Bringing the individualist to church - PowerPoint Presentation

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Bringing the individualist to church

Church planters’ retreat

Windsor

September 2017

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To find one’s genuine self is for many the most important quest.

The church has to relate to people who use themselves as reference points for their value system and worldview.

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Then . . . .

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Not any more . . .

Individualism and pluralism.

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Pluralism

The pluralism project,

Aarhus University

.

National Church

80% of the 5,5 mil Danes are members.

This number is falling due to immigration and people leaving

Roman Catholic Church

38 000 members and growing due to immigration.

Independent churches -

(Pentecostals,

Baptists, Methodists, Salvation Army and the Adventist Church)

Only a few thousand each

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Challenge

“The available data now suggest that the people in the Nordic countries are prepared to view several religions as bearers of truth.”

The European social survey ‘Religious and Moral Pluralism’ (RAMP

covering twelve countries. Research into the same issues has been repeated for the last thirty years, thus creating a nuanced picture of developments.

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From group identity to individualism

Martin LutherKing and QueenNew constitution 1848Monopoly on religion broken....Higher educationMoving away from permanent social context and relationshipsGovernment welfare programBetter financial situationWomen moving into the workplace

‘Dependence has disappeared as a condition of daily life.’

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Three generations

Growing up in the 30ies and 40ies

Growing up on the 50ies and 60ies

Growing up in the 80ies and 90ies

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From Quest for Truth to Being Oneself

by Inger Furseth from Norway.

A qualitative doctoral study of three generations with particular interest in their relationships to faith and to a faith community.

Due to the expansion of the educational system and the growth of the welfare state, they [those who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s] were able to pursue higher education and their own careers, and thereby, plan their own lives. They became the generation that wanted to ‘find themselves.’ Rather than accepting the values and traditions that were given to them, they set out to dissect every accepted norm and to explore and form new ones. Whereas previous generations thought in terms of duty and obligations, Jan, Bente and Lise [interviewees] could think in terms of ‘creating their own lives.’ . . . Whereas the older generation [growing up in the 1930s and 1940s] perceives the group to be an important source of identity and sense of self, Jan, Bente and Lise [growing up in the 1950s and 1960s] largely see the group as entities that threaten the self. These stories reveal a shift in emphasis from an orientation towards others to an orientation toward the self, particularly in the area of religion

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. . . . In contrast to the middle-aged generation that attempted to ‘find oneself,’ Marianne [growing up in the 80s] takes for granted there is an inner subjective self that has true authority. For her, ‘being oneself’ is a fundamental concept that organizes most of her ideas and experiences. . . . It is her subjective self that creates order in life. For Marianne, groups do not constitute a theme for conflict. If she no longer finds that a group fits her sense of self, she will simply leave it. For her, it is her subjective self that determines her religious worldviews, morality, and group membership.’

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Noen Ganger Tror Jeg På Gud, Men . . ?

[Sometimes I believe in God . . ]

Erling

Birkedal concludes from his qualitative research, that

‘. . . it is a widespread attitude that each individual must be allowed to believe in their [sic] own way, and not only give support to, or rejection of, a faith given or provided by others.’

This is a qualitative doctoral study on 90 young people in the Norwegian national church.

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Furseth:

‘The new emphasis on self implies that the post-war generation and their children only adopt these [the church’s] traditions if they fit with their personal enhancement or extensions of their own selves.’

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The European Values Study (EVS).

Peter Lüchau.

‘. . . the church can say whatever it wants, but the Danes will primarily listen when what is said, fits into their own private religious positions.’ He continues: ‘In other words, the individualization has made the Danes into members of the national church on their own terms.’

Religion has become a ‘smorgasbord’ where individuals fill their plate according to their own liking.

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The sacralisation of self

To be true to oneself is seen by Danes as a high, even supreme, value.

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Pressure from inside and outside.

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Grace Davie.

Europe, the Exceptional Case.

Europeans more ”unchurched” than ”secular”.

Vicarious religion.

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Authenticity

In the stories analysed here, the discourse on authenticity centres on individual consistency between ideals and behaviour. . . . The shift in emphasis from an orientation towards the social group to an orientation towards the self is also revealed in the discourse on authenticity. Whereas the older generation [growing up in 1920s/ 1930s] discusses individual sincerity in the area of religion in relation to one or more communities, Jan, Bente, and Lise [growing up in the 1950s/ 1960s] relate these topics to the self. They operate with a notion that they have a unique, inner, authentic self where truth is to be found. . . . For Bente and Marianne [growing up in the 1980s/ 1990s], to be genuine is related to the idea of ‘being true to oneself.’

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Carl-David Andreasen

‘T

he biblical message has not been changed, but the last decades have put before us a new phase in the history of the church. As several generations in the past have passed on the ‘relay baton’ of truth to new generations, we have now reached a time when many must rediscover the gospel and the Adventist message, not just as a ‘readymade package,’ but as a result of their own seeking and finding [my translation].’

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Response

Opportunities

Openmindedness

Spirituality

Adventist pioneers – individualist?

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Challenge

Accommodate this new mentality?

Membership?

Belonging?

Are there other ways?

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Suggestion 1: Conceptions of belonging

Two growing local churches studied by Adrian Peck:

‘Christ Church London’

‘Kingsgate Community church’ in Peterborough.

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Paul Hiebert:

‘. . .

a centre set model as being based on ‘intrinsic rather than extrinsic characteristics,’ such that one’s relationship to a defined centre, based on movement away or towards that centre, determines whether a person is a member of the set. This is not a boundary free system as there is a clear division between things moving in and those moving out. For a church the centre is Jesus.’

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Suggestion 2: Create new entry points.

Locations

Communication forms

Rites of entry and belonging

Church plants with new DNA

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Suggestion 3: Relationships

Let the Holy Spirit lead.

Disciples grow disciples.

Faith is ”given” by a believer to another person.

- Points towards personal engagement and the small group/ house church / cell.

Evangelism is never only a programme.

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In what ways does

individualism bring

challenges

opportunities

to the SDA church?

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Book available on “www.amazon.co.uk”

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Thanks