Theological perspectives
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Theological perspectives on the faith forming ecosystem.
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Theological perspectives
- 2. + Why do we do Faith Formation? Intimacy with Jesus Make a difference Particular way of living Called to be disciple Disciple others
- 3. + Source
- 4. + Ecclesiology 3 pivotal factors Gospel = normative conviction Discipleship nurtured in community Society disorients community
- 5. + Congregation Localized, particular expression of Body Specific time & place “Where two or three are gathered . . .” Remain faithful to gospel Enact gospel-driven practices
- 6. + Congregations are Important Spiritual home Care, trust, relationship Voiceless heard Support, comfort, advocacy Moral compass Vision & accountability
- 7. + Gospel Keep the main thing the main thing Primary & urgent vocation Gospel Congregation Light Seeing At odds with culture Shorthand: Jesus life, death, res
- 8. + Gospel GIFT, not human discovery Not earned or deserved For all
- 9. + Essential Affirmations of the Gospel Jesus is the best of good news Grace is for anyone Hope is available for all
- 10. + This good news . . . Realized in Jesus • Life, death, res • Calls for our response Encompasses • Memories of God’s people • Funds hope for new society Expressed • Scripture • Sacraments Made vivid and convincing by ordinary Christians
- 11. + Congregation’s Vocation Make gospel believable Members => all persons Informed stewards, gracious witnesses Requires faith-forming practices Any other activity detracts
- 13. + Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers – James 1:22 Particualr Time honored Biblical Spirit infused
- 19. + Prototype
- 20. + These practices . . . Fitting response to gospel Expected of all => shape identity Work in progress Each illumine and nourishes the others Require user-friendly explanations Counter-cultural in surprising ways
- 21. + Curriculum of Faith Forming Culture Koinonia (belonging) Martyria (witness) Diakonia (service) Mathétés (discipling) Leitourgia (Worship
Editor's Notes
- Why do we do faith formation? Why do we have Sunday School, Bible studies, Confirmation class, and the rest? Is it simply because that’s what we’ve always done? Of course not! (Yet, many of our members, and perhaps some of us, would be hard pressed to answer this question in a theologically sound and meaningful way.) We share our story because we seek "intimacy and communion with Jesus Christ." I would also put forward the words of renown Catholic educator Maria Harris in her book Fashion Me a People: “No longer is it enough to be passive members, receiving a word told us by someone else, filing that word away to be taken out for a reading now and then. . . . We are a people called by the Gospel to make a difference in the world. . . . We are called to a particular way of living . . . which implies . . . an active and practical engagement in the work of Christian ministry” (p. 23-24). This is why we share our story. We are called to a particular way of living that makes a difference in the world! This is why we do faith formation. This is why we seek ways to pass faith from one generation to the next.
- Three pivotal factors: Gospel as congregation’s normative conviction Biblically generated practices of discipleship must be nurtured through Christian communities Societal values infiltrate and disorient Christian communities
- Called to be the localized, particular expression of the Body of Christ A community of Christian disciples in a specific time and place “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am among them” (Matt 18:20) Remain faithful the gospel Creatively enact gospel-driven practices
- A spiritual home in a fragmented world Gathering place of care, trust, authentic relationship Voiceless are heard Place of support, comfort, advocacy Moral compass Community of vision and accountability
- “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Primary and urgent vocation of any contemporary Christian community => Gospel What light is to seeing, the gospel is to congregations. But this gospel is at deep odds with the deism embedded in American culture. Shorthand for the common understanding of the meaning and message of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
- A gift from the self-revealing God and not a human discovery A gift that no humans earns or deserves A gift to be shared with all
- Jesus himself is the best of the good news Grace is for any person Life-affirming hope is available for all
- Is ultimately realized in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and call for our response. Encompasses the memories of God’s people and funds hope for a new society (reign of God). Is expressed in the Holy Scriptures and in the sacraments that Jesus instituted. Is made vivid and convincing by ordinary Christians
- To make this gospel clear and believable First to members, and through them, to all persons Any other activity detracts from the vocational call To be informed stewards of, and gracious witnesses for, this gospel, Requires faith-forming practices in the everyday lives and communities of the people of God.
- Fellowship / belonging / koinonia Witness / martyria Service / diakonia Education / discipling / mathétés Worship / leitourgia These gospel-infused practices are normative, indispensable, and doable for congregations who seek to remain faithful to the risen Lord.
- The gospel requires practices that are: Particular Biblically mandated Time honored Spirit infused
- Fellowship Hospitality Embrace the “other”
- Apprenticeship Congregations produce disciples Disciplines at odds with American societal ideals of individualism and autonomy
- Advocate, Testimony “We cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20) Usually addressed to those outside the community of faith In tension with contemporary pluralistic society
- Ministry Serve those who are abandoned, hopeless, powerless, and hungry “I am with you,” Jesus said, “as one who serves” (Luke 22) Acts of compassion and concerted efforts at justice
- Liturgy => the work of the people Congregation has privilege and obligation to design and structure worship responsibly Address the quest for the transcendent Three venues: gathered community, family, and individual
- See Acts 2:43-47 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily.
- Fitting response to the gospel, but also also evaluated by the gospel Expected of Christians of all ages, and shape the identity and mission of the congregation Are works in progress; institutional habits in the making Are interrelated; each one illumines and nourishes the others Require “user-friendly” explanations for all ages and stages Are counter-cultural in surprising ways.
- Fellowship / belonging / koinonia Witness / martyria Service / diakonia Education / discipling / mathétés Worship / leitourgia These gospel-infused practices are normative, indispensable, and doable for congregations who seek to remain faithful to the risen Lord.