The program will begin with a four-week stay in Egypt to explore Gnosticism, the coptic Church, Valentinus' Alexandria, and gain an understanding into the religious diversity of this important area during the first two centuries CE.  The program will then move to Rome which became the center for Orthodox Christianity in the early centuries of Church history.  The final four weeks of the program will be spent back in the United States for musical composition and further reflection.  This program will offer the opportunity for Rick to study and travel in foreign cultures, gain both a greater academic understanding and an intuitive appreciation for these places, people and history, take some extended time for musical composition and enrichment, and deepen his inner reserves through contemplation and prayer.

Proposed activities include:  study of Gnostic texts, especially the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary; research into the origins, historical and cultural contexts of these texts and of Gnosticism in general; consultations with scholars/mentors in the fields of Gnosticism, early Christianity, and music composition; the time to visit the Coptic museum and the Egyptian museum, both in Cairo, a tour of Coptic Churches to include attendance at worship, concerts featuring Eyptian music, visits to the Greco-Roman museum, the excavation at Kom Al-Dikka, the catacombs of Kom Al-Shuqafa, Pompey's pillar and the Serapeum, the bibliotheca Alexandria and the necropolises, all in Alexandria, possible day trips to the white Monastery in Sohag, the Greco-Roman temple in Dendara, the monasteries in Wadi Natrun, sights in Abydos, Nag Hammadi, Memphis, and Hermopolis, and of course, the pyramids.  A four-day stay at the Monastery of St. Anthony, towards the end of the stay in Egypt, will also allow for a time of reflection and prayer along with the opportunity to learn the chanting traditions of the local community.

For more information, please contact Rick at the Chapel office.

            One of the aspects I found missing in the article was an acknowledgement of the reporter's/editor's assumptions, biases and social context.  In all fairness, such acknowledgements are rare even in scholarly writings, yet it seems to important when tackling a controversial subject in a popular magazine which, for many people in America, may be their first exposure to this research. We all approach life with a set of assumptions and biases, many of which arise out of our own social location and cultural experiences.  The only way I know of to even attempt to transcend them is to acknowledge them and become aware of the interpretive lens that they form, through which we organize and derive meaning for our life.

            The reporters/editors of this article frequently fell back upon the classification of scholars as either "liberal" or "conservative" (alas, a polarization I often make myself) without defining those classifications.  I think it is more relevant to consider what makes a scholar credible, rather than where they fall on a political or ideological spectrum.  The most credible scholars, in my mind, are those that are willing to ask the tough questions and consider all the possibilities, even those that may be antithetical to thier belief system.  A good scholar will not settle for a predetermined outcome or dismiss evidence that contradicts his or her religious convictions.

            One of the more helpful insights the article offered was the image of Christianity as either an oak or a mangrove.

"The faith's historical silhouette was traditionally thought to resemble that of a hardwood
tree:  bushy with denominational profusion on top, but plumb line straight in its bottom
half, theologically unified down through the hardy 'primitive church' and on, through
apostolic roots, to Christ . . .  Gradually, the more liberal (sic) historians came to view
early Christiantiy not as an oak but as a mangrove, a welter of trunks with names like
Gnosticism, Ebionism and Marcionism, each offering a different vision of Christ and
Christians.  The 'orthodox' stem, they concluded, had only gradually strangled or
absorbed the others."

               It is becoming more and more difficult for any credible scholar to deny the huge diversity of thought and practice within the early church throughout the first few centuries of its existence.  One may accept or reject a particular belief system but it seems quite clear that the historical Jesus, either intentionally or not, left himself and his teaching open to a wide diversity of interpretations and applications.

               Some of the qualities of our spiritual community here at CVCC that I dearly love are our williness to examine our own assumptions and biases, to explore the other belief systems with respect and appreciation, and to celebrate the rich diversity of thought and expression that exists both within and outside of our own community. These qualities are more and more looking like qualities Jesus embodied as well.

               So, I thank you for your openness and your willingness to engage in scholarly exploration, and I look forward to sharing and exploring together the roots of our faith and the growth we have yet to reach.
 

                                                                                                                        Your partner in shared ministry,
                                                                                                                         Rick Yramategui