A Guide for Writing Reflections

Transcription

1 A Guide fr Writing Reflectins Writing Thelgical Reflectins What is thelgical reflectin? The purpse f Thelgical Reflectin (TR) is t identify and analyze a significant event and prcess the even frm a biblical perspective in rder t bring abut character develpment and spiritual integratin. TRs are ften referred t as case studies, since it lks at yur invlvement in a scial interactin and the prcessing f the data based n yur biblical knwledge. It is als imprtant t make meaningful cnnectins between academics, spiritual frmatin, and yur current ministry psitin. The TR dcument shuld be designed nt just t tell a stry but t prvide a learning envirnment fr the audience t discuss and grw alng with yu. The TR cntains three main parts: 1. Descriptin (the backgrund and the event) 2. Reflectin (the biblical perspective) 3. Integratin (the applicatin and actin plan) Sme imprtant pints t remember when preparing fr the TR are: Pick a situatin that yu d nt yet understand, s that there is still rm t learn Keep yurself the central character f the stry; please just include thers as necessary Describe nly ne event and give nly the necessary backgrund infrmatin t help keep it simple Try t be cncise in yur backgrund infrmatin but give enugh s the reader understands the situatin Dn t fcus n blaming but instead lk fr ways t explre and learn Try t cmmunicate an accurate plt withut being defensive This dcument will cver the fllwing elements f Thelgical Reflectin: 1. Preparatin 2. Descriptin 3. Reflectin (widen the ptins) 4. Cnstructin (narrw the ptins until nly ne remains) 5. Strategy (hw) Preparatin Many students realize quickly that determining the tpic fr their thelgical reflectin can be the mst challenging part f the assignment. This culd be due t the unique structure f the reflectin and the fact that it requires analyzing yur wn experience rather than the activities and thughts f thers. In a thelgical reflectin, yu are the text that yu are studying a new psitin fr many students. This requires engaging yur thughts, mtives and interactins as yu reflect frm a biblical pint f view. Anther cmmn bstacle in the tpic selectin prcess is that students want t present the best reflectin they can. While this philsphy is nt wrng, it can lead yu t wrng thinking. This tpic shuld represent a significant happening in yur internship, but it des nt need t be smething verly interesting, cmplex r persnal. It shuld represent a high r lw pint fr yu and an area where there has been significant grwth r learning.

2 Since veranalyzing yur life can lead t mre questins than answers, it can kill the creative flw needed t actually d the thelgical reflectin. Because f this tendency, here are a few suggestins that culd help yu think mre clearly while selecting yur tpic. A tpic culd be analyzed thelgically if: Yu analyze an event mre than nce Yu are critical f smething that was said in a cnversatin Yu debate ver an ethical issue Yu have questins abut yur rle r the rle f smene else Yu use r hear phrases such as I was led t r I saw Gd wrk by Yu use r hear phrases such as I learned the mst when Yu lk at yurself r yur actins as insufficient r as a failure We strngly suggest ding a thelgical reflectin ver an extended perid f time it will hld little value t yu if yu d it the night befre it is due. We suggest interacting with the material at least 3-5 times (n different days/times f the day) t be able t fully prcess and reflect n yur tpic. If yu still lack clarity n pints f the reflectin, simply admit it. This is nt intended t be a declaratin f having fully reflected n this tpic, but it is a step in the grwing prcess as yu cntinue yur ministry. Remember t always begin this prcess with prayer. The Hly Spirit is highly invested in teaching yu t prcess life thrugh the filter f Gd s Wrd, and He is mre than willing t guide yu in this venture. Yu may als wish t cnsult with yur Field Instructr t see if they wuld like t give input int yur areas f grwth r challenges. A cnversatin with them may be able t spark sme ideas r shed new light n an experience t help yu get started. Descriptin Please remember that there are tw samples f Thelgical Reflectins n the internship website. Feel free t refer t them fr structure and thelgical interactin. The link t that site is Sme peple find it helpful t write ut a very detailed descriptin f the event and backgrund in rder t prcess the event well. Then they take the time t edit what is necessary t understand the stry and what is nt in rder t cnstruct this prtin f the TR. As yu d this, try t keep the facts f the stry at the frefrnt and nt allw the paper t simply reflect yur wn interpretatin f the event. Steps t begin writing yur Thelgical Reflectin: Begin by analyzing the case study r situatin What are the basic facts? Start with separate lists fr facts and yur inferences based n thse facts: Facts: directly bservable data (e.g. the pastr shuted ) Interpretatins and Inferences (e.g. The pastr was angry r the pastr was being mean ) Identify int which f these three categries yur tpic fits: Interpersnal Issues Organizatinal r Cmmunal Issues Thelgical r Spiritual Issues Des the case tuch n any cmmunal stries? NOTE: cmmunal stries can be stries frm a particular cmmunity r cngregatin r they can be stries frm the larger culture. If s, list them under the apprpriate categry (interpersnal, spiritual, etc.)

