Apparently, that post struck a nerve, since it quickly became one of my most read posts of all time. I received a few emails as well, and I asked one reader's permission to post her email. She (and I) would love to hear your thoughts on the issues she raises:
I have been wondering about something that maybe you can give me your thoughts on (do you reply to emails like this?) or maybe blog about. I work in full-time collegiate ministry with an international organization. Sometimes when people (mostly extroverts, probably) start talking to me about passion and what they are passionate about, it strikes me in a way that makes me feel awful as if maybe I'm just not passionate about anything. They'll talk about "Jesus is my passion" or being "passionate about the Gospel," etc, etc. I feel like I hear this word and see their expressions and think that I cannot imitate them in how they feel. Then I take it as a huge red flag. But I wonder if I'm just not as excitable as a really expressive extrovert, and if that is okay. I'm in full time mission work, so maybe I am passionate, but my passion expresses itself differently. Thoughts on this idea of "being passionate" and how that is expressed? Just the phrase makes me feel tired.
The word passion makes me tired too, and yet I think internally I have a lot of passion! I do think the real issue at play here is we typically associate passion with the external expression of passion, and that in the extroverted sense. After all, if you are truly passionate it will naturally overflow in external ways. That's what evangelicalism teaches us, like if we have genuine passion for the Lord we'll be preaching it loudly from the rooftops and running around the streets like we're characters in a musical, right? But the reality is we are all different, and even when passionate about the same thing the external manifestation will not always be the same. Passion is perceived as automatically having an extroverted manifestation, but who would argue Mother Teresa wasn't passionate, yet the outward manifestation. Of her passion was quiet service - not at all in line with the images the word passion initially conjures, and yet she was no doubt incredibly passionate.
ReplyDeleteI have similar reactions to the e-mailer. I've come to realize that I have passion as an introvert--I just don't want to say it when I'm describing myself. It makes my skin crawl. I have passion, but I would rather have it show in my gifts and how my passion for something positively affects people's lives. Passion has almost lost its meaning--so the action to me speaks louder than the word.
ReplyDeleteAs an introvert, I can argue that introverts have passion. There are things that I care deeply about, and if you could read my mind you would know that. I think the big difference is that extroverts share their passion through excitement and talking about it. As an introvert, passion typically leads to a lot of thinking and reflecting about what I have heard and not as much external reaction. I think that visible excitement equals passion for some and if you don't have the visible excitement you are passionate to them. I think it's a case of misunderstanding in how introverts process their thoughts and ideas versus how extroverts process.
ReplyDeleteI think we have a skewed concept of what passion is. The etymology of the word dates it to the time of Christ. Its Latin roots meaning to suffer or endure. It was used to describe the crucifixion. Our culture, perceives emotion as passion. Yes, passion can be emotional. Passion is emotional. But, how that emotion is expressed should be in accordance with one's natural inclinations. It is just evidence of the lean towards extroversion that symbolizes our present American culture.
ReplyDeleteThese are all very wise and thoughtful answers. It seems we're in agreement that "passion" takes different expressions, and that for introverts, it may be a quieter, simmering passion rather than a raging hot passion. Because our passion is less visible, and harder to measure at first glance, we can be misunderstood. But I bet the people who take the time to really know us will see it very clearly.
ReplyDeleteAs introverts, I think that we can all learn something from monastics. Sadly the vast majority of Protestant denominations have done away with monasticism, and doing so has probably helped contribute to the extroverted modern church.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if the word "passion" makes my skin crawl because I am introvert, or because of another part of my personality (intuitive thinker) or because of my past experiences. The word "passion" (among many others) rings hollow. Show me your actions, your life; I don't care about your words. Maybe I am a cynic, but when people talk like this it makes me think that there is not much behind their words.
Adam - This is a great topic and I am glad you have raised it. The trouble I have with "passion" besides the overuse of the word is that I don't see anything in Scripture that equates what we think of as passion with godliness. At least in my experience the conventional understanding of "passion" refers to a certain style or strength of emotion. So a passionate person is one with strong emotions. I know Jonathan Edwards tries to distinguish between emotions and affections and that some of our modern followers of Edwards look to him as to authenticate their views but after trying to read Edwards, at least on this regard I just don't see how the idea of "affections" is anything more than a kind of or strength of feeling. And I don't know that Edwards was influenced by Romanticism but it seems to me that our views on "passion" have been wholly imported from the romanticist playbook and baptized with biblical notions. I'm not against emotion at all and this is one aspect of human personality that needs to be and can be brought under the Lordship of Christ. But in the end I think all of this talk of "passion" misses the mark and as you suggest, it leaves the quiet, introverted, reserved, shy types in the dust, and that is just plain wrong.
ReplyDeleteAdam - This is a great topic and I am glad you have raised it. The trouble I have with "passion" besides the overuse of the word is that I don't see anything in Scripture that equates what we think of as passion with godliness. At least in my experience the conventional understanding of "passion" refers to a certain style or strength of emotion. So a passionate person is one with strong emotions. I know Jonathan Edwards tries to distinguish between emotions and affections and that some of our modern followers of Edwards look to him as to authenticate their views but after trying to read Edwards, at least on this regard I just don't see how the idea of "affections" is anything more than a kind of or strength of feeling. And I don't know that Edwards was influenced by Romanticism but it seems to me that our views on "passion" have been wholly imported from the romanticist playbook and baptized with biblical notions. I'm not against emotion at all and this is one aspect of human personality that needs to be and can be brought under the Lordship of Christ. But in the end I think all of this talk of "passion" misses the mark and as you suggest, it leaves the quiet, introverted, reserved, shy types in the dust, and that is just plain wrong.
ReplyDelete