The Ethics of Time

Last updated on: April 26, 2012 at 7:40 pm by Amy Julia Becker

The Ethics of Time 2012-04-26T19:40:05-04:00 Amy Julia Becker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When I went to the spiritual spa last week, I brought a few books with me. I’ve been slowly making my way through John Stott’s The Cross of Christ, and I brought Tim Keller’s latest, King’s Cross. But I didn’t open either one. Instead, I started reading Judith Shulevitz’s The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time. I’ve only made it through three chapters so far, so I may well write more in weeks to come, but I’ll offer a few thoughts so far.

This book took me to a thin place, a place where ideas seep into my consciousness in such a way as to transform my thinking and doing. Shulevitz is a somewhat-practicing Jew who found herself fascinated by and yet ambivalent about the Sabbath, just as, she claims, most Americans find themselves both longing for and eager to avoid the Sabbath:

When we pine for escape from the rat race; when we check into spas, yoga centers, encounter weekends, spiritual retreats… when we deplore the increase in time devoted to consumption… whenever we worry about these things, we are remembering the Sabbath, its power to protect us from the clamor of our own desires. But when, say, we return from a trip to some less developed country and feel a sense of relief that our twenty-four-hour economy allows us to work, shop, dine, and be entertained when we want to, not according to some imposed schedule, at that point, too, we are remembering the Sabbath. We are remembering how claustrophobic its rigid temporal boundaries used to make us feel.

The result of this dual fascination and ambivalence for Shulevitz is this book–part history, part memoir, part meditation. And God used it to challenge and encourage me as I set aside two days to (re)consider my own priorities and rhythms and how I spend my time. (Note the words “spend my”–“spend,” as if time is a commodity… “my,” as if it belongs to me as an individual…)

On numerous occasions, Shulevitz returns to the idea that our attitude and approach toward time carries moral weight. She writes, “The Sabbath–God’s claim against our time–implies that time has an ethical dimension. We rest in order to honor God and his creation, which suggests that not to rest dishonors both.”

Reading this book feels like drinking from a pool of cool water on a scorching day. It helped me remember that the Sabbath is as much gift as it is command and that each day can contain an element of Sabbath within it–an element of honoring God and creation with work and with rest, and an element of enjoying God and creation with playful attentiveness to beauty and delight.

What challenges do you face in resting from your work?

What do you do in order to rest and in order to enjoy your life?

Previous Post

June 23, 2011

College, Down Syndrome, and the Plans we Have...

Next Post

June 27, 2011 Talking with Rachel Simon

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Articles Books Disability Down Syndrome Faith family Perfectly Human Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz