A Spirituality of Paradox

A Spirituality of Paradox

by Paul Kowalewski

Soren Kierkegaard once said:

 Take away paradox from the thinker and you have a professor.

I am very fond of this piece of wisdom – probably because I see so much of myself in it. I have always been the professor, the educated theologian, priest and expert. I wanted clarity, unambiguous answers, clear cut direction in my life and in my beliefs.

In my later years, I have come to realize that the road to truth and wisdom is never a one-way street paved with clear-cut answers. The road to wisdom is winding and messy and always paved with ambiguity. The road to wisdom is always paradoxical.

When you embrace a paradox, you are placed in the midst of opposing points of view and yet truth emerges in the apparent contradictions. I have come to a place where I welcome and embrace paradox on my spiritual journey- my path of seeking deeper truth and greater wisdom.

I am reminded of something priest and author, Richard Rohr, once said,

All true spirituality has the character of paradox to it,

precisely because it is always holding together the Whole of reality.

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