SPIRITUAL VITALITY AFTER 70November 19, 2011 – Virginia Theological Seminary

II Corinthians 4: 7-9, 16-17

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be

made clear that this extraordinary power belongs

to God and does not come from us.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. . .

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal wealth of glory beyond

all comparison.

Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot

Richard Rohr

YOUNG … OLDER … OLD OLD

dabrooks@nytimes.com

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics

The Elderly Sub-Populations

Pew Research Center – November 7, 2011

Margaret Cruikshank

Aging in contemporary America is so complex and multidimensional

that studying it is worthwhile, even necessary, for those who wish to

do it consciously and without fear.Source

Margaret Cruikshank, Learning to Be Old: Gender, Culture, and Aging (2003), ix

Simone de BeauvoirThere is one form of

experience that belongs only to those who are old – that of

old age itself. The young have only

vague and erroneous notions of it.

SourceSimone de Beauvoir, The Coming of Age,

trans by Patrick O'Brian (1996), 381.

Aging as a Spiritual Practice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ORvUZou0Ak

byLewis Richmond

Spiritual Well-BeingAffirmation of life; the ability to say “yes” to life in spite of negative circumstances. By being a part of a community of faith, people grow to accept the past, live into

the present and seek the hope of fulfillment in the future.  

 Source

Thorson, J. A., ed. Perspectives on Spiritual Well-Being and Aging. Charles C. Thomas Publishers LTD, 2000, xiii.

Theorists Who Shaped Erikson

Erik Erikson

Charles DarwinSigmu

nd FreudAnn

a FreudHeinz HartmannMaria

Montessori Margar

et Mead

Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

Gerotranscendence Increased feeling of affinity with past

generations, & decreased interest in superfluous social interaction

Feeling of cosmic awareness, & redefinition of time, space, life and death.

Individual becomes less self-occupied & more selective in choice of social and other activities.

Individual might experience decrease in interest in material things. Solitude becomes more attractive

Source: In Thomas, Bill. Post on Changing Aging Blogstream, Feb. 3, 2011. http://changingaging.org/blog/2011/02/03/gerotranscendence/

Deepening Spirituality All Ages

1. Finding worth in one’s being, not through having or doing

2. Accepting one’s life journey and faith story

3. Confronting losses and accepting gains4. Experiencing a new (or renewed)

relationship with God5. Serving the needs of others

Source: Gentzler, R. H. and Clingan, D. F. God’s Challenge to the Church and Synagogue. Discipleship Resources, 2003.

COME BACK AT 1pm!

Zones of EmotionVedantam, S. “Older Americans May be Happier than Younger Ones.” In The Washington Post, July 14, 2008, p.

A04.

Principles of Parish Ministry for Maturing Adults

Part of parish plan Pay attention to

three dimensions of growth: spiritual, physical, & psychological

Employ styles of teaching unique to people being served

… Principles for Parish Ministry

Assume God is calling each person to a profound personal vocation

Shift focus of ministry to shared activities & shared growth in faith and life

Welcome elders into mainstream

… Principles for Parish Ministry Embrace a goal of spiritual transformation Offer programming that rises out of the real

situation in which elders live Focus on both interior and exterior growth Be Christ-centered Think: Developmental, ongoing, & lifelong Honor diversity of age, stage, personality,

ethnicity, & spiritualitySource: Johnson, R. P. Parish Ministry for Maturing Adults: Principles, Plans and Bold Proposals. Twenty-Third Publications, 2007, 15-16.

Essential Programming Components

Responsibility toward community, family, and church

Thorough contemplation of death and eternity

“unless we can come to terms with

our ultimate destination, we

really won’t have the wisdom to

make those right decisions about the

journey here”

… Essential Components Provide time for solitude &

meditation Recognize being alone ≠ being

lonely Feel loss deeply Recognize movement toward

giftedness in maturity Making and keeping friendsSource: Davis, C. B. “Spirituality and Aging,” in Perspectives on Spiritual Well-Being and Aging, J.A. Thorson, ed. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 2000, p. 45-53.