d) Session 1 SPIRITUALITY – LIFE IS ABOUT MORE THAN WHAT WE SEE

Read to page 36

               

Some have commented that this first section seems out of place.  This section focuses on spirituality.  The rest of the book focuses on religion.  

This first section is an  INTRODUCTION to the JOURNEY that we all must take in our search for answers.  If yours is more an academic interest, ie. how has the author developed his ideas then possibly you need to begin at Part 2.

Considering the Forward  page xv  to xviii

At this point, ie the first of our 10 week sessions, do you agree with the author, "Has the term religion and the concepts associated with religion been lost to our culture?  How did this happen and how do we recover the awareness of religion for today?  How important is this struggle to regain a cultural understanding of religion?  (Just a brief discussion - this is the main focus of the book, should become clear as we move along.)

Considering page 4 - 7:  Life’s Ultimate Questions, the Why of this Book

1) Does everyone have a set of Ultimate Life Questions and Answers?  
* When do we have to wrestle with them?  Have you ever personally wrestled with them?  What triggered this searching?
** Does such a set of questions and answers point to the reality of a deeper spiritual dimension?  Or as some would say; the presence of such questions is simply the result of religious conditioning.  Discuss.

Considering pages 8 - 15: The Promise of a Spiritual Quest

2) Discuss the list of spiritual characteristics provided (pg. 7-10).  Agree / disagree / additions / deletions.  
* With which one(s) can you personally relate?  
** Share your personal story with respect to that spiritual wrestling / awakening.  (Possibly it would be appropriate to pray for each other.)

3) Compare a person who is healthy physically but is suffering spiritually (lack in Page 11 - 15 list).   Compare that person with someone who has brokenness in the body but has a healthy spirituality.  
* Which dimension of our being is foundational, more important?  
** How should this realization reorient our lives?

Considering pages 16 – 22:  The Dilemma inherent in a Spiritual Quest & Wrapping our Mind around the Concept of God

4) How do we envision God?   Does our concept of God impact how we process our relationship with God?   Many of us may have collected a fair bit of baggage in our relationship with God.  
* How much of this emotional baggage has triggered wrong images of God, as a result wrong responses to God?

** Why does God insist on no images or statutes depicting God?   (2^nd of the 10 commandments, Exodus 20:4)   How does an image or mental image limit or twist our understanding of an invisible, unfathomable God?   Given the third commandment (Exodus 20:5) possibly God would have us think of Him primarily in terms of a Name – and He has given us many variations of His name (all the I AM’s).  

*** Ultimately God has revealed himself in the coming of Jesus Christ, in having lived among us, as one of us.  How have we as NT Christians gained from this self- revelation?   

Considering Pages 23 - 36 Twelve Steps: The Parameters for a Spiritual Quest
This section will be included in lesson 10 - Authentic Christianity

Bringing closure

5) Luke 15 :11 ff   Restoring the relationship with the Father was the key to the son’s well being on so many different levels.  
* Discuss the process the younger son went through to restoration of relationship.  How does this mirror a person's conversion, ie becoming a Christian?
** Take a closer look at the older brother as well.  Consider the relationship issues he has with the Father.  What is missing in his life?  What needs to happen if he is to come in?   
*** Who am I most like – the younger or the older son?