1. Our Search for God

2. The Journey of Faith

3. The Search for God is Innate We are born with the need to make sense out of life – a search for meaning. We seek answers to the “bigger” questions – Who am I? Why am I here?

4. Restlessness Lies Deep in the Heart Everyone has a fire or passion within What we do with that passion = spirituality A “holy longing” exists for transcendence, something beyond ourselves Everyone seeks and finds something to fill the longing: GOD God takes on many forms....some true and some false

5. The Search for God Is Recorded in All Cultures, All Disciplines Philosophy Psychology Anthropology Ecology Science The Arts Etc.

6. Only Religion Dares to Answer Ultimate Life Questions: Is there a purpose for life? What is the ultimate nature of reality? What is the meaning of suffering? Is there objective Truth? What is evil? Why does the unexpected happen? What do we make of the absurdities of life? What happens when we die? Who is God? What is faith?

7. The Search for God Lasts a Life Time The search changes as we change The search goes in stages The search is developmental “In seeking God, we have already found God.” Fr. Louis F. Knight

8. So...The question is NOT: Is there a God? But rather: What is your faith?

9. Defining Faith As... A Process An evolving sense of relatedness to other persons. An evolving sense of soul or spirit A dynamic, evolving pattern of the ways we find meaning in life. A Gift of the Spirit A Theological Virtue Grounds us in relationship Gives meaning and coherence to our lives

10. Faith is Paradoxical... Depends on God Depends on Us A “simultaneous dance of Spirit” “Pray as though everything depends on God, work as though everything depends on you.” St. Benedict

11. STAGES OF FAITH JAMES FOWLER

12. Primal Faith The Incorporative Self 0-2 years Image of God: Mirrored in Parents Shaping what is to come Prayer of Parent

13. Stage 1: Intuitive-Projective Faith the Impulsive Self 2-6 years Image of God: Literal, real Baby in a Manger, Man on a Cross Rote, Memorized Prayer; “God Bless……”

14. Stage 2: Mythic-Literal Faith The Imperial Self 7-12 years Image of God: Parent deity who rewards & punishes Imaginative Prayer; Intercessory, Prayer of Contrition Bargaining

15. Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Faith The Interpersonal Self 13-20 years Image of God: Best Friend, companion Prayer is “Talking to God”

16. Stage 4: Individuative-Reflective Faith The Introspective Self Adults Seriously on the Journey Image of God: nebulous, changing Prayer: Contemplative, Meditative, New forms, changing

17. Stage 5: Conjunctive Faith The Inter-Individual Self Adults seriously on the journey for more than 20 years Image of God: ever-changing Prayer is Listening and Stillness Contemplative Lifestyle

18. Stage 6: Universalizing Faith The God-Grounded Self “The Saints Among Us” Image of God: Free of images, steeped in experience Prayer is Unitive, Mystical Deep abiding Stillness

19. Where are you on the journey of faith?