Fowler's Stages of Faith (part 5 of 6)

We continue with James W. Fowler's Stages of Faith (1995), looking at faith development.

Stage 5 is Conjunctive faith. Some bullet points about Stage 5 faith from Fowler.
-a reclaiming and reworking of one's past
-involves a critical recognition of one's social unconscious - the myths, ideal images and prejudices built deeply into the self-system by virtue of one's nurture within a particular social class, religious tradition, ethnic group or the like
-unusual before mid-life knows the sacrament of defeat and the reality of irrevocable commitments and acts
-it generates and maintains vulnerability to the strange truths of those who are "other"
-ready for closeness to that which is different and threatening to self and outlook (including new depths of experience in spirituality and religious revelation), this stage's commitment to justice is freed from the confines of tribe, class, religious community or nation
-with the seriousness that can arise when life is more than half over, this stage is ready to spend and be spent for the cause of conserving and cultivating the possibility of others' generating identity and meaning
-a capacity to see and be in one's or one's group's most powerful meanings, while simultaneously recognizing that they are relative, partial and inevitably distorting apprehensions of transcendent reality

Clearly persons with cognitive disabilities can know the "sacrament of defeat and the reality of irrevocable commitments and acts." I think I have also seen glimpses of a willingness to "spend and be spent for the cause of conserving and cultivating the possibility of others' generating identity and meaning." When focused, the commitment to faith of persons with mental retardation can be breathtaking. In leading classes for these individuals I have often shaken my head in wonder at the wisdom God can reveal to these people.

I sometimes think about the manner in which Christian faith has been so intellectualized. This is not to disdain indepth study of theology or the desire to plumb the depth of God's word. However, what is the contribution of intellect to faith and the supposed correlation between intellect and behavior. I can tell you that after nearly 30 years as student or faculty in the university, knowledge is not the answer to the world's problems. The pettiness of highly educated people is juvenile. Yet, we seem to think that if someone doesn't understand a concept that implies a shallowness of faith. If I don't understand or can't relate the importance of the bodily resurrection of Jesus, for example, my faith is somehow less than someone who can "see and be in one's or one's group's most powerful meanings, while simultaneously recognizing that they are relative, partial and inevitably distorting apprehensions of transcendent reality." If one must understand such statements to have a deep faith, many never will.

What was the faith level of the little high school girl, Cassie Bernal, at Columbine High School who forfeited her life when she wouldn't denounce her belief in God? She hadn't reached midlife, or perhaps even considered the kinds of issues described above. But could her faith be questioned? What level of faith have you achieved when you are willing to die for your faith? We will see this type of commitment in Level 6, however, the implication for developmental sequences is that you need to somehow move through the levels to achieve a higher level faith.

In my first posting on this blog, I mention the fact that many feel that persons with severe mental retardation are automatically accepted by God as they will not have the opportunity to make a decision intellectually or any other way for God due to their disability. I am curious about what level of faith this is?

For myself, I can think through the issues mentioned for Stage 5.
I wonder how my "myths, ideal images and prejudices" impact the way I express my faith. I hope that my commitment to justice "is freed from the confines of tribe, class, religious community or nation." I wonder whether I reflect on "powerful meanings, while simultaneously recognizing that they are relative, partial and inevitably distorting apprehensions of transcendent reality." God forbid that my "through a glass darkly" image of God is who God really is. I often wonder what the obvious thing is, that the church is missing right now? Something which later generations will look back on and shake their heads saying "How could they have gotten that wrong?"

As I have said at other times in this blog, it may be the future head shakers will be thinking about church's lack of inclusion, acceptance and ministry to persons with disabilities of all types. At least that is what I see.

McNair