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MINISTRY LEADERSHIP
Let's Reunite Spirituality & Learning
by David Cassady
Somehow, there appears to be a growing sense that our approaches to teaching and learning have moved us away from being spiritual. It’s not that we came to despise being spiritual and sought to avoid it, but more a suspicion that it simply slipped away while we weren’t looking. What does it mean to be spiritual? It appears that many people are asking that question.
Some dynamics of spiritual searching seem to emerge regularly whenever we hear people talk about spirituality. We may notice:
• A need to connect with something greater than ourselves
• An appreciation for the role of emotions
• A profound search for meaning and purpose
• A desire to look deep within ourselves for meaning
• A sense that we have untapped sources of insight or knowledge
• A conviction that there is more to reality than what we normally notice
• A concern about values, authority, and truth
• Spiritual seekers may or may not be part of any “established” religion
Many discussions about spirituality seem to polarize into debates about the head or the heart. One person argues that the intellect is central, while another promotes the primary nature of the heart and soul. The head wants accurate information, clear ideas, solid beliefs, and consistency. It brings structure and predictability. The heart desires meaning, strong relationships, pure motives, deep integrity, and is comfortable with spontaneity. Both are part of being human, and both are important in the growth of faith.
If we view the hands and the feet as metaphors for spirituality, we get yet another perspective. The hands and feet are interested more in actions than in ideas or feelings. The hands and feet want to make things better – they want to work, to bless, to welcome, to uphold, and to heal.
We know that all of these images for spirituality make sense. We need to think clearly about our faith and its content. We need to listen to our feelings and have a passion for integrity. We need to act and live in ways that bring our faith to life.
Perhaps our sense that education and spirituality have grown apart is rooted in a lack of balance in our approach to Christian education. If you were to chart the educational efforts within your church, would one aspect of faith growth (head, heart, or hands and feet) receive more attention than the others? Chances are that the head has garnished the greatest share of our educational energies. What are your impressions?
As we seek to be intentional about reuniting spirituality and learning in our educational ministries, it may be helpful to remember the need for balance in our approaches to growing faith. How do we teach Christians to involve their emotions and to put faith into action even while their minds are challenged?
Many of the signs of spiritual searching are positive and offer opportunities for ministry and outreach. Even when the signals and language used by these spiritual seekers seem strange or threatening, we may do well to hear their need.
People seem to naturally know that God is beyond our reason and our understanding. If this is true, then Christian education should offer spiritual seekers learning opportunities that draw from the rich resources of the Scriptures, our traditions, and our local churches — resources that can grow the mind, stir the heart, and give direction to the hands and feet.
David Cassady is the Executive Vice-President and Publisher for Smyth & Helwys Publishing.
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