Cynthia R. Nielsen, at Per Caritatem, discussing Gadamer’s understanding of language, writes:

“[O]n Gadamer’s view, language does not merely reflect reality, it also has a productive role which allows new insights to emerge.  For example, when Richie Beirach (an amazing jazz pianist) plays Chopin’s Prelude Op. 28, No. 20 in C Minor, his performance is not identical to Chopin’s—it’s not a re-production or a mere repetition (as if such were possible).  Beirach’s version adds something new to Chopin’s piece; yet, this something new in no way destroys the identity of the work, as anyone listening and familiar with the piece immediately recognizes it as Chopin’s Prelude Op. 28, No. 20 in C Minor.”

A few months ago, Cynthia posted Gadamer on the Self-Cancellation of the Heremeneutical Exchange and broke open a similar meaning:

“In a sense, the C major triad is both a one and a many-it is a C major triad and thus has an integral unity of meaning; yet, it is a many because of its intimate connection to and function within the symphony itself-that place where it lives and moves and has its being.  The dialectical self-cancelling movement occurs due to the fact that as the C major triad emerges from the background of the whole, it must “cancel” part of itself (the whole) in order to do so.  (This sounds very Heideggerian, which is no surprise given the latter’s influence on Gadamer).  Yet, to avoid mis-interpretation, it must not become completely severed from the whole, lest in a very real sense it die.  If this is a correct understanding of Gadamer on this point, there are some interesting Christian connections to be made.”

I will leave Cynthia’s poetic rendering a gift for you to open, but will share the essence of what it implies to me. It affirms the idea that we must very much be about cultivating our roots, radically, even as we take an active interest in nurturing our emerging shoots. And it also very much speaks to our (re)conceiving A New Story for a New World as we recognize, using Cynthia’s phraseology, that our stories do not merely reflect reality, but also have a productive role which allows new insights to emerge.

My friend, Kevin Beck, writes:

A new story for a new world can’t be monolithic. There are too many instruments playing, too many notes being strummed, blown, struck, and sung. A new story must include a harmonious blend.

It seems to me that this metaphor has quite a ways to go before it eventually collapses! Thank you, Cynthia and Kevin.