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I —9enate” of •present a-es. to ad-ijor prob-te - al-“synod ery two the first [ had no rawer to tting the ■cifically certaincy.have re-legiality” Vatican 1 shelved ion bishies would dinals in Leo Sue-; plan on concrete giality. f bishops a move-i parts of ike deci-Jt askingietly and w much ly be farrealizes. uld leadReligion Todayby Rev. Lester KinsoivingEncounter groups may be the chief instrument for changing society. contends the Rev. Robert Croraey, a San Francisco Episcopal clergyman whose public pronouncements on controversial social issues have been vast in number and scope.In one of an encyclopedic volume of his letters to editors, the former parish priest recently Identified himself as an encounter group leader and individual therapist. adding 'modestly): “More people than ever are coming to join my groups, as well as Esalon and Svnanon.The Rev. Mr. Cromey's letter also took issue with a statement by a neighboring family therapist. Dr. Gerald Smith, who conducted the first couple's workshop for the Esalon Institute lt;the big daddy of the Encounter Culture), Dr. Smith now contends that encounter groups “are over the hill.”There are increasing signs that Dr. Smith may be right — at least regarding the long romance between encounter groups and certain church leaders. For the past two decades, church members in various denominations (particularly Cromey's) have been regaled with the alleged salvation-potential of the Encounter Culture's group dynamics antecedents: “parish life conferences, “group life laboratories,” buss-sessions” and the like. For these, and now encounter groups, seemed to be the solution to the problem of diminishing fellowship, as the church no longer functioned as the hub ofsocial life for most of its parishioners.NOW THERE ARE an increasing number of second thoughts, and more careful scrutiny of the encounter process from such serious observers as the Rev. Dr Thomas Oden, Professor of Ethics and Theology at Drew Univerity in New Jersey.In an article in The Christian Century magazine, Dr. Oden reports: “I have attended seminars at which eminent leaders of the Encounter Culture backed away from critical dialogue, on the ground that any objection to their practices was rooted in the objector’s psychological state — in his anger or anxiety.This point of view results in a strange phenomenon: The movement that so emphasizes receiving feedback cannot itself receive feedback.”Dr. Oden also notes:— “The Encounter Culture seems unable to police itself, or even to establish internal standards that would prevent abuses . . . Why is a movement 0»at emphasizes honest self-disclosure so often accused of being utterly phony?—The Encounter Culture's reputation for places where extraordinary sexual practices are permitted is not altogether undeserved . . . Their argument that nakedness leads to honesty is just as spurious as the argument that impulsiveness is always preferable to repression .. . Some of the more influential encounter leaders have testified to the centralimportance of hallucenogenic drugs atcrucial stages of their ‘religious development. ’—Perhaps it is just because encounter groups idealize honesty to the Nth degree that their less-than-honest practices appear so glaring. The insincere flaw's of the merchants of sincerity are not hard to recognize. These people have a keen and constant eye for publicity. Few of them are poor and the group fees run high.THE ENCOUNTER group gospel of confession and quickie relationships via psychological (and'or physical) striptease is hardly new. Dr. Oden goes back to the Middle Ages for similarly odd collections of trip-takers and experience-mongers,” such as a group called the “Free Spirits” and later, the egalitarian millenarians, the Taborites and the Lev-elers.The excesses to which some contemporary encounterists can go is seen in the SI70,000 damages awarded by a jury to Paula Abraham, a 22 year-old alumnae of San Jose State University in California.Miss Abraham held that she had suffered near fatal kidney damage, severe bruises and a lacerated mouth during 3 hours at the hands of the University’s Professor Robert W. Zaslow and his technique of “rage reduction.” Commented Zasiow:“I think 1 did her a favor. We do it lovingly.”he liningalso canthra andEnter our slogan contest andLET CARE HE MAKE OUT' HOLIDAY iRemember yourfrii Special gift this Hi son. CARE will pro tive Holiday Cards your friends, tellinr the hungry, the nei sick overseas will ret aid sent by you in To participate, simi“Send CARE the i addresses of frienc for each name on ^ as much as you pc Keep a copy of you can address tt you'll receive fromMail your order or donation to:CARE, Inc. Dept. N. 220 S. Stati Chicago, II.
Newspaper Details
Hoffman Estates Herald
Hoffman Estates, Illinois, US
Mon, Dec 11, 1972
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
William B.
USA 09 Mar 2025
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