4 November 2009
Group 1: Introductions
Faith comes to us in many different ways. In thinking about how we learn about faith, everyone may respond differently; however, despite these differences there are connections. First of all, family was a common theme in how we learn about our faith. While family was a common theme there were great differences in how a family can impact faith. For some family may help encourage individual learning and growth. For others faith can be learned through the life of family members – whether that is through a profession, religious belief or how families are structured.
Secondly, education seemed to be another common theme in how we learn about our faith. Education shapes the way that we think, learn and experience the world around us. Faith can be shaped not only through educational institutions, but also through our education received through the Church, family and friends. We may all come to know and experience faith through different ways in life and how one person learns about faith may not work for someone else. God works in wondrous and mysterious ways and it is important to recognize how we come to learn about our faith.
Learning about other religions can also come through a variety of ways. It seems that in learning about other religions, experiencing the religion to some extent has a great impact on our learning and understanding of the religion. Through knowing someone of a different religion, we are at times invited into their life and are able to experience some aspects of their religion through their life. In addition to friends, family or people who can invite us in and share another religion with us, we can also learn about religions through education, discussion and forums. Opportunities to learn about other religions can occur through coursework in college and in other educational institutions such as grade school or graduate school. Discussions with others can be a helpful way to also learn about other religions. These discussions take place at times through our churches, bible studies and other groups and organizations. Discussions with others can start to initiate our learning about other religions.
Teaching others about faithis a little more difficult to break apart. When we think about teaching others about their faith things can be complicated. At times we wonder if we teach someone about faith or if we help them to explore faith. Learning can be personal at times and whether or not someone learns something may not always be expressed publicly. While it can be difficult to discern whether or not we teach people about faith, we turn to experiences where we have worked with children in Sunday school or working with youth in Confirmation or other youth ministries opportunities. It is also important to think about situations that may not be formed or structured and reflect upon how faith can be taught when it is least expected. Even when people are not expecting to learn, they may leave with new insights regarding faith.
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6 November 2009 at 12:33 am
Thanks…I found your post to be a good summary to our groups findings as well. I like your statement about teaching faith vs. exploring faith. I began to realize that most of my teaching experience that I listed was in actual teaching, education, and/or discussions about my faith, but when I wrote about how I personally learned about faith it was by watching others live out their life of faith and through learning to live out a life of faith myself.
6 November 2009 at 8:28 am
Very well organized post. It summarizes clearly the assigned questions under themes. The importance of experiencing another religion to some extent makes a good point that religion is about experencing the divine and being open to new ways for that instead of being closed or fearful.
Frieda
6 November 2009 at 8:54 am
group4 says...
Thank-you for your comments. I do agree that much is learned in being with others in their faith or religious practices. It moves more from the head to the heart. We are fortunate we can learn from classes and forums about other religions, but it is in the meeting of others in their faith, we grow so much more. Karen Treat, Group 4
6 November 2009 at 12:54 pm
group4 says...
I like your assertion that actually experiencing another religion or getting to know someone of that religion is a more powerful experience than simply reading about it in a textbook. I firmly believe that we as Christian leaders need to be not just informed about other religions, but if possible, have encountered them in one way or another, so that we can set a good example and teach our parishes, or whatever group we are going to be leading, to follow in our footsteps. How can we go out into the world and live and teach to the good news effectively without starting from at least an understanding of where many others are coming from? I’m not there yet myself, but I just think that there should be more of an emphasis placed on engaging with other faiths.
6 November 2009 at 12:54 pm
group4 says...
that post above was Julie Bender.
6 November 2009 at 1:28 pm
dgrier says...
We have a wonderful diversity of faith formation ‘locations’ listed among our five groups’ summaries: family, faith community (Christian and/or others), and [formal, systematic] education. How might the order of influence of these faith formation communities have shaped each of our ways of knowing?
