Mercy Spirituality Unit 1 - STORYTELLING Lesson 1 – WHY Do We Tell Stories?

Why Do We Tell Stories? – Why do we tell stories? Why do we tell stories? – Ted Talk by Phil Kaye “Stories remind us that we are ALIVE!” Jesus: gave us further instruction on HOW we should live….

Why tell stories in Theology classes? – Story telling was at the center of the beginnings of the Jesus movement. – We call it a movement because if we think of it as Christianity, we miss out on the stories of those earliest years of crude and rough beginnings, the small enclaves trying to keep the memory alive, and trying to understand what this man Jesus meant for them. – That was really the function of the story telling for Jesus’ early followers...it was a way for them to articulate their understanding of Jesus. – And in the process of story telling, when we recognize it as a living part of the development of the tradition, we're watching them define Jesus for themselves.

What is Storytelling? – Storytelling: the conveying of events in words and images, often by improvisation or embellishment. – Entertainment – Education – Cultural Preservation – Instill Moral Values Critical Elements = Plot (problem), Characters (people, animals, etc…), and a narrative point of view (storyteller)

Historical Perspective – Storytelling predates writing – primarily oral with gestures and expressions – Rock art? Religious ritual but also a mean for ancient cultures (aborigines) – Tree trunks, sand, leaves have also been used to record stories in picture or writing – Complex tattooing? – With the advent of writing and portable media, stories were recorded, transcribed and shared widely. – Stories have been carved, scratched, painted, printed or inked onto wood or bamboo, ivory and other bones, clay tablets, stone, palm leaves, skins, bark, paper, silk, canvas and other textiles, recorded on film, and stored electronically in digital form. – Oral stories continue to be committed to memory and passed from generation to generation!

Traditional Forms of Stories Fairy tales – Folktales – Mythology – Legends – Fables – Parables / Analogies New forms of media are creating new ways for people to record, express, and consume stories. Storytelling is a means of sharing and interpreting experiences. Human knowledge is based on stories and the human brain has what it takes to understand, remember and tell stories. They mirror humans though, since humans think in narrative structures and remember in story form.

Contemporary Storytelling – Storytelling is an ancient means of communication and plays an important role in most spiritual traditions which ultimately shape behavior. – Stories appeal to both the heart and the mind. – Peas and Carrots – Forrest Gump Peas and Carrots – Forrest Gump – They help us to define who we are, why we are here, and what we should value. – Individually and collectively, stories help us make sense of our past and understand possible futures. – Storytelling is a vehicle for collective centering and collective sense making.

Role of stories: REMYTHOLOGIZING: the act of returning one’s consciousness to the founding ideals and the often told tales that helped to establish and maintain an organization’s identity Psychologists call it an “urgent need” because it: 1.Keeps souls alive 2.Brings meanings to everyday activities 3.Establishes identity 4.Endures through generations By telling and retelling the story of Catherine McAuley, we are bringing the original founding ideals back to the consciousness of the group, reminding them of the identity of this school as a Mercy school, rooted in the gospels, and linking our past with the present.

NARRATIVE THEOLOGY Narrative Theology is: the truth that one lives, the identity formed by stories we hear and enact, our basic level of faith, and primarily… ….. a way to talk about God on the premise that the Story is the thing. “We can act only in the world we see, a seeing partially determined by the kinds of beings we have become through the stories we have learned and embodied in our life plan.” Scripture is part of this. It is the story of God’s relationship to creation and how that relationship defines human interaction.

FUNCTIONS OF NARRATIVE THEOLOGY 1.EXPLAINS HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2.DEFINES HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS 3.IDENTIFIES HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENTS 4.ACCOUNTS FOR TRADITIONS WHICH HAVE DEVELOPED OVER HISTORY 5.ORGANIZATION 6.MOST BASIC: TO SHAPE AND SUSTAIN THE ETHOS (distinctive spirit) OF A COMMUNITY: “Remember who we are…. (you finish it)”

In our fast - paced, media - driven world, storytelling can be a nurturing way to remind children that their spoken words are powerful, that listening is important, and that clear communication between people is an art ! A moment you’ll never forget……. Close your eyes…..and remember….

Homework: People Poems: Beginning to Tell Your Story… Due next class for 20 minor category points!