faith forward 15 mclaren
TRANSCRIPT
Looking back as a parent ...What worked:- Daily prayer at meals & bedtime- Connecting God to experiences of life- Connecting God to acts of service- Sharing our struggles- Asking for their prayers- Inviting their interpretations- Never judging- Surrounding them with friends & community- Church as introduction to new experiences- Hospitality to multi-religious, nonreligious friends- Continuing to learn- Apologizing
What didn’t work:- Unexplained exposure to fundamentalism
- Not preparing for Christian diversity, especially fundamentalism
- Not being more overt about Bible as literature, exposure to meaning over fact
- Not being more bold about “new kind of Christian” identity
What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:1. Develop a curriculum of love ...
- for neighbor
- for self
- for stranger, outsider, outcast, enemy
- for the earth
- for God
What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:
2. Develop a curriculum of God ...
Beyond-nessAwe
Vocation to grow and serveTrinity as loving relationality
Christ-likeness
What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:3. Develop a curriculum of contemplation (inner life) ...
Cultivating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Teaching non-duality earlier ...
What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:4. Develop a curriculum of justice, generosity, and action ...
Seeing the world
with compassion
and responding
with individual and collective
action.
What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:
5. Promote earlier involvement as participating
members of the Christian community
- Liturgical participation- Joining in mission- Being consulted in
decision-making- Celebrated for good work
What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:
6. Sundays, yes - but Sundays-Plus:
- for parents: 7-day prayers, blessings, affirmations,
thanksgivings
- daily kids’ apps
- camps, retreats, field trips, mentorships
- songs! music!
What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:
7. Boldness in affirming the best of what is ... and
leading the way to what can be.
- People are ready (hungry!) for a big change.
- It’s not the 1950’s (or 90’s) any more...
- Emergence and convergence are unleashed!