Since I first started writing down and sharing
written ministry, something has been troubling me. It may sound
shallow and trivial, but it's a really complicated question with real
implications on what I can and should do in future.
To what extent can I, or should I, claim ownership
of the written ministry I produce? The law is very clear, because the
law doesn't take into account claims of divine inspiration in
writing. It came from my head, through my hands, onto paper (or
keyboard), and its my intellectual property. What happened to get it
into my head in the first place, the law doesn't care about (unless I
was literally copying from existing creative work). When it comes to
spiritual writing, however, there's so much more to it than that.
On the “about”
page of this blog, I have set out some guidance on the circumstances
and conditions under which people can use material from the blog. My
right to do that in law is clear; the imperative to do so is my best
judgement of my spiritual leadings in the matter.
Blog posts like this one, categorised as
“writing”,
are intellectual exercises. I write them because I decide to, I put
effort into working out what I want to say, how best to present it. I
may take positions, though in this case I do not, which are generally
my own positions, reached either intellectually or viscerally. I make
arguments, explore ideas, and the tool by which I do this is my own
intellect, my knowledge, studies, researching existing writings in
the area, and so on. I share them because I think people might be
interested, and sometimes in an effort to inform, or even to change
minds. Some form part of an ongoing, slow-motion, written debate
taking place in the world of Quaker online presence – there are
several such debates raging, from the centrality of Christianity and
the role of non-theism, to the desirability of greater (or different)
outreach, the role of younger people, and several others. So, those
writings I own entirely, intellectually, legally, and morally –
they are mine. The conditions I outline for other people to reproduce
them suit my objectives and protect my interests.
The posts categorised as “ministry”,
however, are different. As explained in an
earlier post, they are akin to ministry spoken in Meeting for
Worship. They are demanding, and I resist writing and sharing them at
my peril. I don't feel I can claim the idea encapsulated in one is
mine, though occasionally they correspond with a position I already
held. The structure is generally not something I consciously choose
or evaluate. Most of the choice of words is mine, but not all of it.
Yet it may be questioned whether, even if one were to assume for the
sake of argument that ministry comes from a theistic God and that
this is valid, true ministry, the choices of structure and words are
subconsciously mine, even if I do not consciously choose them. Does
the Spirit make a habit of communicating in words, or does it
communicate in ideas that our own faculties then shape into forms we
can share, be they words, images, or even music?
It's a strange situation to be in. I frequently
seek support, be it moral or intellectual, from my partner, Jenn. She
has far longer experience with Quaker spirituality, worship and
processes than I, and I trust her as absolutely as I think anyone can
trust another person. Outside of the context of Quaker traditions,
writing down what might be characterised as “messages from God”,
sharing those messages with others, might be taken as egotistical,
deranged, even psychotic. I am grounded by Jenn's faith that it is
none of those things. I paraphrase, perhaps for better elegance of
phrasing, but mostly because I can't remember her exact words, but
she said to me, “we all have different gifts, and the Spirit makes
use of us according to those gifts. One of your gifts is writing, and
so it's no real surprise that the Spirit has found a way to use
that.”
I am convinced that this ministry comes to me not
solely for my benefit – otherwise I wouldn't have this compulsion
to share it. So I share it, and do what I can to see it shared as far
as might be. Yet three of the five most-read posts on this blog, at
time of writing, are deliberate writing rather than ministry. Maybe
that's related to the topics involved, or some strange coincidence of
timing, I don't know. That's beside the point when it comes to the
question of ownership, however. This gift is given not to me, but
through me. Do I have the right to control it? Or do I have a
responsibility to do so?
Each piece of ministry is complete in itself,
while being part of a whole that extends far beyond my own ministry,
or my wider writing. I cannot stop it taking its place in that whole,
but I have a responsibility to ensure that each particular gift of
the Spirit maintains its integrity; not that there can never be a
message that differs from it, even contradicts it – the messages of
the Spirit have never been consistent, taken as a whole. Rather that
each individual, atomic chunk of ministry not be misrepresented or
corrupted. That is why I ask that people reproduce them entire in
most cases. I ask that it be attributed so that people can readily
find more of it.
But how much benefit should I be prepared to take
from the ministry. If there were to be the opportunity to publish the
ministry in a collection, should I take royalties on the volume? It
takes work to produce the ministry, even if it is inspired by the
Divine. If Jenn's reading of the situation is right, it's using my
talents and abilities, even when I don't realise it. Certainly, if I
had that opportunity, I would benefit from any income from it,
however slight.
I don't know. It's so complex, and the Spirit
hasn't offered me any guidance yet. If it ever became more of a
definite possibility, I would make a concerted effort to seek that
guidance, and probably ask for a Meeting for Clearness with support
of local elders, but I'm not going to seek that trouble before I need
to.
The question of ownership covers both
responsibility, which I do feel keenly, and the potential for
material benefit. I share these thoughts with you now in the hope
that it might generate some discussion, stimulate some thoughts on
both elements, and on any other elements that might come up. Please
share your thoughts in the comment section; I'd love to hear what you
all have to say.
