WHO ART THOU

SINCE CHILDHOOD, I HAVE BEEN AWESTRUCK BY THE INTRICACY AND BEAUTY OF THE WORLD. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD HAS ALWAYS SEEMED SELF-EVIDENT, REFLECTED IN THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL THINGS. BUT I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THE COMMON PERSONIFICATION OF GOD AS A BEING TO BE PLEADED WITH—AS IF DIVINE ORDER WERE SIMPLY A HUMAN-LIKE ENTITY WITH GREATER POWER.

PERSONIFICATION, HOWEVER, MAY BE NECESSARY. IT HELPS US INTERFACE WITH SOMETHING BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING, A WAY TO RELATE TO THE INFINITE. BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN GOD IS LIKE US. I RESONATE WITH SPINOZA’S VIEW OF GOD AS THE UNIVERSE ITSELF—THE LAWS, ORDER, AND INFINITE POSSIBILITY THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, ARE, AND WILL BE.

THIS VIEW CALLS FOR ALIGNMENT, NOT PETITION. TO ENGAGE WITH THE DIVINE IS TO STUDY THE SYSTEMS WE INHABIT, TO REFLECT THEIR ORDER IN HOW WE LIVE. DOMINION, THEN, IS NOT CONTROL BUT STEWARDSHIP—A RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT IN HARMONY WITH THIS GREATER WHOLE.

CODE-SWITCH EMBODIES THIS SEARCH FOR CONNECTION. IT IS A FRAMEWORK THAT BRINGS TOGETHER IDEAS, DISCIPLINES, AND CULTURES WHILE HONOURING THEIR DISTINCT IDENTITIES. JUST AS DIVINE ORDER REQUIRES ALIGNMENT, CODE-SWITCH FOSTERS A PROCESS OF INQUIRY AND SYNTHESIS TO REFLECT THAT ORDER.

THE GOAL IS NOT TO DEFINE GOD BUT TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD AS AN EXPRESSION OF THE DIVINE. PERSONIFICATION MAY HELP US RELATE, BUT IT MUST NOT LIMIT OUR UNDERSTANDING. TO SEEK IS TO ALIGN—TO NAVIGATE THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL THINGS AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR INFINITE POSSIBILITY.