With or Without God – Gretta Vosper. why the way we live is more important than what we believe Chapter 6 Responsible Change – Freedom with Integrity

Part 1 - Media Presentation - Tom Honey How the tsunami changed his views on god. Thinking of the meaning of faith and our too comfortable religious traditions.

With or Without God – Gretta Vosper. why the way we live is more important than what we believe - Part 2 Analysis of Chapter 6 Responsible Change - Freedom with Integrity

Responsible Change “When you don’t know where you’re heading, any road will get you there.” - a personal assessment of chapter 6.

A perspective from history Visiting the Pantheon in Paris

Responsible Change Fowler's "Stages of Faith" 1. Intuitive-Projective 2. Mythic-Literal 3. Synthetic-Conventional 4. Individuative-Reflective 5. Conjunctive 6. Universalizing

Responsible Change Kohlberg's "Typology of Moral Views" 1. Punishment-based obedience 2. Opportunistic self-interest 3. Approval-seeking conformity 4. Respect for authority 5. Contractual legalistic-observance 6. Principled morality based on standards of justice

Responsible Change Fowler's Stage One Intuitive-Projective - integrating tangible/intangible - assimilating fantasy/religious belief

Responsible Change Fowler's Stage Two Mythic-Literal - concludes “some things really don’t exist” - continues to participate in inherited traditions

Responsible Change Fowler's Stage Three Synthetic-Conventional - desire to conform to authority reduced - authentic belief must be integrated to reality - chronology and faith-stage parallels end.

Responsible Change Fowler's Stage Four Individuative-Reflective - “critical thinking” confronts inherited reality - questioning threatens past understanding of truth - tradeoff: “isolation & loss” vs. “safety & security” - resulting experience: discomfort – anger and ambiguity

Responsible Change Fowler's Stage Five Conjunctive Faith - intentional decision / movement to resolution - choice: “compromise” or “maverick” status? - “seekers” vs. “finders” - reclaiming / reframing of myths / symbols - post-critical “second naiveté”

Responsible Change Fowler's Stage Six Universalizing Faith - committing to another spiritual communion - “new” or “renewed” faith community? - embrace others on “less traveled paths” - expressing deep sense of universal compassion - is a resulting payoff of the faith journey

Responsible Change Insights from the chapter 1. Vosper replaces theistic with humanistic values, but if everyone is free to “do what is right in their own eyes” will not chaos reign? Who decides which values, ultimately?

Responsible Change Insights from the chapter (cont) 2. Borg tries to help us move from “pre- critical” to “post-critical” thinking without “throwing the baby with the bath-water”

Responsible Change Insights from the chapter (cont) 3. Vosper expresses a certain pastoral concern for those “bogged down in earlier stages of faith development.” Does she exhibit a condescension for those “lacking maturity”?

Responsible Change Simple Language Shifts for the Spiritually Advanced 1. Delete “In Jesus’ name, Amen” from our prayers. we no longer need Jesus as an intermediary Final breakdown of the old sacrificial system

Responsible Change Simple Language Shifts for the Spiritually Advanced (cont) 2. Stop using “superior” language It demeans the “beneficiaries of our charity” Missionary hymns imply “vestigial cultural arrogance”

Responsible Change Simple Language Shifts for the Spiritually Advanced (cont) 3. “The Church’s new mission will be to develop spiritual awareness in individuals and communities around the world” (p. 281) Does this fly as a realistic “mission statement”? Is this not a foggy “motherhood statement”? Where is the substance & intentionality? Does it not convey spiritual enlightenment?

Responsible Change Revisiting the History of the Pantheon in Paris. “the nation’s temple” “what of the nation’s churches”

“ When you don’t know where you’re heading, any road will get you there.”

Break Discussion Questions 1. Reflect on Fowler’s “Stages of Faith” and “Kohlberg’s “Typology of Moral Views”. Do these models help you understand your own personal faith/moral development? 2. Vosper applies personal growth patterns to institutional development. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of this application.