On 17 July 2018, Church Mission Society’s Pioneer Mission Leadership Training programme hosted a specialist day with practitioners from all over the UK, as well as the US, who shared their wisdom on how to engage with the growing number of people in the Western world who describe themselves as spiritual but not religious.

An issue of Anvil journal of theology and mission was inspired by this event

The day was aimed at giving regular churchgoers and pioneers in mission the confidence to enter into conversation with spiritual seekers. We also wanted to spark imaginations such that environments will be created where an exploration of Christian spirituality can begin and eyes will be opened to how embarking on a relationship with Jesus might give life greater meaning and security at a time of perpetual change. We hope offering these talks as audio resources will further that aim.

Following are some book and article recommendations for those who are interested in understanding more about mission among people who identify themselves as spiritual but not religious.

Books

• Do Christians know how to be spiritual? – John Drane
• The Shaken Path – Paul Cudby*
• Burning Religion – Phil Wyman*
• Using the Jesus Deck – Penny Horseman (Grove books)
• The Spirituality Revolution – David Tacy
• Sacred Stories, Spiritual Tribes – Nancy Ammerman
• Mission-Shaped Evangelism – Steve Hollinghurst
• Equipping your church in a Spiritual Age – CTBI
• Forest Church – Bruce Stanley
• Wild Lent – Rachel Summers
• The Celtic Wheel of the Year – Tess Ward

Blogs, articles and websites

These will give you some insight into “spiritual but not religious” ideas and movements:

• The New Age of Astrology – Julie Beck, The Atlantic
• 21st Century Spirituality – BBC Stories
• The tarot revival thanks to Brexit, Trump and Dior – Didem Tali, BBC Business
• Two Poems for Winter Solstice – Adam Ranger, A Druid’s Journey
• Worshipping the green man – Andrea Campanale, Sacred Space Kingston*
• Phil Wyman*
• God of Green Hope
• Ruach Cards
• Mystic Christ
• Eden People
• Churches Fellowship for Psychical and Spiritual Studies

*Denotes speakers at the Mission With People Who Are Spiritual But Not Religious conference on 17 July 2018 at CMS in Oxford

• See all events

The post Mission with People who are Spiritual but not Religious appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Pioneering American pastor Phil Wyman has sparked controversy by calling Halloween “the most Christian festival”.

His reasons? Because “contrary to the reluctance of most people to open their doors and welcome strangers, Halloween is a unique time when doors are thrown open, people welcome strangers and there is a willingness to talk about spiritual things like good and evil, heaven and hell, angels and demons, and embark on conversations of meaning that can be tied to the gospel.”

One of the main speakers at Mission With People Who Are Spiritual But Not Religious, a day conference recently organised by Church Mission Society in Oxford to examine how Christians can best respond to this generation’s increasing interest in alternative spirituality, Wyman said: “Halloween is one of the most open days of the year to have fun and share both the love and the truths of scripture in dialogical and creative ways.”

Traditionally Christians have often shied away from taking part, but since Halloween has become America’s second biggest commercial holiday and in the UK spending on Halloween products, at £420 million, has doubled in the last five years, there can be little doubt that it offers a window of opportunity for mission engagement.

Wyman, author of The Reformation of Halloween: Rethinking Christianity’s response to Halloween, continued, “At Halloween when people put on masks, this interesting transformation takes place: we ironically feel more free to be ourselves when in costume. Other holidays are often celebrated behind closed doors with people we know and love really well, but on Halloween, we go out into the neighbourhood, we speak to strangers, offer hospitality and have fun and it’s also a real family holiday.”

Wyman moved from California to Salem, Massachusetts, famous for the witch trials of 1692, wherein 20 people were executed for alleged witchcraft. Legend and history have made Salem a popular destination for people interested in witchcraft, paganism and alternative spiritual practices. Every October, one million people come to the city for its trademark Halloween festivities. Wyman, who founded and led a ground-breaking church in Salem, says that rather than hide away from the celebrations, Halloween has been a launchpad for him in mission and building relationships, because people are more open to discuss spirituality, and the meaning behind the common depictions of horror, and good and evil, commonly found in Halloween movies, costumes and family events.

Naomi Steinberg, Head of Communications at Church Mission Society, said: “Phil was a perfect choice to have as one of our speakers at our Mission With People Who Are Spiritual But Not Religious conference. As someone with vast experience in truly edgy mission, Phil offered some great challenges to UK Christians to go into places that many resist. Like all the conference contributors, he embodied much of what Church Mission Society is about: asking tough questions, discovering God at work in surprising places and getting people into mission in pioneering contexts. We hope to see more people getting involved in mission among people who identify as spiritual in some way, but not religious – a rapidly growing group in the UK today. So I hope and pray the podcast resources we produced from the conference will be a real help and challenge to the UK church.”

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The post So how Christian is Halloween? appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).