| |
| author |
Iraida Ruiz de Porras
| | title |
From Darkness to Light: Finding Hope, Growth, and Life in a Multi-Cultural Spiritual Wilderness
| | abstract |
Can we ask the church to take heart, to take courage, or cross a threshold of liminality
when she's living in and out of fear, anger, lack of trust, and bitterness stemming from its
unresolved wounds? Can we ask clergy and leaders in a congregation to embrace a future
of diversity, multi-culturalism, acceptance, and agape love when all it has been focused
on is pain without resolution or reconciliation? In what ways can the ethnography and
geographical context of a church help to reconcile its identity with its purpose? Can
Greater New Jersey leaders listen to the stories of pain and hurt and find ways to help a
church heal and become an agent of hope and life before deeming her a dying church? In
what ways can pastors reconcile a diverse and multi-cultural context to advance the
mission and ministry of Jesus Christ in the community? These questions will be
addressed in the opening section of this project; in Section II, the question of why context
matters will be explored. When context changes there is a sense of loss for both the
leaders and the congregation, often accompanied by grief, resistance, and isolation. This
project will reflect upon my time at Christ United Methodist Church and the healing work
accomplished in this deeply wounded, multi-cultural community. Section III will address
how unresolved conflict and abuse can lead to a season of wilderness where one
encounters the Dark Night of the Soul that brings forth life. Section IV describes the
underlying symptoms of a sick church that go unnoticed or are misdiagnosed by a
hierarchical system that does not hear her. Section V describes the wilderness experience
brought forth by external conflict and deception. In Section VI, new life emerges from
the ashes. Ultimately, this project critiques the swiftness with which the UMC
conference diagnoses a church as dead or dying. Every community has mission and
outreach opportunities that keeps the church relevant and alive. A pulse and a
willingness from both the church leader(s) and the congregation will help the church to
heal, grow, follow, and lead.
| | school |
The Theological School, Drew University
| | degree |
D.Min. (2022)
|
| advisor |
Elizabeth Siegelman
Scott Hughes
|
| committee |
Meredith Hoxie Schol
|
| full text | IRuiz_de_Porras.pdf |
| |
