Sofia Irwin - Koinonia and the Meaning of Happiness

KOINONIA


Just before spring break started, I attended a panel discussion hosted by Veritas Forum (in which Dr. Redick was one of the speakers) that used dialogue to try and discern what happiness is. Each of the speakers brought different perspectives to the table, and it got me thinking about the concept of κοινωνια that was mentioned in Chapters 1, 2, and 6 of the American Camino book.


Koinonia was defined in Chapter 1 as “[sharing] with someone in something that he has” (p. 9). But it goes deeper than just sharing tangible things. Koinonia can be translated as “fellowship” and describes the spiritual connection that we derive from community. The Stoics even went as far as to call it “the model harmony… which is found in the universe and which is the basis of its preservation” (p. 9). Happiness could be seen as the individual, internal harmony that comes as a response to favorable perceptions of external situations. It mirrors that which is displayed around us. Happiness is then just one side of the coin. It both mirrors and is discovered within the idea of finding connection and harmony.


Koinonia is not just a shared meal or shared words, but the recognition of a shared existence with individual experiences within it. In looking for meaning, fellowship brings the part that cannot be conveyed with knowledge alone. I can tell you all about a dinner I had with my friends and describe it in the greatest detail, but in the end words can only say so much and it’s not the same as having been there yourself. The people there gained something that wasn’t found in the food we ate or the conversations we had—it was something abstract that filled us up just because of our proximity to each other and living just a moment of our lives together. In the forum event, Dr. Redick talked about the idea of “Shalom,” a certain wholeness that comes from within that we can only reach with the aid of some Other. Koinonia is one way to get there. Another way would be from a meaningful location like the Appalachian trail was for Dr. Redick, or even the reaching of a goal like running a marathon. However, fellowship is the mode of reaching Shalom that not only satisfies you, but those around you. Happiness is a two-way street, and I believe it could only fill you up more to know that others are receiving this too. 


Happiness isn’t just something that spontaneously appears whenever we want it to. One of my takeaways from the event is that happiness is a choice. You must put yourself into environments that will fill you up, you must choose a mindset that will allow you to take the most of the situation you’re in, and you must take certain actions in order to lead to positive outcomes. It’s also not just something that you can take by force. It is like a gift you receive (from whatever Other) that is so good you want to give something in return. 


Those are just some of my thoughts. I would definitely recommend attending a Veritas Forum event if the opportunity presents itself again.

 


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