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"The Fourth (and Final?) Lap"


2 April 2002

Dear CDSP Community Members:

Once upon a time I used to be a runner. I remember well the psychology of the mile, with its four distinctive laps:
  1. A good solid start and a realistic pace: a lap marked by the excitement of beginning;
  2. A place-keeping time: a lap with neither the excitement of a beginning nor the sight of the end able to motivate;
  3. Making a move on the field: a lap filled with assessment and strategy;
  4. A final race to the finish: a "go for it" lap
Surely there are several potential parallels between seminary life and the progression of laps in a mile run, but the most obvious one at this particular moment is between the second half of the spring semester and the fourth and final lap! Spring Break is over, plans or hopes for the next few weeks have been determined, and it’s time to “go for it.” Sometimes the speed of the last lap can be too fast, leaving the runner exhausted before the finish line is reached… So especially in this last part of the year it is important to pace ourselves, to listen to our bodies and to one another as we move more swiftly toward the end of the semester.

This "final lap" scenario for the coming weeks was much in my mind on 1 April 2002 as I took a bit of time to assess where we were and where we were going. That day, the day after Easter and an official “break” for all at CDSP, was, to keep the “running” metaphor, like rounding the corner of the third lap and thinking of where you were and how you got there, of where you wanted and needed to be and how you were going to get there! Surely there isn’t much time in a mile race or a semester for stock-taking, but it does need to happen. We need to remember all the good things which have happened to this point of the year (good courses; good work done in the GOE’s; good conferences and other special events; good meetings (?!); and much much more). We need to remember personal crises; illnesses; unpleasant surprises; times of being stretched too far and too long; times of frustration; and much more, as we assess where we are and how we will push forward on the final lap of the semester.

And then, in the midst of this ruminating on the character of the CDSP spring semester, I remembered this day, 1 April, was special in the life of the church and for the state of California and our nation. 1 April is a day set aside to remember Frederick Denison Maurice, a 19th century Anglican theologian; and Cesar Chavez, a social reformer and leader of Hispanic farm workers. Remembering these very different men helped put our work here at CDSP into perspective. On the one hand, CDSP is an Anglican institution, with one of its primary goals to learn of the particular character of this strand of Christian tradition and its contribution to the past and to the future. F.D. Maurice is an important figure to consider as we work toward that goal. On the other hand, CDSP is in the midst of a very diverse society and has a big commitment to doing theology in a multicultural context. To do this, remembering Cesar Chavez and his call for justice and equality is also very important.

So, we’re beginning a last lap, for this year at least. Maybe we’ve had the time to do a bit of reflection and reassessment. And we are also reminded by the church and society of some larger goals, contexts, and expectations which are, in one way or another, to be related to our CDSP life.

We have yet one more factor to consider as we begin these next few weeks: Eastertide. What difference does Easter make for all of this? In a season which proclaims new life given, a new way of understanding who we are and what we have been called to be. Eastertide calls us to tell God’s story of salvation and the conquering of death to the world, and promises we will finally have what we need as we begin the last lap: God’s grace; God’s direction; God’s promise of life-giving presence and care, no matter what lies ahead. So, whether we are called to be conservators of the tradition, reformers and prophets, or, as is the case for most of us, a little bit of both, it is God’s life-giving presence and power to overcome all obstacles that we remember and give thanks for most.

I wish you all a wonderful Eastertide and a good last lap for this year.

Faithfully yours,

Donn F. Morgan
 
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