A Spritual Interfaith Communiy...
Called The Church Of Seven Planes

by Bishop Aaron M. Joy, OSJ OSM of Japan

(an earlier version of this piece appeared in a 2003 edition of The Light)

The Church of Seven Planes is an organization that is constantly striving for spiritual awareness and a sense of community building, while ignoring the traditional boundaries of religion, geography, race, sex, belief systems, etc. The CSP is built on a platform of countless members that span the globe and countless belief systems new and old. Its members are young and old, healthy and ill, social and recluse, liberal and conservative, of many sexualities and belief systems and occupations, and with a million different roles they play in contributing to the advancement of society and their own person. It is a truly eclectic group.

We may not always agree with each others ideas or lifestyles, but the focus of the CSP is not to be the same but instead to be proud and aware of our differences. And, more importantly, to share these differences in the hope of helping each other grow as spiritual beings. (You may define the word "spiritual" how you wish. I use it here as a general term encompassing all forms of selfdiscovery and fulfillment beyond the droning physical world, whether that it is done with or without a god, formal religion or theology.)

So, the question is: if the CSP's membership is so diverse, than what exactly does such an organization do? What is its goals? It's purpose? For me, I've always seen the CSP as a place where one can find a community and like-minded individuals. The members of the CSP may all have different beliefs systems, but they share the common idea that there is something more to the world besides what the TV screens blares at us or what's featured in the pages of a fashion magazine. In this sense, we are all like-minded. We are all searchers on a quest to seek out something to fulfill and bring peace and comfort to our troubled souls, minds and bodies. We are here to discover the hidden meaning of life. The CSP is a place where we can all gather as a community of seekers and share our searches and discoveries … without fear of having our tongue silenced.

Many of us, for one reason or another, have been unable to or may choose not to be a part of a "traditional" religious organization and group, but yet still feel the need to have a religious/spiritual community to be a part of. The CSP has given us a place where we can fill this gap and not force ourselves to uncomfortably conform to others expectations and opinions. The CSP has given us a place to call home and find community when other groups would probably close (or perhaps even bar) their doors to us, our work and our "unorthodox" or "non-conformist" spirituality. In the end it is their loss. The CSP has given us a place where our search for inner peace and comfort no longer has to be done alone.

There's a Chasidic Jewish story (recorded by leading Jewish scholar Martin Buber in his classic text "The Way Of Man") that summarizes what's I'm attempting to say and I can't resist quoting it here:


"Rabbi Baer of Radenitz once said to his teacher, the Seer of Lublin: 'Show me one general way to the service of G-D.'

"The tzadik replied: 'It is impossible to tell men what way they should take. For one way to serve G-D is through learning, another through prayer, another through fasting and still another through eating. Everyone should carefully observe what way his heart draws him to and then choose this way with all his strength." (from Rabbi Henry Cohen's "Why Judaism? A Search For Meaning In Jewish Identity")


You do not have to be Jewish to appreciate what the above story has to say. I believe that one of the goals of the CSP is to remind us all of this important idea - an idea sometimes forgotten by the traditional religious groups. The idea is not that we all find spiritual support in the same God with the same approach and theology, but that we just find spiritual support plain and simple.

We are all searching for enlightenment. Is the path we choose such a big concern? We each can learn so much more and add that to our search when we open ourselves up to what others have to say. One Jewish folks proverb (recorded by Ibn Gabirol) reads: "Be not ashamed to learn truth from any source." (reprinted from Rabbi Henry Cohen's "Why Judaism? A Search For Meaning In Jewish Identity") I will let you, the reader, decide what is truth. And, the CSP is a place where you can do that.

Now, why am I writing all this? I'm not writing this to tell you exactly what the CSP is, but simply to share my opinion on what it is and perhaps in turn remind you of why the CSP is here and continues to prosper and expand. It's very easy to forget that there is a living and breathing community here that is not just a bunch of nameless computer junkies or ministers looking for a quick buck, but real people with real lives, concerns and goals who have come together to share with each other and improve each others lives. Because the CSP is currently cyberspace oriented I think one has a tendency not to take it too seriously. But, the fact that the administration has made it a goal to eventually find an actual church/retreat building someday in the future demonstrates that the life of the CSP goes beyond the temporary domain of cyberspace.

For 8 months in 2003 I had the opportunity to live and work in Budapest, Hungary (coming from the Seattle area). I will confess that during most of that time my spiritual life had been left on the airplane as I became more concerned with surviving and the daily needs of life. This is not necessarily a bad thing and I feel excusable, as we all have concerns that we must attend to in order to survive comfortably. It wasn't until a weekend trip to Krakow, Poland (site of the "Shindler's List" movie and the former parish of Pope John Paul II) when I "rediscovered" my spiritual inklings and realized how much I had missed that part of my life. I hadn't ignored my spirituality, but I had hadn't given it much attention either. One's spiritual life may not always seem important when held against other daily concerns, but that is simply an illusion, for without it the rest of ones life eventually seems weak or unbearable.

I originally joined the ranks of the CSP in April 2002, like many of you, because I felt uncomfortable in the "traditional" religious community but still wanted to grow spiritually with a community around me and supporting me. I found that community in the CSP, particularly as a member of the Order of St. James under former Abbot Spencer St. John (now Abbot of the Dusty Angels, Order of St. Mychal Aetheric Monastery, named for a minister who died in 9-11 during a rescue attempt) and with Brother Robert Loring (currently Abbot of the Order of St. James) by my side. Being a part of this community, that reached beyond the boundaries of cyberspace into real physical space, not just gave me solace but was a constant reminder to look beyond the daily needs and the surrounding physical world. I eventually took on the position of Bishop of Hungary, which grew into a Bishop-At-Large and eventually webmaster for the CSP and sister organization Interfaith Seminary. Having these positions has been a constant reminder to look beyond my surroundings and continue the search for something bigger.

As a CSP minister I have the right to perform any number of "sacred" ceremonies, but for whatever reason I have never done any of them. I'm a scholar and a sociologist. My ministry is talking and listening and sharing my knowledge, discoveries and opinions. I don't discuss theology or philosophy nor try to tell others how to live, or not live, their lives. It's not much of a ministry, but I'm not looking for resume fodder. I'm just looking to improve my life in bigger ways and the lives of others around me.

What's important though, is not so much my work, but the fact that there's a place where I can be comfortable and not be forced to confine my life to a "traditional" religious path that may limit how I reach out to others. The CSP is a resource without measure. A community without boundaries. It's important to me and I hope you see it in the same light.

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