My Faith is
Changing: Is this Good News or Bad News?
The
Various Stages of Faith Development
Many people, when reflecting
on their faith journey, recognize that change aptly describes this journey.
Teenagers do not pray or understand God and their membership in the Christian
community in the same way adults do, and even within our adult years many
people find their faith changing, growing stronger in some areas, while
questions, doubts and fears arise in other areas. Using the research of two
educators, this retreat examines the healthy way our faith grows and changes
over time. Topics include:
John Westerhoff: Styles of Faith
- Experienced faith
- Affiliative faith
- Searching faith
- Owned faith
James Fowler: Stages of Faith
Stage 1: Intuitive-Projective Faith (The Innocent)
Stage 2: Mythic-Literal Faith (The Literalist)
Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Faith (The Loyalist)
Stage 4: Individuative-Reflective Faith (The Critic)
Stage 5: Conjunctive Faith (The Seer)
Stage 6: Universalizing Faith (The Saint)
A 2.5 hour retreat that can be offered during the day or as an
evening event. This retreat includes presentations on three themes, some time
for silent reflection, and optional small group discussions. Handouts with
prepared questions for reflection are provided.
Resources used to develop this retreat include:
Will Our Children Have Faith? by John Westerhoff. Seabury. 1976
Stages of Faith by James Fowler. Harper and Row. 1981.
