Connections and Spiritual Myopia

Abstract

The term ‘revelation’, in the wide context, for most Christians is usually directed towards God revealing His nature and purposes. The scriptures through the ages, from a Protestant tradition, have been the primary source. As critical as the scriptures are from the standpoint of revelation, the nature of God is also declared substantively in creation and the natural world (general revelation). God also expresses Himself through His people in the arts, music, dance, drama, colour, shape, form and even in silences. These aspects are seldom given the spiritual focus deemed important to aid us in becoming increasingly connected to God. This paper assists in trying to expand our connectivity. It suggests that a possible connection deficit can largely be traced to our myopic Western leanings towards renaissance thought and reformation domination as echoed in contemporary culture. It is implied that Western modernity has been hallmarked by the quest of science and objectivity in the search for meaning at the expense of spirituality as reflected in ‘general revelation’. To provide additional light on our understanding the work of Carl Jung is examined in the area of how we receive information and make connections. The paper includes a section on the implications for educationalists. The conclusion suggested is that we may need to reconsider how we connect with God in more meaningful dimensions and to consider developing a broader horizon of understanding by allowing multiple revelations to aid us in forming a richer understanding of God's nature and purposes.