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Everyone, I am in a Master of Counseling program at a non-LDS university and, for a class project, am developing a Faith Crisis Group Counseling proposal. It will be targeted specifically at LDS participants, with a note that it can be altered, where necessary, to fit other religions or denominations. I just had the idea to base each of the six required sessions on a scriptural verse or LDS Church leader quote. The session focal points are:
1)a general introduction to Fowler’s Stages of Faith; 2)understanding common crisis categories (historical, doctrinal, cultural, social, etc.); 3)understanding Stage 4 (particularly as a gateway to Stage 5 or entrenchment in Stage 3); 4)faith crisis coping skills; 5)navigating interpersonal tension caused by changed or differing faith constructs; 6)redefining “perfection” and “Zion”. So far, I have chosen the verse and quote for
Session 1(Elder Wirthlin’s quote from “Concern for the One” about valuing all the instruments in God’s divine orchestra), Session 5(Moses 4:18 & 1 Corinthians 8:13), and Session 6(Matthew 5:48 as “whole, complete, fully developed”). What I need are verse and quote suggestions for the other three sessions. If you see this today through Sunday (4/218 – 4/20), I would appreciate any input you would like to give.
I like it a lot. Do you want quote references or do you have those ready. (Read your post slowly). Will work on it. One thing I know is that lots of religions are having the Faith Transition Experience. Though boards like this are nice, having person to person assistance can heal things so much better.
Run with it.
I like it a lot too, and I do think it would work for other churches – I know of Catholics and Jews who have had faith crises/transitions. Right off the top of my head, I’d say “Come Join With US” (Uchtdorf) for number 4. For me it made all the difference. I have some pondering time this weekend, so I’ll think on this a bot more. BTW, I quoted extensively from that Wirthlin talk this past Sunday.
For me Mother Teresa comes to mind. In a way she had a faith crisis with lack of support from the church. I don’t have a direct quote, but I remember reading her book and her letters were plea’s for The Church to buoy her up, help her, send support (whether in written form or with actual hands/money). I also think some type of reference or quote to keeping spirituality. I will keep thinking and looking.
I am with DJ on the Uchtdorf talk – it really was/is a supreme piece on inclusion.
2 & 3) St. Mark Chapters 11:27 through 13:3. I know it’s a lot (more than just a verse or two), but look at what Jesus is doing in those chapters. He doesn’t appear to be too pleased with the doctrines, culture, or society. He’s shining a light on dogma in an effort to make it collapse on its own weight. He’s clearly had it outs with religious authority.
Also worth noting, in the Mark narrative Jesus leaves the temple never to return to it. The temple has lost its charm with Jesus (if it ever had it to begin with, hard to tell), he prophecies the destruction of the temple (Mark13:2) and makes the mount of Olives his new “temple.”
In more recent history:
Dalai Lama wrote:This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
John chapter 8 is another example. The story’s climax at the end of the chapter:
John 8:58-59 wrote:Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Verse 58 is pretty powerful and if applied more broadly (to everyone, not just Jesus) it’s one of the hallmark’s of stage 4. Finding your internal voice of authority. I no longer need you to speak for god, I am god. You can tell it struck a chord with the leaders, Jesus had to peace out to avoid a stoning.
Paul’s Body of Christ letter. Where ever we go, whomever we are we all belong to the body of Christ. Even unbelievers Thanks, everyone. I am getting there. If you think of anything else, let me know.
Sorry I missed it. Quite frankly, I find Fowler’s Stages of faith so academic they aren’t a lot of use to practitioners — unless you wordsmith them to be accessible to the average person. I would consider using a different model.
Session 3: For the classification of faith crises, I would consider using a quote from Uchdorfts “it’s not that simple” talk. Where he indicates that faith crises is not as simple as people make it out to be. then go into non-sin related categories you have.
For the faith crisis coping skills, I would again use the “doubt your doubts and not your faith” as a starter quote. While this sounds like you are asking them to simply have faith (something that often no longer works for people in faith crisis), exposing our fallibility as human beings to detect truths about the next world given the fact it is hidden from us puts the LDS religion back on the same playing field as other religions. I have found that doubting my doubts (and questioning my own ability to detect truth) has a) stopped me from going to name-removal, and b) helped me expect less from the LDS church. It drives a number of coping behaviors.
Understanding Stage 4 — that is hard. I would be inclined to draw on non-church sources for that one. We don’t like to talk about people in Stage 4 in our church. Head in the sand. I am hard pressed to see how you can get a quote that doesn’t ooze TBM attitudes, which often don’t work with people in faith crises.
for # 4, I like “Lord I believe, help my unbelief” along with the concept that a small amount of faith can do amazing good even when accompanied by a large amount of doubt. Tiny faith – is greater than – large doubt Uchtdorf’s recent “Behold the Man” has good stuff, too. Thanks, again, everyone, for your input. I need to submit it tonight. I decided to focus on scriptural references at this point, so I am using only one statement from an individual. I am going to begin the first session with the following from Elder Wirthlin’s “Concern for the One” (which, I am sure, will not surprise anyone here):
Quote:The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his (or her) own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.
Right now, I have the following, and I am looking at the other suggestions you provided:
1)a general introduction to Fowler’s Stages of Faith Quote:Moses 6:56: “And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves”
2)understanding common crisis categories (historical, doctrinal, cultural, social, etc.) Quote:1 Corinthians 12:25-26: “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”
Quote:Doctrine & Covenants 109:7: “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith.”
3)understanding Stage 4 (particularly as a gateway to Stage 5 or entrenchment in Stage 3) Quote:Alma 32: 41-43,
focused on patience: ” But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. And because of your diligence and your faith and your patiencewith the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.” 4)faith crisis coping skills Quote:1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
5)navigating interpersonal tension caused by changed or differing faith constructs Quote:Moses 4:18: “And the man said: The woman thou gavest me, and commandest that she should remain with me, she gave me of the fruit of the tree and I did eat.” I Corinthians 8:13: “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”
6)redefining “perfection” and “Zion” Quote:Matthew 5:48,
focused on perfection being completion, wholeness, and full development: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Finnish with Elder Wirthlin’s quote used to start the sessions:
Quote:The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his (or her) own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.
Wow! Some good things here I am seeing some of the scriptures in a new way — like the personal tension that Adam and Eve faced. That one is particularly powerful as it shows that to navigate the personal tension in commandments, there is often sacrifice. But out of that sacrifice, comes growth. Also, that being charitable as people in faith crisis is a good thing. We can easily be negative and harsh with people in the church due to their behavior, but the onus is on us to be as chartiable to them as we would like them to be to us…
Some good thoughts Curt!
I think it’s beautiful. And the LDS scriptures can easily be switched out for other ones. Nice job.
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