The word "enthusiasm" is derived from a Greek word meaning "possessed by a god," or "having the god within." Literally, it means "in god" (en-theos). Later, in 17th and 18 century England, the word took on a derogatory meaning. If a person was an "enthusiast," it meant that they entrusted themselves to personal divine revelation, a stance viewed with mistrust by an institutional church fixated on hierarchies of priests and ministers. For example, Johnson's Dictionary of 1755 defined enthusiasm as "a vain belief of private revelation; a vain confidence of divine favor or communication." Some enthusiasts manifested outlandish displays of religious emotion, and - as is so often the case - ANY group believing in personal divine revelation (e.g., the Quakers) was then viewed with suspicion. Later on, the word came to refer to excitement for any interest or cause, thus losing its original grounding in spiritual reality. Here we see that the word history of enthusiasm has followed the general societal trend toward detaching the individual self from its grounding in a deeper divine reality. However, if we return to the original meaning of the word, we can once again realize that enthusiasm is the experience of being penetrated by DIVINE joy. Indeed, that is our deepest calling as human beings - to be the means by which God and the Universe experience joy in the world.
Photo: Indian Paintbrush, Vedauwoo Recreation Area, Medicine Bow National Forest, WY; June 7, 2013
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