Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Steven Falci
Via Media—The Middle Way
I was both intrigued and a little intimidated when Rob asked me to reflect on via media. I recalled I had first encountered the phrase when I took part in a conference with that title many years ago and also remembered Anne speaking about it in a recent book group studying the Episcopal Way. But I needed to learn more. So being a middle aged Millennial wanna be, I knew exactly what to do – I Googled it. Here is what I found.
Via media – Latin for the middle way – has its roots in Greek philosophy, where Aristotle taught his students to seek a middle road between extremes. In the Anglican tradition, it has been used to describe the church’s identity as a middle way between Christian faith traditions, particularly the preaching and biblical foundations of the Protestant reformation traditions and the liturgical traditions of Roman Catholicism.
How does via media speak to us today as individual Christians in an Episcopal community in Portsmouth NH? We are blessed to have St. John’s as our rock, our foundation. As I reflect on via media, it’s clear to me that it is a big reason I feel so blessed to have found St. John’s as my spiritual community. Rob’s welcome each week to each of us, and to anyone who is visiting, that all are welcome at St. John’s and the Lord’s Table no matter where we are on our faith journey galvanizes us as a welcoming community. I believe being welcoming and open to all is a foundational component of finding the middle way.
With this foundation, how are we called to help our wider community and dare I say our country find a middle way? It is daunting, but I think the first step is to look at ourselves. What core foundational beliefs do we bring to the public square? How can we bring these perspectives into dialogue in a way that is respectful and have the potential to be heard? Do I have the humility (thank you Nicole!) to see my own blind spots and be fully open to some of the perspectives I have heretofore been unwilling to consider?
The differences between the extremes these days feels like a chasm, but if instead we look at it as a wide valley with the potential to identify small opportunities across the valley to build a middle way, we may be able to discern places where we can make a difference. Where is God calling us to make a difference and bring reconciliation and healing? Is it a neighbor who had different election signs on their lawn? Is it a relative who was on the different side of the election who I have not spoken to?
Via media, is not about compromise, but about achieving a better path through consideration of different, valid points of view. Importantly, we are not doing this on our own. Remaining Christ centered and Spirit led can both give us the solace to navigate the day to day, but more importantly, find where God is calling us to make a difference to help find the middle way.