Love this topic! I agree that McGilchrist’s work is extremely relevant to the challenges of our time and has profound theological and religious implications. His work on the brain has led him to the following conclusion: “Relationships are prior to ‘relata’ meaning relationships are not only more important than the entities related but are ontologically prior to them so that things arise out of a web of interconnectedness, not a web out of things” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxgLQRlFexU). If relationality is the ultimate ground of reality, it seems to converge with what Orthodox Christianity attempts to explain with the Trinity as well as the LDS concept of ultimate laws upon which God’s existence is predicated (2 Nephi 2:11-13; Alma 42:22-25). Additionally, I believe it necessitates the reality of a personal and corporeal God, such as was revealed through Joseph Smith, who learned to completely participate in this ultimate pattern, which the polarizing figure Jordan Peterson described as the pattern of “…voluntary sacrifice in devotion to atonement.” Further I believe it affords us greater understanding in grappling with the paradox of the one and the many or diversity and unity. I don’t think it can be said any better than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - “In a real sense all life is interrelated. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.” As we continue to move into a world increasingly dominated by a left-brained orientation that values certainty, control and being “right” over right-relationship, we will likely experience greater polarization and fragmentation in our society. However, this is exactly the ideal environment to manifest the power of godliness. Both our religious concepts of Zion and eternal life are fundamentally relational in nature and can only be realized to the extent that we are willing to submit to the tension of polarity, but I think that is exactly what Jesus Christ embodies and is the work of love he calls us to.
Yes, yes, yes!
Love this topic! I agree that McGilchrist’s work is extremely relevant to the challenges of our time and has profound theological and religious implications. His work on the brain has led him to the following conclusion: “Relationships are prior to ‘relata’ meaning relationships are not only more important than the entities related but are ontologically prior to them so that things arise out of a web of interconnectedness, not a web out of things” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxgLQRlFexU). If relationality is the ultimate ground of reality, it seems to converge with what Orthodox Christianity attempts to explain with the Trinity as well as the LDS concept of ultimate laws upon which God’s existence is predicated (2 Nephi 2:11-13; Alma 42:22-25). Additionally, I believe it necessitates the reality of a personal and corporeal God, such as was revealed through Joseph Smith, who learned to completely participate in this ultimate pattern, which the polarizing figure Jordan Peterson described as the pattern of “…voluntary sacrifice in devotion to atonement.” Further I believe it affords us greater understanding in grappling with the paradox of the one and the many or diversity and unity. I don’t think it can be said any better than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - “In a real sense all life is interrelated. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.” As we continue to move into a world increasingly dominated by a left-brained orientation that values certainty, control and being “right” over right-relationship, we will likely experience greater polarization and fragmentation in our society. However, this is exactly the ideal environment to manifest the power of godliness. Both our religious concepts of Zion and eternal life are fundamentally relational in nature and can only be realized to the extent that we are willing to submit to the tension of polarity, but I think that is exactly what Jesus Christ embodies and is the work of love he calls us to.
Way to Be, Zach!