Z-Theory #12: the “ials”

Last updated on: July 27, 2009 at 5:16 pm by David Hayward

Z-Theory #12: the “ials” 2009-07-27T17:16:04-04:00 David Hayward

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The z-theory is obviously written from my perspective. I am a middle-aged white North American Canadian Protestant Christian male. And that’s not all. I again submit that all theories are provisional and falsifiable. The z-theory may mean nothing to everyone else, but it doesn’t to me. It has furnished me with a deeper and more unified clarity of reality, and for that I’m grateful:

God is the Unsubstantial. I conclude, so far, that there is Mystery, the Undiscoverable and Unknowable above and beyond. All that we can discover or know about the Unsubstantial is somehow graciously offered and received. But the Unsubstantial is completely unsubstantiated. Like the iceberg, 10% of which is above water and 90% below. The more that is discovered or exposed about the Unsubstantial, the more that we realize is undiscovered and unknown about the Unsubstantial. The ratio of 10/90 is always maintained: as the 10% of what is discovered in exposed, we realize the 90% grows in proportion and always remains by far the greatest part.

Jesus represents, however, the Incarnational and Testimonial aspect of the Unsubstantial (the two sides: the revelation and reception of the incarnation). The Unsubstantial has become, willingly, substantial. Some say there are many incarnations or substantiations of the Mystery, the Divine, the Such-ness or Is-ness, the All-in-All, etc. But I conclude, so far, that there is only one way the All-in-All is incarnate, and that is by self-investing completely and totally into history… human history. Incarnation is how the Insubstantial becomes Substantiated. So all incarnations are actually one… refractions of a deeper and more singular reality. It is the Word become flesh, the dwelling among us. However, this is completely subjected to the “testimonial” of people. There are many witnesses and testimonials concerning the incarnation of the divine or the Other or the Mystery or the UnDiscovered into human history or theory or truth. Even the Christian story of Jesus is a testimony of incarnation. It is the story of the self-dethronment, the abdication, the Unsubstantial’s condescension into substantial human history and life. Therefore, this is where we hold the greatest debate.

Where the z-theory has the most practical importance for me is in the realm of the experiential. I would call this the realm of the Spirit, the experiential aspect of the Unsubstantial. I conclude so far that the Spirit is only experienced. The Spirit is the investment, the incarnation of the Unsubstantial completely and totally into history, the human story, and relationships. It is the “in all” of the All-in-All. Relationships IS the Spirit and we know of the Spirit in no other way. Although, I conclude so far, there is “spirit” above and beyond, a great mystery beyond our knowing, it is totally invested into the experiential realm of life. The Spirit is no longer “out there”, but completely and totally invested in the love, forgiveness and reconciliation of all things.

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