Meeting God in our busy lives: The theology and practice of Zimzum

The St. Paul Center offered this journey to explore the concept of zimzum, through reflection, prayer , and spiritual practices, in the spring of 2023.

For most of us, nearly every corner of our lives and every nook of our homes is full. There doesn’t seem to be much space for anything—or anyone—else.

Is this what God intended when God created the universe? Did God call forth the whole world simply so we could lead busy lives and hoard a bunch of stuff? Do we reflect God’s image when we fill up the spaces of our lives?

Jewish mystics suggest that God’s first act of creation was zimzum, or self-withdrawal. God needed to open up space within God’s self in order to create. What might that concept mean for us who are made in the image of God?

During Lent and Eastertide, the Rev. Phil LaBelle led a journey to explore the theology and practice of zimzum. By embracing zimzum through reflection, prayer, and spiritual practices, we can open up space for the connections we desire.

The class was offered both in-person and online, for six sessions through Lent and Eastertide.

Instructor

The Rev. Phil LaBelle serves as the rector of St. Mark’s Church, Southborough. Within the Diocese of Massachusetts, he has served on Diocesan Council, the Executive Committee of Council, and was recently the co-chair of the Diocesan Mission Strategy Committee. He first learned about zimzum reading the theology of Jürgen Moltmann while paddling with friends in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota. He’s completing a Doctor of Ministry degree, and this course offering is part of that work. He lives in Southborough with his family and their rescue dog.

Questions about zimzum? Email The Rev. Phil LaBelle at phil@stmarks-sb.org

Look for more courses like this from TSPC in future!