THE JOURNEY

THE JOURNEY

We are a Pilgrim People

As Christians we so readily say we are a Pilgrim People. The image no doubt refers to Moses in the desert and the Exodus from Egypt and Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" amongst the many we can draw upon. Those of us in the medical, social science or education fields, indeed parents generally now, have also long known about the various "stages" in human development. The characteristics of the human mind and body and social interaction as our being grows have been well observed and documented over the past century. Now scholars are gaining insight into the similar progress of the soul - or our spiritual growth.

At its simplest, six stages have been observed by Fowler and discussed in "Stages of Growth" (Emory University) and four in a parallel system discussed by Scott Peck in "The Road Less Travelled" (For a fuller introductory discussion see Darryl's lecture 1) Point to note - we are ALL on this journey, but many of us get stuck en route and are frightened to move forward. Few of us manage to get to the latest stage as apparent saints (as in the Christian tradition). We're threatened by change. And we regress under stress. But we have moments of enlightenment too. Like other developmental patterns, we must experience all stages to grow healthy and strong, albeit fleetingly in some cases. Check out the following and see if you can work out which stage you are at - at this point in your life. And with God's grace look forward to your soul's progress.... AND NOTE that one of the traits of all the major faith traditions is the capacity for people in both stages 2 and 4 to co-exist in a community.

FOWLER	SCOTT-PECK	CHARACTERISTICS
Stage 1	STAGE 1 Chaotic/Anti-Social	Age 3-7 years Relies on the concrete and visual, (God is a man in the sky) but imbued with a sense of the magical
Stage 2		7-12 (approx) school years A literal time. Quotes parents and teachers. God is what others say
Stage 3	STAGE 2 Formal/Institutional	Adolescence /young adult - God is a personal friend worthy of commitment. Involvement and devotion is serious. All within the context of church teaching (or other faith tradition - this is not just a Christian observation).
Stage 4	STAGE 3 Sceptic/Agnostic	Adulthood. God is a personal friend but defined by life experiences and reasoning rather than church/parents/ teachers, and as a result there are questions, mismatches, confusion. This is typical of 30-40 years.
Stage 5	STAGE 4 Mystic/Communal	Typically not reached until mid life. God is complex, sophisticated and transcends the boundaries previously known. Open to other faith traditions, dialogue, searching, and issues like peace, justice, creation are important. There is TENSION with the institutions
Stage 6		Rare - God is a transcendant and life-changing reality leading to the service of others, love compassion, and a moving out into the world - e.g. St Francis of Assissi and Mother Theresa

So in the light of this, where would you place yourself at this moment? Your closest friend? Your parish priest - bishop - church management? Your son/daughter? Can you see where you have come from? Does it make the future welcoming - or threatening? ...... Something to think and pray about!

Of course, it means the church must find a way of growing spiritually itself, and of accommodating those of a sceptical understanding, and also those who are mystics and even saints! Interestingly, the church has been of various minds over the centuries. In the Middle Ages, religious artists could or would not depict the ineffable God/heaven - they simply used a gold background. In the humanist Renaissance, God became the old man in the sky - (see Michaelangelo...) so the church regressed to Stage 1! ..... Food for thought.

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time

T S Eliot ....Little Gidding V