John Scoble
The purpose of this paper is to explore the spiritual dimensions of death and rebirth for individuals, groups and organisations. It is hoped that some of the comments and observations made will touch you personally and lead to reflection and growth.
Death and rebirth is an intrinsic cycle in life. It is captured in the popular film “the Lion King” which described it as the circle of life. The cycle is built into creation by the Great Spirit. The stars in the universe, animals, humans, relationships and organisations are born into existence, thrive and then begin to decay, until concluding with death and, in many cases, re-birth. This cycle is repeated day in and day out and has been occurring for almost 14 billion years. What are the spiritual repercussions of this reality?
Simple Transition Model
During my career as a HR practitioner, I was fortunate to read a book by William Bridges called “Transitions – Making Sense of Life’s Changes”[1]. The book explores the simple model of endings, neutral zone and new beginnings as it applies to various transitions in one’s life. Some of these transitions include leaving home, moving cities, marriage, having a child, divorce, retrenchment, death of parents and so on. There are two principles that Bridges espouses which are relevant to our present topic. The first is that one cannot move from their current situation until they have had a proper ending. For example, a person who divorces because of a partner’s infidelity cannot move on with their life, or indeed form a new relationship successfully, until they have dealt with the hurt and anger that accompanies that situation. The second principle is that an ending is generally followed by a period of uncertainty and indecision, during which a person is dealing with mixed emotions and “finding their feet”. This is the liminal space between endings and new beginnings that can last for days, months or even a period of years.
Death and Rebirth in Individuals
It behoves us to understand that there will be endings and new beginnings in our spiritual beliefs and there will be periods of liminal questioning and uncertainty between the two. It is perhaps worth reflecting on the significance of Easter Saturday in the Christian death and resurrection story. The disciples were said to be shocked, saddened and disheartened by Jesus’ crucifixion, as well as frightened and uncertain about the future until Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. The Easter trilogy represents the ultimate transition story.
Transition for individuals spiritually can be illustrated by way of an example. Many Christians believe that heaven is a beautiful place up in the clouds where God the Father is an old man sitting on the throne, with Jesus sitting on a throne to his right. After all, that’s what the Nicene Creed told them. Some others have decided that this is an unhelpful human construct, with its overlay of male dominance and regal symbolism. The transition from the first to the second position described involves entering the liminal space and asking questions like “What is heaven? Where is heaven? What is God? Who is God?”. It is conceivable to stay in that space for many years before settling on a new beginning which imagines heaven as a state of grace and joy available here and now in this life. After all, Jesus is reported to have said that the kingdom of God is here among you. Mature Christians, with an eye to scientific discoveries and quantum physics, postulate that God is not a male being (made in man’s image), but more likely a love energy that provides sustenance, movement, joy, inspiration, and comfort to the entire cosmos – and yet any attempt to fully comprehend God is doomed to fail.
Humans are a relational species and Jesus taught that we should love our neighbour as ourselves. How does Bridges’ model apply to relationships and groups? Each one to one relationship that we engage in goes through expansion and contraction as our behaviours towards each other ebb and flow. There are many small deaths and rebirths resulting from unintended slights or verbal altercations, followed by reflection and guilt, after which an apology and possibly reparation ensue. It is worth noting that if one harbours resentment or doesn’t “let go” of the hurt, one has not achieved a solid ending. This is why forgiveness is such an important part of Christian theology. The rebirth (new beginning) is not possible until true and heartfelt forgiveness is offered. That includes forgiveness of self, which is another whole subject on its own.
Richard Rohr, in his seminal book “Falling Upward”[2], lays out Thomas Merton’s distinction between the false self and the true self and the transition involved in moving from the ego- dominated first half of life to the other-dominated second half of life. This transition is a common death and rebirth experience for people in their middle to senior years.
Reflection questions: What have been the major transitions in your life? How does this model apply to them?
The Neutral Zone
The application of this simple three stage model is rarely linear. It is possible for the neutral zone to precede a visible ending or it may arrive after a supposed beginning. For example, a person may develop dissatisfaction with a job or a group of workmates for many months before finally deciding to resign and seek a new job. It is also possible to go back and forward between the three stages. It’s not a single step through the doorway.
The neutral zone or liminal space is a period that can be marked by emotional disturbance, uncertainty, confusion, irrational reactions to events,
pathway through change is often littered with “but what if’s”, “How about?”, “How will I know?”, “What will he/she/they think if...?” and similar questions. It is a waiting area between one point in time and space and the next. Richard Rohr calls this a state of disorder or chaos. He also names the transition model as Order, Disorder and Reorder.
Cynthia Bourgeault teaches that we have three intelligences – the mind, the heart and the body – and that we, in Western culture, pay too little attention to embodiment. When things are changing, the mind is usually the last to catch up. Have you ever found yourself thinking: “this doesn’t feel right, but I just can’t put my finger on why”? That is your body and heart racing ahead of your mind. At other times, your mind might be stepping forward, but your heart isn’t. A colleague remarked to me recently that during a period of indecision about a change in life direction, he was advised: “when your mind meets your heart, you’ll know”.
When it comes to understanding liminal space in spiritual transitions, it is hard to go past The Dark Night of the Soul as expressed by St John of the Cross. Indeed, many mystics, including John’s contemporary, St Teresa of Avila, speak about long periods of prayerful dryness, separation and abandonment by God, that precede the feelings of ecstasy, joy, love and unity that are eventually experienced through perseverance.
