Dr. Edward White, a ministry consultant with the Alban Institute, Bethesda, MD,shared with my former church in Pennsylvaniathat persons of mature Christian faith have eight characteristics:
- Trusts in God’s saving grace and believes firmly in the humanity and divinity of Jesus.
- Experiences a sense of personal well-being, security, and peace.
- Integrates faith and life, seeing work, family, social relationships, and political choices as part of one’s religious life.
- Seeks spiritual growth through study, reflection, prayer, and discussion with others.
- Seeks to be a part of a community of believers in which people give witness to their faith and support and nourish one another. (They show-up for worship and participate in a small group.)
- Holds life-affirming values, including commitments to racial and general equality, affirmation of cultural and religious diversity, and a personal sense of responsibility for the welfare of others.
- Advocates social and global change to bring about greater social justice.
- Serves humanity, consistently and passionately, through acts of love and justice.
These eight core dimensions of faith were identified after interviews with theological scholars, denominational executives, and open-ended surveys with several hundred adults from six participating denominations, and reviews of the literature in psychology and religion. Where are you on your journey toward mature faith?
Joy,
Nurture Faith with Dr. Doug Hood 