Out of My Mind: Following the Trajectory of God’s Regenerative Story.
Introduction
In the epic film *The Matrix*, Morpheus says to Neo, "You're here because you know something. What you know, you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world." This feeling, a splinter in one’s mind, driving one mad, resonated deeply with me and prompted the creation of this book.
The Prick of Conscience
My journey began in the late 1970s during the height of apartheid in South Africa. As apartheid’s strongest proponents set their rule, I was an undergraduate student experiencing a splinter in my Africana mind. One particular event stood out – a lecture by Archbishop Desmond Tutu at our whites-only university. Tutu’s presence was electrifying and provocative. His courage to stand against the forces that dehumanized him left an indelible mark on my conscience. Despite attempts from white supremacist students to silence him, I found myself drawn to defend him. This moment initiated a painful realization and integration of my head and heart.
Awakening to Reality
Over time, I recognized that my mind had been colonized by apartheid’s theology – a pseudo-religion that tried to provide easy answers to complex questions. These simple answers from my childhood faith no longer sufficed. I needed to find deep, meaningful questions to understand my faith genuinely. American author Lloyd Alexander once said, "We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself." Similarly, Albert Einstein emphasized the importance of asking the right questions. My quest for faith required such an approach.
Minding the Gaps
The metaphor of "minding the gap" from my experience on the London Underground encapsulates the essence of this book. Just as I was alerted to the gap between the platform and the train door, I realized that there were gaps in my thinking, emotions, and actions that needed examining. These gaps led to significant questions about God and apartheid. The God of my childhood seemed complicit in the crime of apartheid. It became evident that the apartheid theology shaped my mind and actions, leaving me with questions that demanded answers.
Sacred Questions
The courage of Desmond Tutu and my interactions with a little black boy, a victim of his mother’s addiction to alcohol, heightened my awareness. These experiences revealed the socio-religious forms of racism that I had internalized. How could a God justify the domination of one nation over another? How could I trust a Bible that seemed to endorse slavery and male domination? These were sacred questions that needed answering. I needed a new hermeneutic to understand scripture and navigate the tension between the Old and New Testaments.
A New Theological Approach
This book proposes a theological method that moves away from the oppressive system that supported apartheid. It’s a journey towards a theology that is generative, generous, and productive. This approach integrates sacred questions, generative tradition, transformative beliefs, and purposeful actions to discern God’s action in the world. Theology must embrace uncertainties and remind practitioners that God is dynamic and mission-driven. As the world evolves, so must our understanding of God. Thus, theology cannot be static; it must be like a bird in flight, always adapting and responsive to the changing world.
Conclusion
"Out of My Mind" is not just a personal journey but a call to adopt a theology that liberates and regenerates. It’s an invitation to continually question, learn, and understand the divine in a dynamic and ever-changing context. This journey away from the oppressive past towards a hopeful and inclusive future begins with minding the gaps in our beliefs and actions.
