In retrospect, I see the ways that my passion for spiritual formation particularly ignited with a reading of Brent Curtis & John Eldredge’s The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God, back in 2001. No, it’s not real academic in nature. But, it themes resonated deeply in my heart then – echoing strongly still to this day.
Looking back now, I can see how several of our “explorations” have their roots here (and in attending workbooks and conference audios). And, then there’s a host of great quotes from others that they share [as, e.g., Buechner’s words about our “original shimmering selves getting buried so deeply”]–nuggets that find themselves playing in a wide variety of our discussions. They (Eldredge and Curtis) most certainly sent me onto a host of books to read, movies to watch, and listening playlists.
Two explorations especially come to mind as I think of The Sacred Romance:
- Curtis & Eldredge’s incorporation of cinema and contemporary music in their presentations is clearly the basis of what has become “Reel Theology: Focused Discussions at the Intersection of Hollywood and Divine.” A basis of the movies we review and discuss in this offering is found in Eldrege’s words:
I believe we need to hold the creeds in one hand and our favorite forms of art in the other. These are films, books, poems, songs, and paintings I return to again and again for some deep reason in my heart. Taking a closer look, I see that they all tell me about some part of the Sacred Romance. They help wake me to a deeper remembrance. As Don Hudson has said, “Are is, in the final analysis, a window on heaven.” (Eldredge, The Sacred Romance, p. 204)
- Or again, their lining out the “acts” of the Biblical metanarrative [grounded as much in Dante as it is in the Scriptures] is the basis of the emerging online course (via BeADisciple) which is “Exploring Spiritual Formation: Mapping Our Journeys Back Home to God.” When they lay out these movements in the story–
Act One: God’s Eternal Heart (for Us),
Act Two: God’s Heart/Love Betrayed,
Act Three: God’s Heart on Trial
(with “scenes” of haunting, arrows, and pursuit), and
Act Four: Heaven…
Are these not, in fact, the acts and scenes every man and woman’s journey back home to God?
These two threads came together a few years ago – when I melded some of my favorite movie scenes into a “Sacred Romance” montage. Admittedly, it’s a bit choppy and jumpy… Not real polished. But still, it “works.”
There’s a movement in the progression of the clips (for those who care to follow). Maybe you can see (or feel) the sequence as you watch:
from first suggestions of the power of story and metanarrative
to our original, innocent beginnings
to a sense of disorientation and alienation and disharmony… being stuck
to a sense of wakening (or the promise of such)
to a sense of finally “stepping out”—journeying, fighting the fight
to a sense that, behind it all, there’s a Love and Truth pursuing
to a sense of triumph and victory and freedom [now and coming]
to a sense of final consummation and coming home
[Click here if you’d like to see a more detailed storyboard for this montage.]
So grab a cup of your favorite beverage.
Kick up your feet.
Enjoy, yes. (I hope.)
But, more deeply, prayerfully ponder your place in the Sacred Romance.
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As you have reactions or impressions, I’d love to hear from you via comments, here below!