I also appreciate the recognition of the more Hebrew-ish form of education — a learning environment (learning/teaching/living/exploring) of faith as an intrinsic part of wholistic life in community and relationship, rather than compartmentalized to unidirectional didactic instruction alone (which is perhaps a more Greek-ish educational pattern). – Dean Grier, Group 2
6 November 2009 at 2:05 pm
I definitely say the same types of themes in our groups in regards to that our faith formation came from primary sources of family and education. I also like your statement about “teaching faith” verses “helping them to explore their faith.” I know for me I struggled with the question of who have you taught faith to because I feel that what I do with my Sunday School kids and friends is more faith exploration than actual teaching at times.
6 November 2009 at 4:35 pm
Julie – I do think that it is important to not only be informed about other religions but to encounter them in one way or another as you stated. I think that in our world today, it is almost easier to encounter another religion and many of the youth and young adults seem to be doing so. I think as leaders in the church it is important to gain a larger understanding of the world and despite challenges in our world today we might embrace and welcome this knowledge and experience. It is difficult at times when we are so wrapped up in our own lives and world, but it is a challenge and a hope to look outward and place an “emphasis on engaging with other faiths.”
6 November 2009 at 5:11 pm
I’m from a typical Roman Catholic family. We went to Church every Sunday. My mom taught CDD (wed night Sunday school), and my parents would help with the yearly festival that raised most of the money for the church each year. It’s kind of reversed now my Dad does more with the church than my Mom since he retired he is on the Parish Council. That is the limit to their spirituality just going to Church and helping the Church. There is no prayer time, there is no mystery. It’s good that they do go and they do help, but I feel they are missing out. I’ve had a long journey I left the Roman Catholic Church about 16 years ago, and have taken a long time to get to where I am as a candidate for Ministry in the ELCA.
I think what Palmer’s book touches on is what I’m seeing in so many churches not just the Roman Catholic Church. I see a lot of “doing things” rather than be a part of the community. I see “lets go to church” rather than “lets honor God.” There is a lot of doing, but not a lot of being. I think our culture has a lot to do with it. I think I’d call our culture “go,go,go,drop”, objectivism is a fine term but it’s a little dry. We go and go and go until we crash; we even do it on vacations. We never just be we are always doing. It’s like we can’t even stop for a minute to smell the roses or see with our heart. It’s sad because all though my parents go to Church as much as I do they don’t enjoy it as much. I think a lot has to do with along the way I had learned how to look with both eyes once in a while. I’m still working on doing it all the time – I am a computer programmer it is difficult to let go of your old life.
6 November 2009 at 10:31 pm
Kevin – I think we all have challenges in our faith life to look through both eyes, as Palmer suggested, so I can sympathize with you on that point. I think too often many people, including us on occasion, go through the motions of attending church and not really going beyond the four walls. As church leaders, I think it’s important to recognize this challenge so that we can overcome it and encourage our friends and church members to grow in their faith through the actions of their heart and mind.
7 November 2009 at 3:38 am
Families were mentioned as a big influence on faith. It’s easy to think that culture or media or even friends are the biggest influences, but family is almost always at the top. I think it’s important for us as people in ministry to be aware of this and let it inform the way we approach ministry.
7 November 2009 at 1:24 pm
group3 says...
I liked the comment about teaching faith in the more “normal” aspects of our ministries, like Sunday School, Confirmation, etc. I like thinking outside of that as well, in the way we teaching by living our lives with others. Take for example my kids, although I’m not in their Sunday School classroom, I’m teaching them faith! How I live my life not only at church is a reflection of my faith for my kids and they learn by watching me! Great summarization!
8 November 2009 at 2:47 pm
hessma says...
Mary Hess writes… what a great synthesis of the introductions! Thinking about what is meant by “teaching” and “learning” and then by “religion” and “faith” are precisely the kinds of questions we should be working on.
9 November 2009 at 10:31 am
Thank you for what you wrote about learning about other religions. It was something that I worked towards in my undergrad and I am glad to hear that this is something that is important in this class. I feel that this world has really separated itself, particularly within Christianity itself.