Over the last few years multiple voices within the United Church have named a need for a new resource to use in confirmation classes. This book is one approach to meeting that need.
The 14 chapters (16 if you include the introduction and the conclusion) of this book are meant to provide an introduction to Christian faith and discipleship, with several chapters that focus that introduction on a specific denomination. The suggestion is to have an extended study group, looking at one chapter a session. I think there is logic in that selection, though I wonder if a couple of the chapters might be combined in one session. And I am not sure I would cover the topics in the order they are found in this volume.
The chapters are well-written and engaging. They have much in them to spark discussion. I think they would work well as an introductory tool and as a tool for more experienced church members to deepen/reawaken their faith. I wonder about group that would have both new and experienced church folk discussing these topics.
There are two caveats I find. One is that, as Gary Paterson names in the foreword, this sort of study is about the thinking aspect of Christian faith. It has little to engage other aspects of the life of faith, though the one chapter on spiritual practices at least opens the door a bit (personally i am tempted to start a study group with that chapter and then start each successive session with a different spiritual practice. The other shortcoming I found was that there was not a chapter, and no real discussion in any chapter, about stewardship. Stewardship in all its forms is a key part of discipleship so this lack surprises me. However, since stewardship is our response to God's activity in our lives I suppose stewardship questions can be raised in conjunction with some of the topics.
Now to figure out how to structure the study group I intend to offer over the fall/winter season next year.
No comments:
Post a Comment