Contemplating Our Conversations with “Nones”

Dear Beloved in Christ in the Rocky Mountain Synod,

What kind of conversations do you have with folks in your life who have no religious affiliation?  In some circles these people are known as the “Nones"— a designation that suggests that they’re likely to mark “none” if asked to identify a religious or faith tradition. It’s not a particularly helpful term for describing a very diverse and growing group of people in our society, but just do a Google search for “Nones” and you’ll see plenty of references!

“Nones” who don’t identify with a faith community may well have spiritual practices in their lives and most probably have opinions about questions of faith and spirituality. But when it comes to participating in a church or congregation, it’s simply not a priority. It may be a lack of time, a lack of affinity with a set of beliefs, or a lack of interest. Things “religious” may simply seem irrelevant to their lives.

This past week the ELCA Bishops’ Academy met in Savannah, Georgia, and focused on “Good News….From, With and For…the ‘Nones.” Three speakers (see below) challenged us to consider how our church’s intentional engagement with folks who are religiously unaffiliated shapes our sense of identity, our understanding of mission, and our regular “church practices” such as preaching. The goal of our sessions wasn’t to derive better strategies for figuring out how to entice “Nones” to become “One of Us,” but rather to ask what is revealed by the questions, concerns, and perspectives of people who find religious community unnecessary for their daily lives. How might our intentional and respectful engagement with this particular population help us become more faithful and authentic as we seek to embody the gospel, not as a matter of routine and tradition, but from the depths of the core values we hold as a Lutheran and truly evangelical (“good news focused”) part of the Body of Christ? 

Some of my key take-aways from this time together:

• We need to claim and celebrate our heritage as a faith community that invites questions, wonder, and exploration. There is a misconception on the part of far too many people that “church” is a place with all the answers, where one’s brain must be checked at the door.
  
• As the ELCA, we possess the immeasurable treasure of a theology that is rooted in expansive grace, that is shaped by the insistence that the Divine meets us most fully in our suffering, that is fueled by our willingness to name and embrace the paradoxes of reality. Such a theology is more relevant than ever for the time and place in which we live! Yet until we move ourselves and our theology from our heads to our hearts and dare to focus on experience, we will not meet folks where they actually live.
  
• Our future as a church body is absolutely dependent upon our capacity to evolve and change.  Models of being “church” that worked in prior generations (centered on belief, buildings, members, programs) will not continue to work in a context where faith finds its most profound expression in radical welcome and belonging, in service to the community, and in a shared experience of mystery, wonder, and angst. 

So what kind of conversations do you have with the “Nones” of your life?  What do they teach you about your own faith and practice?  Can you imagine a word of “good news” (gospel) from your life experience that might prove intriguing to a “None” that you know?  What fruits might come from intentional engagement with the “Nones” in your community? 

I’d love to hear from you!

Yours in Faith,

Bishop Jim 

PS – You may wish to check out more about our three speakers:

• Andrew Root (Olson Baalson Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN – http://andrewroot.org )
• Anna Madsen (OMG:  Center for Theological Conversation, Sioux Falls, SD – http://omgcenter.com )
• Shauna Hannan (Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, SC – http://ltss.lr.edu/directory/faculty/shauna-hannan )