<\/p>\n
He was my hero, and I was always unashamed in celebrating his victories, letting anyone who would hear me talk about an ordinary guy who could do extraordinary things. I remember my heart beating and blood pressure rising as Clark Kent would leave his job at the Daily Planet to fend off Lex Luthor or any other toxic enemy who defied the law or threatened peace, democracy, and human existence. I could recount his painful departure from the planet Krypton as he intermingled on planet Earth as a regular guy in society until that emergency call came. As heroic as this iconic DC figure was to the masses, I am now convinced that what drew me to Superman was not the plot but rather being captivated by the process he unveiled week after week as I anxiously waited for Superman to do his thing.<\/span><\/p>\n The process is what I care to focus on in contemplation of Campbell’s A Hero with A Thousand Faces.<\/em> My most vivid takeaway was how he viewed separation and departure as a call to adventure. This may be the experience for some, but others life may argue differently. Campbell also adds, “all moments of separation and new birth produce anxiety.”[1]<\/span><\/strong><\/a> \u00a0I am reminded biblically of Abram and the covenant establishment by God accompanied with the specific directive, <\/span>\u201cGo from your country and your kindred and your father\u2019s house to the land that I will show you.\u201d<\/em> <\/span>[2]<\/a> Abraham is truly a hero indeed, listed in the Hall of Fame of Faith in Hebrews 11. He is regarded as a Superhero of sorts for his heroic departure and his willingness to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. His departure is linked to his eternal destiny, and Campbell echoes how the two are intertwined.<\/span><\/p>\n Separation resonates with me personally as I recall my own personal journey in life. Basketball was a way of life for me, and like most, I had professional ambitions with my sights set on the NBA. Going up against a crowded field of talent after college, I was not quite ready to abandon my lifelong hope. Sitting at home I remember getting a call from a European league basketball agent. He offered me an opportunity to sign with a team in Spain and was stern to me in his message, “Daren, if you want to fulfill your basketball destiny and have a future, it is best for you to take your talents overseas. Spain wants you and is waiting for you to fly out”<\/em>. My destiny required a departure, leaving my family and friends behind for a country I only read about in school.<\/p>\n My second reflection takes me to ministry. Our denomination is Methodist, with an Episcopal form of government, meaning that we are governed by bishops who appoint you to pastorates. When a bishop seeks to move a minister within his home region there is no need to ask a minister\u2019s approval. When it is outside of the region, he must gain approval. After 5 successful years, my bishop approached me with an offer, <\/span>\u201cthe Lord is leading me to offer you the pastorate of our church in Syracuse\u2026\u201d <\/em>Campbell goes on to write, <\/em><\/span>“Destiny has summoned the hero and transferred his spiritual center of gravity from his pale of his society to a zone unknown.”<\/em>[<\/em>3]<\/a> While admittedly I never knew a thing about Syracuse, departure and destiny was once again my calling. It meant leaving behind my home base of New York City friends, family, and colleagues and starting all over in a place where I knew no one. Now approaching 18 years, I can honestly say Syracuse has become an integral part of my life and ministerial journey. <\/span><\/p>\n As I contemplate the stages of departure, initiation, and return, I am also mindful of our previous reading and how these can be viewed as threshold concepts in our human experience. Each stage requires a new way of understanding, paving the way towards destiny. \u00a0Campbell also suggests the notion of supernatural aid for those who accept the call. This parallels Camacho\u2019s writing, asserting the Holy Spirit as a helper in our daily lives. <\/span><\/p>\n I must admit I had to really dig into this week\u2019s reading with extra coffee, brushing off my cognitive dissonance. My immediate flashback was to Greek mythology and mysticism. I was never a fan, but after getting past the initial feelings of anxiety approaching this reading, I was captured by his ability to detail in a unique fashion the personal journey of people on the road to human discovery.<\/p>\n While this book was truly a gumbo of sorts, packed with a unique blend of mythological, psychological, emotional, and spiritual ponderings, it also came with some awesome parallels. As a Christian, I was truly disappointed in Campbell\u2019s portrayal of biblical persons, reducing them to equal or inferior status in comparison to the heroes of ancient. On the other hand, what I commend is his mythological blueprint, which speaks to the hero in each of us and, if we see the stages through, how we can truly impact the lives of others while potentially reaching our call to destiny.<\/p>\n [1]<\/a>Joseph Campbell,\u00a0The Hero With A Thousand Faces<\/em>\u00a03rd<\/sup> ed. (Novato: New World Library, 2008), 44<\/a><\/p>\n