Questions about the nature and direction of faith formation within our communities
Transformation is about becoming—moving into the likeness of Christ and into who God is calling us to be and do.
Christian Smith's observations on faith formation for American youth reflect a Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD) paradigm in the contemporary Christian landscape of faith and spirituality formation. Smith's study reveals a trend towards an understanding of faith characterised by personal morality: how do I know I am a good person, and how do I become a good person? Therapeutic value is about finding inner peace, healing, and well-being, and it is now a highly marketed space in medical science, well-being, psychology, and other therapies. Deism is as distant as a non-intervening God, except maybe to affirm one's own denomination, nation-state and cultural differences. This raises pressing questions about the nature and direction of faith formation within our communities. These are questions worth exploring in this Lenten season.
The Challenge of Faith Formation
The Pathways project within our Synod has illuminated a struggle that many of us face: articulating and engaging in effective faith formation. Particularly as the MTD observations of faith formation don't carry as much weight as they once did or have become unsatisfactory with their hyper-individualist focus, while there is a vibrant enthusiasm for social justice as a means of living out our faith for the common good, we must ask ourselves: Is our approach to faith formation addressing the deeper spiritual needs and questions of our congregations and wider communities, and more than that, what are we being formed into…? I hope some of what I offer here can activate some considered reflections and answer these questions.
The Call to Transcendence, Transformation, and Communion (TTC)
In response to the pervasive waters of MTD faith formation, we could consider the rich, biblical and theological namings of Transcendence, Transformation, and Communion (TTC), at least in addition to deepening our faith formation practices. This TTC framework invites us into a more profound engagement with the God of our faith, challenging us to move beyond the individualistic ethos of our age (not in opposition, but as a call to encounter God's presence, reign and mission with all creation).
Transcendence: Lifting Our Eyes Beyond the Self
Transcendence calls us to lift our eyes, hearts, and minds beyond individual self-making and self-sufficiency dominating myths of our age. It invites us to encounter God and others in a way that transcends our limited perspectives and experiences. As ministers, I believe we are called to curate spaces and experiences where this encounter may happen—where the divine breaks into the ordinary, reminding us of the vastness, wonder, awe and mystery of God's presence. More than that, be attentive to the space beyond the self and the other as places of encountering Christ present and transcendent.
Transformation: Becoming in God
Transformation is about becoming—moving into the likeness of Christ and into who God is calling us to be and do. This transformation journey is marked by Baptism, both as a new creation and Christ's ongoing death and resurrection in our lives and communities. It challenges us to see beyond mere moral improvement or therapeutic self-help, embracing instead a holistic change that touches every aspect of our being and the being of all creation. This includes transforming the unjust systems and structures of our world and our own transformation as church and individual into who God is calling us to be. As leaders, our task is to guide our communities through this transformative process, encouraging practices that foster not only spiritual growth and renewal but also the foretaste of the coming kingdom. Sin, conversion, liberation, confession, gifts, and graces are all enablers of this Becoming of God, this transformation, part of our Lenten Journey. Sometimes, this language needs to be re-enchanted, but the fruits of our becoming in God, our transformation, is the work of God and should not collude with our individual or tribal expectations or ideologies alone; even these need to be open to God's transformation in us.
Communion: Being With
At the heart of our faith is communion: being with God, with others, and with the wider community. This aspect of our faith is not confined to the Eucharist but extends to all acts of sharing and community in and with Christ and each other. It recognizes that the deepest yearnings of the human heart are for connection and kinship—with God, one another, and all creation. As ministry leaders, we are attendants, or called to be attentive to this communion formation, called to cultivate communities where these connections can flourish, embodying Christ's commandment of love in presence, word and action.
Invitation to Deep Engagement
How do you encourage experiences of transcendence, foster transformation, and nurture communion in your ministry context?
The Journey of faith formation is complex and multifaceted, requiring us always to be open to the Holy Spirit and deeply listen to our context. Lent is such a season for us to focus intentionally on faith formation. The TTC focus points are only another perspective, an offering for you to consider; it is not the answer or comprehensive, but a call to remember and reimage. As such, it needs to be grounded in deep ongoing dialogue theologically and biblically. The Vital Leadership Team is keen to partner with you; we encourage all our communities into a deeper, more meaningful engagement with their faith, one that moves beyond the surface of cultural appropriations to touch the very core of our being and our calling as followers of Christ in and with Creator God empowered by the Holy Spirit.
How might we encourage faith formation in your congregations and ministry contexts? How do you encourage experiences of transcendence, foster transformation, and nurture communion in your ministry context?
