St. Columba: A New Narrative for Our Time

The United Methodist General Conference 2012 is now in the books as of Star Wars Day, May the 4th. Time will tell what, if anything, was accomplished to help the UMC not just survive but move forward into the 21^st century.  Faithful, hard-working delegates are returning weary, exhausted, discouraged, and wondering if any good will come of this 10 day, 10 million dollar quadrennial meeting of the people called United Methodists.  This year’s General Conference was confusing, contentious, and not resulting in the large scale re-thinking, re-structuring and renewal many had hoped for.  One person suggested a motion to remove Reason from the Wesleyan quadrilateral (our theological heritage).  Perhaps this might not be such a bad idea.  What we need is not a more convincing argument but a new narrative, a new vision. 

 

Right now I am preparing for a doctor of ministry class in Celtic spirituality.  Part of that involves reading about notable Celtic saints who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other parts of the British Isles.  Among them is St. Columba of the 6^th century, whose life story could be an instructive new narrative for the United Methodist Church and for most every Christian.

Columba’s life was one of great passion and vision.  Born in the northern part of Ireland, he spent the first part of his life preaching the gospel and planting new communities of faith – reportedly 41 in 41 years – which became centers of prayer, evangelism, learning, and spiritual life. 

Columba’s heroic story was interrupted by an unfortunate series of events.  He was a great lover of poetry, and especially the Psalms, and was delighted when he came upon a copy of St. Martin’s Psalter in the hands of one Finnian of Molville.  He was so enamored with it that he secretly made himself a copy of it, which was apparently not an acceptable thing to do.  When this was discovered, Finnian brought him before the Irish king who made him return the copy (this may have been the first copyright case in history).  Instead of accepting the king’s verdict, Columba raised a small army and attacked the king’s forces.  Columba’s army won the battle, but his uprising against the king was seen as an abuse of power and his beloved Ireland sent him into exile to a cold, windy, damp and barren island off the coast of Scotland called Iona.

St. Columba could have sat and pouted on the small island for the rest of his days, but instead he sought a new vision for his life and ministry.  From that renewed vision he founded a monastic community that became a center for spiritual life and sent forth missionaries to evangelize Scotland and even Europe.  The Iona community is well known all over the world today as a community of justice and hospitality.

What does this have to do with the United Methodist Church, or with one’s personal life?  It’s not hard to connect the dots.  St. Columba’s story begins with passion and purpose, building faith communities and making disciples.  Then something else set in: possessiveness, power, conflict, confusion, chaos.  People guarding their turf.  Many of the conversations at General Conference centered around the subjects of power and turf – who gets to keep it, whom do we trust with it, how do we take it away.  

The next step for St. Columba was exile, a word that Walter Brueggemann and others have aptly used to describe the current reality of the mainline church.  But exile does not have to mean death.  Out of exile came repentance, humility, and a new vision for mission and ministry. 

St. Columba was not perfect, he made mistakes, but he also made a difference.  He never stopped being a visionary and he never gave up being sustained by prayer, simplicity, work, and study.  He knew when he was standing on holy ground, and he knew the value of community.

There are sure to be many observations, evaluations, and reflections offered as General Conference 2012 begins to sink in.  I am praying that some of this reflection may result in a deepening of prayer, repentance, and humility, out of which can come a new narrative theology, a renewed vision for mission and ministry in the world, and a new commitment to building vibrant, robust communities of faith.