My routine has been altered these days. I am attending a retreat for campus ministry staff. My reflections these days (when I am able to get on line) is likely to reflect my setting - which today's offering does.
Several of my colleagues are like myself in that we not only work with young adults, we parent them as well. Last evening I found myself reviewing how to respond to the theological inquiry of our own children. "What do I say to my son when he turns to me and says, 'I am not so sure I believe.'"
The first thing is to realize that the discussion is not about ideas so much as it is about relationships - the horizontal relationships, not the vertical. Part of the maturation into adult faith is a separation from the faith systems and structures of our parents. So, we shared with our colleague, you might not be able to help your son out of this time of discernment. It may take someone else.
We all need multiple guides as we make our way down the path of faith. My parents were wonderful parents with regard to my religious upbringing. But it was my 4-H Agent (David Choate) and my campus pastor (Steve Gerhard) who invited me into a more vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ.
Who are those people in your life? Who are the mentors and guides for you as you contemplate the Divine? Who can be there with you as you step out onto the frightening places where faith meets unbelief?
This is more than an invitation to reflect, it is a challenge to identify those persons and to latch onto them. You will need them. And if you choose wisely they won't try to tell you what to believe or to think. They will share with you how closely they have come to the edge of unbelief and risk again (with you) asking the questions which nag at the edge of faith.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment