We have been looking at what it means to live our Baptismal Covenant, delving into the promises we made and ways we might live into them. This exploration has just scratched the surface of all that is possible as we move through our lives as followers of the Way of Jesus. Each of the promises we have made is a pledge to life-long learning and practice. “Called to Teach and Learn, A Catechetical Guide and Vision for the Episcopal Church” identifies three areas in which we can be intentional in growing in the life of faith into which we have been baptized.
Faith and Theological Reflection. Faith is a habit of the heart, a way of perceiving the world. It encompasses believing in and discerning God's will, trusting and loving a God who loves us unconditionally, and then responding with worship, actions, and commitments. We grow into faith, as into a wide sea, over time and with experience. Theological reflection is “faith seeking understanding”. It is a process of trying to make sense of what we know of the Way of Jesus in the context of today's needs and challenges. We do this naturally, almost instinctively, all the time. For instance, the question of why the world is such a place of suffering when we have a God of love is a theological reflection we have probably all engaged in more than once in the course of our lives. We can, and should, make theological reflection intentional and systematic through study and discussion. This process opens the channels to experience our relationship with God and to grow in understanding. After all, we have a community that can help us, and all kinds of wisdom and resources to draw upon.
Character and Ethical Decision Making. Our character is our sense of identity and how we are disposed to behave. Good character implies qualities like integrity, reliability and consistency. While we are all works in progress and never consistently exercise good character, we can try to shape ourselves to reflect our best values. Ethical choice grows out of this work, informed by faith and theological reflection. The more we take on the challenges of being Christian, the more our actions match our understanding of God and God's kingdom. We live lives that are honest reflections of our relationship with God at our center. Study and discussion can help this process also, giving us people with whom to reflect on life's more difficult dilemmas, and teaching us what to consider as we are making our choices.
Consciousness and Life in the Spirit. Consciousness is the awareness of self. It gives us the ability to be present to ourselves and our needs and also to be present others, to empathize. Finally, it is the basis of our ability to have an interior life of religious experience, the awareness of God's presence. Life in the Spirit is our exposure to God, communication with God, and awareness of God's actions in our lives and the world. Life in the Spirit is built through relationship with God, which happens through spiritual practices. These may be simple and spontaneous or more formal and planned. When we hear others' stories, whether they be those of religious leaders or even of other members of our congregation, we learn ways that might work for us. Our practices become more conscious and intentional.
Consider joining with other members of St. Paul's in study and discussion. Sunday morning Adult Education and the Advent series which will be beginning in a couple of months are good ways to do this. If neither venue works for you, consider what might work. Bonnie or I would love to hear your ideas.
