Some notes from two chapters in Conversion in the Wesleyan Tradition

Today's reading time was dedicated to finishing up Conversion in the Wesleyan Tradition (2001) by Kenneth J. Collins and John H. Tyson.  It is broken up into four parts: Historical Perspectives: Wesley and the People Called Methodist; Biblical Perspectives; Theological Perspectives; and Pastoral Perspectives.  In each part there are chapters written by different authors.  There is also an introduction and a conclusion to the book, along with a section of abbreviations and notes. 

Though I have taken notes throughout my reading of the book, there were some things that stood out to me today in two of the chapters.  And since I read them today and they are fresh on my mind, it is those two chapters I wanted to share.

The first is "Conversion: Possibility and Expectation" by Sondra Higgins Matthaei.  Since there isn't anything on the authors, I had to do some digging to learn who she is.  She is currently (per the curriculum vitae listed as of 2011) at the Saint Paul School of Theology as a Professor of Christian Religious Education and has a book in the works, as well as several published works.  I will be checking out some of her books. 

What stood out to me from her writing is the following:

• "The goal of Christian faith formation in the Wesleyan tradition is to share the good news of God's grace in Jesus Christ in order to help people recognize their need for the transforming power of God's grace while learning what it means to be faithful in everyday life." (196) [The statement simply stood out to me.  I imagine this is the goal of Christian faith formation in any tradition, but it was written for a specific flavor.  Sometimes those flavors aren't necessary to promote as a focus, in my humble opinion.  But I understand why it is/was included.]
• "In other words, an experience of God's transforming grace in Jesus Christ leads to deepening faith as persons grow in love of God and neighbor with the help of the Holy Spirit and the support of the faith community." (207) [What stands out to me here is growing in love of God and neighbor and doing so in community.]
• "The church is the context for formation to which Christians develop holiness of heart and life and bear witness to God's invitation to communion by patterning their shared life after the communion of the Trinity." (207) [Formation is to happen in the context of church/community and we are to develop holiness of heart and life by sharing life together and patterning it after that of the community and communion of the Trinity.]
• "...transformation is God's work." (208) [We can set up the groundwork for it to happen and we can be agents for it to happen, but we don't cause it to happen; God does that.  This is a good lesson to remember.  Especially when you don't see it happening.  If there is instruction provided for folks to grow and be transformed, be patient (gasp!), God will work.]
• "faith-mentoring" (209)  "Faith mentors are persons who become a vehicle of God's grace for others." (209)  [A new term for me.  Similar to "mentor", but different.  Four roles were listed for faith mentors: guide, model, guarantor, mediator.  Interesting.  Peter Böhler was listed as a faith mentor to the Wesley brothers.  That was a good example, p. 209.]
• "The role of the church is to provide the relationships, structures, and practices of a Wesleyan ecology of faith formation for those who are seeking salvation, as well as those who are trying to interpret their religious experience and translate its meaning into daily living." (210)

The 2nd chapter that had some things stand out to me today was "From the "Works of the Flesh" to the "Fruit of the Spirit": Conversion and Spiritual Formation in the Wesleyan Tradition by Gregory S. Clapper.   So, "spiritual formation" had me from the title.  I admit it.  Once again, I needed to learn something about this author.  He is a Professor of Religion & Philosophy at the University of Indianapolis.  You can learn more about him through his curriculum vitae.

Here is what stood out to me from his chapter:

• "If the church is to be about making disciples, then it must be involved in doing at least three things: recruiting disciples; nurturing disciples; and sending disciples out to do God's work." (213)
• "Christian conversion, then, should be seen as a conversion to a lifetime of spiritual formation." (214)
• "There can be no truly Christian formation that does not result in an embodied, ongoing, decisive commitment to leave behind the old way of life." (214)
• "Similary, given our Armenian tradition, it should come as no surprise that Methodists should adopt this language ["spiritual formation"] and even develop programs for intentional spiritual growth, such as the Academies for Spiritual Formation." (215) [So, I wondered... was he a participant?  Yes, he was.  He went through the 2-Year Academy from 1988-1990.  He has also been a faculty presenter on numerous 5 day and 2-year Academies (9 per the curriculum vitae).  In my "Equipping the Laity" course two years ago we talked about provided academy-type learning opportunities locally for folks to permit spiritual formation and transformation.  Part of that class was working up something to be used at some point.  I know of some churches that offer such courses.  What a wonderful learning and growth opportunity.  I believe that there is place and purpose for both of these types of opportunities in the kingdom and that one doesn't necessarily replace the other because they have different aspects.]
• "It must be understood that the works of the flesh cannot whither, nor can the fruit of the Spirit grow, outside the presence of a community." (221) [Community is crucial for formation and transformation!]
• "The call to conversion and growth in the fruit of the Spirit is always a call to join a converting community, a community that has chosen to take a hand in the Lord's work of joyfully renewing not just the church, but all of creation." (222)

There is more to glean and gain from this book, but this is what I have for today.  Key words:  spiritual formation, transformation, community, love of God and neighbor.  Pretty good stuff.

Blessings on your journey,

debra