Discernment and Dialogue in a Secular Age
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DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? DISCERNMENT AND DIALOGUE IN A SECULAR AGE by ANDREW J. SCHLECHT A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Luther Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MINISTRY ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 2020 © 2020 by Andrew J. Schlecht All rights reserved ABSTRACT Do You Hear What I Hear? Discernment and Dialogue in a Secular Age by Andrew J. Schlecht This Participatory Action Research (PAR) utilized a mixed methods approach to address an adaptive challenge in a Lutheran church in a bedroom community in a small town and rural setting. The research involved implementing PAR interventions that cultivated four spiritual capacities: see, hear, know, and say within the realm of faith formation. Results suggest the Holy Spirit initiated a process of cultural adaptation as participants began reframing their world view, having their missional imagination transformed, discerning the triune God’s active presence, and engaging in dialogue. See appendix L for the Executive Summary. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Missional leadership is not an individual sport or a solo endeavor—it is team- oriented and collaborative. When Jesus sent out the seventy-two disciples ahead of him to proclaim, “The kingdom of God has come near to you,” he sent them in pairs, two by two (Lk 10:1-16). Jesus further advised them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” I asked the Lord of the harvest for workers for the Kingdom, and sure enough, he raised them up. There are many people for whom I offer thanks and praise to God. Members of the cohort have been a wealth of experience and encouragement. Seeing how the Holy Spirit is working through them and their congregations is genuinely inspirational. Luther Seminary’s Congregational Mission and Leadership faculty and staff, particularly my advisors for this thesis, Dr. Alvin Luedke and Dr. Daniel Anderson, were insightful and inspiring. They challenged my thinking and presuppositions while helping me grow as a missional leader. God has blessed me with serving side-by-side with a marvelous congregation. They are supportive, curious, and courageous while being willing to experiment. Most of all, they are faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. I am particularly grateful to everyone who participated in the interventions, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The Participatory Action Research Team was inventive, diligent, and open to new experiences. They regularly stepped out of their comfort zones because of their love for iii Jesus, and they challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone, too. This research could not have been completed without them. When my wife and I were in college, Rev. Dr. Ronald J. Lavin was our pastor, mentor, and friend. He was a good and faithful servant who stretched me beyond anything I had ever imagined as a disciple of Jesus. He passed away midway through this program, so I give thanks to God for calling Ron to be a missional leader who proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ. I am blessed with the most amazing, faithful, loving family, especially my children, Katharina and Kyle, Victoria, Jonathan, and Elizabeth, my grandchildren, Kaedence, Alanna, Korina, and Rebekka, my parents, Duane and Antonia, and mother-in- law, Beverly, who support me whenever I head off on my next adventure, as well as my Aunt Donna, Uncle Don, and cousin Rien who made me feel at home during my treks to Luther Seminary. In Proverbs 31:10, it is written, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.” I am doubly blessed because I have found her. I am so grateful for my remarkable, beautiful, faithful, and loving wife, Vallorie. Nearly forty years ago, she introduced me to a Jesus I had never known. I am blessed beyond all measure. I offer up this prayer from the Apostle Paul for all of you from Ephesians 1:15-19: For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Amen. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................... x 1. INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH QUESTION ................................................... 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Research Question ............................................................................................. 3 Importance of the Research Question ................................................................. 4 Theoretical Lenses ............................................................................................. 5 Biblical and Theological Lenses ........................................................................ 7 Definition of Key Terms .................................................................................. 11 Research Methodology and Methods ............................................................... 17 Variables .................................................................................................. 17 Ethical Considerations .............................................................................. 18 Summary ......................................................................................................... 20 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND THEORETICAL LENSES ......................... 21 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 21 Historical Background ..................................................................................... 21 Theoretical Lenses ........................................................................................... 24 Secularity.................................................................................................. 25 Adaptive Change ...................................................................................... 35 Mental Models and Reframing .................................................................. 38 Story and Ritual ........................................................................................ 42 Summary ......................................................................................................... 54 3. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL LENSES .......................................................... 55 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 55 Biblical Lenses ................................................................................................ 55 Healing a Blind Man: Mark 8:17-26.......................................................... 56 Jesus and Two Criminals: Luke 23:32-49 .................................................. 58 The Road to Emmaus: Luke 24:13-35 ....................................................... 60 The Book of Ruth ..................................................................................... 62 Peter and Cornelius: Acts 10:1-11:18 ........................................................ 64 Theological Lenses .......................................................................................... 65 Discernment and Dialogue ........................................................................ 65 Do You See What I See? .................................................................... 72 v Do You Hear What I Hear? ................................................................ 73 Do You Know What I Know? ............................................................ 75 Listen to What I Say .......................................................................... 78 The Glory Story and the Cross Story ......................................................... 79 Missional Imagination .............................................................................. 85 Liturgy and Witness .................................................................................. 95 Summary ....................................................................................................... 103 4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN ................................................... 104 Introduction ................................................................................................... 104 Methodology ................................................................................................. 105 Theological Warrants .............................................................................. 105 Participatory Action Research ................................................................. 106 Research Design ...........................................................................................