Borders and Liminal Space

Borders have been in the news to a great extent recently.  Donald Trump does not seem to have much respect for the borders of other countries – particularly Canada, proclaiming that Canada is not a real country and should become the 51^st State.  He declared that the Canadian U.S. border is just the result of someone drawing an artificial line.  Putting aside the part of the border that follows the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River basin, it is true that it was drawn by people along the 49^th parallel by mutual agreement after much mutual disagreement; 54-40 or fight and all that entails in our history for example.  However, this is true of many, if not most, of the borders that exist now and have existed throughout human history. 

Then there is the supreme disrespect shown by Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the borders of Ukraine.  These are, of course, just two current examples of the challenges and serious consequences brought about by the drawing and redrawing of borders between countries by leaders throughout history.  The lack of respect for borders leads to serious consequences to put it mildly. 

 Reflecting on borders brought to mind the wonderful song on this subject, Borderline, by Joni Mitchell.  The first verse lays it out beautifully:

Everybody looks so ill at ease
So distrustful, so displeased
Running down the table
I see a borderline
Like a barbed wire fence
Strung tight, strung tense
Prickling with pretense
A borderline

This song addresses much more that the borders between countries and summarizes the damage and destruction that that human tendency to draw borders between – well just about everything.  Again, the lyrics state it so well:

Every bristling shaft of pride
Church or nation
Team or tribe
Every notion we subscribe to
Is just a borderline
Good or bad, we think we know
As if thinking makes things so
All convictions grow along a borderline

Is this tendency to draw boundaries and borders that separate us so effectively, actually inevitable?  It certainly seems to be as the evidence is all around us.  We naturally identify people and things as ‘the other’ – not like me or us – as the song says, “all convictions grow along a borderline.”  Psychologist Carl Jung identified the tension of opposites that exists between things – positive and negative psychic energy in tension.  The desire – conscious or unconscious – is to try and eliminate that tension.  This tension, rather than being something to eliminate, is seen as the source of growth, transformation, and the development of consciousness.  Friedrick Von Hugel named this ‘divinely intended tension’ which puts it into the realm of God’s plan for creation.  Richard Rohr addressed this, “Growth is the boundary between the darkness of unknowing and the light of new wisdom, new insight, new vision of who and what we ourselves have become.” Richard Rohr July 15, 2025 

Holding that tension and allowing the liminal space between the opposites will allow something new to be born.  This is not the normal response to things we see as the Other.  However, it seems to be the way in which, as people of God, we can work towards bringing about this world to be how God intends it to be.   

Joni Mitchell’s Borderline can be seen on-line here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqOzVh4eLqc

I invite you to listen to the song and take in the lyrics that express so well the danger and temptations of borders and reflect on how you might hold the tension between the borders in your life and see what might be born.