“I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir,” said Alice, “Because I'm not myself you see.”
Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass.
These were Alice’s words to the Caterpillar as she found herself in Wonderland. Nothing seemed to make sense to her and Caterpillar couldn’t make sense of her. All she had seen and experienced no longer had familiar reference points for her to comprehend where she was or how to make sense of it.
It feels like a seismic shift has occurred in the faith development of children today. Working so closely and intently with youngsters of today I am becoming more and more convinced that who they are and how they think has moved to a place that is so foreign and unknown to their forebears. Adults look on with bemusement as they try to make the reality of their faith real for children today.
In 1962 the scientific world was rocked by Thomas Kuhn when he wrote his short book entitled, ‘The Structure of Scientific Revolutions’. In it he first uses the term Paradigm shift in relation to science and the way we see and ‘do’ science. This new viewpoint was alarming and uncomfortable for many at the time but has since become the norm for the way in which science is approached. Since then the term, ‘Paradigm Shift’ has entered into common usage to mean a change in thinking.
If we are to take seriously the spiritual realities for children today, then Christians need to acknowledge the paradigm shift in thinking, understanding and experience of their faith. The way we view faith development and how we ‘see it’ no longer makes sense to this generation and we must become willing to let go of our familiar reference points and allow new ones to become the norm.
This is very uncomfortable for adults to do, but if we are to take seriously the truths and viewpoint of children and how they engage with God we need be willing to step out of our paradigm and stand in theirs. The ministry of FACT continues to do just that. Our challenge is to help children find God not through tried and tested formulas of the past but in ways that make sense for children today. Not simply to replace new clothes for old ones but to consider whether clothes are appropriate at all! We are keen to help others move from their current understanding and positions to new ones that will enable the Truth they hold so dear to be accessible to the next generation.
