Hermetic Homiletics

Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Faith

Attributes:
~Begins in adolescence
~World extends beyond family/community
~Faith must synthesize varied values and information to provide a basis for identity and outlook
~Structures the environment in interpersonal terms; faith reflects qualities experienced in personal relationships
~A “Conformist” stage that is attuned to the expectations and judgments of others; does not have a firm “identity” and autonomous judgment
~Beliefs and values are deeply felt and are tacitly held; the person “dwells” in them
~Has not had the opportunity to step outside of the community and its values to evaluate them
~An “ideology” has formed, but has not been examined
~Differences with other people become differences with other “kinds” of people (classification)
~Authority comes from the traditional authority held

Gifts:
~Formation of a “personal myth”: the myth of one’s becoming in identity and faith, incorporating one’s past and anticipated future in an image of God’s plan unified by characteristics of personality

Dangers:
~Internalization (and sacralization) of others expectation and evaluations can jeopardize later autonomy of judgment and action
~Interpersonal betrayals can give rise to either
+++ Nihilistic despair about a personal principle of ultimate being, or
+++ To a compensatory intimacy with God unrelated to mundane relations.

Transition:
~Serious clashes or contradictions between valued authorities
~Marked changes by officially sanctioned leaders, policies, or practices that previously seemed sacred and unbreachable
~Encounter with experiences or perspectives that lead to critical reflection on how one’s beliefs and values have formed and changed, and how developed particularly from to one’s group or background
~“Leaving home” on an emotional or physical level that precipitates self-examination of personal history and values

Note: This is where I will start. Working at this level promotes transition from the Mythic-Literal Stage. It is necessary to work here in the process of “becoming.”

posted by irreverance @ 1:53 PM