Liminal Space for the Christian
"Psychologists call 'liminal space,' a place where boundaries dissolve a little and we stand there, on the threshold, getting ourselves ready to move across the limits of what we were into what we are to be…Victor Turner introduced the concept of 'liminal space': a space of transformation between phases of separation and reincorporation. It represents a period of ambiguity, of marginal and transitional state." (From "Liminal Space – Definition" at http://parole.aporee.org/work/index.php3?char=l)
I know of no thinning of the boundary between life in the flesh (what we were) and life in Christ (what we are to be). There is no getting ready that will enable us to move across this boundary on our own. There is only Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Perhaps liminal space for the Christian is any situation that allows us to encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him. In this sense, all space is liminal space. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
We get another sense of liminal space if we focus on the idea of readiness. "And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:3-4) I believe that readiness for the kingdom of God consists in humbling ourselves before God and man. It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes us truly ready for our encounter with Jesus. Our part in readying ourselves is only to humbly acknowledge and accept Jesus' death and resurrection for us, and his lordship over us.There is also a sense of liminal space characterized by a childlike love and trust whereby the follower abandons himself into the arms of Jesus. It is the self-abandoned follower whom Jesus catches to himself and moves from life in the flesh to life in himself. "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23)
Finally, within the liminal space of self-abandonment, there is a sense of liminal space that is created by waiting and listening for the Good who is outside of us. “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…” (Psalm 37:7) “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10)
With respect to external matters, all space is liminal space for us. This means that we can encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him at any time, in any place - no matter how badly we have failed him and others in the past, no matter how badly we are set to deal with the future. With respect to internal matters, liminal space consists in self-abandonment – a humbling of ourselves; one could even say a humiliation of ourselves (giving up on finding any bit of good in our fleshly selves, we die to our fleshly selves). We abandon ourselves to the power and goodness of Jesus Christ. Finally, there is the liminal space of stillness before God. This is a stillness of trust with an expectation of goodness. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
One more thought. Perhaps liminal space is the Christian believer himself or herself. The Christian believer’s heart is the dwelling place of Christ. Within our hearts, the boundary between acting in the old self and acting in the new self is very “thin.” It is a choice which is enabled by Jesus Christ. By his presence, Jesus creates this “liminal space” in our hearts, and invites us to abandon ourselves, trust him, and choose as he directs us to choose – life in and through him…again and again and again.
In any case, "a period of ambiguity, of marginal and transitional state" (marriage, a new job, loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of health), constitutes a kind of liminal space in that during such times we are more likely to turn to Jesus than during ordinary times.
I know of no thinning of the boundary between life in the flesh (what we were) and life in Christ (what we are to be). There is no getting ready that will enable us to move across this boundary on our own. There is only Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Perhaps liminal space for the Christian is any situation that allows us to encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him. In this sense, all space is liminal space. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
We get another sense of liminal space if we focus on the idea of readiness. "And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:3-4) I believe that readiness for the kingdom of God consists in humbling ourselves before God and man. It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes us truly ready for our encounter with Jesus. Our part in readying ourselves is only to humbly acknowledge and accept Jesus' death and resurrection for us, and his lordship over us.There is also a sense of liminal space characterized by a childlike love and trust whereby the follower abandons himself into the arms of Jesus. It is the self-abandoned follower whom Jesus catches to himself and moves from life in the flesh to life in himself. "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23)
Finally, within the liminal space of self-abandonment, there is a sense of liminal space that is created by waiting and listening for the Good who is outside of us. “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…” (Psalm 37:7) “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10)
With respect to external matters, all space is liminal space for us. This means that we can encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him at any time, in any place - no matter how badly we have failed him and others in the past, no matter how badly we are set to deal with the future. With respect to internal matters, liminal space consists in self-abandonment – a humbling of ourselves; one could even say a humiliation of ourselves (giving up on finding any bit of good in our fleshly selves, we die to our fleshly selves). We abandon ourselves to the power and goodness of Jesus Christ. Finally, there is the liminal space of stillness before God. This is a stillness of trust with an expectation of goodness. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
One more thought. Perhaps liminal space is the Christian believer himself or herself. The Christian believer’s heart is the dwelling place of Christ. Within our hearts, the boundary between acting in the old self and acting in the new self is very “thin.” It is a choice which is enabled by Jesus Christ. By his presence, Jesus creates this “liminal space” in our hearts, and invites us to abandon ourselves, trust him, and choose as he directs us to choose – life in and through him…again and again and again.
In any case, "a period of ambiguity, of marginal and transitional state" (marriage, a new job, loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of health), constitutes a kind of liminal space in that during such times we are more likely to turn to Jesus than during ordinary times.
posted by wasabi at 4:03 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home