cyberfizh

The Glory of God is a Human Being Fully Alive

Welcome to cyberfizh where I, Derek Chandler, explore what it means to be a human being ‘fully alive’ in the 21st century – body, mind, and spirit. Nearly 2000 years ago a Christian bishop named Irenaeus said:

“The glory of God is a human being fully alive.”

It is this statement in the context of today’s world, that I reflect on through blogs and podcasts.

Faith blogging through life’s Ebb & Flow

What you will find in cyberfizh comes from a predominantly, but not exclusively Christian perspective. There is much that we can learn from one another’s religious traditions, philosophies, and personal perspectives, based upon life experiences. An example of this is the term, ‘oceanic feeling’, which was created by a French novelist, Romain Rolland, when writing to Sigmund Freud in 1927. It refers to those transcendental moments when an individual senses a strong, limitless bond between themselves and the cosmos. There is nothing biblical about the phrase, and yet it provides insight at this personal exercise of ‘faith blogging through life’s ebb and flow’.

My Story & History

Who am I? Formerly, I was a vicar in the Church of England and I am now a chaplain to a community of retired Christians. I am also a keen amateur historian and I believe the past has much to teach us about our future. Two quotes often come to my mind on this subject:

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” (George Santayana)

“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” (Mark Twain)

Whatever your view of life may be, you will probably find something of interest in cyberfizh if you are amazed at how far we continue to progress scientifically and technologically, and yet the oldest and most profound questions of our existence continue to remain elusive. For example…

Have you ever Wondered?

• The internet has not delivered a ‘global village’ of understanding, as once hoped. As Artificial Intelligence becomes more of a reality the question is, ’Can technology save us and from what?’
• The northern and southern hemispheres of Earth continue to be divided by complex rifts but a simple question, ‘Who is my neighbour?’
• In 1866 a French priest, Hyacinthe Loyson, said, “Blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.” What ‘trees’ must we plant so future generations will bless, rather than curse us?
• Advances in medical and social care, present new challenges and opportunities with ageing populations. What is the wisdom, not just the knowledge, we need to apply? Are we ageing well?

If you’ve ever contemplated just some of these questions, then maybe this pool of reflections is for you. So jump in and enjoy the swim with cyberfizh!