native-american-spirituality

From Dualism to Wholeness: A Spiritual Journey Through Many Traditions Toward Sacrament, Justice, and Love

The Curious PilgrimLeave a comment

Finding Unity in the Episcopal Church After a Lifetime of Seeking

My spiritual journey has never been a straight line. I began within the Free Will Baptist tradition, carrying with me the dualistic view of sacred and profane, and the heavy sense that humanity was broken and bound for judgment. Yet, as the years passed, my experiences, teachers, and encounters with different traditions began to weave together a richer tapestry of faith—one that ultimately led me to the Episcopal Church.

Learning That Life Is Relation

At Free Will Baptist Bible College, I sat under Professor Leroy Forlines, who wrote on Bible ethics and taught that life is essentially about relationships. He described four foundational ones: with God, with others, with ourselves, and with the universe. That idea—that life is relation—stuck with me. It gave me a framework that would shape how I interpreted every new encounter with spirituality.

Wesleyan Influence and the Methodist Way

After years in the Free Will Baptist Church, I had the opportunity to serve as a Church of the Nazarene pastor. Through that experience, I became acquainted with John Wesley. His teaching opened my eyes to a broader vision of Christian faith, one that emphasized holiness, grace, and practical living. Eventually, I found my way into the Methodist Church, where I discovered the Wesleyan Quadrilateral: truth is discerned through Scripture, Reason, Experience, and Tradition. This made so much sense to me—so different from the sola scriptura approach of the Free Will Baptist and Nazarene churches.

In 1997, I formally joined the United Methodist Church and went on to attend Memphis Theological Seminary. There, Dr. Barry Bryant, a Methodist professor, drilled into us the heart of the Gospel: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. From him I also learned the depth of sacrament and sacramentalism—seeing God’s grace in ordinary, tangible ways.

The Splitting of the UMC

In more recent years, I watched the United Methodist Church fracture over LGBTQ ordination. Many congregations left, and I felt the services lose some of the liturgical richness rooted in Anglican tradition. My heart longed for a worship that was more sacramental, more connected to the deep rhythms of Anglican and Catholic practice. I yearned for a place where my expanding spirituality—shaped by so many influences—could be fully lived.

Streams That Shaped Me

By this time, I had already been shaped by multiple streams of faith:

  • Native American spirituality taught me that everything is sacred and all life is interconnected.
  • Quaker spirituality taught me to listen for the Inner Light and to seek truth in silence and simplicity.
  • Progressive Christianity taught me that love and justice are the heart of the Gospel, and inclusivity is non-negotiable.
  • Taoism, through the teaching of Dr. Larry Campbell, showed me the wisdom of balance, harmony, and flow.

All of these formed within me a vision of faith that went beyond dogma—one that cherished relationship, inclusion, and sacrament.

Finding Home in the Episcopal Church

That longing found its home at St. James Episcopal Church in Springfield, Missouri. Here, I discovered a community where all the influences of my journey seemed to converge. The liturgy connects me to the ancient church, the sacraments bring depth and meaning, and the spirit of inclusion reflects the love I had discovered in Progressive Christianity. I can see the harmony of Native American spirituality, the silence and integrity of Quakerism, and the wisdom of Taoism alive in this community’s practices.

In Essence

I became an Episcopalian because it is the one place where all the streams of my journey flow together. It is where sacrament and justice meet, where ancient tradition embraces progressive inclusion, and where the beauty of worship reflects the sacredness of all creation. For me, the Episcopal Church is not just a denomination—it is the home where my faith, shaped by so many influences, has found its resting place.

Walking My Spiritual Path: From Dualism to Harmony, Silence, and Love

The Curious PilgrimLeave a comment

I grew up with a strong sense of dualism—the sacred and the profane, heaven and hell, saved and lost. In the Free Will Baptist Church, I was taught the Arminian way, yet it still carried the weight of a worldview where humanity was seen as sinful and bound for judgment. Though I did not embrace the Calvinistic doctrines of total depravity, unconditional surrender, limited atonement, irresistible grace, or perseverance of the saints, I still carried the heavy burden of seeing humanity as broken and stained.

As I have followed the path of Jesus into adulthood, I’ve discovered new streams of spirituality that have reshaped my faith. I have found a home in the Native American way, in the Quaker tradition, and in the Progressive Christian vision. Each of these traditions has offered me a gift, a piece of the puzzle, and together they have given me a spirituality that feels whole.

The Native American Path: Living in Harmony

What first drew me to Native American spirituality was its sense of relationship. Rather than separating the sacred from the profane, everything is seen as sacred: the Earth, the waters, the winds, the animals, the ancestors. The Creator and the spirit world are not distant, but close, woven into every breath. This way of seeing frees me from a dualistic worldview and reminds me that I, too, am part of the sacred circle of life. Balance and harmony are not just ideals, they are ways of living.

The Quaker Path: Listening in the Silence

In Quaker worship, I encountered something profoundly simple and deeply moving. Sitting in silence, waiting for the Inner Light, I found that God is not locked away in heaven but present in each heart. No preacher, no ritual, no performance—just the Spirit speaking in the quiet. This simplicity spoke to me, especially as someone who grew up with sermons heavy on judgment and guilt. The Quaker way reminded me that truth, peace, equality, and integrity flow from the Spirit’s leading. It is not about escaping this world, but about living faithfully within it.

The Progressive Christian Path: Love Made Real

Progressive Christianity opened a different door for me: one where Jesus’ life and teachings are central, not as a dogma to enforce, but as a way of radical love and justice. Here, inclusivity is not an afterthought but a core expression of the Gospel. Worship is welcoming, questions are encouraged, and creation care is embraced as a spiritual responsibility. For me, this way reclaims Christianity from fear and offers it back as love in action.

Where My Path Leads

When I weave these three traditions together, I find a spirituality that feels alive:

  • From Native American wisdom, I’ve learned kinship with all creation.
  • From Quaker practice, I’ve learned to listen for the still, small voice within.
  • From Progressive Christianity, I’ve learned that love must be lived out in justice and inclusion.

In Essence

My path has taken me from a faith of fear and dualism into a spirituality of relationship, silence, and love. Native American spirituality reminds me that everything is sacred. Quaker spirituality teaches me to listen and live simply in truth. Progressive Christianity calls me to follow Jesus through justice, compassion, and inclusion. Together, these traditions help me walk a path that honors the Divine, cherishes the Earth, and embraces all people as sacred.