Van Gennep himself defined rites de passage as “rites which accompany every change of place, state, social position and age.” To point up the contrast between “state” and “transition,” I employ “state” to include all his other terms. It is a more inclusive concept than “status” or “office,” and refers to any type of stable … Continue reading Forsaken Separation
The Liminal Space in Between the Holiday Rituals: When None of the Festivals Really Fit
I live in Melbourne, Australia. We don’t have such a strong culture of the “holidays” (plural) as in the United States and other places - our language is still about “Christmas” and the undercurrent of colonial Christianity endures in an unconscious privileging of the Christian rituals. A “secular” Christmas is most commonly imagined as a … Continue reading The Liminal Space in Between the Holiday Rituals: When None of the Festivals Really Fit
Fantasy and Liminality: Reflections on The Wheel of Time (Book 1)
Note: Fantasy and Liminality is a new series of reflections that looks at liminal themes in fantasy. This inaugural piece looks at the first book of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time. For these series of reflections, my goal isn't to recap, review, or retell each book. I will explore themes I found important for … Continue reading Fantasy and Liminality: Reflections on The Wheel of Time (Book 1)
LOL! Laughter Opening Liminal Space/Thresholds: Comedy and Celebration in Liminal Journey
I was sitting at my desk in geometry class as a sophomore in high school at about the age of sixteen, struggling to understand a new mathematical language embracing spatial intelligence, when I began daydreaming. Many of us can recall our minds, if we were to be honest, wandering into a new stream of consciousness … Continue reading LOL! Laughter Opening Liminal Space/Thresholds: Comedy and Celebration in Liminal Journey
Joseph’s Liminality and the Pit of Suffering
A Sermon delivered to Orange City United Methodist Church in Orange City, FL. Date: August 1, 2021. Scripture Text: Genesis 37:9-36 A video of this sermon can be watched here The journey of life is often fraught with difficult times of transition, change, and in some cases deep suffering. There are times that test us, … Continue reading Joseph’s Liminality and the Pit of Suffering
Liminal Theology 