It is interesting that much of theology has
shied away from much serious consideration of silence.
The second edition of the new Catholic
Encyclopaedia has no entry under silence.
The first edition has two articles
…and both emphasize the
importance of silence for spiritual growth.
One article claims that theologians are reluctant to take silence
seriously because in their ‘keenness to become scientists,
they have relegated this essential medium for theological thought
to the realms of mysticism and spirituality.’
The Encyclopedia of Religion’…
claims that silence, ‘is an essential element in all religions….
‘Silence lies behind the words,
supports the rituals and shapes the way of life,
whatever the words, rituals and
way of life may be.’
A friend of mine doing a doctorate on the topic
found that of 15 major theological reference books consulted,
only 7 contained any specific reference to silence.
Yet the paradox remains;
most of the references call for more
attention to the role of silence in worship
in theology and in our lives.
Thought for the Week – Silence
November 20th, 2011 by Marty in Thought for the week
