk, to get the message of Quadratos out to as large an audience as possible. I will continue to do as much as I possibly can. And the time has come to ask for your support in any number of ways - including possibly making a monetary donation or even tithe. Every day I realize that the work of Quadratos is in God's hands - but I also know the financial strain of this past year has taken its toll on my body and spirit. Your support means everything in getting this work to as wide an audience as possible.
From Good Works into Authentic Service
I have long struggled with the painful awareness that I work way too hard to provide contemplative experiences for other people. So too the organization I helped found wrestles with 'muchness and manyness' in its response to bottomless need. Together - as we attend to the Spirit's invitation to live more simply, freely and in alignment with our deepest values - we hear what I believe is a 4th path call from good works (and even from good work) into authentic service.
I - and we - have found the Quadratos map a wonderful living framework for discerning and tending this internal work while developing the mission of Bread of Life. Through the last 10 years we have wrestled with outer circumstances that force change (the fires of Matthew and Mark) into receiving a gift (John) that is now taking apart some of the very structures that have enabled us to survive to this point... overwork being one of them! And so we find ourselves somewhere in the early movements of Luke noticing that change 'on the road' is more about the willing sacrifice than the external circumstance.
That said, we are acutely aware of the need for discerning companionship on this road of seasonal unfolding and prayerful practice... especially in this time of radically shifting landscape for institutional religion. There is wisdom from the deep pattern of Quadratos to be received anew and mined well for its revelation to our time -- and such mining requires a corporate engagement that yields more together than we can see or know separately.
(reflections on the passages from Luke and John are in Book II)
It's why Bread of Life is sponsoring the Quadratos Immersion retreat series as a pilot project for those in denominational or spiritual leadership. Six retreats (July 2007 - May 2008) will immerse participants in an experience of the four spiritual movements of Quadratos, with an eye toward practical application in the specific settings in which leaders serve. Our hope? To mutually create a prototype for leaders discerning and tending movements of the Spirit in their part of the Body of Christ as well as in their own lives. That would be an authentic service - one in which we hope you'll join!
Request for Support
Those of you who have been to the Blue Door Retreat for a seminar, evening Lectio Divina, spiritual direction, Advent or Triduum, or just to be quiet for awhile - know there are two ways to get to there. One, from Upper Canyon Road takes you up the ridiculously steep and rocky Apodaca Hill, where as you round the corner at the top your vision is momentarily obscured and you just pray you make it. The other, from Camino Cabra, leads you onto Camino Ribiera, a gentle, wide and welcoming road even during days of snow.
Recently Alexander confessed that life has become like Apodaca Hill. While trying to publicize Book I of Quadratos, work with church communities as they learn and incorporate the ideas of Quadratos, finish Book II, keep the Blue Door Retreat open as a place of celebration, prayer, study, and reflection, he finds little leftover time or energy to raise the money necessary for the ministries of the Blue Door and Quadratos to continue. The way has become steep and rocky, and he has had to consider selling the Blue Door Retreat to free monies to continue the work of Quadratos.
We, all of us, who have found our spiritual lives re-invigorated, deepened, transformed by Quadratos and/or by time at the Blue Door, can help. A friend once said that if we want to know what we truly value in our lives we should look at our checkbooks. This year some of us are committing to making a monthly pledge to the Blue Door. Anne and I have and we are asking you to join us. We want, each month, to open our checkbooks and know that we have shown, in a very tangible way, the value we place on Alexander's ministry, on the work of Quadratos and the Blue Door.
We are far flung, this community of Quadratos and the Blue Door. Yet we can still work together for this vision. Make a monthly pledge for a year, make a reservation at the Blue Door Guest Quarter, spread the message of Quadratos, send copies of the book to friends and ministers, and begin a group using the Study Guide to Book I.
Make a commitment this year to help Alexander find the way to Camino Ribiera. His is a voice our world needs. We, this Quadratos/Blue Door Retreat community, can help.
Make a pledge, and send your checks payable to:
Blue Door Retreat
412 1/2 Apodaca Hill Street
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Make reservations and read more information about the Blue Door Retreat.
In gratitude,
Kay Hankinson and Rev. Anne Ritchings
