Young disciples feel the fire in their veins

"Christianity without discipleship, is like Christianity without Christ." — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The School of Discipleship held over the June long weekend provided a chance to explore the concepts of discipleship and Christian vocation for 90 participants from throughout Australia.

Held at the Greenhills Camp and Conference Centre in Canberra, the conference sought to examine the concept of discipleship, its cost and application for our lives as Christians.

People from all stages of life and from different points in their discipleship journeys came together as a community over the four days of the conference.
A large section of the conference was comprised of university students, ranging from first year to post grad.

As well as students, however, a balance was added to the school by the presence of many respected theologians and leaders such as Rob Bos (National Consultant, Theology and Discipleship within the national Assembly of the Uniting Church), the Rev. Alistair McCrae (Principal of the Centre for Theology and Ministry), Glen Powell (New South Wales Synod Consultant for New Congregations) and the Rev. Dr John Hirt (Chaplain Coordinator Presbytery of Sydney).

These people were involved in all facets of the program and many ran electives from their broad theological expertise. As well as this intellectual contribution, these people ate with, talked to and became mentors to others present.

Throughout the weekend we were privileged to hear a number of enlightening and inspiring discussions on the role and content of Christian vocation and calling by the keynote speaker, the Rev. Dr Graeme Garrett.

Dr Garrett, a senior lecturer in systematic theology at St Marks Theological College in Canberra, presented three seminars, each exploring particular facets of the Christian calling.

The first of these seminars used the story of Jeremiah to demonstrate the contours of God’s calling in our lives as Christians. For Dr Garrett, the story of Jeremiah revealed the sense of acknowledgment and awareness that takes places in God’s calling to individuals.

While some psychologists and sociologists would argue the notion of call to be merely a reflection of unconscious individual wishes or community expectations, the Christian tradition affirms God’s ability to speak to us directly.

In Jeremiah’s case, God’s calling is described as a “burden of fire within my veins”; a calling so strong that he feels compelled to obey.

Again drawing on Jeremiah, Dr Garrett described how this calling is the result of what he termed God’s prior deliberation (Jeremiah 1:4-6). For Jeremiah (as for us) to deny this “fire within his veins” is to deny the very purpose for which he was created.

Dr Garrett’s talk also revealed how, despite our fears that we are not capable of following God’s calling, we will be equipped by God on the way.
Many of us (especially those tertiary students!) relate to Jeremiah’s initial reply to God’s calling: “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child” (Jeremiah 1: 6). Yet as the story progresses, as with our calling, we learn the necessary skills along the journey.

Thus, for Dr Garrett, the story of Jeremiah also reveals that, as part of our calling, we must be willing to equip ourselves.

Dr Garrett’s second seminar was focused on the need for Christians to see their individual calling as a part of God’s collective desire for us as the body of Christ. He revealed the dangers of when, as individuals, we become deceived into following a supposed call of God, which is later revealed to be no more that our selfish desires.

We must therefore be prepared to “test the spirit” of our individual call in light of God’s pre-existing call for us to “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6: 8-9).

His final seminar was on the content of the Christian vocation. In contrast to the Protestant tradition of neglecting the figure of Mary, Dr Garrett used her life as a method of exploring what kind of life the call of Christ might lead us to.

His talk followed the life of Mary, from her call by the angel Gabriel to the ascension of Christ and focused on the importance of her acceptance of God’s calling in God’s saving purposes.

For Dr Garrett, her call narrative reveals not only the importance of us accepting God’s calling in our lives, but also accepting that the content of the call is inevitably going to be costly.

For Mary, the cost of following the call was the death of her son; for many, including numerous prophets and disciples, the cost was their own lives.

Following Dr Garret’s address each day there was a time for small groups to process and discuss the material in a safe environment.

This time also gave participants a chance to move at their own speed and ask questions, clarify and discuss ideas they were struggling with.

As well as this, small group time was a chance to share the story of one’s continuing journey and to hear other people’s stories as a form of encouragement on the road following Christ.

The conference also featured many exciting and challenging electives on topics as diverse as Subversion 101, Christology and Drama in the Church. The electives enabled participants to hear presentations from notables such as the Rev. Dr Thorwald Lorenzen, the Rev. Wes Campbell, Carol Hirt and Rob Boss.

A particular highlight was the presentation by Dr Daniel Jolly and Dr Kirsten Connon on euthanasia and abortion, which explored the current legal situation in Australia and presented a medical and Christian perspective on the divisive issues.

Another of the highlights of the School of Discipleship was a public liturgy around Canberra on the final night of the conference. Organised by Peter Hobson, Carol Hirt and students from UCATSA, it enabled us to reflect as a group on the question: “What would the gospel look like if it was superimposed onto the city of Canberra?”

Despite the temperature of a winter Canberra night, around 70 people braved the cold to attend. The public liturgy began overlooking the lights of the War Memorial with a focus on the myth of redemptive violence and readings of journal entries from a soldier, a soldier’s wife and a refugee all affected by conflict.

The Christ candle was then lit and, as a community, we turned our backs on the war memorial to follow the light of our Christ who demands non-violence. We then walked through the indigenous Tent Embassy and were challenged by a drama by Carol Hirt, inviting us to follow Jesus into solidarity with our indigenous brothers and sisters.

Tapers were lit from the Christ candle and each person carried their candle silently to Parliament House. Here the group assembled to hear a modern dramatic interpretation of Matthew 5:21-48:

“You have heard it said that Australia must send troops into Iraq to kill and destroy civilians and soldiers, in a country alleged to have weapons of mass destruction. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons and daughters of God in heaven. God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the terrorists doing that? And if you greet only your kin, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the dictators do that? Be perfect therefore, as your God in heaven is perfect.” (Based on Matt. 5: 43-48.)

The school was an enjoyable and challenging weekend. The combination of high quality theological teaching, small group time, a variety of valuable electives and time for relaxing was a joy for all who attended.

The School of Discipleship is an annual event and planning for next year is already under way. If you are interested in attending, contact Lauren Fee or Emma Schubert on 9351 7497.

Emma Schubert and Chris Hartley are mission workers for UCATSA at Sydney University and the University of New South Wales respectively.