Pub Theology 12/2/25 -- The allure of silence
"Only when I understood that I had a primal need for silence was I able to begin my search for it – and there, deep beneath a cacophony of traffic noise and thoughts, music and machinery, iPhones and snow ploughs, it lay in wait for me. Silence." -- So writes Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge.
In tonight's discussion we're going to talk about the role of silence in our everyday and spiritual lives. For one window into this, consider the practice of Quaker Meeting, in which worship takes place in collective silence.
As Tracy Chevalier writes in The Guardian: "Since their establishment in the mid-17th century, Quakers – or the Society of Friends, as they are formally known – have worshipped in collective silence, without the intervention of priest or minister, listening in the stillness for something non-verbal and timeless tucked deep inside. Some call it God, or the Spirit, or the Inner Light, or something less overtly religious. By stripping away noise, it is easier to let go of the everyday, settle one's thoughts, and listen. Quaker Meeting is much like meditation, except done together. The communal nature of the experience is essential, for being with others makes the silence more valuable. Sometimes at Meeting when I'm restless, I sense the stillness of those around me and it reminds me of what I'm doing, so that I sit still and try again."
In his book, "Silence, in the Age of Noise," Kagge asks, and then seeks the answers to three basic questions: "What is silence? Where is it? Why is it more important now than ever?"
We will look for our own answers in our conversation beginning at 7 pm this evening at Irish Tavern in downtown Lake Orion. Check out the link below to read an excerpt from Kagge's book.
