Spiritual Disciplines During Societal Discontinuity

Embarrassingly, I admit that I have relished this time of self-quarantine due to our health pandemic.  Busy is my middle name and the mandate to stop has allowed me to breath.  This is a long overdue time for true sabbath.  Over the years, I have read some of Howard Thurman’s work  on  contemplative spirituality:  Deep is the Hunger (1951), The Inward Journey (1961), and The Centering Moment (1969) for instance.  Silence, solitude, and stillness has never come easy for me.  I have been thinking lately about spiritual disciplines in this time of sheltering in place even if under duress for some and a welcome respite for others.

Many of us who were old enough on September 11, 2001 to remember our emotions and exactly what we were doing when the airplanes hit the Twin Towers in New York City.   Working for the Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia, I was in the building of the Baptist General Association of Virginia ready to teach my session for Mission InnoVAtors—a training opportunity for missional people to think creatively about engaging the world with the gospel.  The training was cancelled, and we all stood in shock. I remember just wanting to leave and pick-up my children from school and nestle them close and at home.

The Barna Research Group found (https://www.barna.com/research/how-americas-faith-has-changed-since-9-11/) that after 9/11 church attendance increased but was not sustained. During times of discontinuity is the faithful communing more with or God or do we experience a crisis of faith?  Spiritual Disciplines Before and During COVID-19 is an active survey seeking to learn more about spiritual disciplines in times of societal discontinuity.  Societal discontinuities can include health pandemics, wars, natural disasters, economic downfalls, and more.

 Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline the Path to Spiritual Growth lists prayer, fasting, study and mediation as inward disciplines.  My current mini research project will look at prayer, fasting and study.  This survey will remain active until July 30, 2020. In the meanwhile, I embrace the level of stillness afforded me during this time of sheltering in place, as a time of reflection and a time with God.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MQQFTNM