At a group or organisational level, the neutral zone is made more complex as individuals react differently to the same set of circumstances. When a change is proposed, or forced upon, a group, some members may enthusiastically embrace the change, while others may dig their heels in and resist the change. This can add disharmony and relational anxiety to the dynamic experienced by a single person. This can also significantly extend the time that the group spends in liminal space.
Reflection questions: how have you experienced the neutral zone or liminal space during your life transitions? Focus on a single, significant transition. What was happening for you during that period of change?
Death and Re-Birth in Groups and Communities
Bridges’ model also applies to social groups, trade unions, sporting clubs and church groups. When I was growing up in Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s, I was a member of the Holy Name Society, a male group which once a month attended Catholic mass together, wore sashes and sang hymns such as “We stand for God”. Women had a similar group called the Legion of Mary. There was also a Catholic youth organisation (CYO) which mainly seemed to organise around sporting events like tennis and cricket. Each of these groups seems to have gone through the cycle of life and faded into history. It is perhaps worth pondering the religious or spiritual groups of which you have been a part, whether these groups have retained their vibrancy or fallen away and the reasons why this is the case. There may also be groups that continue to exist, but in which you have chosen to cease participation.
Reflection questions: What groups have you been a part of in your life? Are you still involved with them? If not, why not? Did the transition move you closer to, or further away from, the Great Spirit?
These questions lead naturally to consideration of worshipping communities and the future of Christianity. Uppermost in the minds of Catholics in the western suburbs of Brisbane, is the recent announcement of the retirement of two priests and the development of a “community of communities” in the parishes Toowong, St Lucia and Indooroopilly. The ending will be provided by the departure of priests, the arrival of the Jesuit replacements and a reduction in the number of masses at each church. However, there are many community members who are not willing to “let go” of the practices of the past; they are resisting the “ending”. We are solidly in the period of uncertainty and anticipate that there will be significant changes in both administration and collegiality. Further complicating this is Pope Francis’s call for synodality at all levels of the Catholic church and what this may mean for our own participation in ministry. We can reasonably anticipate that new beginnings will emerge and that the community transition is likely to take 2-4 years.
Another example of transition at a community level was the decision by the Anglican synod to allow the blessing of same-sex marriages. This led to a significant schism, with some members of the Anglican Communion leaving and forming their own “church”, the diocese of the Southern Cross. Of course, schisms have occurred frequently in Christian history.
Reflection questions: As a Christian called to love your neighbour as yourself, do you have a worshiping community? How do you participate in that community? Do you contribute to that community to the best of your ability?
Death and Re-Birth in Belief Systems
Death and rebirth are clearly in evidence in our Judeo/Christian theological history. One can recall:
Moses and the Exodus from Egypt in approximately 1300 BCE.
The Babylonian exile of Jews from the promised land and destruction of the first Jewish temple in 596 BCE. The temple was rebuilt within 100 years.
The death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth in approximately 37CE.
The Roman suppression of the Jewish uprising and destruction of the second Jewish temple in 70CE; rebuilding this temple on The Temple Mount remains a Jewish aspiration.
The Protestant reformation led by Luther, Calvin and King Henry VIII in the 16th century; Christian unity remains a work in progress, as we continue to focus on what divides us rather than what unites us in diversity.
The suppression of Catholicism during the French Revolution in 1789-1799 which ultimately spawned new religious orders such as the Missionary Oblates of Mary, Marist Brothers and St Vincent de Paul Society.
The Holocaust and creation of the State of Israel in 1947. The Future of Christianity Viewed with this long lens of history, what conclusions can we draw about the future of Christianity? There is no doubt that Christianity is on the decline in Western civilisation but appears to be on the rise in Africa and South America. Significant change in the West is being driven by advances in science, greater emphasis in biblical scholarship on source languages and texts, the rise of the women’s movement, a focus on excluded groups (including the LGBTQI+ community and the disabled), and technological innovation (including computers, mobile phones and AI). This list is illustrative and not meant to be comprehensive. As the decline occurs, the early shoots of rebirth can be seen in the formation of church reform groups, progressive Christianity associations, research and education organisations (including the Centre of Action and Contemplation [3] and the Centre for Christogenesis [4]) and a multitude of progressive authors like Rohr, Bourgeault, Treston, Spong, Borg, Crossan, Savage, Cannato, Chittister, Berry, Fox, O’Murchu, Swimme and Delio. There also appears to be a trend towards smaller spirituality groups (like the various UC Forum groups and the St Lucia Spirituality Group). These groups share some common characteristics such as:
an adult approach to faith development, based on interdependence. [5]
commitment to evangelisation through education
a cosmic worldview that spurns anthropocentricism
a willingness to update theology by reading the signs of the times. [6]
accepting science and theology as two sides of the creation coin.
recognising value in all religious traditions. [7] Reflection questions: Are these new beginnings? Have we really achieved endings to those principles and beliefs that don’t promote a healthy adult spirituality? Does the Church have to die unto itself before it can re-birth?
1 “Transitions -Making Sense of Life’s Changes”, by William Bridges, 2004, Da Capo Press.
2 “Falling Upward - A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life” by Richard Rohr
3 See https://cac.org/
4 See https://christogenesis.org/ 5 See “Telling our Faith Stories” by Kevin Treston
6 See “Doing Theology in an Evolutionary Way” by Diarmuid O”Murchu
7 See “One River, Many Wells” by Matthew Fox
February 2024
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