Seeking Authentic Voice

For a few years I have been thinking about Murray Bowen's Family Systems theory concept of societal regression. Bowen studied families of schizophrenics and recognized intergenerational patterns of emotional transmission, patterns in which certain family members carried the dis-ease of the family and the ways that other family members participated in that transmission process. From these studies he developed his family systems theory which, for those of us who study and apply it, emphasizes personal accountability by taking clearly defined, principled stands based on one's values and belies. Taking these stands however is not done to defend or justify and certainly not to diminish another. One does this simply to be less anxious because one is being mature. Bowen called this, "Self-differentiation." Clearly defined people fall on a spectrum from 1-10, with one being less defined and 10 being fully defined, and no one is ever a 10, except maybe Jesus. Most of us are ...

A number of years ago I drove highway 12 in Utah, which is a loop from Bryce Canyon east to Escalante then north and finally west again where it reconnects to the main highway leading to Salt Lake City. This scenic drive takes one on a winding road up to the very peak of the Rocky Mountains. One section was a mere two lane road with sheer 9,000 foot drop offs on both sides, straight down the mountain sides. I had the impression that a strong wind could blow us right off the edge. It was a terrifying yet absolutely awe inspiring drive, leaving me with the sense that I had been in the presence of our creator, experiencing the beauty of this world as God intends it to be. I felt something similar when I lived near Lake Michigan and could walk the beaches and experience the changes of seasons in that immense body of water, from the rich deep colors of summer to the muted tones of winter with snow and ice. Spiritually speaking experiences of God breaking into our every day lives a...