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March 28, 2008
Capturing the Light That's in the Air by Perry Miller
Walker Evans, a famous American documentary photographer in the 1930s and 1940's, noted that many photographers have no trouble framing a photo and having light that reflects well off the subject in interesting ways. Greatness from his point of view lies, however, in those who have the gift to "capture the light that's in the air".
"Capturing the light that's in the air" is a metaphor. It speaks of those who have the uncanny gift of understanding what is happening in the culture, the times and who intuitively know the work that needs to be done and they set out to do it. It's about discerning the essence of time, space and need within a particular and often crucial moments of the cultural and the human predicament. If addressed, the world is a better place. If not, we all suffer because there was the failure to "capture the light that's in the air."
The College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy’s (CPSP) mission is dedicated to "capturing the light that's in the air" for the clinical pastoral movement. As a community its dedication is: To see what others have not seen, to embrace the new rather than cling to the old, to risk rather than play it safe, to reinvent itself rather than re-package the old, to imagine the unimaginable, to let go rather than holding on, to create rather than duplicate, and to dream dreams that have never been dreamed. All of this and more is CPSP's way "to capture the light that's in the air" for the clinical pastoral movement.
Many would say, and they have said, that an organization like CPSP committed to the foolishness of "capturing the light that's in the air" has created a perfect design for failure. Yet, CPSP has been and continues to be a vibrant movement for nearly twenty years. It continues to grow, expand and influence the whole clinical pastoral movement both nationally and internationally. How could this be? How could CPSP survive let alone grow and thrive as it has in the face of many powerful forces designed to cast darkness upon its light.
The only answer I have is that CPSP is blessed with the gift and it has been called to the mission of "capturing the light that's in the air". CPSP attracts those rare souls who are "outside the box" kind of people who find CPSP a better “fit” than the more traditional hierarchical pastoral organizational models. These adventuresome and creative spirits within CPSP want to "capture the light that's in the air". They believe that traveling with the CPSP community might enable them to change the world and that they will make a difference in the lives of people through their ministry.
As a community CPSP is blessed by such madness found within its membership. Let’s face it, it takes a special kind of person willing to join and give their time, energy and passion to an organization like CPSP committed to “traveling light”.
Amongst many things, “traveling light” as a community means that CPSP does not put money into owning or even renting office space. CPSP has no paid Executives/Directors/Staff “running” and “administering” the organization. No one has a job on the line. All are set free to dream, imagine, create, risk, to fail and to try again. A daring and creative spirit abounds within CPSP.
It’s not a stretch to say that CPSP Chapter life is the soul of the CPSP community. CPSP Chapters, small covenant communities whose members not only commit to one another’s professional and personal journeys, they are also invested with an enormous amount of autonomy, leadership, power, discipline and authority, even in the critical matters of certification and accreditation.
While others extol the virtues of being tied to the authority of the US Department of Education (DOE) to make its argument for the quality of its Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs, CPSP in contrast looks to the authority, creativity, imagination and integrity of its Clinical Pastoral Supervisors in consultation with their Chapters and the Chapter's Pastoral Consultant(s) to insure the quality of its clinical training programs.
It's this creative use of audacity and the transforming power of genuine community found within CPSP that becomes a precious gift beyond all measure. It becomes the gift that enables the CPSP to be about the business of "capturing the light that's in the air" for the clinical pastoral movement.
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Posted by Perry Miller, Editor at March 28, 2008 1:07 PM