Let’s Reflect:
The Value of Theological Reflection
in Youth Ministry
Rev. Louise Kenyon
Assistant Dean at Nazarene Theological College,
Manchester, England
Hello!
Who am I?
Who am I?
Aims
This webinar will discuss the value of intentionally
reflecting on our practice in youth ministry. We will
look at one or two models of theological reflection
that can help deepen an awareness of God’s
presence in our youth ministry and highlight
practical implications for our lives and ministries.
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection is, “the act of deliberately slowing down our habitual
processes of interpreting our lives to take a closer look at the
experience and at our frameworks for interpretation”. (De Beer
and Killen, The Art of Theological Reflection, 1999, p.x)
The Slo Mo Guys
https://youtu.be/np68FhljCb8
OK Go, One Moment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvW61K2s0tA
‘Faith Seeking
Understanding’
(St Anselm)
“…making the transforming connections between our
real life issues and the fundamentals of our Christian
heritage”. (Laurie Green, Let’s Do Theology: Resources
for Contextual Theology, p.iv)
Reflection must be intentional
Theological Reflection Möbius Strip
Reflexivity/self-awareness
Who are you?
Reflexivity/self-awareness
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Values
Beliefs
Experiences
Knowledge
Personal context
Culture
Education
Gender
Ethnicity
Reflection
Practitioner
The practice of a worker who is:
• Able to use knowledge (the application of a
critical understanding of theoretical ideas
and information) in their work
Reflection
Practitioner
The practice of a worker who is:
• Sensitive and self-aware in their work
Reflection
Practitioner
The practice of a worker who is:
• Able to evaluate and reframe work done and
incorporate this into future work.
(Donald Schön)
Personal Reflectivity
“involves reflecting upon the ways in which our
own values, experiences, interests, beliefs,
political commitments, wider aims in life and
social identities”
The Pastoral Cycle
(See, judge, act)
The Pastoral Cycle
Theological reflection in ministry is
the process of bringing to bear in
the practical decisions of ministry
the resources of Christian faith
(Whitehead 1980 pix)
The Pastoral Cycle
1) Name the experience
What is happening?
2) Look at the wider
information and
implications
Why is it happening?
3) Where is God in the
experience?
What does it mean?
4) Bringing change
How shall we respond?
Laurie Green’s reflective spiral
Theological Reflection is an intentional
process
The Christian tradition
Personal experience
Culture
“Take care of my sheep”
John 21:15-19
Helpful reading
Paul & Sally Nash, Tools for
Reflective Ministry, 2012.
Andrew Root, Taking Theology
to Youth Ministry, 2012.
Questions
www.YouthMinistryAcademy.org