The Congregation: A Center for Practical Theological Discourse

Many today are asking about the necessity of education in the congregation and if living religiously with others might be all that is needed. Living religiously with others is indeed educational, but the chaos and transition in which people in modern society find themselves calls for a deliberate vehicle through which Christian values can be transmitted and in which meaning in life can be found. The question is, "what kind of vehicle is effective?"

As it is practiced in most local churches, adult religious education is not very effective. I believe it is ineffective because it fails to connect a person's experience with the relevancy of the faith. To reflect theologically together has always been an important part of congregational life. What is needed is to make such reflection more intentional. The congregation should be that "safe place" where all questions about God can be asked, without fear of ridicule or embarrassment. To love God with all of my mind means to ask questions about God's relation to me and to the world. The Christian faith is not a questionable religion—but it is a religion which allows, even encourages, you to ask questions.

We live in a world that is surrounded by mystery. To accept the fact that most of us live in a tension between affirming our faith in one breath and asking questions about our life and faith in the next, is a liberating experience.

There are times in the process of life and faith examination when it takes more courage to "stop and think" and stand by your reflective questions, than to stand by beliefs that have not yet been tested by your experience. In the trustworthiness of religious experience lies the affirmation that seeking and questioning will eventually lead to finding...and to more questions. In this spiritual context, "why" becomes a sacred word.

The center of "practical" theological discourse, where the "why" questions can be asked, is the congregation. The congregation is the one place that seeks to ground theological discourse in the practical life experiences of everyday Christians. These believers, who are living their lives as best they know how with the help of their genuine faith commitments, need the congregation to be that place of inquiry into theological issues that are forever being raised in their practical experiences of life. It is in the life experiences of church members that theology moves from the abstract to the practical, and the congregational setting is where these practical issues can be reflected upon.

Adult Christian religious education will always be part of the nature of congregational life, whether this education is intentional or happens unintentionally. Humans are gifted with the capacity to think, and it is impossible for us to leave our minds outside the circle of our congregational life. Whether formally or informally, the questions of the Christian faith will be asked. What remains to be decided by pastors and Christian education leaders is how effective we will be in responding to these questions.