The ‘long and winding road’ of faith: learning about the Christian life and discipleship from two Methodist congregations

ABSTRACT

The popular understanding and practice of discipleship has often assumed a particular shape of the life of faith, one which is more ‘heroic’ and active. This paper explores how the understanding and experience of learning and growing as Christians in two Methodist congregations challenges and nuances this understanding of discipleship. Focusing on the themes of non-heroic faith and participative faith which arose in the data, it compares the understanding of the Christian life within these congregations with the discipleship material in the book Holy Habits, by Andrew Roberts. Through engaging with Vygotskii’s Zone of Proximal Development an alternative pedagogy from that presented in the discipleship material is suggested of the dual practice of deep conversation and risk-taking. Far from retreating from a participative faith, the paper shows how it can provide a theological basis for such faith to grow and mature.

KEYWORDS:

• Discipleship
• deep conversation
• risk-taking
• participative faith
• Holy Habits
• Learning
• theological action research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributor

James Butler is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Roehampton and MA lecturer at the Church Mission Society, both in the UK. He researches and teaches in the fields of missiology, ecclesiology and practical theology. He is currently involved in two theological action research projects: one exploring learning in British Methodism, and the second exploring Methodist and Catholic engagement in social action. He was awarded his PhD from Durham University researching how small missional communities sustain their social action.

ORCID

James Butler http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6870-888X

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 The research is a collaboration between the Theology and Action Research Network (https://theologyandactionresearch.net/) at the University of Roehampton and the Susanna Wesley Foundation (http://susannawesleyfoundation.org/). It is funded by the Southlands Methodist Trust.

2 Due to the nature of theological action research this paper is the fruit of a collaborative work involving both reflector teams and the principal investigator, Dr Clare Watkins.

3 The Learning Zone Model is regularly attributed to Tom Senninger (2000) for example, (‘The Learning Zone Model’ 2018) and appears to be an attempt to make Vygotskii’s insights more accessible to educators.

4 Dawes suggests the Methodist conference gives an insight into a Methodist theology of revelation; the Spirit discerned in the midst of prayerful and focused conversation (Dawes 2004)

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Southlands Methodist Trust; charity number 1100660.