3 Are there pertinent stries abut the characters in the stry? e.g. Sherry just went thrugh a divrce (Interpersnal) e.g. Divrce is shameful in this cmmunity. (Thelgical) Are there imprtant stries abut the ministries invlved? e.g. The yuth grup has a lt mre girls than bys. (Organizatinal) e.g. Yuth in this culture feel tremendus pressure t succeed. (Spiritual) Are there backgrund stries abut place r grup where the case takes place? e.g. The wrkplace the case describes is very hstile t faith. (Spiritual) Des anyne in the case reference a biblical stry r passage? e.g. Stella mentined the least f these, which is a reference t Matthew 25 Reflectin The purpse f the Reflectin stage is t expand yur thinking t the pint where yu have a number f different perspectives n the situatin. Reflectin als helps t prevent thughts f vercnfidence abut ur spirituality r ministry skills and keeps ur thinking sharp as we fcus n the Wrd f Gd. Think f the prcess like this. Pretend yu have a rmful f advisrs all sitting at large table. As yu g arund the table, yu ask each advisr her r his pinin. One might suggest a Bible passage frm Matthew, and anther might pint t a passage frm Isaiah. A third advisr might suggest an article they nce read n prayer, while anther advisr might suggest a stry abut when they were a child. At the end f the reflectin stage, yu will have a lng list f ptins fr interpreting a situatin. A reflectin shuld include: Thughts n a spiritual practice yu have that is clearly cnnected t the event An element f yur character that relates well t the event The relevancy f a specific cncept frm an academic class (thelgy, Bible, ministry) that enhances the fcus f the event. Reflectin Prcess Under the Thelgical/Spiritual categry, list the passages frm the Bible that address the thelgical/spiritual issue at stake. Lk especially fr stries where biblical characters had t address cncerns similar t the nes in yur situatin. Write them dwn under the Thelgical/Spiritual categry. Yu may want t reference smething like the fruits f the Spirit. List thelgical ideas that yu think might be relevant t the situatin. Take time t investigate the Bible passages and thelgical ideas. What is the mst central meaning t the passage r idea? What is the advantage and disadvantage f using that idea r passage with the case?

4 Hw des yur persnality and character play int yur reactins and yur reflectin prcess? D yu have issues frgiving thers? D yu have a different sense f humr than thse arund yu? What is yur learning style? Hw was this imprtant in the event? D yu have a heart fr recnciliatin? D yu have lts f experience in culturally diverse situatins? Many ther questins culd be added here Are there any stries that cme t mind that might help illumine the case? e.g. stries frm yur wn life e.g. This is like the time I gt lst in inner-city Chicag e.g. stries frm the life f the cngregatin; frm the culture e.g. Last week n Saturday Night Live e.g. Last Sunday, after church, I was talking t a new member e.g. stries that frm an analgy e.g. Once there was a man wh fell in a hle Are there any secular surces that might help yu? e.g. On plitics, yu might think f a newspaper r the Internet e.g. On psychlgy, yu might refer t a bk r article Nw d the same thing fr the Interpersnal and Organizatinal categries Are there appraches t caring fr each fr each f the peple listed under the Interpersnal categry? What are the utcmes yu expect frm each apprach? What are the varius Organizatinal ptins yu have fr addressing each f the issues listed in that categry? What utcmes d yu expect frm each?

5 Integratin The purpse f the Integratin stage is t design a single respnse t the situatin r case. Yu d this by deciding which f the many interpretatins yu cllected in the Reflectin stage t keep, and which nes t discard. Think back t the Bard f Advisrs example. After yu have heard all the suggestins made by yur Bard f Advisrs, yu have t decide which suggestins t keep and which t discard. Think in terms f a: shrt-term plan mid-term plan lng-term plan Als ask questins like: Which f yur gals is mst imprtant and which gals are subrdinate t it? e.g. Smetimes yu have t make things wrse in, say, the Organizatinal layer, in rder t address a prblem in the Interpersnal layer. If s, yu might decide t wrk n the Organizatinal layer in the shrt term and the Interpersnal layer in the lng term. Hw d the thelgical findings influence the pssible chices fr respnding t the event? Hw d my respnses reflect my view f Gd? Hw has this event changed my cmmitment t ministry? At the end f the Integratin stage, yu shuld have a clear gal fr actin r an utline fr what yu intend t say. What is yur shrt-term plan? What is yur medium-term plan? What is yur lng-term plan? Strategy The purpse f this phase is t figure ut hw t enact the gal that yu built. I emphasize this phase because seminary students are ften tempted t think that nce they have decided what they want t d that ding it is trivial. Figuring ut hw t d is ften the hard part. Make it a gal t identify and develp at least three areas that yu knw yu need grwth based n what yu ve learned during the reflectin. Make sure that yu als identify wh will hld yu accuntable t this and hw. Be sure t separate technical frm adaptive wrk befre deciding strategy Technical prblems: an expert can slve them fr smene else Adaptive wrk: nly the persn r grup can change themselves e.g. Yu can t quit smking fr smene else. Remember that yu shuld end up with an actin plan, nt just gd ideas. This shuld include things yu learned abut yurself and hw yu relate t thers, changes fr the future, and specific ways t implement these things int yur everyday life in a practical, meaningful way. Keep in mind the lng term gals that yu have fr yurself and hw this actin plan can supprt yur life purpse. Always end yur persnal time f reflectin with prayer.